Cyprus game

**jay1** · 05/08/2009, 8:12 AM

Does anybody really believe we can beat cyprus over there? Italy just about scraped by. Personally I don't believe we will be in the World cup Finals. The team just simply isn't good enough.

**Reality Bites** · 05/08/2009, 8:31 AM

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**bwagner** · 05/08/2009, 8:45 AM

they will be missing konstantinu and another big player for them

**CJTheGull** · 05/08/2009, 9:06 AM

Look you can be as negitive as you want - I am not saying the team has been perfect under Trappatoni - in fact I left Croke Park fuming after both the Georgia and Bulgaria games - but the fact remains that we are steadily picking up points as we go along. Trappatoni seems to have distilled an inner resolve into the players. They are far from perfect but anyway glass half full and all that.

As for the play-off's who knows - we could get lucky and get someone like Scotland or be unlucky and get someone like Russia or Croatia.

**elroy** · 05/08/2009, 9:18 AM

Originally Posted by jay1

Does anybody really believe we can beat cyprus over there? Italy just about scraped by. Personally I don't believe we will be in the World cup Finals. The team just simply isn't good enough.

This is the sort of game where I think Trap's tactics will see us win, not by much but I think we will win.

Cyprus in their last game were 2-0 up (including a dodge peno) and eventually only ended up with at draw and that game was at home, to Montenegro. Realistically if we have aspirations of qualifying/getting a play off spot, three points are needed here.

They are missing Okkas (capt) and constantinou, who im sure we all remember from our previous encounters. So on the assumption that we have all or at least most of our important players available, we should win. If we do win, it should more or less guarantee us second spot and allow us to push on and maybe get first.

**pineapple stu** · 05/08/2009, 9:27 AM

Originally Posted by Reality Bites

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I'll try an S, please.

**Serb** · 05/08/2009, 10:38 AM

Cyprus were the strongest they have ever been in the last qualifying campaign. Aside from our own 5-2 humiliation, they did get a convincing 3-1 win over Wales and a 1-1 draw with Germany all at home. I don't think they are as good now, especially without Konstantinou or Okkas (they have 50 goals between them for Cyprus).

The game will still be tight, mostly because Ireland never put teams away, but I'd be confident of 3 points none the less.

**Closed Account 2** · 05/08/2009, 11:10 AM

We should beat them, I was at the 5-2 a few years ago and we just collapsed. We realistically should have won that especially after going 1-0 up. Even when we got it back to 2-2 we should have won it. They are no push-overs but I think Georgia and Montenegro are better than them, and the 5-2 was a freak result facilitated by a combination of Dunne's red card and a happless managers tactical naivety.

**Stuttgart88** · 05/08/2009, 11:43 AM

I think the improvement in the team's shape will make us much tighter. We're a good team without the ball these days.

Cyprus lost 1-0 at home to Canada(?) recently so obviously blow hot and cold. Italy were blessed to win there.

I'm confident we'll come away with a narrow, nervy win, though I think we need our better players available.

**dr_peepee** · 05/08/2009, 11:50 AM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

I think the improvement in the team's shape will make us much tighter. We're a good team without the ball these days.

Definately agreed on that..

**back of the net** · 05/08/2009, 12:52 PM

Originally Posted by jay1

Does anybody really believe we can beat cyprus over there? Italy just about scraped by. Personally I don't believe we will be in the World cup Finals. The team just simply isn't good enough.

will we beat them ,im very confident we will be in the world cup finals next summer

**elroy** · 05/08/2009, 1:15 PM

As an aside, there has been alot of talk in the papers in recent weeks about Trap receiving approaches for clubs for when his contract with the FAI expires. He has said that he wants to continue beyond this contract and I for one (even if we dont qualify) would want to sign him up for another term.

There has been a significant improvement in tactics, shape, purpose, squad, organisation (i could go on) in this team since he has taken over. The first game where I believe we saw a marked change was away to Norway and we havent really looked back since then.

Yes some may not like his tactics and others suggest he has been a lucky manager, perhaps that is true but there is alot more to our success than just luck. From the shambles we were under Stan, we really are a team on the up and I for one would want Trap and co around for at least another term to continue the good work.

