Republic of Ireland V USA - Tuesday, 18th November 2014 - Friendly

[DannyInvincible]

Good win. Much better second half with plenty of positive play. Needed that after Friday. Should be a good morale-boost.

[tricky_colour]

That is our best result for a long time, problem is they are not really the first team.

[BonnieShels]

Us or them or both?

Win is a win. Delighted with the nature of that second half performance. Even if they got disjointed with the sub's.

Winning 2-1 would have been nice, 4-1 hammering is something we should be very happy with. Could've been six based on the last half hour.

[paul_oshea]

Usa gave us loads of space coming out of defence didn't press high like Scotland. Still we moved the ball at feet and ran at them.we didn't blast it high we ran and it worked. Trust the players Mon.

Shays save was important he gave me a confidence in the back that forde doesn't and I don't think forde would habe saved it

[nigel-harps1954]

So...........just go with the 11 from tonight against Poland? If they got four against USA reserves, surely they can score four against Poland.....

Couple of real positives though, however weak or strong the opposition are:

a) Cyrus Christie and David McGoldrick both had really good, solid debuts.
b) Robbie Brady is certainly an option at left back, the same sort of attacking option that Coleman brings.
c) Pearce and Clark looked much more solid than the two against Scotland, a nice headache to give O'Neill.
d) Shane Long has to be the first choice striker going forward. Despite Keanes goals, Long adds so much more to the forward line, and his strength and pace alone are very valuable to that Irish team.

[geysir]

A good win, enjoyable game, some sprightly performances.
Reminiscent of our friendlies from a previous era, in Brian Kerr's time

[paul_oshea]

Long very smart for McLeans goal.I didn't realise at first.

[SwanVsDalton]

I'd be happy to see either Long or Keane start against Poland. Either one doesn't bother me, but they both have to have dynamic players around them to open up space.

It did strike me that Long seems to thrive more when he gets to burst into a game which is more fractured and where he can find more space. He almost seems tailor-made to be a super-sub sometimes.

I'd be very tempted to take the left-back risk with Brady, on the basis that he could give an extra dimension. If we're organised at the back, and he's given plenty of protection from McClean (or whoever), it might be enough to free him up to go forward. His set-pieces alone should give him a chance in the team.

Pearce and Clark did well, although with a couple of lapses here and there. Couple of crunchers from Clark, always welcome.

Meyler made up for his error for the goal with some purposeful challenges and closing down. Quinn did well too in the second half, and was getting forward more.

Christie looks a real player and McGoldrick got two assists - can't ask for much more. Pilkington did well too and took his goal fantastically.

Given made some good stops, although I still find it bizarre he's in the squad at all.

The only two who missed out were Murphy and Stokes. Murphy put in a good shift, but will be disappointed not to score. Stokes played ok in the first half, with some neat link-ups with Brady, but gave the ball away very easily repeatedly after the restart. Mitigation of playing out-of-position, but still it won't convince the naysayers.

Positives are there, but we exploited space that rarely to never exists in competitive internationals. We still to work on how we control possession for long spells and break down defences. But at least we showed pace, intent and ability tonight.

[Bottle of Tonic]

As enjoyable a friendly as I have seen in memory. Not due to some fantastic display, but down to the pace of the game, the application from both sides and the desire to play the game, rather than the knock-it-about-but-i'd-rather-be-at-home attitude you often see for these games.

Firstly, you have to take to opposition into account with any decent win. America looked decent in spells, far better than us on occasion, but ultimately were found well short giving the ball away like sweets to babies and brittle enough to cave once we took a hold of the game early second half.

The Yanks had several good spells, nice combinations, found space in the famous 'hole' and were unlucky not to be 1-2 up at half time. A few decent shots could have gone in when the game was in the balance and we would not be drinking to 4-1 now.

Still, we utterly dominated second half and I have to give our second string credit for that. They showed desire, hung in there, took whatever fortune came our way and found the net 4 times which is what the game is all about. America could have had 4, but they didn't. They got one.

