Everton Irish and Opposition Irish

[geysir]

McGeady and McCarthy combine brilliantly to set up the assist for Everton's first goal (ever?) against Lille.

[DeLorean]

Great purpose in that run from McCarthy and desire to get into the box, something he's been lacking a bit I think.

[DeLorean]

A second McGeady assist, from corner this time for a Jagielka header. Brilliant tackle from McCarthy in the build up to the corner, the crowd love him.

[geysir]

This irish duo are on another wavelength altogether.
Scotland beware, ye bunch of pretenders.

[paul_oshea]

It's all mcgeady on itv.Strachan not saying anything

[DannyInvincible]

Naismith scores.

What on earth happened his neck? I've not been following it all.

[paul_oshea]

Naismith better not be doing that nxt weekend.is that 5 in 12 he said?

[DannyInvincible]

He'd be my main worry. He's a dangerous player. He went down earlier on and I was hoping he might stay down. (God forgive me!)

McGeady coming off now for Atsu and receives a warm round of applause as he departs.

Oh, and here's Gibby for Barry now.

[geysir]

You gotta look at the whole picture, That goal just glosses over a sackful of inadequacies with Naismith like just how he lost that ball in midfield which caused outright panic and Barry forced to make a possible career ending challenge to save the situation.

[DannyInvincible]

Where's Seamie, by the way? Simply being rested?

[Stuttgart88]

Naismith can be clinical, but his output is less than a top notch striker. I guess what I'm saying us that at times he looks like one but isn't one. Good, yes, but our defenders regularly deal with strikers of his ilk. But he is my main worry in that team.

[BonnieShels]

Too good etc...

Did Gordon say anything at all about the Macs?

[Charlie Darwin]

Where's Seamie, by the way? Simply being rested?

Roberto "Scotsman" Martinez left him out to cruelly leave him short of match fitness by the time the Scotland game rolls around.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Hmm..... is this my penance for my "strange little man" comments about Roberto Martinez?

http://www.independent.ie/sport/socc...-30725042.html

Lavish praise for McCarthy.

[Charlie Darwin]

Hmm..... is this my penance for my "strange little man" comments about Roberto Martinez?

http://www.independent.ie/sport/socc...-30725042.html

Lavish praise for McCarthy.

No, it predates your arrival on the forum. It comes from the infamous 173-page James McCarthy thread whereupon fully half the forum were outright convinced Martinez was a sleeper agent working for Craig Levein and the SFA to get James to declare for the Scoots.

It's the main reason why Danny, Stutts and me and others have always kept an open mind on Grealish's intentions, having witnessed the wild conclusions drawn by people who wanted to believe he was on the cusp of William Wallacing on us.

[gastric]

And do you know Charlie, despite one moment of pessimism, I know feel convinced Grealish will play senior football for us. Who needs Stutts' guts, I have my own!

[BonnieShels]

And if they're working all the way from Melbourne it's best that you're that far from us.

[paul_oshea]

Too good etc...

Did Gordon say anything at all about the Macs?

He did, he gushed about McCarthy eventually, but was also gushing about Naismith.

He basically said Naismith is one of the players who realised his limitations early but made the most of what he has got, and made the changes where necessary to do whatever would get him that extra 1 or 2%. For example bulking up, and physicality. He also negated stutts point or whoever it was above about the striker role. He does not play as a striker but off one, and links up play and is always running and knows the intelligent runs, learned rather than instictive, paraphrasing now but "he can score the striker goals like he has demonstrated tonight".

He also made a good point about the athlete type footballers, reminded me of McAuley(whose statement was somewhat ironic given what happened a few days later against Donegal), that they have so much energy and their fitness is so good, they can harry and harass and never stop, keep the tempo going and the opposition under pressure by moving in on them from the front. He was talking about Naismith here too.

[paul_oshea]

No, it predates your arrival on the forum. It comes from the infamous 173-page James McCarthy thread whereupon fully half the forum were outright convinced Martinez was a sleeper agent working for Craig Levein and the SFA to get James to declare for the Scoots.

I dont think its fair to compare McCarthy and Grealishs declarations or intentions in the same way to be fair CD.

[Stuttgart88]

Martinez quoted in today's Guardian saying that McCarthy is the type of player managers love, doing the things that fans (like Paul ) don't necessarily see.

http://www.theguardian.com/football/...e-match-report

I'll be more careful to call Naismith a forward rather than a striker in future.