Republic of Ireland v Georgia - Thursday, 6th October 2016 -World Cup 2018 Qualifier

[Olé Olé]

Bit harsh on McClean. Thought he was one of our most positive players tonight

Agreed. He caused a lot more problems to Georgia than Walters and Long I think.

Duffy was very good. Really like him. No mistakes or half-mistakes which is a huge plus and he has been nominated for Championship player of the month for September so that's enough said about Blackburn and his torrid August: http://www.skysports.com/football/ne...-for-september

I thought Brady was the driving force behind the resurgent second half until he went off (best wishes to him, looked rough). Hendrick didn't have the impact I'd have liked. Actually, a point on that pair. They're well able strike a ball. That keeper for Georgia was dodgy. Disappointed they didn't test him more.

Overall, bad night at the office but we got 3 points and the other game was a draw. Line to be drawn under that. Only worrying thing is that's the second uninspiring performance in a row. Even though we've managed 4 points from these 2 matches, it's disappointing and Austria might not be as kind as Serbia were to us.

[Stuttgart88]

There was one point in the second half last night Brady got the ball under no pressure in the centre circle. He had 20 yards to walk forward with the ball before he’d have come close to a Georgian player. He looked up and gave a pass to McCarthy that I could have given. When your most creative player is reduced to such conservatism you wonder what’s going on.

[tetsujin1979]

Seriously, was all this started simply by a poorly informed comment by Merson?

yep. pretty much.

[Kingdom]

I'll never have the time to post here in the volume I did previously (thank god says ye), but I miss not being about enough to debate what I see as serious failings.

It comes down to one simple problem for me: Either we play this way by design, and the manager takes the responsibility, or the players are playing like this, and the manager takes responsibility. In the first scenario, the manager takes responsibility by persisting with the calamity that is our way of playing, and suffers the ultimate consequence. In the second scenario, the manager takes responsibility for the players NOT implementing the way of playing he wants, and certain players get dropped.

When neither happens, something has to give. I don't want to wade through another qualifying campaign and hope that the right bounce of a ball/wrong bounce of a ball dictates where two years work has gone. We've got the core of a group that probably have to the end of Euro2020 together. That is a nice target to have in time.

[jbyrne]

It comes down to one simple problem for me: Either we play this way by design, and the manager takes the responsibility, or the players are playing like this, and the manager takes responsibility. In the first scenario, the manager takes responsibility by persisting with the calamity that is our way of playing, and suffers the ultimate consequence. In the second scenario, the manager takes responsibility for the players NOT implementing the way of playing he wants, and certain players get dropped.

to me the problem comes down to what our full backs do and this must be down to management instruction. coleman in particular put in crosses and passes from positions too far from the bye line to trouble the opposition in the first half. I don't think he took on his player more than once. in the 2nd half he was obviously instructed to push on a bit and get in behind them and for 20 mins this stretched the Georgians more and we scored. we must give our full backs better freedom to push on. makes a massive difference for me

[Kingdom]

to me the problem comes down to what our full backs do and this must be down to management instruction. coleman in particular put in crosses and passes from positions too far from the bye line to trouble the opposition in the first half. I don't think he took on his player more than once. in the 2nd half he was obviously instructed to push on a bit and get in behind them and for 20 mins this stretched to Georgians more and we scored. we must give our full backs better freedom to push. makes a massive difference for me

JB - Do you think Coleman is hindered with the Walters situation? Genuine q btw, not a loaded one.

[Kingdom]

Ireland possession 3.jpg

Ireland possession 4.jpg

Ireland possession 5.jpg

I've attached three pictures which I feel supports the argument made a page previously. I accept however these can be interpreted as just a snapshot in time. I would prefer to consider them a snapshot of time.

For balance, our pressing setup is very very solid out the field. So much so, that I cannot understand why we get opened up so easily once teams get close to our area.

[Closed Account]

JoeDenilson mentions Long needs to stop chasing the ball down - I disagree, purely because he's good at it, it works and we should be able to capitalise upon it. But as a team we just do not play high enough up the pitch, and we're not fluid as a group.

To clarify, Shane chasing down defenders 30yards away from him with no concerted backup of a pressing game from his teammates behind is pointless.

We've seen this Irish team push up on Italy and it working but last night, as soon as Georgia got the ball, it was 10 men into our own half.
In that scenario, Shane is wasting his time. A high pressing game would not tire Shane out as much because the workload is shared.

Little things like his headed chance from McCleans cross, may have worked out better had he not being a headless chicken for the previous 60mins. But again, not a criticism of Shane, that's his game, a criticism of management/tactics.