An enjoyable and strange game overall. Our seconds vs their seconds (or an inexperienced/experimental U.S XI?? I do not know their squad at all well). We had plusses in Christie who looks like a serious prospect but i am loathe to big up any player after one game, McGoldrick with some nice combination play, Brady showing his quality in the left boot……. A f**kin win at last…. Decent night.

And the Scots bubble burst (or at least expansion halted) by our pals in the three lions.

[Jovial Rambler]

Ranking points anyhoo...

[backstothewall]

That is our best result for a long time, problem is they are not really the first team.

I take the point, but is there a first team as such yet?

The guys i would imagine The O'Neill is sure of are Forde, Coleman, O'Shea, McGeady, McCarthy & Long. That leaves 5 shirts up for grabs.

A couple of guys put their hands up tonight, and there are places in the team to be won.

[DannyInvincible]

O'Neill very impressed with Christie after he got over some early nerves.

[pineapple stu]

Can't really say O'Neill is sure of Long given he's only started one competitive game in fairness.

Agree on the others. Though you've miscounted - five shirts (and I'll argue Long, so six)

[passinginterest]

Enjoyed that. First live Ireland senior international since I saw them play Russia in February 2002. Christie was very impressive, looked solid defensively and dangerous going forward. Brady is a bit weak defensible but his quality on the ball and set piece ability must make him a real option ahead of Ward. Two great assists from mcgoldrick but don't think he was that impressive overall. Meyler put in a shift but probably lucky not to have been carded earlier in the game and sloppy for the USA goal. Apart from the first 15 mins and a spell after they scored the USA never really looked overly dangerous. Can see why Clarke was so highly rated but he does still look to have a rash challenge and a fatal error or two in his game.

[backstothewall]

I caught the counting error!

I wasn't sure about Long. But I think he has the edge on Walters at this stage. It's been Walters playing wide, and it was Long who came on tonight to get a goal.

I could be wrong though. It's happened before, usually with simple mathematics mind you!

I maybe should have included Marc Wilson as well

[Stuttgart88]

Good win, but football is daft. Only Shay Given's big toe made a difference between 2-2 and the eventual 4-1. Key message for me is that outside the 11-13 usual suspects for a starting place a few others are worth considering. Getting the mix right is what a manager gets paid well to determine.

I think another TOWK bugbear has been put to bed tonight, namely that Pilkington isn't up to much. He was good against Italy, good again tonight and definitely an option.

Harsh to say Forde wouldn't have saved that chance. Who the F knows? It should never have been a chance in the fitst place. One can't intellectualise football too much. In any game each team will usually make 3 or 4 chances and make one or two dumb mistakes. Tonight we took a fair few chances and got away with the chances we conceded. I think we deserved it tonight. We tried proper football throughout, albeit under less pressure on the ball than on Friday.

Still, any of us who has played knows that if you beat the guy putting the pressure on space opens up for you to use. Pressure on the ball only counts if you win each battle.

Enjoyable and encouraging and it shows there is life outside the predictable picks.

Christie looks a serious dude of a player.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Bugbear about Pilkington? I think he's a great option to have and I complimented his performance against Italy. Slow start in the competitive games aside.

Agreed RE: McGoldrick. Great assists and he could have got a couple more but overall he was quiet and you wonder how much of an impact he would have with less space, less time and better opposition.

Fantastic debut by Christie.

Long was a beast after coming on. His effort that hit the post would have been goal of the night if it went in.

Meyler was probably poorest on the night but everyone put in a good shift really.

Would worry about Clark & Pearce as much as Keogh in a competitive situation. More evidence that no nonsense Delaney should be in the squad. Hopefully O'Dea gets his career back on track with Blackpool.

Good to see Brady & McClean becoming more confident in front of goal.

[DannyInvincible]

Of course, Christie can play on the left too, he tells us.

[Stuttgart88]

Did you not give out about Pilkington recently and the level he was playing at? Apologies if not.

[TrapAPony]

Thought Given was quite good tonight. I would be more confident in him than I would in Forde.