Republic of Ireland V Oman 3rd September 2014 & Georgia 7th September 2014

[NeverFeltBetter]

There was some hoofball, but nowhere near as much as would have occurred under Trap. Far more short passing and use of the centre midfield area, thank God.

[geysir]

It's hard to credit the negativity around the performance, it was bad enough to have ronnie whelan obsessively whining and moaning for 90 minutes and getting paid for it. This is us playing away against a run of the mill eastern block country, who were built up to be a difficult team, who could play better technical football than us, a team that made better teams than us struggle mightly even for a draw.When has it ever been any different, when have we ever played better? Charlton? Kerr? McCarthy? Trap? I can't recall any markedly better performance against these type of countries in a qualifying group campaign. The 2 outstanding goals does set it apart though, it's a bit of an upgrade from a Cascarino header in a crowded box or a gammy Gary Docherty intervention.
This performance is as good as it has ever been and yet we know we can play a good deal better and will play better
I never got for one minute that we were settling for a draw and we got the 3 points with an outrageously skillful goal. It's a time for looking at the half full glass.

[amaccann]

I can't remember a single away game against Eastern European opposition in the last 20-odd years that hasn't turned into a heavy slog and a collective feeling of 'phew, got away with that one' Macedonia anyone? (ok, it's a few hundred miles away from Georgia, but shush). The performances left a lot to be desired, but within a historical context it was par for the course in my eyes. We have never hammered these sorts of teams, never when they were unknown quantities and new nations post-Berlin wall, and never when their squads made for a whistlestop tour of European footballing nations.

I guess it didn't help that there was 10 months of waiting around for this moment, it was always going to disappoint bar a 6-0 thumping. Watching the highlights package and its sensible (if a little dour) analysis from Kenny Cunningham though just highlights the sort of shrill, negative attention-seekers that populate the 'first team' of RTE's panelists. It has been said over and over again but Dunphy and co. add nothing to the discussion except loud obnoxious negativity, which is not the same as cold criticism; it never can be. The sooner they retired or are retired the better, as far as I'm concerned they're as poisonous to the health of Irish soccer as someone like John Delaney.

[Charlie Darwin]

I appreciate that, and it's not like I'm claiming Brady is on the same level as Neymar, or that Gibsons passing ability would have him mistaken for Pirlo in midfield. But Brady is as capable as producing a bit of magic as Hoolahan, and he was the 1st man O'Neill put onto the park. Maybe a bit later than some, myself included, would have liked, but if we're down to debating if the sub came 10 mins later than some would have liked, and we won the game anyway, it's not much to be getting our knickers is a twist about.

It was a great win. Either Scotland or Poland will drop points there. Georgia away is the fixture that will cost someone of them dearly.

It won't be us!

Oh, sorry, I wasn't accusing you of anything like that, just saying Hoolahan has the ability to pick a pass that most of our players don't have. McGeady could be the answer, depending on whether he gets a run there for Everton with Barkley out. His winning goal today was a result of him pushing into the centre.

[NeverFeltBetter]

They went as far as to complain about being branded "negative" today. I turned off. Giles is OK, the rest, they're worthless, so is Whelan, so is O'Donoghue. Just nasty, unjustifiably bitter people, who think people are complaining about their reasoned critique when it is frequently anything but.

[Charlie Darwin]

It's hard to credit the negativity around the performance, it was bad enough to have ronnie whelan obsessively whining and moaning for 90 minutes and getting paid for it. This is us playing away against a run of the mill eastern block country, who were built up to be a difficult team, who could play better technical football than us, a team that made better teams than us struggle mightly even for a draw.When has it ever been any different, when have we ever played better? Charlton? Kerr? McCarthy? Trap? I can't recall any markedly better performance against these type of countries in a qualifying group campaign. The 2 outstanding goals does set it apart though, it's a bit of an upgrade from a Cascarino header in a crowded box or a gammy Gary Docherty intervention.
This performance is as good as it has ever been and yet we know we can play a good deal better and will play better
I never got for one minute that we were settling for a draw and we got the 3 points with an outrageously skillful goal. It's a time for looking at the half full glass.

I'm inclined to agree with you but I don't think they're technically better by any stretch, just perhaps better drilled to utilise their technical skill. They gave the ball away constantly with poor basic skills for which we'd be slating Whelan et al.

