Portugal V Republic of Ireland - Wednesday, 1st Sep 2021 - 2022 World Cup Qualifier

[brine3]

Agree with most if not all of this. Just a couple of general observations - hard not to blame our defenders for allowing Ronaldo a free header at goal not once, but twice. He never should have been allowed the freedom to net the winner. And one more thing - is there anyone on here who still believes Jeff Hendrick is worth a place in the Irish squad, let alone the starting eleven (my guess is there's not many, if any at all - which in itself is an indictment on SK's team selection). Anyways, it was a far far better performance from the lads than we all expected. Will mean nothing however if we don't build on it.

Jeff Hendrick put McClean nearly through on goal with a lovely move on the edge of the box to go with about five minutes to go. McClean lost the ball and Hendrick sprinted the full length of the pitch back to the Irish penalty spot to cover.

[paul_oshea]

Exactly Hendrick made some very timely interceptions too. A couple he probably could have done better with but he didn't do too badly tonight. It's funny how some people can only see one players wrong and another rights regardless of how they perform. I'm aware people probably think that with me and Connolly but I've always thought Hendrick did so little for us however tonight he did some good things and some very good interceptipms at vital times. Connolly however

2024 is 3 years away our best performers of Egan, Duffy Doherty and Coleman will be 32+ it's not like we can easily just replace these. Be careful wishing away campaigns for some exotic fruit that we might never get to taste.

[elatedscum]

Heartbreaking loss. I always get so depressed after senior losses that I don’t really want to write anything.

Big performances across the pitch. Hopefully it’s a performance indicative of the improvements made.

I genuinely think with this new format with 3 games in a window, it takes new managers longer to get their ideas across. Ireland flew out on Sunday night. Trained on Monday, some having played on Saturday. Then can’t do much on Tuesday as it’s the day before the game. Game on Wednesday. Recovery Thursday. Nothing too intense on Friday, as it’s the day before the game. Saturday game. Sunday recovery. Monday day before game, so nothing serious. Tuesday game. You’re basically cramming everything into a window which is a too tight to work on anything in training and I think it hinders the ability to prepare and get ideas across.

In the olden days per-Covid, you’d have camp starting on Monday, the first game at the weekend and the second game on Tuesday or Wednesday. It was far more civilised and you had a full week to work with players before the games started

[mark12345]

There is no point people coming on here having a pop at certain players for not stopping that cross or the manager for subs/timing etc ,ALL of those players gave it everything they had for their country and their manager,the performance deserved at least a point ,a performance given by few decent elder pro,s and a crop of inexperienced promising youngsters.Thers only one set of performers togged out tonight to have a pop at and thats the officials ,ALL of them ,disgracefull.

You'll get no argument from me. The officials were awful, truly awful. Take for instance the O'Shea / Ronaldo incident before the penalty - O'Shea, according to the rules deserved a yellow for kicking the ball away, but Ronaldo should have been given red for striking the Irish player. They are the rules as written by FIFA but the referee and both of his assistants were all simultaneously looking the other way, as they were for most of the evening. That was just one of a few questionable incidents on the night.

[mark12345]

That is true. But his lunge on the Portuguese player for the penalty was more than a counterweight. Overall I thought he was poor.

[pineapple stu]

Are you after replying to your own post there?!

[liamoo11]

That is true. But his lunge on the Portuguese player for the penalty was more than a counterweight. Overall I thought he was poor.

Thought Jeff was good tonight worked so hard and was tidy on the ball. That playing as an 8 is his position he is so lost when played as a 10.

Be interesting to see if mcgrath can bring guile to things on Saturday when we will hopefully be trying to make the running and will not have oceans of space on the counter. Really hope we stick with 2 up top keep that partnership that looked promising tonight . If he is not going to stay with a back 5 then hopefully we get a narrow 4 in midfield behind that front 2

[zero]

Are you after replying to your own post there?!

certainly looks that way. var will surely have a look.

[Kingdom]

Does Kenny ever sound confident or capable of filling the rest of us with confidence ?

I tried to have a **** with my left hand at 16. Couldn't manage it. I've kept trying over the subsequent 24 years and still can't manage it.
Stephen Kenny isn't a good live interviewee. He wasn't 20 years ago, and isn't today. But I dare it hasn't held him back, just like my ability to lob one off with my left hand hasn't held me back either.

