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

[Charlie Darwin]

if I start banning people for bad puns, I'll end up talking to myself on here.

I guess you could say you were a 'fish out of water' then.

Wait, wrong thread.

[Stuttgart88]

If you don't like my posts use your ignore button, I will be using mine.

...and relax.

[pineapple stu]

They didn't qualify in 2004 or 2012, and they've only been to one World Cup, but once they do qualify for a tournament they tend to do very well. Only once have they failed to make a quarter final at least.

They got to the 1954 World Cup. And hammered South Korea only for West Germany to hammer them twice. Which was fairly par for the course across that tournament in fairness.

[paul_oshea]

If you don't like my posts use your ignore button, I will be using mine.

Well said tricky remove him from your thoughts.

I see a lot of tricky in stutts. But not the same kinda way as towk though.

[OwlsFan]

I feel the same. And I also feel that way about Whelan (cannot for the life of me see what he brings to the team that Hoolahan cannot do with his little toe).
There's a saying which goes like this: "When I was 14 years old, I was surprised at how little my father knew about life. When I was 21 years old, I was surprised how much he'd learned in seven years."

That's sort of the way I feel. I never knew how little I knew about football. Have played and watched the game, and reffed to, all of my life. But, as successive Irish managers have demonstrated to me, and many others I suspect, we know nothing about the game because we cannot see the qualities in the likes of Ward and Whelan, whereas they can.

Not just Irish managers as regards Whelan:

2004–200 Sheffield Wednesday 142 (13)
2008– Stoke City 199 (5)

He is about to play his 200th game for Stoke, most I suspect in the Premiership. Whelan can pass the ball, play in front of and protect the defence and gives 100% and plays in a different position to Hoolahan for starters. Ward is played because the options in his position are limited. Not that difficult to see.

[DeLorean]

Whelan can pass the ball, play in front of and protect the defence

Except he gives as much protection as a burst condom.

[OwlsFan]

Thought he did well in Georgia and can't be blamed for the goal. I think he is the new Paul Green - the player fans now vent their anger on. Green because he kept out McCarthy for a while and now Whelan because....a whipping boy is often required. A regular starter in the Premiership. This was the argument used against Trap when he was starting Championship players ahead of Premiership players. Now it's the reverse.

He's not a world beater but he's as good as anyone we have for central midfield.

[DeLorean]

I never had a problem with Green. I've always had a problem with Whelan. Obviously I've doubted that stance countless times with Pulis, Trap, Hughes and now O'Neill making him an ever present but I honestly find it difficult to rate him. Positional discipline seems to be his main attribute but, in my opinion, that is counter acted with many, many limitations otherwise. It seems he's there to stay though, and could theoretically play the same role well into his 60's

[geysir]

Not just Irish managers as regards Whelan:

2004–200 Sheffield Wednesday 142 (13)
2008– Stoke City 199 (5)

He is about to play his 200th game for Stoke, most I suspect in the Premiership. Whelan can pass the ball, play in front of and protect the defence and gives 100% and plays in a different position to Hoolahan for starters. Ward is played because the options in his position are limited. Not that difficult to see.

Whelan was alright on the night.
Wilson is a player with more abiity than Ward but is actually more (or just as) defensively dubious as Ward in the LB position.
I suppose in all the post match hindsight enhanced opinion, nobody will venture into honesty and admit to wanting McGeady replaced around the 70th minute

[DeLorean]

Whelan had a handy evening because barring about fifteen minutes in the first half, Georgia showed little or no attacking ambition. Not his fault of course and outside of a couple of misplaced passes under no pressure, he did as well as I would expect.

This was also the reason we were "in control" I think. For me, "in control" means that you have a two goal lead and the opposition is creating very little.... not (realistically) needing a winning goal but looking very unlikely to get it.

[jbyrne]

nobody will venture into honesty and admit to wanting McGeady replaced around the 70th minute

for all his faults mcgeady is our only player capable of a bit of x-factor and beating of his man / men. he is regularly double marked which should create space for others.

would like to see him tried through the middle. have suspected for years that it could be his best position.

[Stuttgart88]

I thought Whelan did fine on Sunday. In recent years I think he has been lucky to have kept his place. In fairness I think he suffers from lack of quality around him to some extent. But honestly, at Wembley he looked like an old player whose legs had gone.

[DeLorean]

Bump.

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Closed thread.