Republic of Ireland V Scotland - Saturday, 13th June 2015 - Euro 2016 Qualifier

**boysingreen** · 13/06/2015, 7:31 PM

Dunphy's right about McCarthy by the way. Couldn't tell you what he does for Everton, but he's completely anonymous for Ireland in the middle of the park. I think he was involved in the first goal in Georgia, but other than that, virtually no impact.

**mark12345** · 13/06/2015, 7:35 PM

Keane was the wrong substitution at the wrong time - you are correct. Why Hoolahan was jettisoned I will never know (it was him against the whole of Scotland in terms of technical ability - every time he got on the ball something positive was likely to happen)? In any event I mark that one down to a poor decision on the part of the manager. I give O'Neill credit for his picking Murphy from the off, but he had to see the writing on the wall towards the end of the first half in that Murphy was becoming more and more a peripheral figure. The required substitution at half time was Long for Murphy, but alas that did not happen. Whelan was ineffectual - never have seen what managers see in him and have said it on this board for years now, but I am not a manager. And, I'm sorry, but the back four is not solid. O'Shea has been useless forever and a day and was this way again today, fitting that it was off his accomadating frame that the ball entered the Irish net (shades of Italy at home and several other sub par performances from him). But the question must be asked who do we have to replace him. Answer is no one of any real quality. A quality defender like we see playing in Europe each weekend, takes a high ball on his chest, shows the required close control, and turns the opposition team's possession into an attack for his own team. Neither O'Shea nor Wilson can do that.

In any event I am being a perfectionist here and it would be wrong to expect perfection from our lads and manager - no one is perfect. It should also be said that the Irish team of today is quite a way improved from the team of five or six years ago. They are getting the concept of retaining possession, even if they do resort to the long ball game a little too often, and for that O'Neill and Keane deserve some credit. We are out of the Euros and it is time to blood new players with a new concept of how to play the game.

**mark12345** · 13/06/2015, 7:39 PM

Too true. This is a good summation of our personnel, although McCarthy has more to offer in a better system (a la Everton). Our lads do play with fear and have done for generations. And this is because they have no technical ability and cannot shield the ball in one on one situations (Robbie and Damien Duff when he played, aside). These are basic principles of the game which we cannot do because as young lads our players were never coached that way.

**mark12345** · 13/06/2015, 7:44 PM

Originally Posted by tricky_colour

They don't have the awareness of Wes and hence play with fear, and quite rightly so, Wes has more awareness an it gives him
confidence on the ball, if he gets into a tight spot he will usually have a safe outlet, McCarthy and Whelan usually won't.
Wes can get out of trouble with a quick turn or clever pass, McCarthy and Whelan would most likely get robbed leaving us in big trouble.

Too true. This is a good summation of our personnel, although McCarthy has more to offer in a better system (a la Everton). Our lads do play with fear and have done for generations. And this is because they have no technical ability and cannot shield the ball in one on one situations (Robbie and Damien Duff when he played, aside). These are basic principles of the game which we cannot do because as young lads our players were never coached that way.

**the doc** · 13/06/2015, 7:46 PM

Come Back Mr Trapattoni, all is forgiven!

Well that's was poor, I've said from day one that MON was a spent force.

How many backroom staff does this joker have?
And he still can't set a team up to compete and win games.

He's had long enough to of sorted his first eleven out but instead he picks squads of 30-40 plus before reducing the squad down,

Clueless, why they did a u turn and appointed him, when Mad Mick was coming around to taking the job, is shocking.

Yes, the players have to take their share of the blame, but under this has been there is no plan A let alone plan B.

Quite simply he needs to go!

**mark12345** · 13/06/2015, 7:52 PM

You don't have confidence in O'Neill or Keane. Do you remember what they did as players, more often than not beating mighty odds against them? That's a very rash statement to say they cannot be at the forefront of change. But change is not going to come in a year or two - we just do not have the raw materials. Compare our lads to those who are on the TV this week (Uruguay, Chile, Armenia, Denmark). All play with far more confidence and authority than our lads. Why? Because they were coached properly as kids. Our lads were front and center of the hoof ball game at home before they went to England, where they were hidden for all of their careers. Now you will always get an exception like Robbie Keane or Roy Keane but the vast majority of teenage boys in Ireland with the potential to go on and become professionals, have all been coached the wrong way. Change the coaching system and then we might get some results.

