Let's start thinking that we can top this group.Originally Posted by ArdeeBhoy
That's why he's one of the most successful managers in the history of the game.
Great decision. And you could see how long couldn't link up with Keane as well as he had done with Cox. However that's not to say that long was ineffectual when he came on. He held the ball up well.
Killer had a cracking game and the only time he seemed out of his depth was when he ran at their midfield.
Killer snafu'd for Pandev's handball goal. Otherwise he was solid, if a littler weary.
We do need 3 tall players in the back 4.
Win our last four games and we are laughing.
Why were they awarded a penalty when O'Shea made contact with the balls?
Pandev is some player. Very slick and crafty. For a defense that never played together not a bad achievement keeping a clean sheet
Last edited by Noelys Guitar; 05/06/2011 at 8:44 AM. Reason: Harp! Many
Excruciating football to watch sometimes. And frustrating: yes the result is wonderful, 2:0 away from home is not to be sneezed at, but the manner in which we go about gaining the result is tough to enjoy, or even justify. We kept a clean sheet through dumb luck, and poor opponents who gave up after 60 odd minutes, not some gloriously efficient gameplan of Traps.
Is it getting results? Possibly, it might even result in a appearance in the finals; but playing that brand of football, with that kind of mentality in the team? The spirit amongst the players might be strong, but I feel utterly dispirited watching that kind of hoofball. Score before 20 minutes, hoof it away for the following 70. We just seem to drop into some sort of panic-mode, everything suddenly feels last-ditch when we could have just shut out the game with possession.
Last edited by amaccann; 05/06/2011 at 12:00 AM.
Given - 8 - Saved us v Pandoev. A few other really good saves. Felt good to have him back
Kelly - 6 - Let Pandev go. Good otherwise
O'Shea - 6 - A few moments. No malice in the penalty, but it is his job to know where his man is. Should have given away another one. Solid otherwise
O'Dea - 6 - Solid, but anonamous
Kilbane - 7 - SOlid, and showed his experience
McGeady - 6 - Great talent, but lacked a bit of maturity tonight. Gave the ball away to often.
Whelan - 7 - Good shift. The middle looked really solid
Andrews - 7 - As Whelan. Looked really solid
Hunt - 8 - I just love the guy. Plays the game like a terrier. Very unsettling for opponents
Cox - 6 - Didn't see much from him
Keane - 8 - What can you say. Best player on the park.
Bring Back Belfast Celtic F.C.
Was not pleasant to watch really was it, must admit I was watching BTG at the same time which was marginally more entertaining.
Did we actually create anything ourselves? Not much I can recall. I don't recall anything else on target.
Yeah it is getting results. According to Soccerbase we're the first team to beat Macedonia at home in a competitive game by two goals since Russia in 2006. In that time England (won 1-0, 2006), Croatia (lost 2-0, 2007), Holland (won 2-1, 2008) and Spain (won 3-2, 2009) have all failed to do what we just did.
People talk about this like it was no achievement, like we were terribly lucky or we played genuinely badly and somehow squeaked past - and it's simply not true. Teams don't walk over Macedonia in Skopje, we were extremely comfortable for most of the match and if we got an odd slice of luck then we certainly deserved it on the swings and roundabouts principle.
Was it pleasant to look at? Not really. But I watch England, NI, Scotland, Spain, Italy, France, Russia and international football in general enough to know that there is a mere handful of international teams in the world who play nice football. I couldn't give a figs....
Last edited by SwanVsDalton; 05/06/2011 at 1:50 AM.
Ou-est le Centre George Pompidou?
Ah now, I think there's a happy medium to be had here; I don't think anyone with their head screwed on would be demanding Barcelona levels of "nice" football from our lads. I'm not talking about fancy triangles of passing here, just some common sense possession, or aggressive pressurising from the players. Dear god it wouldn't hurt us to stop playing like headless chickens, turning our leads into second halves of panicked defending, letting the other team into the match & those root-one clearances. Possession is nine tenths of the law, but the way Ireland play when we're in the lead, it's as if the ball is radioactive.
