All this negativity

**Duggie** · 01/04/2009, 8:09 AM

are we beaten before we start lads....i look at italy and see toni, gilardinho, gattuso, di natale all out. he wont pick players like cassano, inzaghi, del piero. yes we have duff and mcgeady out but thats football. i actually dont mind that keogh will play, decent player IMO. italy will prob play rossi and pazzini upfront so we have faced a lot worse than that in years past. if the team believes i think we can at least get a point, at least. here's hoping for a whealan wonder free kick or similiar. fingers crossed. come on the boys in green

**Stuttgart88** · 01/04/2009, 8:58 AM

I'm usually the perennial optimist around these parts but I was just dismayed at how lacking in some of the basics we were on Saturday.

With Finnan, Duff, McGeady and both Reids available, not to mention Stephen Ireland, I think we'd actually be quite a strong team. Without them we're severely weakened and lacking balance.

OK, so that's the negative bit out of the way.

On the plus side, we have a great keeper, a good central defence and two Champions League quality forwards. If the others play to their best then who knows?

This Italy team is not at full strength and they may not have had time to gel. Montenegro gifted them a goal and were unlucky not to have equalised on a few occasions.

We have a manager known worldwide for his ability to grind out results and I reckon he's seriously motivated for this game.

I was expecting a spanking in Amsterdam in 2000 (not in one of the bondage clubs) and look what happened. We went to Stuttgart over 2 years ago with a weak team and lost narrowly to an unlucky goal and both Robbie & Dunne came close at either end of the game.

If we stay competitive anything can happen. Here's hoping.

**the doc** · 01/04/2009, 9:15 AM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

I'm usually the perennial optimist around these parts but I was just dismayed at how lacking in some of the basics we were on Saturday.

With Finnan, Duff, McGeady and both Reids available, not to mention Stephen Ireland, I think we'd actually be quite a strong team. Without them we're severely weakened and lacking balance.

OK, so that's the negative bit out of the way.

On the plus side, we have a great keeper, a good central defence and two Champions League quality forwards. If the others play to their best then who knows?

This Italy team is not at full strength and they may not have had time to gel. Montenegro gifted them a goal and were unlucky not to have equalised on a few occasions.

We have a manager known worldwide for his ability to grind out results and I reckon he's seriously motivated for this game.

I was expecting a spanking in Amsterdam in 2000 (not in one of the bondage clubs) and look what happened. We went to Stuttgart over 2 years ago with a weak team and lost narrowly to an unlucky goal and both Robbie & Dunne came close at either end of the game.

If we stay competitive anything can happen. Here's hoping.

Thats all very well and yes we have a chance, on the downside we have a has been manager and has not player in McShane!

I think we all saw what the Bulgarians did to us when they played their way through us, if the Italians do the same they will have more quality up front to punish us.

**ifk101** · 01/04/2009, 9:22 AM

Originally Posted by the doc

Thats all very well and yes we have a chance, on the downside we have a has been manager and has not player in McShane!

More trolling

.

**tetsujin1979** · 01/04/2009, 9:27 AM

Originally Posted by the doc

I think we all saw what the Bulgarians did to us when they played their way through us, if the Italians do the same they will have more quality up front to punish us.

I saw them not scoring, and barely able to get into our penalty area

**gustavo** · 01/04/2009, 9:29 AM

Originally Posted by the doc

Thats all very well and yes we have a chance, on the downside we have a has been manager and has not player in McShane!

I think we all saw what the Bulgarians did to us when they played their way through us, if the Italians do the same they will have more quality up front to punish us.

Can you please try to have a post that doesn't knock McShane in order to continue your petty agenda , It's boring at this stage.

**Naitch** · 01/04/2009, 9:31 AM

I just have a very funny feeling about tonight. Just remember -

North of Ireland 1-0 England

North of Ireland 3-2 Spain

Scotland 1 - 0 France

France 0- 1 Scotland

Romania 0 - 3 Lithuania

Portugal 2 -3 Denmark

Looks lads shock results do happen, just believe and have faith. The lads always deliver when we least expect it.

**ifk101** · 01/04/2009, 9:32 AM

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

I saw them not scoring, and barely able to get into our penalty area

What about the time in the first half when they put a few one-twos together, danced their way into the box, pulled the ball back to a in-rushing midfielder only for him to shoot straight at Given.

**Shilts** · 01/04/2009, 9:32 AM

I reckon we need more help in the centre of midfield. Trap should either go 4-5-1 or 4-4-1-1 with Robbie dropping off to prevent the Italians getting their passing game going. Also the wide midfielders need to tuck in more when we don't have the ball (which will be a lot).

As for going forward tonight - set pieces maybe???

Lets be realistic - a point would be one of our best results in years.
But not impossible... C'mon Ireland!!!

**passinginterest** · 01/04/2009, 9:34 AM

We'll definitley see if this group of players have the carachter to fight for every scrap, if they do then it's possible to nick a draw, or a smash and grab win.

I have a feeling Kevin Doyle will put in a fantastic display and if he's not in the Premier league next season he might pop up in Serie A.

