Republic of Ireland V Armenia - Tuesday, 11th October 2011 - Euro 2012 Qualifier

**thischarmingman** · 11/10/2011, 6:36 PM

Well, that really couldn't have gone much better. We are pants though.

**SkStu** · 11/10/2011, 6:37 PM

yay - a goal.

i wouldnt mind if we qualified with "exciting" Charlton-style hoofball but its not. It is grip-by-the-throat-choke-me-to-death, boring, horrible, somewhat effective crap.

Though i would be happy to see us qualify, it would be a shame for this team playing this football to grace a major finals.

**tricky_colour** · 11/10/2011, 6:37 PM

That poor Armenian.

His goal will go viral on youtube that for sure!!

**tricky_colour** · 11/10/2011, 6:39 PM

Well we have not had much luck so far...........

**SwanVsDalton** · 11/10/2011, 6:39 PM

What a weird half.

Yeah we're not playing well and we're one up and a man-up. Think Cox is probably our best player in fairness, him, Duff and Doyle linking well when we've actually had a bit of ball on the ground in their half.

**MagicMon** · 11/10/2011, 6:40 PM

I'd like to play the 'something mental happening' card, the sending-off came at the time when Ireland traditionally slacken off. 10 men and a goal up, absolutely no excuses now. I hope Long comes on in the second half because the space the Armenian centre backs leave between them is made for his runs. St Ledger has done a lot of pressing high up the pitch, I wonder if he has been told to do that. Their coach has done his basic homework because Duff and McGeady are being double-marked at every opportunity safe in the knowledge that O'Shea/Kelly won't be getting forward.

**thischarmingman** · 11/10/2011, 6:41 PM

So, we just need to hold on for 45 mins, against a team down to ten men who will have to commit men forward, at home?

Oh God.

**ken foree** · 11/10/2011, 6:43 PM

i would love it if we could complete a simple 1-2.

**Noelys Guitar** · 11/10/2011, 6:43 PM

Smoothering them at the back. Poor stuff so far from McGeady. Duff a little better. Cox playing OK. Terrible miss from Doyle but worked out. Happy at 1-0.

**ken foree** · 11/10/2011, 6:43 PM

from Guardian's mbm (paul doyle): "Update: As things stand, Ireland could face Portugal in the play-offs, as Cristiano Ronaldo & Co are trailing 1-0 in Denmark. Greece could be in the hat too, although they have pulled it back to 1-1 in Georgia. Turkey too, as they're beating Azerbaijan as Belgium are being battered in Germany."

**cavan_fan** · 11/10/2011, 6:44 PM

Yay, great half, thought we kept the ball fairly well in the last 20 mins. They have had few chances.

On the sending off, was it 1 or 2 handballs, not sure. One thought though, if a defender ran out jumped in front of the attacker and knocked him over wouldnt he be sent off, why is this different for goalies, esp outside the box.

**John83** · 11/10/2011, 6:48 PM

Originally Posted by thischarmingman

So, we just need to hold on for 45 mins, against a team down to ten men who will have to commit men forward, at home?

If people will continue to attribute his successes to luck, Trap should replace the four leaf clover as the national symbol of good luck. The commentators are moaning, as are the usual bunch here, but we've consistently looked like scoring tonight, while the free-scoring Armenians have been reduced to a couple of pot-shots from thirty-five yards out.