Was listening on RTE after the game Bon.
No Somos muchos pero estamos locos.
job well done. 3 points clean sheet 50 for keano. brilliant robbie, hunty and given. never been so happy to watch such a stinker of a second half. was expecting a lot more shakey moments. i dont know what it is with o'shea, he can look like a quality player when he plays alongside quality players at united or for us, but once he is expected to be the main man he seems to buckle under the pressure, 2 clear penalties. rode our luck a bit , but sure its about time we got some, go on the lads euros here we come
we havnt played in a major tournament for 10 years , i couldnt give a fiddlers how we get there. few things can compare to the atmosphere in this country leading up to a major finals
Honestly, is it even a handful?
That post for me really sums it up Swan. There are some people on here who will never understand. despite reason, that Int'l Football is nothing to be compared to the best of EPL, La Liga, etc.... And its (somewhat comically) always compared to the teams on the the top of those tables.
Irish players generally do not see much of each other in a given year, practice and play with each other all that much, which is par for the course of most teams in Europe. I know they have had afew weeks here, but come on. Its mucky, emotional football, often inconvenient to the players schedule, maybe not the way Pele played with Brazil but then again older is always better in everyone's memory.
They didn't play a perfect game tonight but to expect it to look classic is doing a disservice to yourself as a fan. Just enjoy it for what it is, drink a bit with friends if applicable, and don't worry, b/c the next game is not for months, which does murder to any thought of momentum anyway, in my humble opinion. And thats a run on sentence.
No Somos muchos pero estamos locos.
Just to elaborate on your point. Do any of us think that any time soon our kids in Dublin and Kerry and Gweedore and Lisdoonvarna will ever be taught the Barcelona way? There can only be one answer to that question and if it is no then we can never hope to be a decent team at international level. The other question that must be asked collectively of us is - when does the light bulb go off in the head? If Barcelona's way is the best way to play the game, then for how many years can we persist with long ball, hoofball football. If it didn't work for the 100 or so years the FAI have been in operation then what makes us think that it will work the next time we employ those tactics (like against Slovakia, Russia, Andorra and Armenia). Perhaps not the time or place to be fantacising about what might be just hours after a famous victory, but hopefully one day soon our kids will grow up to play football the way it should be played.
I find comments like these hilarious. The RESULT to me as a supporter of a team is everything, especially a small country like Ireland. We are not Brazil, England, Argentina or Germany. We're a bankrupt country of a few million on the periphery of Europe and we have people who say that not only do we have to win in a country like Macedonia, but we have to win playing good fottball. I would doubt if you asked any of the fans who made that journey whether they gives a fiddler's flam about the style of play, they would say no.
In my 30+ years of following Ireland to competitive away game (other than tournaments), I have seen them win only in Malta, Lativa, San Marino and Lithuania. Irish away wins are like hens' teeth but yet we have gripes about styles of play. Incredible. Watch Man U and Barcelona if you're not entertained by Ireland winning in Macedonia or Ant and Dec.
Rejoice. We are joint top of the group.
Forget about the performance or entertainment. It's only the result that matters.
Joint 3rd <cough>
Ask any Brit right now if he/she would have rather won vs the Swiss (AT HOME) or played Beautiful football? They did neither, but I am sure where the answer is, because I just talked to more than a few who are here on vacation. And they are ****ing mortified. "We do nothing well." Said one.
Good post Owl. Let's not forget, if we all had to show real names, and age, the tone of this board and all sports message boards on the world wide web, would be vastly different. Credibility would take on a much more important roll than say, I live in my parents basement and so can have a million posts on internet websites, instead of using it as its original intention, like a fan does who actually enjoys the precedings.
No Somos muchos pero estamos locos.
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