Lets put the Swiss team into perspective

**Feech** · 14/06/2005, 2:39 PM

Originally Posted by eirebhoy

Shels also got decent results against Hajduk Split, Depor, Lille. Doesn't mean the Eircom league is top quality.

You obviously no more than me but I don't think the Swiss league is strong and the Swiss defenders are not coming up against top players every week.

Call me a Bohs fan but Shels were also quite lucky!

The draw in Split got them through and Deportivo were only back training.

But you know what, those results do show that there is more quality in the LOI than the average person (who does not attend games) will admit.

(cf Bohs wins V Aberdeen and Kaiserslautern and Cork's run last year).

**eirebhoy** · 14/06/2005, 3:01 PM

Originally Posted by Tuff Paddy

If we play like we did for the first 25 mins against Israel we will take Switzerland.

If we play like we did in the entire 90 minutes against Israel we'll beat the Swiss.

**Donal81** · 14/06/2005, 3:28 PM

Originally Posted by eirebhoy

If we play like we did in the entire 90 minutes against Israel we'll beat the Swiss.

Agreed. Israel have been blessed with luck which may well last them the entire way through the campaign. But we played them off the pitch and they had nothing to offer. We'll do the same to the Swiss but they don't seem blessed with the same luck. Here's to a 2-0 win and laying that particular bunch of demons to rest.

**Junior** · 14/06/2005, 5:51 PM

Yes we are more than capable of beating the Swiss. We need a drastic improvement in recent performances (I include the Israel game in that - despite a number of chances we didn't actually play that well, particularly in the second half)

I know we can only focus on our team - But who is to say that the Swiss won't step it up a gear, they haven't looked great so far and so they are due to improve - they do have some decent players.

If we manage a win - it will take our best performance so far in the qualifying campaign to get it.

**eirebhoy** · 14/06/2005, 6:06 PM

Originally Posted by Junior

If we manage a win - it will take our best performance so far in the qualifying campaign to get it.

I disagree. If we play like we did in any of our home games so far bar the Faroes I can't see us not winning.

**Qwerty** · 14/06/2005, 10:18 PM

Originally Posted by eirebhoy

"we're a much better side" - We are. That is not arrogance.

On paper yes, but you keep talking about games and stats like it were an algebraic equation and not 11 versus 11 on a given day. So far the evidence is clearly that Ireland is lagging behind Israel and Switerland in playing to their potential. We have to prove it on the field of play, and we have to do it starting now.

**Qwerty** · 14/06/2005, 10:21 PM

Originally Posted by eirebhoy

I disagree. If we play like we did in any of our home games so far bar the Faroes I can't see us not winning.

Are you forgetting the Cyprus game, very flattering scoreline! Flat performance and our defense gifted at least 2 clear cut scoring chances.

**eirebhoy** · 14/06/2005, 10:49 PM

Originally Posted by Qwerty

On paper yes, but you keep talking about games and stats like it were an algebraic equation and not 11 versus 11 on a given day. So far the evidence is clearly that Ireland is lagging behind Israel and Switerland in playing to their potential. We have to prove it on the field of play, and we have to do it starting now.

Judging by the players we both have and our peformances to date in this group, we are the better team.

**tetsujin1979** · 15/06/2005, 9:10 AM

Agreed, if you consider that you should at least draw all your away games, and win all your home ones, we've only dropped points against Israel, and have the arguable best run in left in the Group, along with Israel (Faroes twice and Swiss away).

**Junior** · 15/06/2005, 9:56 AM

Originally Posted by eirebhoy

Judging by the players we both have and our peformances to date in this group, we are the better team.

Haven't seen all the Swiss performances

However,

1)- They were the better side against us in the last match.
2)- They had a similar performance against the faroes away as we did.
3)- I believe they were under the cosh against France for large parts of the game, though they got the same result as we did?
4)- They hammered the faroes at home - we didn't
5)- They Got lucky against Cyprus at home, we were more convincing but not by much.
6)- They drew with Israel away (Think they were winning 2-1) - pretty similar to ourselves?

I love your confidence eirebhoy and I hope it rubs off on the team and fans like me, but I've been kicked in the balls too many times to think we can beat these without a 110% performance, better than anything to date.

**Donal81** · 15/06/2005, 10:12 AM

Originally Posted by Junior

Yes we are more than capable of beating the Swiss. We need a drastic improvement in recent performances (I include the Israel game in that - despite a number of chances we didn't actually play that well, particularly in the second half)

I know we can only focus on our team - But who is to say that the Swiss won't step it up a gear, they haven't looked great so far and so they are due to improve - they do have some decent players.

