Lawal misses out on the 23 man match day squad, along with the suspended Scales.
Lawal misses out on the 23 man match day squad, along with the suspended Scales.
The hype is unreal for this game, its still the team that lost in Armenia and stumbled over the line against Armenia at home. I am not as confident as everyone else it seems and prior to November, I would have expected the Czechs to stroll to a 2-0 win easily and shut up shop at the back as we battled gamely and someone like Molumby got send off late in the game for a second yellow.
Even now I will be delighted if we take them to penalties and have no confidence we will beat the Danes who blew it against Scotland should we make the final.
That's the spirit!!Originally Posted by ltfc_2004
I wouldnt say I am confident but we have a fairly healthy chance today. There is a whole script attached to the Czechs too - turbulence in the domestic game, turbulence between fans and players, a new manager and captain, a possibly dropped captain, key players just coming back to health, pretty average players in certain spots. It is even enough on paper but being away does impact us. If we can show up like we did against Portugal at home and keep concentration levels higher than we did in the first 5-10 mins away to Hungary then it is there for us.
All that said, we are also in bonus territory. Never in a million years back in November did we think we would even be having this conversation. Give it a lash for 90-120 and see what happens!
I like high energy football. A little bit rock and roll. Many finishes instead of waiting for the perfect one.
I think "I am confident but we have a fairly healthy chance today" is a reasonably qualified view! The problems in the Czech camp surely can't hurt us. Kelleher and Parrott are huge players in huge positions. The Czechs lost against the Faroes, then beat San Marino 1-0 (in a friendly). They're a League B side. I think they're favourites. But while you can say we weren't great for long spells in Hungary - or indeed in the qualifying campaign as a whole - we did win in Hungary. And in theory we can pick up a big win again.
Surprised to read that Czechia have only reached one WC in their current manifestation - and that 20 years ago, in Germany.
So we're not playing one of European footballs true superpowers. The Czech's well-documented recent problems also give rise to some feelings of hope, especially compared with the ebullience that now exists around the Irish team.
That said, the suggestion of both Coleman and Ogbene starting down together down he right side - two players who just don't really play football these days - is a major cause of concern.
It's been mooted that Brady (on account of being an OShea/Heimir favourite) may also start, though this seems unlikely to me.
You're going to be lucky to get away with one player with hardly any recent first-team action under his belt, much less two. And to have three in your starting line-up really is pushing it.
the42 have a live blog from Prague in case you didn't feel bad enough about not traveling
https://www.the42.ie/ireland-czechia...995408-Mar2026
I don't think I've ever been less optimistic. I hope that's a good sign. Currently tearing up listening to "Give it a Lash Jack". It's going to be a long evening.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
Tallaght Stadium Regular
Before the Portugal game maybe?
Fair point!! An away win is such a rare thing. We've suddenly got this hope from nowhere but the worry is the last few games papered over the cracks and now it's back to reality. I expect it to be cagey but can't see us winning.
Hard to pick the 11, especially the midfield. I might go for;
Kelleher
Coleman
O'Brien
Collins
O'Shea
Manning
Molumby
Browne
Knight
Azaz
Parrott
I think that leaves a lack of width but a very versatile middle four who more or less all rotate. I'd see Molumby deepest with Browne mostly beside him and Knight and Azaz floating wide and up beside Troy. Could just as easily see Taylor in there for Browne and Ogbene for Knight or Molumby (Knight in the holding role if that happened).
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
Tallaght Stadium Regular
Whatever else you can say about RTE, they know how to do a sporting montage
Even though we're rank outsiders we have the potential to win this one, otherwise why bother watching. We have had plenty of things going our way this campaign, never have we recovered from such a terrible position in a qual group and I think it was merited in the end.
Knight left out is the big call here. Otherwise pretty much as expected.
You'd worry how effective Ogbene will be after a long layoff and a second hamstring injury. But yeah, the team is largely predictable. Let's see how it goes!
I think we are more likely to make hard work of tonight than if we get through. We are much better when there is little expectation!! I still am expecting to concede early and then start playing when we have no choice but to chase the game. It'll be down to a bit of luck and Czech quality to not conceded while throwing everything at getting on terms. We dont do easy so Im expecting to be put through the ringer.
For any of the worries we have, this is where we wanted to be. Its only with hindsight that we know that better result against Armenia and Hungary at home and it could have been better. Before the campaign we hoped for the playoff route football masochists that we are. Here we are!!
Penalties will kill me if thats in the script....
Last edited by Nesta99; 26/03/2026 at 6:39 PM.
Site is having a shocker today sadly
Really soft penalty but we deserve to be ahead here. Playing well and winning the ball off then handily enough so far
Penalty was dodgy as anything, but IDGAF.
Such a silly penalty to give away, when a ref is itching to give one.
Yeah. He was always going to be looking to give the Czechs one there.
Not that i disagree with the decision. My first reaction was that it was a penalty. Daft from Manning.
Bring Back Belfast Celtic F.C.
Irish peno was a peno but it was also lucky, fractions in the timing between a penalty and nothing in it. Manning giving away that penalty was braindead stuff. No need and just makes it a lot more cagey. Game on rather than being able to squeeze the life out of the game with some dark arts game management. Id wrooy about that Taylor yellow card too.
Entertaining game, frenetic, cup final stuff. But we are a better side, just need to make that count, no stupid errors! Be glad of ht. Settle it down and rest those legs.
Last edited by Nesta99; 26/03/2026 at 7:29 PM.
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