Republic of Ireland V Turkey, Italy, Costa Rica & Portugal - May/June 2014

[Charlie Darwin]

The match is being repeated on Setanta Ireland at 11.30 for all you diehards and YBIGers out there.

[Stuttgart88]

stutts I noticed it but what I knew you wouldn't have noticed

Sorry, what did you know exactly? I noticed the whole incident, and explained it to my mate beside me. Next.

It was a good performance. Acknowledge it. It may be a false dawn, it may not. Given our status as a football nation it's much easier to predict failure, as it'll probably be right.


Wrt Ward , I thought he let a high ball over his head very late on, letting his man attack the ball at the back post. Ball watching they call it. If he gets away with it, it's a nothing incident. If not, it's a calamitous error.

He did play a decent game though.

The whole game was a real eye opener, our seats being so low down and close to the pitch. Totally different experience to my upper tier Aviva seats.

[BonnieShels]

Looks like he was hanging upside down from the roof of the stand.

That must be how he missed the advantage that the ref played in the lead up to Long's penalty shout.

[geysir]

Sorry, what did you know exactly? I noticed the whole incident, and explained it to my mate beside me. Next.

It was a good performance. Acknowledge it. It may be a false dawn, it may not. Given our status as a football nation it's much easier to predict failure, as it'll probably be right.


Wrt Ward , I thought he let a high ball over his head very late on, letting his man attack the ball at the back post. Ball watching they call it. If he gets away with it, it's a nothing incident. If not, it's a calamitous error.

He did play a decent game though.

The whole game was a real eye opener, our seats being so low down and close to the pitch. Totally different experience to my upper tier Aviva seats.

I hope you did a good impression of Paul when you were explaining it to your (slow on the up) mate.

[paul_oshea]

Good one bs.

I saw that from ward also, there were about 4 other big ones as well throughout the game.

For the couple of wes incidents mentioned I cant count on both hands how many times he was out muscled when the ball was in the air or "off the ground" - I know that sounds like one and the same but ye get me.

[Stuttgart88]

Their players are better than ours. It's only natural that our players would find it harder to retain the ball. Wes did perfectly well, always wanting the ball and usually using it well. Better than anything else we've seen for Ireland in about 6 years, maybe more.

Yet, without resorting to hoofball, we created great chances, had some long continuous passages of pressure and had some really encouraging individual performances.

This wasn't a glass half full, half empty performance. It was more full than we have seen in a while yet you moan about spilling a few drops.

That Italian team may not have been their best, but I'd bet it's a better team than either Scotland or Poland with a bit to spare too.

I'm a fan. I'm sad when we're cr@p and I'm happy when we're good. We were good yesterday. We weren't good against Serbia or Turkey.

[geysir]

I thought co-commentator Andy T was spot on when he picked out the wide midfield switch, McGeady/Pilks as having a main positive effect on our game in the 2nd quarter.
Is it us who just do this? I don't notice other teams doing it so much or as much. We have been doing it since Kilbane retired from left midfield. As sure as night follows day, if we can switch our wide midfielder then that's what we do. I suppose it's okay to show off that we have ambipedal footballers.

[Charlie Darwin]

I thought co-commentator Andy T was spot on when he picked out the wide midfield switch, McGeady/Pilks as having a main positive effect on our game in the 2nd quarter.
Is it us who just do this? I don't notice other teams doing it so much or as much. We have been doing it since Kilbane retired from left midfield. As sure as night follows day, if we can switch our wide midfielder then that's what we do. I suppose it's okay to show off that we have ambipedal footballers.

We've been doing it for a good bit longer than that. I remember Mick would switch around Duff (when he played him as a winger), Kennedy, Kilbane, O'Neill and McAteer. Kennedy scored that incredible goal against Yugoslavia from the right when I'm positive he started on the left. It's a great flexibility to have, especially when you have guys like McGeady who can play off either foot. It means defenders can't just show your winger down the line and think his job is done.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Their players are better than ours. It's only natural that our players would find it harder to retain the ball. Wes did perfectly well, always wanting the ball and usually using it well. Better than anything else we've seen for Ireland in about 6 years, maybe more.

Yet, without resorting to hoofball, we created great chances, had some long continuous passages of pressure and had some really encouraging individual performances.

This wasn't a glass half full, half empty performance. It was more full than we have seen in a while yet you moan about spilling a few drops.

That Italian team may not have been their best, but I'd bet it's a better team than either Scotland or Poland with a bit to spare too.

I'm a fan. I'm sad when we're cr@p and I'm happy when we're good. We were good yesterday. We weren't good against Serbia or Turkey.

Wouldn't agree about 6 years, I think. But essentially agree, though even more essentially your post suggests our biggest problem then, is consistency.

[SwanVsDalton]

Consistency is it, right enough AB. We've seen some decent friendlies in the past go by without any follow up. But it was certainly a pleasing performance. Next step is a win and a couple of goals.

[tricky_colour]

Just been watching some of the game, in decent quality as opposed to a stream,
it is quite a transformation on what has gone on before when we play against a decent
time.

