Slovakia 2-2 Ireland Post Game Discussion Thread

**cobra** · 10/09/2007, 10:58 AM

Originally Posted by McGinty

how could we ever expect to beat the Slovaks or Cechs in their back yard when we couldnt beat a scrappy Cyprus side in Nicosia...

Germany couldnt win in Nicosia either and hopefully the Czechs will struggle to when they go out there too.

**WembleyGreen** · 10/09/2007, 11:21 AM

Yeah and pigs will fly and we'll all find a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow!
Dream on Cobra I admire your optimism but time for a reality check even if that did happen it won't matter as it's their last game anyway. We have to play Germany and Wales. Both of these countries are more than capable of beating us. The Czechs still have to play the Slovaks and The Slovaks have 2 games against San Marino. It's not a case of us qualfying anymore it's a case of finishing above Slovakia. Think seedings and the optimism turns quickly to despair!

**cobra** · 10/09/2007, 11:52 AM

Originally Posted by WembleyGreen

Yeah and pigs will fly and we'll all find a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow!
Dream on Cobra I admire your optimism but time for a reality check even if that did happen it won't matter as it's their last game anyway. We have to play Germany and Wales. Both of these countries are more than capable of beating us. The Czechs still have to play the Slovaks and The Slovaks have 2 games against San Marino. It's not a case of us qualfying anymore it's a case of finishing above Slovakia. Think seedings and the optimism turns quickly to despair!

I want to think positive especially when I am going to Prague Wed morning. The czechs have to go to germany yet, have to play slovakia( a derby and the slovaks can still make it) and go to cyprus which will not be easy and play us

. I would not rule out Slovaks for 2nd place

**Morbo** · 10/09/2007, 1:10 PM

Originally Posted by WembleyGreen

Yeah and pigs will fly and we'll all find a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow!
Dream on Cobra I admire your optimism but time for a reality check even if that did happen it won't matter as it's their last game anyway. We have to play Germany and Wales. Both of these countries are more than capable of beating us. The Czechs still have to play the Slovaks and The Slovaks have 2 games against San Marino. It's not a case of us qualfying anymore it's a case of finishing above Slovakia. Think seedings and the optimism turns quickly to despair!

Thats such a losers attitude, granted the odds are against us, but to say its not about qualifying anymore is foolish, the bookies have Ireland at 23/5 to qualify and the Czechs are 1/10, so giving the bookies usual margin for profit our actual chances of qualifying are somewhere between 23/5 and 10/1(ignoring odds of Slovakia which are negligible) probably around 15/2, unlikely but there is still a slim chance.
If you are 100% sure Ireland won't qualify then why not bet everything on the Czechs qualifying, you would make a 10% profit.

**Morbo** · 10/09/2007, 1:12 PM

Originally Posted by cobra

I want to think positive especially when I am going to Prague Wed morning. The czechs have to go to germany yet, have to play slovakia( a derby and the slovaks can still make it) and go to cyprus which will not be easy and play us

. I would not rule out Slovaks for 2nd place

Nah the Slovaks have virtually no chance but you can get 54-1 on Slovaks qualifying if you fancy them

**Closed Account 2** · 10/09/2007, 1:22 PM

I think the Czechs won't beat Cyprus in Nicosia - in fact I think they might be defeated. But I think we will draw in Prague, and wont win against the Germans and probably will draw in Wales, so overall the Czechs will still go thru.

**Ozymandias** · 10/09/2007, 1:46 PM

the czechs beat slovakia in slovakia ..Germany Beat them ...scores were 4-1 and 3-0 something we didn't do particualrly dissappointing when you see they were there for the taking
In four away games in this group we have four points...that is terrible when you look at the fact we played both San Marino and Cyprus in two of them. Our only win is against San Marino. How can we expect to beat the czechs

germany 1-0
Cyprus 5-2 (Still cant believe i wrote five there)
San Marino 1-2
Slovakia 2-2

People can talk all they want about the number of games withouit a loss but the above is dire reading in fairness

**cobra** · 10/09/2007, 1:50 PM

Originally Posted by cfdh_edmundo

I think the Czechs won't beat Cyprus in Nicosia - in fact I think they might be defeated. But I think we will draw in Prague,

I would be thinking on them lines too and thats only 2 points gained leaving them on 19pts, taking it germany beats them(even a draw)..Slovakia have wales at home, 2 games against san marino which you would expect them to win leaving them on 19pts..so the game between the czechs and slovakia could be 2nd place for the winners..The 54/1 Morbo mentions for slovakia qualifying is worth a few bob to me

**paul_oshea** · 10/09/2007, 2:04 PM

in fairness to oshea, that "chance" he got was from a very tight angle. It was by no means easy lads, dont know how it looked on the camera, but i thought he did well to get it across the box. it fell awkwardly for him too.