**mark12345** · 13/06/2015, 7:58 PM

Originally Posted by the doc

Come Back Mr Trapattoni, all is forgiven!

Well that's was poor, I've said from day one that MON was a spent force.

How many backroom staff does this joker have?
And he still can't set a team up to compete and win games.

He's had long enough to of sorted his first eleven out but instead he picks squads of 30-40 plus before reducing the squad down,

Clueless, why they did a u turn and appointed him, when Mad Mick was coming around to taking the job, is shocking.

Yes, the players have to take their share of the blame, but under this has been there is no plan A let alone plan B.

Quite simply he needs to go!

I think you need to go. Martin O'Neill is not clueless. Has been a brilliant manager over his career. I will agree that I would have not have made at least two of the decisions he made in terms of his personnel today, but the team as a whole was miles behind Scotland in terms of moving the ball and finding space and closing down space. Let me give you this scenario. If we could persuade Pep Guardiola to become manager on Monday morning, do you think he would help us win all of our remaining games and qualify for the FInals?

**hoops1** · 13/06/2015, 8:05 PM

Both Sadlier and Daragh Moloney made good points after the game. There is very little coming up through schoolboys section in the eleven a side years but at the small sided sections it seems good change is occurring.
You can say what you like about Delaney but through Rudd Dokter we are starting to get some sort of order in the mess behind all senior level football. Its going to take an awful long time to be seen. You can change managers and coaches as often as we like until we start at the kids levels we are at nothing

**bennocelt** · 13/06/2015, 8:18 PM

Originally Posted by hoops1

Both Sadlier and Daragh Moloney made good points after the game. There is very little coming up through schoolboys section in the eleven a side years but at the small sided sections it seems good change is occurring.
You can say what you like about Delaney but through Rudd Dokter we are starting to get some sort of order in the mess behind all senior level football. Its going to take an awful long time to be seen. You can change managers and coaches as often as we like until we start at the kids levels we are at nothing

Ten years in charge and all..............yeah sure

**Real ale Madrid** · 13/06/2015, 8:24 PM

It could be worse lads - we could be in Greece tonight - 2-0 down to Faroes - back to back defeats against them.

Another very disappointing day all told - we were lucky to get the goal we did.

**TonyD** · 13/06/2015, 8:41 PM

Originally Posted by shakermaker1982

Yep McCarthy was non existent again.

Whelan was Whelan.

Why do the midfield always pass the buck to the centre backs to get moves going? Receive ball, turn and go forward. Whelan doesn't even look up, he's obsessed with giving it back to guys who by default (because they are defenders) are not as comfortable on the ball than a regular midfielder. This happens for 30 seconds with them all tapping around before its passed back to Given so he can whack it upfield. DRIVES ME NUTS.
.

This is spot on. Given rolls the ball to full back/centre back, they play it to midfielder who panics if there's anyone within 20 yards and give it straight back to the defender, back to Given who thumps it up the pitch, giving possession away.

**hoops1** · 13/06/2015, 8:46 PM

Originally Posted by bennocelt

Ten years in charge and all..............yeah sure

Even recognising what the problems are is something that hasn't been done previously. You think the rubbish we are watching at least the last ten years is down to what have done in that time. Its because of neglect over decades. Plus as they said in the studio its going to get worse before it gets better.

**TheOneWhoKnocks** · 13/06/2015, 8:48 PM

https://twitter.com/McDonnellDan/sta...93744582389761

**mark12345** · 13/06/2015, 8:52 PM

Originally Posted by hoops1

Even recognising what the problems are is something that hasn't been done previously. You think the rubbish we are watching at least the last ten years is down to what have done in that time. Its because of neglect over decades. Plus as they said in the studio its going to get worse before it gets better.

