Ireland V Sweden(A) 22 March & Austria(H) - 26 March 2013 - World Cup 2014 Qualifiers

[BonnieShels]

I think this is the night I finally lose patience with Trap. We have been here several nights before - Georgia, Cyprus, Slovakia, Macedonia are just three examples, where the fact pattern was very similar, but we got away with it each of those nights.

The vast majority of us freezing our balls off in the ground could see the change in approach from 65 mins or so. We stopped attacking, gave away the ball constantly and let the Austrians come on to us. And you know what the most annoying thing is, they were quite weak at the back and we were causing them serious trouble with set pieces. Why not keep attacking, keep an offensive attitude.

Changes were long overdue and when they were made, they were not up to scratch. For me, Long shouldve stayed on. I think Sammon offered very little and is a very poor mans Doyle. I wouldve liked to see Hoolahan on for a very tired Whelan, there was also a case for Wilson to be taken off as he looked unfit/tired in last 20 mins. Also wouldve liked to see either Keogh or Brady on for last ten mins to run at them while hitting them on the break.

A massive opportunity missed to really set us up in the group. We need to break this hoodoo of not winning at home. We cant rely on others this time - we must beat Sweden at home and possibly Austria away but certainly the Sweden win is a must.

Every time we swung in a ball they were like u10s. They couldn't deal with crosses.

A few more in swingers would have killed them.

Faux-realism? Now there's a concept...

That's what post-Ireland game clarity is for.

Murf is practicing a realism I don't think he can honestly believe in.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Agree with Elroy, but we're probably more 'likely' to win in Austria than at home to the Swedes.
I can see another two draws, even now.

Who knows how they'll play v.each other. Obviously two draws are preferable...
But can also see our group having the 'worst' 2nd. place and automatic elimination for whoever, regardless.

[BonnieShels]

Well, regardless if second doesn't get us into the play-offs I still want to finish second.

[Closed Account 2]

I don't know. We got Germany as second seeds in that Euro Qual draw, that meant we were basically fcked before a ball was kicked. We beat Wales and Slovakia at home and drew with the Czech rep. we were playing 3 dead rubbers after the 2 away games. For sure Stan was a few rungs down the ladder but the qualitative differences between his results/performances and Trap's, were not that great.

We lost 5-2 in Cyprus under Stan, we nearly came unstuck in San Marino of all teams, we lost to the Czechs in Prague Under Trap weve drawn too many but the teams we've lost to (h France, h Germany, h Russia) have all been top tier. I think Trap has been significantly better than Stan and also Kerr. I'd like us to be playing better football and converting the draws into wins but I don't think there is any point in getting rid of Trap where there are ZERO credible better alternatives who would take the job. A lot of people have said "Trap out" but who could we get in?

[Real ale Madrid]

You would have to think that given Sweden's recent results , their performance against us was below what they normally produce. Looking at how brutal Austria were tonight in the first half, especially regarding set pieces, I'd expect Sweden to beat them twice.

Tonight was a must win. We are now out barring a miracle.

[SwanVsDalton]

Agree with most of what I'm reading here. Trap blew it and when you ride your luck for four years you're bound to get slapped eventually. Fully deserved. We needed more leadership. When James McClean is the one screaming at players to step out then it's obvious there's an issue.

Players blew it through a lack of composure and management blew ultimately for once again fostering a system which allowed the opposition back in.

My only decision issue was leaving Sammon on for 90. Thought he was well out of his depth but, regardless, he was off his feet after 65. Pressing from the front was clearly Trap's thinking but one of our striker's was puffed. Ridiculous.

[elroy]

Interesting to hear Brady at HT warn that we must not "back off" in the second half and protect the lead.

[Olé Olé]

Few interesting bits in the RTE post-match coverage. Tony O'Donoghue stated that Shane Long told the press that he wasn't tired. This wasn't expressed during his interview following the man of the match awarding so I'm assuming it was communicated by Long when pressed by a journo somewhere in the mix.

It can't possibly be that Long is less fit that Conor Sammon who worked admirably and got on plenty headers and knock-ons but his touch was constantly laboured and didn't improve with fatigue. Furthermore, where is the logic in replacing Long up front with Walters who had run his heart out and, in effect, played in two positions or more? So there was two players who should have made way if Trap did want to bring in Green. Why he wanted to bring in Green is beyond me anyway. Even if his goal-scoring form has been mitigated, that game was tailor-made for someone with the industry and application of Kevin Doyle, although that wasn't going to happen either.

Liam Brady put in quite an exhibition in studio. He deemed our players completely inferior to the Austrians (I didn't see it) and showed his displeasure with O'Donoghue, with Billo taking umbrage with this immediately. I hadn't agreed with the aggressive and vindictive line of interviewing O'Donoghue had been taking of late but, from my own perspective as a fan, Tony was indeed posing the questions that the public did want answers to.

[geysir]

I don't think there is any point in getting rid of Trap where there are ZERO credible better alternatives who would take the job. A lot of people have said "Trap out" but who could we get in?

