Ireland V Germany 12th October & Faroe Islands 16th October 2012 - World Cup 2014 Q

[Kingdom]

I think if we score it will be a shot from outside the box. I don't know why we persist on shunting balls into the box - it just encourages them to stick more bodies in there.

What lotto numbers are you picking?

[Noelys Guitar]

Come on - Germany are a vastly superior team. The aberration here is the Swedish comeback, not us getting a tanking.

That's notwithstanding problems with our performance - we were rubbish - but that Germany team are far better than us, no doubt.

If you want to play matches against each other, we just beat Faroes far more comfortably than the Swedes did. It doesn't really tell us anything.

It was 6-1 at home. Not 2-1 or even 3-1. Why did they struggle to beat Austria (Austria open goal missed late in game) and draw with Sweden. Great teams don't give up a 4 goal advantage at home to anybody let alone a team like Sweden. We made them look invincible on Friday night.

[graham_d]

German tv showing the Austrian goals. Kazachs look a lot worse away than at home, first couple of goals were pretty much free headers from admittedly good crosses. 4-0 FT, looks that these games might be tough as well. Alaba looks some player.

[tricky_colour]

Ireland would never lose a 4 goal lead, primarily becasue they would never get one!

[SwanVsDalton]

It was 6-1 at home. Not 2-1 or even 3-1. Why did they struggle to beat Austria (Austria open goal missed late in game) and draw with Sweden. Great teams don't give up a 4 goal advantage at home to anybody let alone a team like Sweden. We made them look invincible on Friday night.

There's still no doubt Germany are far better than us. As to their greatness, I think when they click they're impossible to deal with - just see their high watermarks in major tourneys. Likewise I think they have a mental softness than can be exploited - just see their low watermarks in major tourneys.

I'm sure Germany imploded to give up a lead like that, but it happens almost never. It's a remarkable event. It doesn't reflect on how much superior Germany or to us. We made them look good, no argument there, but they were excellent.

By most accounts they played like that for 60 tonight, blew Sweden away and then stopped.

[Kingdom]

German tv showing the Austrian goals. Kazachs look a lot worse away than at home, first couple of goals were pretty much free headers from admittedly good crosses. 4-0 FT, looks that these games might be tough as well. Alaba looks some player.

Thats the Munich left back? Yes a good player..

[geysir]

Considering our lack of competitive goals in recent years, the situation post-Germany and that were facing very awkward opposition, 4-1 was a good result and represented a decent performance.

Annoyed we conceded, but we were comfortable throughout.

Wilson had some shaky moments, but went forward well and took his goal with some style. LB is his.

Actually Wilson had a horrendous game, the first half was littered with his mistakes, not least two free kicks he gave away in dangerous areas. His horror show continued in the 2nd half by his bambi like defending for the Faros goal.
Our LB hopes rest with Cunningham.

We had a very bad first half, but a good 2nd half where we played the type of game we are capable of.

[centre mid]

Germany are superb in attack and midfield but very suspect at the back, apart from maybe ten mins at the start of the game we didnt test them at all. Sweden were always going to make it tough for the German defence, especially with two first chioice full backs missing. Not sure how we are going to finish second after Swedens result, in fact I think we maybe be fighting it out with Germany and Austria not Sweden.

[SwanVsDalton]

Actually Wilson had a horrendous game, the first half was littered with his mistakes, not least two free kicks he gave away in dangerous areas. His horror show continued in the 2nd half by his bambi like defending for the Faros goal.
Our LB hopes rest with Cunningham.

We had a very bad first half, but a good 2nd half where we played the type of game we are capable of.

Horrendous would be overstating it somewhat. First half wasn't great - I commented on that earlier - but he went forward well. I agree his closing down was poor. I'm giving him competitive debut benefit of the doubt, sure, but he wasn't as bad as you say.

Coleman struggled defensively at times too, gave some poor balls away - equally horrendous?

[centre mid]

btw what a performance fron norn iron tonight.

[Noelys Guitar]

Just been watching the second half of the NI game. Great draw.

[paul_oshea]

so we play two completely different games in both halves and we come away with 4 goals when we play football on thr ground and harass and push up on the opposition.

Was this down to Trap?