**mackannovic** · 10/09/2007, 2:14 PM

As with all football the blame ultimately should fall on the managers head. Yes individuals didn't perform but at the end of the day thats the gaffers job, plain and simple. It's Stans job to get the players to perform if he can't do that he isn't doing his job.

**WembleyGreen** · 10/09/2007, 5:23 PM

Morbo & Edmundo, does the phrase "grasping at straws" or in your case 'betting slips' ring a bell or two? 20 years since we won a game away against anyone of any consequence, I was in San Marino and saw what transpired first hand, it's left me scarred for life! Win your home games, win aginst the goal fodder of the group and then try and at least draw against the so called contenders. We've haven't even managed this, losing in Cyprus was bad, drawing against the Czechs was 2 points dropped at home and with Germany to come I can't share your rose tinted bookie specs! Sorry!

**Paddy Garcia** · 10/09/2007, 7:58 PM

There is an interesting tactical analysis in The Times' The Game today. It shows 3 pictrures in the run up to the goal, with key players ringed.

The captions are:
1. Dawdling Douglas - Jonathan Douglas , the Ireland substitute watches Marek Cech advancing yet shows no desire to track him.

2. Douglas continues to jog back while JOS the right back moves left to help the central defenders.

3. Too late. Douglas tries to get back but Czech fires in Slovakias late equaliser as O'Shea dives across in vain.

**DmanDmythDledge** · 10/09/2007, 8:03 PM

Originally Posted by Paddy Garcia

There is an interesting tactical analysis in The Times' The Game today. It shows 3 pictrures in the run up to the goal, with key players ringed.

The captions are:
1. Dawdling Douglas - Jonathan Douglas , the Ireland substitute watches Marek Cech advancing yet shows no desire to track him.

2. Douglas continues to jog back while JOS the right back moves left to help the central defenders.

3. Too late. Douglas tries to get back but Czech fires in Slovakias late equaliser as O'Shea dives across in vain.

Can be seen here. Disproves the theory that O'Shea turned his back to the ball.

**Ordinary Fan** · 10/09/2007, 11:18 PM

Shocked at the choice of the starting 11 and stunned by the substitutions. Reid had to start as Doyle and Keane want the ball to feet.
Hunt is a great impact sub as he has proved in the last 3 competitive matches. Does Stan never watch the videos of our previous games.

Two great Goals for Ireland, but both goals conceded could have been avoided by better organisation.

**macdermesser** · 11/09/2007, 8:37 AM

At least we had these few moments of unbridled joy ...

**paul_oshea** · 11/09/2007, 8:39 AM

anyone had the match notice how carsley after such a crap performance i might add, didnt even bother to come over to the fans? says it all to me really.

**paul_oshea** · 11/09/2007, 8:44 AM

looking at teh stuff on youtube, what was dunne putting the ball across the defence like that, he should have cleared the thing out or back up the field.

But looking at douglas and JOSH that just ****ess me off even more.....again.

**Stuttgart88** · 11/09/2007, 8:47 AM

I think there's a suggestion Dunne was pushed. Stephen Kelly certainly said so. I can't look at youtube at work.

**paul_oshea** · 11/09/2007, 8:52 AM

I think there's a suggestion Dunne was pushed. Stephen Kelly certainly said so. I can't look at youtube at work.

Ive looked at it too many times already so I cant look again

but that may be the case actually, it looks as though he is turning his head to see where he is aiming it but that could actualy be him turning his head around as he was pushed. However from looking at it, he definitely aims the ball over that way, whether that was a reaction of being pushed or not I dont know..... anyhow there was so much space over on osheas side, terrible defending from both of them arrrggggggh its just frustrating even thinking about it. good finish but terrible defending.

**Tipp Townie** · 11/09/2007, 9:11 AM

I'm useless at finding stuff on Youtube; can anyone post a link to the Slovak eqauliser, or tell me how to find it? For some reason i feel compelled to watch it again, just to see exactly what went wrong

(ps. Macdermesser; mate, quality footage of Doylers goal and the 'pit' afterwards!)