At some stage between now and november, the decision will be made to look for a replacement. It's an inevitability. Trap should anyway step down when it's mathematically impossible to qualify. Who will replace him is another question, but it will be the only question, not the question of wondering if there's anybody better than what we have now.

[BonnieShels]

Brady shouldn't be near the RTÉ studio whilst Trap is in charge. It's maddening.

[NeverFeltBetter]

Long seemed to get knocked over and didn't get a free, and then immediately raced back and barged into what I think was the same player who had (possibly) fouled him. He did it cynically and right in front of the referee. There may have been a worry that he had lost his head.

Putting Green on for him was fine, but Green needed to be in the middle, where Abara wound up for his shot at goal.

[tricky_colour]

True that, can't blame McCarthy though. What's he supposed to do? Pass the ball to himself? He can't run the entire midfield by himself. At Wigan he plays in a functioning system.

You are allowed to run with the ball.

[zero]

i'm over the initial disappointment of the late leveller and now i'm just depressed.

the idea of going to work in the morning is galling. why do i do this to myself! euro 2016 qualifiers seem a long long way off...

[born2bwild]

Liam Brady comes across as aggressive and willfully, thick-headedly stubborn on those panels - of course, Dunphy's sensationalism winds him up but the thought Brady might be in line to take over from Trap is not a pleasant one for me.

[Eminence Grise]

A lot of people have said "Trap out" but who could we get in?

Coco the f***ing Clown.
Tony Robinson so his time team can carbon date Trap's tactics.
Abraham Maslow - I know he's dead, but he's still one hell of a motivator.

Basically anybody, with or without a pulse, is an improvement. Somebody who has the ability to recognise that players like Hoolahan and Brady may not be world beaters, but they're a step up from the kind of knuckle-dragging anti-football that Trap has us playing. Somebody who won't s**t on the bit of footballing tradition we have: who knows that for every Glen Whelan, we've had a Chippy or a Giles; for every Sammon, a Stapleton or a Quinn - and that that means something to us.

Ciao, Gio. Arrivederci. Time to go - a piu non posso.

[BonnieShels]

i'm over the initial disappointment of the late leveller and now i'm just depressed.

the idea of going to work in the morning is galling. why do i do this to myself! euro 2016 qualifiers seem a long long way off...

We're only half way through this campaign and then some summer 2014 friendlies to play before then. Probably against inferior teams who made it to Brazil.
I'll never forget that sickening feeling beating Paraguay and Algeria in the RDS and thinking the whole time, "What if...?"

[BonnieShels]

Coco the f***ing Clown.
Tony Robinson so his time team can carbon date Trap's tactics.
Abraham Maslow - I know he's dead, but he's still one hell of a motivator.

Basically anybody, with or without a pulse, is an improvement. Somebody who has the ability to recognise that players like Hoolahan and Brady may not be world beaters, but they're a step up from the kind of knuckle-dragging anti-football that Trap has us playing. Somebody who won't s**t on the bit of footballing tradition we have: who knows that for every Glen Whelan, we've had a Chippy or a Giles; for every Sammon, a Stapleton or a Quinn - and that that means something to us.

Ciao, Gio. Arrivederci. Time to go - a piu non posso.

When he's angry. You certainly feel it. With you 100%.

[Bungle]

Trap has to go. I don't understand how anybody can promote him staying on with us. As predicted by pretty much every person around me, we sat back and let Austria get the goal. We deserved that donkey kick in the teeth. They were there for the taking.trap takes off long who had a very good game and leaves on sammon who was absolutely knackered after 60 minutes. He baffled me by not starting wes hoolahan, but him not bringing him on in the 2nd half was a disgrace. Surely, you should get players on the pitch who can keep possession and you certainly shouldn't take off the striker who has good energy and ball control.

As I left the stadium, I had some comfort from the fact that we have a batch of young lads there who are going to be very good players for us. In the case of Coleman and McCarthy, they can go to the very top in my opinion. Both those two and Wilson should be seasoned internationals by now. Anyhow, we have a good team in the making there and with the right manager, we can have far more good days than bad in the future.

[BonnieShels]

I'm going to bed now. I look forward to that empty feeling in the morning.

I last had it hmmmmmm, about 930am on 19 November 2010.

At least there's no hangover this time.

[PatJR]

totally sickened. Side note - cannot understand people leaving at 90 mins when a qualifier is at 2-1!! Why were they there?

Anyway, for me what lost it was not Conor sammon or subbing green for long. It was to instruct Walters to go up front and keep 4-4-2 shape with 5 mins to go when you have already conceded possession in the game. Just makes no sense at all. When I saw green being ready I thought, at last an extra body in there, if you're not going to take them on playing then at least flood midfield!!

However playing sammon for the 90 was just pure stubbornness. I heard one "fan" remark on leaving, "baldy headed ****". So unfair on the lad really, he did ok first half but his game was over after 50 mins.