[Kingdom]

To clarify, Shane chasing down defenders 30yards away from him with no concerted backup of a pressing game from his teammates behind is pointless.

We've seen this Irish team push up on Italy and it working but last night, as soon as Georgia got the ball, it was 10 men into our own half.
In that scenario, Shane is wasting his time. A high pressing game would not tire Shane out as much because the workload is shared.

Little things like his headed chance from McCleans cross, may have worked out better had he not being a headless chicken for the previous 60mins. But again, not a criticism of Shane, that's his game, a criticism of management/tactics.

I've learned not to assume things of others, but I suspected that's what you meant. I agree totally with all you've said.

[geysir]

Should be on the player, I've watched games back there before.

Still not there, not in Latest or in Categories - Sports

Just some snips of pundit talk and post match interviews

[geysir]

If you do watch it, skip the first half! Will save you a lot of frustration. Second half was slightly better.

Ref was ok. A bit too picky at times but no really bad calls.

I meant the ref reference as tongue in cheek,
as in the ref was conspicuous by being absent from the torrent of criticism.

[Closed Account]

Still not there, not in Latest or in Categories - Sports

Just some snips of pundit talk and post match interviews

This not it?
http://www.rte.ie/player/ie/show/wor...4200/10632571/
or sky coverage
http://www.matchhighlight.com/full-m...-vs-georgia-4/


It's showing up on the homepage for me now, but I had to go
Programmes -> Categories-> News and Sport -> World Cup 2018 Qualifier -> 2 episodes available -> Season 1, Episode 5

[geysir]

This not it?
http://www.rte.ie/player/ie/show/wor...4200/10632571/
or sky coverage
http://www.matchhighlight.com/full-m...-vs-georgia-4/

That's it ,thanks.
Where was it listed? How does one find out where it lies? I still don't see it listed anywhere in the various Player cubby holes.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

yep. pretty much.

Pulling out of games he wouldn't miss for Bournemouth isn't going to assuage doubts.

O'Neill and Keane both sound like they thought he could have participated.

[tetsujin1979]

Pulling out of games he wouldn't miss for Bournemouth isn't going to assuage doubts.

O'Neill and Keane both sound like they thought he could have participated.

see my post in the Arter thread, it's not happening.

[Stuttgart88]

Pulling out of games he wouldn't miss for Bournemouth isn't going to assuage doubts.

O'Neill and Keane both sound like they thought he could have participated.

Doubts that have arisen how though? And he missed plenty of games for Bournemouth last season, and a whole finals tournament for Ireland. Players get injured and sometimes only for a week or so. I posted a perfectly valid personal example earlier. In general I'd say players are quicker to miss international games than club games. Clubs pay their wages. Club football is their day job.

Paul Merson + Minor injury = defection. Jeez.

[Drumcondra 69er]

http://afalsefirstxi.blogspot.ie/201...orgia.html?m=1

Blog on the game for anyone interested.

[Bungle]

Very mediocre performance by the lads. However, I would have settled for a poor performance and 3points before the game. I think Georgia will take quite a few points off the top 4 in the group. The only thing is that I can see a lot of draws in this group and it might come down to goal difference.

Very disappointed by Robbie, Jeff and some of the other lads. There was a real conservative streak in their play. It's understandable against Spain or Germany, but Georgia at Lansdowne Road is not the place for it.

The shining light is that Moldova seem woeful and hopefully won't be a banana skin. It's definitely a game for Wes to unlock a tight defence. Pity it seems unlikely that Arter will be fit.

[DeLorean]

Republic of Ireland squad update

The Football Association of Ireland has issued a squad update following last night's FIFA World Cup Qualifying win over Georgia at the Aviva Stadium.


7th Oct 2016

Robbie Brady has been released from the squad following concussion suffered in the 1-0 win over Georgia on Thursday, October 6. Brady spent the night in hospital and underwent a precautionary scan, but he has been cleared by the FAI medical staff.
Midfielder Jeff Hendrick is suspended for Sunday's Group D game in Chisinau, but has travelled with the squad. There is no reaction to the knock that Shane Long received against Georgia and he is expected to train on Saturday.

Sunday, October 9
19:45 (Irish Time) - FIFA World Cup Qualifier: Moldova v Republic of Ireland - Stadionul Zimbru, Chisinau

[geysir]

Very disappointed with the performance,
the game was one issue but the fans have to do much better with their rendition of the Iceland call, brought to the world's attention from relative obscurity by the Iceland fans at Euro 2016. If the Irish fans are going to do that thing, you'll have to give it more welly soul.
It's not an Ireland call, it's an Iceland call, a killer call, a take no prisoners call.