If we manage a win - it will take our best performance so far in the qualifying campaign to get it.

You're spot on mate. We're a much better side than the Swiss but we haven't shown it yet. I suppose I believe we're a better side more than I can actually prove it. I think the great nights are yet to come but we'll have to pull the finger out and play like we did against the Israelis at home. We through absolutely everything at them like the good old days but it just didn't come. I think it will against the Swiss and the French.

**eirebhoy** · 15/06/2005, 11:48 AM

Originally Posted by Junior

Haven't seen all the Swiss performances

However, ...
6)- They drew with Israel away (Think they were winning 2-1) - pretty similar to ourselves?

I wouldn't say it was similar to ourselves. We controlled the game in Tel Aviv while the Swiss were under the cosh plenty of times. Home advantage should be enough to do it. We will be dominating this game and its only a matter of the defence being on their toes for the Swiss break and our strikers on form.

**Junior** · 15/06/2005, 11:58 AM

Originally Posted by eirebhoy

We will be dominating this game and its only a matter of the defence being on their toes for the Swiss break and our strikers on form.

Firstly it a big assumption that we'll dominate followed up by a very big IF our defence and strikers are on form....................still not convinced.

But enough of my realism, we can do it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

**eirebhoy** · 15/06/2005, 12:20 PM

Originally Posted by Junior

Firstly it a big assumption that we'll dominate followed up by a very big IF our defence and strikers are on form....................still not convinced.

But enough of my realism, we can do it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well Cunningham and O'Brien are always on form. Hopefully Finnan is first choice at right back by then. That leaves O'Shea.

BTW, we will dominate. A lot of it is down to psychology and the Swiss will respect us more than they ever had when playing us. They'll play on the break. We'll be all out attack.

**tetsujin1979** · 15/06/2005, 12:34 PM

While the optimism on the board is still gratifying, the fact remains that by the time we play Switzerland, the result could be academic, to be honest, I'd feel terrible going into the game knowing only a win would guarantee qualification

**Junior** · 15/06/2005, 12:49 PM

Originally Posted by eirebhoy

BTW, we will dominate. A lot of it is down to psychology and the Swiss will respect us more than they ever had when playing us. They'll play on the break. We'll be all out attack.

Until we go 1-0 up, then we'll drop deeper and deeper trying to protect the lead until we concede the equaliser.

My summary is based on past performances. What is yours based on?

**elroy** · 15/06/2005, 12:54 PM

If the Swiss are as poor as we are making them out to be, then:
1-How come they beat us so comfortably in the last game of the Euro campaign and were the better team in the drawn game in this campaign?

2-What chances Israel beating Swiss in Basle and then they would be guaranteed at least second, if not first?

**eirebhoy** · 15/06/2005, 1:11 PM

Originally Posted by Junior

Until we go 1-0 up, then we'll drop deeper and deeper trying to protect the lead until we concede the equaliser.

My summary is based on past performances. What is yours based on?

Also passed performances. We did get deeper and deeper against the Swiss because they were putting a lot of pressure on us and our concern was not to concede while they had nothing to lose. We have now lost our lead 3 times in this campaign. The players clearly learnt from the previous Israel match as every time we got the ball in Lansdowne we attacked. Now they know that even a 2 goal advantage isn't good enough so they'll try and score whenever they have the ball.

**Junior** · 15/06/2005, 2:33 PM

Originally Posted by eirebhoy

The players clearly learnt from the previous Israel match as every time we got the ball in Lansdowne we attacked. Now they know that even a 2 goal advantage isn't good enough so they'll try and score whenever they have the ball.

Because it was 2-2 at that stage and it was a game that we obviously had to win!!!! prior to that we made a defensive substitution in Kavanagh - we haven't learned anything IMO.

If we are 2-0 up and still attacking gung-ho against the swiss i'll eat my hat

**eirebhoy** · 15/06/2005, 2:36 PM

Originally Posted by Junior

Because it was 2-2 at that stage and it was a game that we obviously had to win!!!! prior to that we made a defensive substitution in Kavanagh - we haven't learned anything IMO.

It was the wrong subsitution but it certainly wasn't defensive. We played 4-4-2 for the entire match. Kerr didn't want to risk an our of form Elliott. He was wrong but he wasn't going defensive.