Someone else mentioned it earlier in the thread but I thought O'Donoghue's questioning was too aggressive and way out of line. Disgrace. Not surprising though considering he was peddling an anti-Trap agenda this morning on Morning Ireland. I'm disgusted at it. After a game like that is not the time to berate the manager.
In saying that Sadlier was spot on with his comments generally. Though I can't see who we would replace Trap with.
I still think we should get through the Germany game and have a period of reflection because, let's be honest, if we get a point out of it it will be a wonder. And no manager will change that.
DID YOU NOTICE A SIGN OUTSIDE MY HOUSE...?
That's a great point, but i have to say that O'Shea is useless at centre back without Richard Dunne beside him. O'Shea just doesn't have the leadership skills to boss a younger centre half, he's too nice. Also, just because a player is playing at a higher level doesn't always mean that he is a better player (though it usually would mean this). Just look at LOI players that made the move across the water (Doyle, Long, Fahy, McClean etc) -were they bad players when they played in the LOI?
I agree. It was worth trying Walters and it looked like a master stroke for the first 15mins. To be fair, Doyle looked that bit better because he had more energy coming off he bench AND he had a point to prove because he was dropped. I think Doyle needed to be dropped to get him fighting for his place again.
See below.
You could see that Brady didn't like Sadlier. I guess Trap is a friend of Brady's and he wouldn't like to see him sacked. Sadlier is a great man for proposing managers to get the sack. There's also the fact that Sadlier achieved feck all in the game compared to Brady, Giles and Trappatoni.
Traps english is appalling. I did feel embarrassed on TOD's behalf, he seemed to be forced to ask the really tough questions that the panel are going on about. I liked Trap's answers though and he did seem to say that he got the starting XI wrong (and he said he based it on club form), but that he corrected it by way of substitutions (which he did).
I also agree with Liam Brady and think that Kazakhstan are MUCH better than 142nd. They WILL cause problems for other teams.
We are not as good as we think we are either.
Last edited by Shelsman; 07/09/2012 at 11:45 PM.
Interesting article on the ESPN site with comments from Paul McGrath. this was written before the game. http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns...attoni?cc=5901
I thought for a while that McGeady was one of our better players, however, he always took too long to cross the ball AND he always crossed it at head hight. Their goalkeeper was excellent in the air as were their defenders so we were not likely to score that way. In contrast, look at our first goal -Doyle broke at pace and crossed first time AND at a more difficult height to defend (lower). I still agree though that he was one of our better players.
Westwood was my man of the match (of the starting XI). I've always maintained he he is/was a better keeper than Given who was only ever a really good shot stopper. Given never came off his line to dominate the area -Westwood does. Just look at the goals we conceded in the Euro Finals from 6 yards and compare that to how Westwood came out to claim crosses tonight. even the Kazakhstan keeper was dominating his penalty area too.
Highlights here in the Irish news broadcast, available in UK so I presume worldwide, starts at about 13.45.
http://www.rte.ie/player/#!v=10046546
For the Stephen Ward knockers it is his knock down which leads to the winning goal.
So as in insurance, criticism and praise go on a knock for knock basis.
Obviously Kevin Doyle made a huge impact on the game, I have never really been a big a fan of Kevin as some on here
but he has certainly gone up in my estimations after that, people always say he works hard but unless there is an end
product to that work I tend not to notice it.
Could he be the new impact sub or he is back to a must start now?
His hard work may be more productive against tired legs.
Also who played the ball in to Ward and why does the 'press esc to exit full screen' remain there permanatly,
or does that just happen to me? (I doubt that though).
Last edited by tricky_colour; 08/09/2012 at 12:27 AM.
Anyone else get the feeling that there was a lot of people disappointed we didn't lose this match as winning it bluntens their anti-Trap ammo?
I didn't see the game as it was the middle of the night here in Japan.
But having read the posts in this thread, even though there are plenty of posters on here who feel there is an anti-Trap agenda, I don't see any of them viewing the performance as anything other than a black mark for the manager.
I get the impression that the performance didn't exactly answer his critics, or do anything to 'blunten their anti-Trap ammo.'
Regardless of the 3 points, that performance was dire and I have 0 confidence in us coming 2nd in the group, ourselves and Austria will have a tight enough tussle for 3rd methinks. Very much a black mark for Trap.
Sweet divine Jesus.
Others have covered the main points already, but my tuppence worth (to vent, basically) -
I don't think anyone's really mentioned that Kazakhstan played fairly well. Certainly way above their ranking and previous results. Mayn't trouble the top two, but deserve credit for how well they played.
Westwood played well; two vital saves and not much he could do for the goal. That and Doyle's intervention are about the only positives.
I'm fairly sure the point of the 4-3-3 formation is that the left forward plays left wing when the ball goes down the left, and in the centre when the ball goes down the right. Still, Walters, Cox, Doyle and Long on the wing is just bizarre. McGeady was abysmal again; falling over himself trying a little Cruyff turn on the by-line. Had to laugh when I saw someone compare him to Duff in his prime on this thread. I don't know what game people do be watching at times.
I've been on the fence on the Trap issue; I'm definitely heading into the anti camp now. First campaign good if dull. Second campaign not as good but successful. Now, particularly with Given and Duff gone, we're going downhill even further. When Kazakhstan outplay us technically, the notion that we have to respect our limitations goes out the window.
Germany are going to hammer us. The Faroes away is a real banana skin now (they've beaten Kazakhstan twice). I've had enough of the caveman football.
Also have no real problems with the O'Donoghue interview. Trap is a big boy and is getting paid plenty of money; he should answer for himself. Tired of hearing vacuous post-match interviews (in fact, Giles commented on that after the Super Cup Final).
Last edited by pineapple stu; 08/09/2012 at 1:29 AM.
Would agree with much of that, fair play...
I would like to give my 2 cents here lol.
Sorry. Did we lose?
No Somos muchos pero estamos locos.
Read the thread?
There is a positive way of looking at this, it could be argued that we turned the corner in the last 5 minutes and are now on the up, I saw an improvement late on the game, so much so that I was inspired to put 50p on us winning 3 minutes from time!! Not sure if I have already mentioned that![]()
PS' first point is the most pertinent of all. Kazakhstan were underestimated, completely. Ireland has truly re-attached onto the British "mainland" as I read sneering, belittlement and un-informed snide remarks about the opposition. This, aligned with the anti-O'Brien camp which is lower than the red top bile on the mainland, has skewed the debate. We have a mixed bag of players, few of any great international worth, playing in average teams, in overblown leagues (if they're playing at all) and I'm hearing/reading people wishing we'd lost! Jesus, does anyone remember what it was like before 1988? Horrific nonsense. Poor performance as the players showed their true colours - they've (for the most part) had zero technical/skill development, or this has been bred out of them, and we're going to have more of the same so long as we do nothing about the situation in Ireland. Every Kazakh player could trap, pass and appear comfortable on the ball, this isn't down to the current manager, it's down to years of training and development. We should have this, but we're not allowed.
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