Republic of Ireland v. Wales - Friday, 24th March 2017 - World Cup 2018 Qualifier

[DeLorean]

I predicted 3-1 to us a couple of weeks ago and I still think that is doable, despite the injuries, if we go out there in the right frame of mind.

When you say the right frame of mind, do you mean you think we should try to set the tempo and attack them from the start? I'm a little torn on that one. I'd love if we could perform like we did for the first 50/55 minutes against Sweden at the Euros, not giving them a second on the ball and creating chances. On the flip side though, Wales do seem to struggle most when teams just sit back against them and wait for the opportunity to hit them on the break, or late on as mentioned above.

[DeLorean]

Wales Quiz on 42

http://www.the42.ie/ireland-wales-so...01099-Mar2017/

Congrats on your 100th post 'new guy'.

[Cymro]

To be honest, if Ireland do sit back, I'll probably be happier with that. The games I have watched the Republic play this way - Belgium 0-3 in the Euros, Poland (away) 2-2 in the qualifiers for instance - they have looked incapable of holding off teams with attacking talent, which we undoubtedly have. On the other hand, when the team plays balls out from the start, for instance against Bos-Herz in the playoff, they seem to score early and take control of the game. Of course we are a different team ourselves than those teams named and you can't make direct comparisons, but I think if the game is more open and fast-paced, it probably favours Ireland. If it's more tactical, it probably favours us.

I am unlike most of you feeling cautiously optimistic about a Welsh win, but we will see.

[Razors left peg]

To be honest, if Ireland do sit back, I'll probably be happier with that. The games I have watched the Republic play this way - Belgium 0-3 in the Euros, Poland (away) 2-2 in the qualifiers for instance - they have looked incapable of holding off teams with attacking talent, which we undoubtedly have. On the other hand, when the team plays balls out from the start, for instance against Bos-Herz in the playoff, they seem to score early and take control of the game. Of course we are a different team ourselves than those teams named and you can't make direct comparisons, but I think if the game is more open and fast-paced, it probably favours Ireland. If it's more tactical, it probably favours us.

I am unlike most of you feeling cautiously optimistic about a Welsh win, but we will see.

This sums it up perfectly really.... well apart from being optimistic about the Welsh win!

[Cymro]

This sums it up perfectly really.... well apart from being optimistic about the Welsh win!

I'm not normally confident about a win going into a game, but there are reasons to be optimistic. When you look at the likely starting XIs for each side, I feel like ours looks stronger on paper. This remains the case even if Ledley is out, as Huws is performing well for Ipswich at present. We also have options off the bench. I'm not saying our XI is stronger by a long way, but I'd have us slight favourites even allowing for home advantage.

This will likely be the Welsh XI:

Hennessey, Gunter, Chester, Williams, Davies, Taylor, Ledley/Huws, Ramsey, Allen, Bale, Vokes/Robson-Kanu.

In that team, two were in the Euro 2016 team of the tournament (Ramsey & Allen), 8 are PL regulars, one La Liga, and two Championship (three if Huws replaces Ledley). It's a strong side.

[DannyInvincible]

Well, Ledley might be missing:




http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2017/...-ledley-wales/



Trap wouldn't like that.

Where on earth did Wayne Hennessy get the impression that the atmosphere in the new Lansdowne Road is "hostile"?...

[Olé Olé]

I'm not normally confident about a win going into a game, but there are reasons to be optimistic. When you look at the likely starting XIs for each side, I feel like ours looks stronger on paper. This remains the case even if Ledley is out, as Huws is performing well for Ipswich at present. We also have options off the bench. I'm not saying our XI is stronger by a long way, but I'd have us slight favourites even allowing for home advantage.

This will likely be the Welsh XI:

Hennessey, Gunter, Chester, Williams, Davies, Taylor, Ledley/Huws, Ramsey, Allen, Bale, Vokes/Robson-Kanu.

In that team, two were in the Euro 2016 team of the tournament (Ramsey & Allen), 8 are PL regulars, one La Liga, and two Championship (three if Huws replaces Ledley). It's a strong side.

Good side and Williams, Ramsey, Allen and Bale are all very good players.

I think we will have 9 PL players (Randolph, Ward, O'Shea, Coleman, McClean, Hendrick, Whelan, Long, Walters) in our starting line up.

A lot of our players stack up to your own (particularly if McCarthy and Brady were fit) but, unfortunately for us, Bale and Ramsey are a class apart. I'm just hoping that home advantage and using some of our hard running players to get behind your wing backs and stretch your centre backs will swing it in our favour.