For example in the past the only time we *ever* "won" the ball was when a shot missed
or was saved or they scored. (or so it seems), we are so much better organised now we are
willing the ball pretty easilly ie I saw a number of interceptions, I don't recall us ever making an interception
in the past.
Furthermore when we do get the ball there always seems to be a passing out let a player waiting and available
for it, in the past there was never anything on bar a hoof up the pitch.

Also on another slightly less positive point Coleman gave the ball a way a few times with bad passes
I though that was Stephen Ward's job? Did they swapped sides?

Another notable thing is it is actually watchable!!!

The big question is who is primarily responsibly for the transformation?

I hope it's not the man who is currently packing a Glaswegian-English dictionary into his suitcase.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Don't think MO'N will be returning to Glasgow anytime soon...we should remember his past trials and tribulations up there!

[ArdeeBhoy]

Consistency is it, right enough AB. We've seen some decent friendlies in the past go by without any follow up. But it was certainly a pleasing performance. Next step is a win and a couple of goals.

Definitely, but we could we waiting for that win...Costa Rica maybe, Portugal probably a repeat of yesterday, at best.
So next season more likely, though happy to wait for Georgia, hopefully.

[OwlsFan]

Just been watching some of the game, in decent quality as opposed to a stream,
it is quite a transformation on what has gone on before when we play against a decent team

Didn't we beat Italy in a friendly in 2011 and I thought we played well that day but best paint that one out of Trap's history? So why are we "much better organised now" and in all the games under Trap you never recall us making an interception? Bizarre statement.

Style of play has never interested me. If we qualify with "hoof ball", I am over the moon. If we don't qualify with the "passing game". I am dejected. If we qualify by both methods, I am equally happy. The end results are all that interest me i.e. effective football.

I wouldn't get too excited by a draw against Italy B but at least we didn't lose which I think was important. We also played well but two swallows and all that. However, scoring remains a problem. Let's see what Robbie can do later this month.

On a separate note, what's with Keith Andrews' hair? Looks like a wig.

[Charlie Darwin]

The more I see Long's header the more I think he should have scored. He was stretching a bit but he has to put it wide of the goalkeeper.

[Grafter]

On a separate note, what's with Keith Andrews' hair? Looks like a wig.

Possibly the Cascarino school of thought - if you're getting on a bit and want your contract renewed you better make damn sure you've good hair!

[samhaydenjr]

The more I see Long's header the more I think he should have scored. He was stretching a bit but he has to put it wide of the goalkeeper.

Having just seen it I think he did technically "the right thing" by heading it back where it came from but the Italian keeper was slow coming across and this gave him the opportunity to save - in this instance it may have been a better choice to head for the far post but I wouldn't call it a glaring miss. Overall (based on the three minute highlight package I saw), some good play, creating good chances but we still need to be more clinical in front of goal - again there weren't any real "glaring misses" - it's just that we need to cross that fine line between making a keeper make a save and making it impossible for the keeper to prevent a goal.

[tricky_colour]

Didn't we beat Italy in a friendly in 2011 and I thought we played well that day but best paint that one out of Trap's history? So why are we "much better organised now" and in all the games under Trap you never recall us making an interception? Bizarre statement.

Style of play has never interested me. If we qualify with "hoof ball", I am over the moon. If we don't qualify with the "passing game". I am dejected. If we qualify by both methods, I am equally happy. The end results are all that interest me i.e. effective football.

I wouldn't get too excited by a draw against Italy B but at least we didn't lose which I think was important. We also played well but two swallows and all that. However, scoring remains a problem. Let's see what Robbie can do later this month.

On a separate note, what's with Keith Andrews' hair? Looks like a wig.

Well I definitely though we saw something better than we had in the past, it's hard
to put it into words. I'd love to see some stats on the game.

As for Andrew's hair, if youve got it, flaunt it!!!

But back to football! It is interesting to see the team that played on
that glorious game in 2011.

Republic of Ireland: Forde, McShane, Ward, St. Ledger, O'Dea, Foley, Coleman, Andrews, Hunt, Long, Keogh


Subs: Murphy, Kelly, Cox, Delaney, Whelan, Lawrence, Treacy


Must admit I would not remember the game, or the team, it certainly is *not* the the team I expected to see!!

Where are the 'big names'? I suppose out of that lot Long would be the biggest name.

He virtually fielded a second XI, having left out Shay Given, Kevin Kilbane, Aiden McGeady and Robbie Keane on top of the absent Richard Dunne, Damien Duff and Kevin Doyle after Saturday night's 2-0 Euro 2012 qualifying victory in Macedonia.

Unfortunately I don't appear to have a copy of that game.

[Charlie Darwin]

Having just seen it I think he did technically "the right thing" by heading it back where it came from but the Italian keeper was slow coming across and this gave him the opportunity to save - in this instance it may have been a better choice to head for the far post but I wouldn't call it a glaring miss. Overall (based on the three minute highlight package I saw), some good play, creating good chances but we still need to be more clinical in front of goal - again there weren't any real "glaring misses" - it's just that we need to cross that fine line between making a keeper make a save and making it impossible for the keeper to prevent a goal.

He didn't header it back where it came from though, he just headered it in the middle of the goal, which is always going to be the most likely place for the goalkeeper to end up.

[geysir]

The goalie was well positioned in the middle just before Shane got his head to the ball, he probably would have been favourite to save most headed attempts.