Absolutely - it will get worse before it gets better. Let me tell you, I played LOI level in Ireland before I emigrated to America. I fancied myself as a half decent player at home, but to be real honest I learned more in six months in America (playing against the Portuguese, Polish, Italians, Greeks and South Americans) than in all of my life at home. When I look back at all the blood sweat and tears I put into my game at home and saw what I could have been doing (like learning how to shield a ball properly, changing direction, moving into space, retaining possession) I realise how much time I had wasted.

**elroy** · 13/06/2015, 8:55 PM

Depressed. Think we deserved the win today. Lost all effective threat when hoolohan taken off.

What's more, seeing NI get results with arguably a much weaker squad demonstrates what we could and should be achieving.

For me the Georgia v Scotland game is now huge. We need the scots to slip up there and then we'll be very much back in it. Otherwise it's going to take a very good finish from ourselves including a draw with Germany and a win in Poland.

**peadar1987** · 13/06/2015, 8:59 PM

If anything needs to be ripped up, it needs to be the underage system in the country. Set up a proper grassroots regionalised pyramid structure for all age levels, with appropriate pitch sizes, etc. The FAI to oversee things, if you're not under the umbrella of their system, you don't get any club development funding, no priority for international tickets, no players selected for underage squads. Maybe then we'd produce the odd technically proficient player (apart from the odd accident like Coleman or Duff). The Dutch are playing 3/4/5 a side on a quarter pitch until the age of at least 14 or 15.

**backstothewall** · 13/06/2015, 9:01 PM

Just home. ****ed off beyond belief. The missus is now taking the hump with me because i'm in such a foul mood.

Those blaming O'Neill need to get real. The tactics worked really well. The Scottish defence was struggling with the route 1 game we inflicted on them in the first half, and we were well worth our lead. I very much doubt O'Neil told them to see how quickly they could make a complete balls of everything they had worked so hard for in the first 45mins. The players were responsible for this. Not O'Neill

Ratings

Given: 6 - Did everything that could be expected of him, which was very little in truth. Nothing he could have done about the goal.

Coleman: 6 - Clearly our best player, but some of his crossing tonight was awful
O'Shea: 3 - When he isn't wrestling with his man, he's pulling his shirt. I haven't seen a replay, but he looked very lucky not to give away a penalty. It's time to take Old Yeller out back
Wilson: 5 - Always looks like he has a mistake in him, today no exception
Brady: 6 - Reluctant to go to hard one him. He does a job there, but he's not a left back.

Whelan: 5 - He does what he does, and he does it well, but there is never any urgency about him. The role he plays is a bit like a scrum half in rugby. Sometimes even though the pass is accurate, the length of time it takes him allows the opposition to get organised. I was a fan at a time, but i don't see what he offers these days.
McCarthy: 6 - Busy, won a lot of ball and is one of our better footballers. Not his best game by any means, but there were a lot worse
Hendrick: 5 - Yellow pack McCarthy

Walters: 7 - Our best player on the day. Scotland never got to grips with his physicality.
Murphy: 6 - Did well in the first half. A lot of what applied to Walters applied to him. But faded badly in the second half. O'Neill was probably right to take him off when he did.
Hoolahan: 7 - Did really well. He always plays some lovely touches. At the time I could understand why he was sacrificed, but we missed him when he was gone.

**TrapAPony** · 13/06/2015, 9:12 PM

Originally Posted by elroy

For me the Georgia v Scotland game is now huge. We need the scots to slip up there and then we'll be very much back in it.

Scotland won't slip up. As a matter of fact I wouldn't be in the least bit surprised to see them beat Poland in Glasgow also. We left our 2 home matches v Poland & Scotland behind us. We are all but out.

**elroy** · 13/06/2015, 10:07 PM

Originally Posted by TrapAPony

Scotland won't slip up. As a matter of fact I wouldn't be in the least bit surprised to see them beat Poland in Glasgow also. We left our 2 home matches v Poland & Scotland behind us. We are all but out.

Well if the Scots do beat Poland that may keep us in it if Germany also beat the poles which I definitely think they will. In that scenario we would be most likely two points off Poland going into the last game against them. Right now I'd probably take such a scenario