I fear the donation received to fund his wages last time out may not be available/forthcoming this time and the FAI cant afford his current level of wages unless we make the WC.

**Supreme feet** · 05/08/2009, 1:49 PM

I think some of us are still freaked out by that 5-2 defeat three years ago. To put perspective on it, we've played them seven times in the last ten years, won 5, drawn 1 and lost 1. Scored 16, conceded 6 (5 in one game!). The only times we've failed to beat them - or even conceded goals against them - was under Staunton. That defeat in Nicosia was a freak result; probably the most sensational in Cyprus' footballing history, and by far the lowest ebb in ours. Even with a very inexperienced midfield, we beat them more comfortably than the 1-0 scoreline suggested in Croker last October; and we've improved steadily since then.

Midfield is all-important. If we line up with Steven Reid alongside Andrews or Whelan, we'll be fine. I'd say Hunt will start instead of McGeady, as it's an away game, and he could be important in instilling the aggression that's been missing in recent Ireland-Cyprus games. Added to that, we're in a must-win situation, and Cyprus have little or nothing to play for. Unless I see something to be negative about (ie. injuries, a terrible performance against Australia), I'll be looking forward to Nicosia with optimism. Lets not forget that Cyprus are missing Konstantinou.

**youngirish** · 05/08/2009, 2:33 PM

I'd be surprised if we got better than a draw in Cyprus with or without Konstantinou and Okkas. It's not unfeasible that we could scrape a narrow win but I'd say Cyprus are just as likely (if not more so) to beat us at home. We looked dodgy against them in Dublin and were fortunate to get the 3 points in the end. You'd think the way some people on this board are going on that we comfortably beat them in that fixture.

**Irish_Praha** · 05/08/2009, 3:02 PM

Originally Posted by youngirish

I'd be surprised if we got better than a draw in Cyprus with or without Konstantinou and Okkas. It's not unfeasible that we could scrape a narrow win but I'd say Cyprus are just as likely (if not more so) to beat us at home. We looked dodgy against them in Dublin and were fortunate to get the 3 points in the end. You'd think the way some people on this board are going on that we comfortably them in that fixture.

Going 1-0 up so early in a game and then just playing to stop the other team getting an eqaliser for the rest of the game is never comfortable. However, I think we were the better team on the day and just about deserved to win.

This time around I think it will be more of the same if we score first but would expect us to create a few more chances than last time. Our CM will have improved since then and the players they are missing will hurt them. From the Italy game we know if things are not going to plan that Tapp will eventually change things around. We didn't see that in the last Cyprus game because things were going to plan; i.e. Ireland defended their lead.

**MeathDrog** · 05/08/2009, 4:25 PM

A win in Cyprus and the playoff place is in the bag.

**Stuttgart88** · 05/08/2009, 6:18 PM

Originally Posted by Irish_Praha

Going 1-0 up so early in a game and then just playing to stop the other team getting an eqaliser for the rest of the game is never comfortable. However, I think we were the better team on the day and just about deserved to win.

This time around I think it will be more of the same if we score first but would expect us to create a few more chances than last time. Our CM will have improved since then and the players they are missing will hurt them. From the Italy game we know if things are not going to plan that Tapp will eventually change things around. We didn't see that in the last Cyprus game because things were going to plan; i.e. Ireland defended their lead.

Agreed. We conceded a gilt-edged chance shortly after scoring and conceded too much possession at the end (Given & Dunne doing well to keep them out with good blocks). In between we ourselves created and missed decent chances. Doyle & McGeady spring to mind. They could have scored 2, we could have scored 3 or more. Definitely not comfortable, but it was only really nervy in the last few minutes.

**theworm2345** · 05/08/2009, 6:42 PM

Originally Posted by jay1

Does anybody really believe we can beat cyprus over there? Italy just about scraped by. Personally I don't believe we will be in the World cup Finals. The team just simply isn't good enough.

If we can't then I think it'll be a rough rest of qualification (and World Cup if things go well). They're not the same team as 5 years ago but they are definitely beatable, even at home.