**geysir** · 01/04/2009, 9:45 AM

Originally Posted by ifk101

What about the time in the first half when they put a few one-twos together, danced their way into the box, pulled the ball back to a in-rushing midfielder only for him to shoot straight at Given.

All I saw was the space afforded and our CM with an effective cloak of invisibility.

**Duggie** · 01/04/2009, 9:49 AM

i follow italian football and this italy team is average regardless of what happens tonight. apart from pirlo hes the only one i really fear. no real goal scoring threat in the team. interesting to see who lippi plays upfront.

**Scram** · 01/04/2009, 10:05 AM

Originally Posted by Duggie

are we beaten before we start lads....i look at italy and see toni, gilardinho, gattuso, di natale all out. he wont pick players like cassano, inzaghi, del piero. yes we have duff and mcgeady out but thats football. i actually dont mind that keogh will play, decent player IMO. italy will prob play rossi and pazzini upfront so we have faced a lot worse than that in years past. if the team believes i think we can at least get a point, at least. here's hoping for a whealan wonder free kick or similiar. fingers crossed. come on the boys in green

Yeah!:

"fingers crossd"

"here's hoping"

"wonder free kick"

"if the team believes i think we can at least get a point" !!!!

That's positivity? more like a wing and a prayer (with no wingers!).

I hope I win the lottery tonight, but realistically the odds are very much against that...is that negativity? I have upped my chances by buying a ticket with 6 numbers on each line....unlike Trappa, who has left two numbers off!

Anyone know a good prayer to give us some chance?

**OwlsFan** · 01/04/2009, 10:12 AM

Yep, sack the manager

!!

......................PW D L F A GD Pts
Italy...............5 4 1 0 8 2 6...13
Rep of Ireland.5 3 2 0 6 3 3...11
Bulgaria.........4 0 4 0 3 3 0.....4
Cyprus...........4 1 1 2 4 5 -1....4
Montenegro....4 0 2 2 3 6 -3....2
Georgia..........6 0 2 4 4 9 -5....2

**Stuttgart88** · 01/04/2009, 10:50 AM

Yeah, but Fulham didn't have a prayer against United last week. Funny things happen in sport. I'm not expecting it but as a fan I'm hoping.

**Scram** · 01/04/2009, 10:52 AM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

Yeah, but Fulham didn't have a prayer against United last week. Funny things happen in sport. I'm not expecting it but as a fan I'm hoping.

We are ALL hoping and praying.....not exactly what would be called "positivity" !!

**ifk101** · 01/04/2009, 10:55 AM

Cyprus could do us a favour today - positive thinking and all that.

Bulgaria's draw against us doesn't do them any favours unless they beat Cyprus and beat us when we play them again in June.

**Gather round** · 01/04/2009, 10:59 AM

Originally Posted by Naitch

I just have a very funny feeling about tonight. Just remember -

North of Ireland 1-0 England

North of Ireland 3-2 Spain

Thanks Naitch. If it's any consolation, I'll be supporting Southern Ireland tonight.

**Flea** · 01/04/2009, 11:21 AM

Originally Posted by Ciaran

We've got a midfield of two championship players and two guys who deserve to be in the championship against the greatest playmaker in the game, one of the top 5 box to box midfielders in the world and a pair of world class attacking wing backs.

We don't have a prayer. Very few teams would.

Why do they deserve to be in the championship? Do you not think Andrews has worked extremely hard to get where he is? I presume you are referring to Pirlo, Grosso and Zambrotta. Being an avid Serie A fan, I don't think you would call these players world class. They are great players, but to call Pirlo the greatest play-maker in the game is an exaggeration, while Zambrotta isn't having a great season.

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Added to this, a lot of Irish fans I know, who are pumping up the Italian players, criticised the Italian teams in the champion's league just last month, saying that Serie A is out dated in their style of play and players like Totti and Gattuso are past their best. Yet now, even the wings backs are being referred to as world class, a very misused term by all accounts. If only some of the Irish 'fans' would actually support the team.

**Duggie** · 01/04/2009, 11:40 AM

Originally Posted by Flea

Why do they deserve to be in the championship? Do you not think Andrews has worked extremely hard to get where he is? I presume you are referring to Pirlo, Grosso and Zambrotta. Being an avid Serie A fan, I don't think you would call these players world class. They are great players, but to call Pirlo the greatest play-maker in the game is an exaggeration, while Zambrotta isn't having a great season.

---------------------
Added to this, a lot of Irish fans I know, who are pumping up the Italian players, criticised the Italian teams in the champion's league just last month, saying that Serie A is out dated in their style of play and players like Totti and Gattuso are past their best. Yet now, even the wings backs are being referred to as world class, a very misused term by all accounts. If only some of the Irish 'fans' would actually support the team.

i agree with this, i also follow serie A and know this is an average italian squad compared to others. when you leave out or have injuried players like cassano,totti(retired),gattuso,toni,gilardinho,del piero,inzaghi
then your not left with all that much world class talent. im not as scared of tonight as most on here seem.