[geysir]

I would be very surprised if Ireland were set up to sit back and let Wales have their way, possibly if it was away game after scoring a goal, but not at home.
If Wales don't win, their campaign is still badly stuck mid table 4 points behind us with an away game to Serbia next. We can take the draw if it happens, but there's no way O'Neill will think that before the game, he will want Ireland to be ahead on points when Serbia come here

[DeLorean]

To be honest, if Ireland do sit back, I'll probably be happier with that. The games I have watched the Republic play this way - Belgium 0-3 in the Euros, Poland (away) 2-2 in the qualifiers for instance - they have looked incapable of holding off teams with attacking talent, which we undoubtedly have.

We managed okay sitting back against Germany, taking four points and only conceding once in two games. Compare that to Scotland who were hailed for going toe-to-toe in an attacking sense against them (but conceded five goals and took zero points).

On the other hand, when the team plays balls out from the start, for instance against Bos-Herz in the playoff, they seem to score early and take control of the game. Of course we are a different team ourselves than those teams named and you can't make direct comparisons, but I think if the game is more open and fast-paced, it probably favours Ireland. If it's more tactical, it probably favours us.

I suppose there's different ways of sitting back. We certainly didn't go "balls out" against B&H. We sat back to a certain extent, pretty much conceded possession but pressed the ball well in our own half. The difference between the teams on the night was discipline really. We kept our heads and made good use of our set pieces, they got frustrated and lost control of the game.

That's the kind of sitting back approach I would hope for against ye, but unfortunately it's hard to see us getting two much joy from set pieces this time around. I'm not sure if we've even got a player who can put in a decent free kick.

The only game I can remember where we went balls out, as you put it, was against Sweden at the Euros (maybe Italy & France too but that was in a more aggressive sense, rather than a footballing sense). We really took the game to Sweden, pressed all over the pitch and created all the chances for the first 50/55 minutes. Unfortunately we didn't get the kind of lead our dominance deserved and we looked a bit jaded the longer it went on. In the end I was relieved to hold on for a point.

[DeLorean]

RE: Ledley - how would we feel about a player missing a big game like this because of the birth of his child? The were saying on Newstalk last night that Ronnie Moran played a match for Liverpool on his wedding day, after the church and joined up again later at the reception. Now that's the kind of dedication you need.

[geysir]

If Wales lose, their qual chances nose dive. All the pressure is on Wales to win and Ledley is poncing around some hospital with flowers?

Rte reported that James didn't attend the funeral ceremony this morning, he returned from Derry last night and trained with the squad (including the Everton duo) this morning.

[Stuttgart88]

Bale and Ramsey are a class apart.

Ramsey has been brutal for Arsenal of late but I think Wales might be a welcome release for him. Internationals often offer an escape from a difficult club environment. His nonchalant defending cost Arsenal two goals from corners at WBA. Despite Geysir's view I can see Cymro's point from a few months ago: Bale might be the guy whose goals win games but when the team clicks it's largely down to Ramsey. That's how I understood his point anyway.

[KrisLetang]

What's the weather supposed to be like? That seems to be the biggest concern on the Wales board for some reason. What, it doesn't rain there?

[geysir]

Ramsey has been brutal for Arsenal of late but I think Wales might be a welcome release for him. Internationals often offer an escape from a difficult club environment. His nonchalant defending cost Arsenal two goals from corners at WBA. Despite Geysir's view I can see Cymro's point from a few months ago: Bale might be the guy whose goals win games but when the team clicks it's largely down to Ramsey. That's how I understood his point anyway.

There is no doubt about Ramsey and Wales but the original point was me poking fun at the bizarre opinion expressed about an injured Bale not being missed that much because Ramsay would be missed more.

[Stuttgart88]

Ah, ok.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2017...stic-mccarthy/

Do I detect a pop at Arter somewhere in here or am I reading too much into it?

[DeLorean]

There is no doubt about Ramsey and Wales but the original point was me poking fun at the bizarre opinion expressed about an injured Bale not being missed that much because Ramsay would be missed more.

I don't think that was the initial point actually. I think the initial point was that obviously Bale would be missed really heavily, but if they had to do without one of the two it would be better if it was him than Ramsey. Still bizarre though if you ask me.

[tetsujin1979]

https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2017...stic-mccarthy/

Do I detect a pop at Arter somewhere in here or am I reading too much into it?

Yes you are.

[paul_oshea]

Why would they get anxious? 0-0 would be a good result for them - they don't have to win.

Wales are saying all the opposite but they will 100% be going for 3 points. They've qualified for the semi-finals, and will want to top the group. To realistically do that they need to beat us tomorrow.

[OwlsFan]

Just back from my pre-match lunch with my old and decrepit (apart from me) friends and to my amazement 7 predict a draw, 1 a win (me) and 1 a defeat (but he always thinks we'll lose). So out of 9, only only thinks we'll win. Looking at the odds from the bookies we are slight favourites and that's how it should be.