Your point on McGeady's winner is good. When in recent memory have we been having a bit of trouble and been able to say we have a player who is capable of doing something amazing to break the deadlock? Think of Alaba's goal in Dublin, Ibrahimovic against numerous teams, Lewandowski, McGeady has the assets to be our matchwinner. Portugal were without Ronaldo tonight and they got beaten at home by Albania. These are teams not much better than us who have somebody that elevates them higher. We shouldn't turn up our nose when we benefit from the same.

[Razors left peg]

Been thinking about it for a few hours now and Im struggling to think of a better Irish goal ever thank McGeadys winner tonight. The skill and finish were fantastic.

Given the context of the timing of the goal can anyone think of a better goal?

[tetsujin1979]

McGeady's goal nominated for goal of the night on Sky Sports: http://www1.skysports.com/watch/vide...tender-mcgeady

[swinfordfc]

McGeady's goal nominated for goal of the night on Sky Sports: http://www1.skysports.com/watch/vide...tender-mcgeady

The Albania winner was special as well ..... against Portugal!

[Charlie Darwin]

Been thinking about it for a few hours now and Im struggling to think of a better Irish goal ever thank McGeadys winner tonight. The skill and finish were fantastic.

Given the context of the timing of the goal can anyone think of a better goal?

Better as in technically, individually better? I'm struggling too. Whelan v USSR maybe. As a team goal, I'd say Robbie v Germany 2002 is up there, as is McAteer's v Holland the same year. Both terrific goals from a standpoint of players choosing the right option and executing it under pressure.

[Razors left peg]

Better as in technically, individually better? I'm struggling too. Whelan v USSR maybe. As a team goal, I'd say Robbie v Germany 2002 is up there, as is McAteer's v Holland the same year. Both terrific goals from a standpoint of players choosing the right option and executing it under pressure.

Whelan is one of my favorites ever, but the fact that he shinned it takes from it a bit.
Robbies against Germany was probably the most exciting ever considering what it meant, but technically is was just a long ball, flick on and decent finish.
McAteer was a great finish but was terrible defending given how much space he had.

The way McGeady controlled the ball, the turn and the finish tonight ,under pressure away from home was special I think

[Charlie Darwin]

Aye, but I think you're taking too many marks off for Robbie's goal being route one. The punt upfield (Shay?) and Quinn's knock-down were inch-perfect, and Robbie's control and finish were exceptional against a brick wall of a goalkeeper who was putting in probably the best run of form in World Cup history. It wasn't pretty but it was a technically excellent goal, just as McGeady's was a technically excellent individual effort.

[tetsujin1979]

Robbie Keane's goal VS Holland in 2004 is a personal favourite: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xl9ukGgaXjw

[Razors left peg]

Dont get me wrong, Im not critisising Robbies goal at all, and I might be getting a bit carried away with McGeadys goal because it just happened tonight but from a pure skill point of view I think McGeadys is the best Ive seen

[Razors left peg]

Robbie Keane's goal VS Holland in 2004 is a personal favourite: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xl9ukGgaXjw

That was a brilliant goal.... was that just a friendly though? I cant remember

[Crosby87]

Well that guy on Celtic did say Aiden was the next Ronaldo, right?
This was a great weekend. Ireland win and Notre Dame kick the **** out of Michigan. Awesome.

[tricky_colour]

Robbie Keane's goal VS Holland in 2004 is a personal favourite: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xl9ukGgaXjw

Granted that was a rocket form Keane, nice sound effects on it too, very empathetic, however it is essentially
one strike of the ball albeit a brilliant one. Aidens has more build up and more elements of skill. There is quality ball in from
Coleman, great first touch, I think the defender may have got a nudge on the ball or Aiden, then with his back to goal
he does a brilliant spin combined with a top class finish. We don't score many like that.

[Colbert Report]

McGeady's goal was magic, I'd rank it up there alongside Kevin Doyle's left foot finish against Slovakia back in 2007, which is my personal all time favourite Ireland goal.

[tricky_colour]

Spare a thought for Georgia though, from their point of view that was a real sickener, their no 16 just drops to his knees
thinking like WTF! Would have been a decent result for them, they have not faired too well against us recently.

By the way I think we were playing 4-1-4-1 with Keane and Whelan being the 1's McCarthy and Quinn centre-midfield
McGeady and Walters on the wing but with flexibility McGeady was drifting more central as was Walters with when
the wing backs got forward. Only seen a bit of the game were I could make out the players clearly though.

Quite different from Traps flat 442.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Lucky doesn't come close but they won!
An awful performance/great result from someone who was, er, there...