"Coleman, mccarthy, wilson" I rest my case M'Lord.

that sweden result is huge and one i feared. it really makes our qualification extremely difficult now.

[geysir]

Horrendous would be overstating it somewhat. First half wasn't great - I commented on that earlier - but he went forward well. I agree his closing down was poor. I'm giving him competitive debut benefit of the doubt, sure, but he wasn't as bad as you say.

Coleman struggled defensively at times too, gave some poor balls away - equally horrendous?

Nah, not equally horrendous, offhand I can recall at least 15 errors by Wilson, but he has a nice technique with the ball - which I have always remarked upon
When he went forward, he got caught out a number of times, but that I see that more as a team issue than an individual issue.
For us, Cunningham is the type of full back that I like, just a person preference.

[Charlie Darwin]

Well done Norn Iron Nil.

Neuer is an absolute donkey of a goalkeeper - I have never seen worse feet on a supposedly world class keeper. United scored six against Schalke a couple of years ago because they figured out that hitting the ball low and hard at him is a guaranteed goal. Hilariously, Ferguson then tried to sign him. If we'd play half way decently against the Germans we'd have scored 2 or 3 as well. Look how easy our goal was in the end.

[Stuttgart88]

Nah, not equally horrendous, offhand I can recall at least 15 errors by Wilson, but he has a nice technique with the ball - which I have always remarked upon
When he went forward, he got caught out a number of times, but that I see that more as a team issue than an individual issue.
For us, Cunningham is the type of full back that I like, just a person preference.

I was commenting to POS during the game that as soon as Wilson decided to get forward the game turned in our favour. I thought he was fine. I never felt that area of the pitch was exposed like I feel it often is with Ward there.

[NeverFeltBetter]

Awful first half, some old problems. Greatly improved in the second, most of the team just playing at a higher level than against Germany. Easily the better team (though, the Faroe's have improved a lot since we last played them). Impressed with Brady, McGeady, Cox, McCarthy and Andrews, even Keane didn't do anything to incur my wrath (though claiming that goal seemed very strange). Defence is still fairly iffy, Sweden will fancy their chances against it.

In the end, we should not be too overzealous in celebrating a three goal win over the bottom seed. I couldn't begin to guess about whether this will save Trap's job, but I would think it would cause some FAI heads to consider it more carefully.

[SwanVsDalton]

Nah, not equally horrendous, offhand I can recall at least 15 errors by Wilson, but he has a nice technique with the ball - which I have always remarked upon
When he went forward, he got caught out a number of times, but that I see that more as a team issue than an individual issue.
For us, Cunningham is the type of full back that I like, just a person preference.

Fair nuff even if I don't agree on the error count.

[Charlie Darwin]

Awful first half, some old problems. Greatly improved in the second, most of the team just playing at a higher level than against Germany. Easily the better team (though, the Faroe's have improved a lot since we last played them). Impressed with Brady, McGeady, Cox, McCarthy and Andrews, even Keane didn't do anything to incur my wrath (though claiming that goal seemed very strange). Defence is still fairly iffy, Sweden will fancy their chances against it.

In the end, we should not be too overzealous in celebrating a three goal win over the bottom seed. I couldn't begin to guess about whether this will save Trap's job, but I would think it would cause some FAI heads to consider it more carefully.

It was literally a fraction of an inch from his foot - he would have felt something from the air being displaced and assumed he touched it.

[Stuttgart88]

In fairness to Keane if he hadn't gone to the ball it was a straightforward save. Keane's run made all the difference.

[tetsujin1979]

Awful first half, some old problems. Greatly improved in the second, most of the team just playing at a higher level than against Germany. Easily the better team (though, the Faroe's have improved a lot since we last played them). Impressed with Brady, McGeady, Cox, McCarthy and Andrews, even Keane didn't do anything to incur my wrath (though claiming that goal seemed very strange). Defence is still fairly iffy, Sweden will fancy their chances against it.

In the end, we should not be too overzealous in celebrating a three goal win over the bottom seed. I couldn't begin to guess about whether this will save Trap's job, but I would think it would cause some FAI heads to consider it more carefully.

their goal came from him losing possession on the left when he never should have been on the pitch at that stage of the game.