Slovakia v Republic of Ireland - 8th October 2020 - Euro 2020 Playoff Semi Final

**Exgrad** · 07/10/2020, 4:39 PM

Seems Lobotka is out, confirmed by J Fallon on Twitter.

Bit of a lottery really isnt it? Case amongst the backroom staff in the Ireland camp could have finished us off.

**Razors left peg** · 07/10/2020, 4:45 PM

Im getting more and more confident as this game gets closer. Most of our players have started the season pretty well. In Kennys first 2 games we kept possession much better than we have done in years but we werent sharp up front and didnt take chances when they arrived. If we continue to keep the ball that well I think we definitely have the fire power up front to get goals. The midfields ability to pass the ball forward into dangerous positions does concern me a bit but if we go player for player with Slovakia we are the better side. We dont even have to worry about a hostile crowd.

Im going for a weirdly comfortable 2-0 win

**seanfhear** · 07/10/2020, 4:58 PM

Originally Posted by Razors left peg

Im getting more and more confident as this game gets closer. Most of our players have started the season pretty well. In Kennys first 2 games we kept possession much better than we have done in years but we werent sharp up front and didnt take chances when they arrived. If we continue to keep the ball that well I think we definitely have the fire power up front to get goals. The midfields ability to pass the ball forward into dangerous positions does concern me a bit but if we go player for player with Slovakia we are the better side. We dont even have to worry about a hostile crowd.

Im going for a weirdly comfortable 2-0 win

Comfortable ~ ~ ~ The Republic of Ireland Football Team does not do Comfortable ! !

**Razors left peg** · 07/10/2020, 5:01 PM

Originally Posted by seanfhear

Comfortable ~ ~ ~ The Republic of Ireland Football Team does not do Comfortable ! !

Last time I can remember comfortable was in playoffs against Bosnia.

**tetsujin1979** · 07/10/2020, 5:29 PM

Originally Posted by Exgrad

Seems Lobotka is out, confirmed by J Fallon on Twitter.

Bit of a lottery really isnt it? Case amongst the backroom staff in the Ireland camp could have finished us off.

Clearly he hasn't seen Paul's post

**Demesne Lad** · 07/10/2020, 5:46 PM

Pavel Halapa has conceded that Lobotka hasn't travelled, according to the web page edition of paper Novy Cas this evening. I don't suppose it's a cunning plan to spring him on us by surprise tomorrow?

**paul_oshea** · 07/10/2020, 5:49 PM

I was thinking the same. Geysir on the "he's the Slovaks to lose" puts doubt in my mind.

**geysir** · 07/10/2020, 6:18 PM

Originally Posted by Razors left peg

Last time I can remember comfortable was in playoffs against Bosnia.

For real comfort, just remember Estonia.

**Razors left peg** · 07/10/2020, 6:27 PM

Originally Posted by geysir

For real comfort, just remember Estonia.

Had totally forgotten about that! Slovakia are not a great team, we should be going there confident

**pineapple stu** · 07/10/2020, 6:33 PM

In the end of the day, they finished bottom of their League B group just like we did. This tournament is designed for tight matches. Yes, we're a team in decline, but 24 hours out of a play-off match, I think you can forgive a little absurd optimism starting to creep in.

**Razors left peg** · 07/10/2020, 6:36 PM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

In the end of the day, they finished bottom of their League B group just like we did. This tournament is designed for tight matches. Yes, we're a team in decline, but 24 hours out of a play-off match, I think you can forgive a little absurd optimism starting to creep in.

If we werent absurdly optimistic we wouldnt be football fans!

**jbyrne** · 07/10/2020, 6:44 PM

Originally Posted by Demesne Lad

Pavel Halapa has conceded that Lobotka hasn't travelled, according to the web page edition of paper Novy Cas this evening. I don't suppose it's a cunning plan to spring him on us by surprise tomorrow?

dont all players have to be in the country latest 24 hrs before ko?

**Razors left peg** · 07/10/2020, 6:50 PM

https://youtu.be/5vVu9Q2EgHc

Doyles goal from 2007 against Slovakia might be one of the best we've ever scored

**jbyrne** · 07/10/2020, 6:59 PM

Originally Posted by Razors left peg

Im going for a weirdly comfortable 2-0 win

didnt see too much in sk first two games to support such confidence. if we can rediscover our sound defence we have a chance of getting a draw and possibly going through on pens. will be a very nervous night i feel!

**Exgrad** · 07/10/2020, 7:06 PM

Skriniar now tested positive for covid, per Daniel McDonnell on twitter, so hes out and not sure what that means for rest of their squad.

**Razors left peg** · 07/10/2020, 7:10 PM

Originally Posted by jbyrne

didnt see too much in sk first two games to support such confidence. if we can rediscover our sound defence we have a chance of getting a draw and possibly going through on pens. will be a very nervous night i feel!

You didnt think that us having the larger amount of possession in games for the 1st time in years was something to build on?

**Bielsa�s irish** · 07/10/2020, 7:17 PM

this is a tremendous scandal. how many of them out?

**Razors left peg** · 07/10/2020, 7:17 PM

Originally Posted by Exgrad

Skriniar now tested positive for covid, per Daniel McDonnell on twitter, so hes out and not sure what that means for rest of their squad.

If they had another couple players test postive could it be called off?

**Exgrad** · 07/10/2020, 7:23 PM

Well they've only had one player test postive so far, Lobotka is just being quarantined and cant leave Italy, hes tested negative. Not sure if Skriniar in Italy or had joined up with squad yet?

**pineapple stu** · 07/10/2020, 7:23 PM

Originally Posted by Razors left peg

If we werent absurdly optimistic we wouldnt be football fans!

"In the largely illogical world in which football fans live, there's hope." A line I wrote about another Irish team travelling to Bratislava hoping to beat the odds.

(They lost 1-0 though...)