[Kingdom]

I know its no use to you today but i cant recommend the IPTV in the link highly enough. Game changer. Can basically watch any station (around the world) live... and much, much more. Plenty of folks here who do the full installation and all legal. Not sure about the USA where i think you are.

seconded. Would advise to reduce the number of channels to reduce the buffering though.

[backstothewall]

I've been one of Kenny's biggest critics, but anyone giving him grief after that needs to wise up.

It was, to a man, a heroic performance against a world class side playing who were lucky to have 12 men on the field.

Bazunu - 9.5 - Drop's half a point for almost throwing one in at the end of the first half, but otherwise faultless. Hell of a save from the peno. How he didn't get the MOTM award is beyond me.
Coleman - 8 - Tremendous energy for a guy who isn't a youngster anymore. Led by example.
Duffy - 8 - Looks back to his best.
O'Shea - 6 - wasn't on long, but never put a foot wrong. Unlucky to pick up what looks like it could be a bad injury, but would really want to kop himself on over that business with Ronaldo.
Omobamidele - 8 - Solid as a rock when he came on. If anything we got better for having him there. Looks to the manor born in international football.
Egan - 8 - Great jump for the goal. He's one of the senior members of the squad now, and he gave a performance to reflect that.
Doherty - 9 - Our problem down the left is a problem looks solved.
Cullen - 8 - One of the first names on the teamsheet now
Hendrick - 7 - Not his best, but not his worst. One of his better performances of recent times, but I fear the player who lit up Euro 2016 is gone forever. Never a penalty though.
McGrath - 8 - I really really like what i've seen of this guy. Destined for a far higher level than St. Mirren.
Connolly - 8 - I was sitting watching the game with my brother who said there's a hint of Shaqiri about Connolly. He wasn't wrong.
Idah - 9 - Led the line like an old pro.

Much more importantly, it was the first game when i think the youngsters shrugged off the imposter syndrome. It didn't looks like a bunch of old pros trying to see the kids through the game. Everyone was just doing their job.

Real progress. All we have to do now is beat Azerbaijan

[Razors left peg]

Im nowhere near capable of writing much. Its about as sickened as Ive been with a football result in years. Weirdly Im surprised that I can still feel so p1ssed off by it, I thought those days were behind me. To me there is a genuine feeling that we were great tonight but robbed of at least a deserved draw by a horrific referee.

There is clear progress in this team, its far from perfect but we are absolutely on the right track. We've got some super young players and with hopefully another couple of additions we are starting to look like a football team again. I thought Idah in particular was sensational in his hold up play, work rate and skill levels at times. I really think hes got the makings of a top class player.

[backstothewall]

I've a terrible feeling that the invisible hand of Nike was holding the whistle at times tonight. Commercially, we're a much more appealing opponent for the record to go against than Qatar (who they play next). The football world still considers us to be a proper footballing country for some reason.

[SkStu]

I tried to have a **** with my left hand at 16. Couldn't manage it. I've kept trying over the subsequent 24 years and still can't manage it.
Stephen Kenny isn't a good live interviewee. He wasn't 20 years ago, and isn't today. But I dare it hasn't held him back, just like my ability to lob one off with my left hand hasn't held me back either.

Finally, someone managed to get me to laugh since the final whistle went. Who else but Kingers, you wonderful w@nker.

[pineapple stu]

Those ratings are a bit high to be honest backs!

Connolly was poor; just outclassed. I'd give him a 5. Bazunu - saved the penalty but gave it away too. His fumble nearly cost us, and booting the ball down the pitch after his save in the 94th minute did cost us. It's the last minute of the game; you have to keep possession. Had surprisingly little to do, partly because the centre-backs were great (and they had to be) - and a scoring centre half was the obvious choice for man of the match for me. Idah - had some good touches but found it hard to get into the game. Wasn't for want of trying, but it wasn't a 9 performance.

I think Portugal being so poor has to be acknowledged as a factor - you'd be looking at 5s for them on average, and 7s for us.

[SkStu]

The referee had already warned Bazunu about time-wasting, possibly more than once; i dont think he could play it to feet either (his or our defenders) if i am thinking of the same incident. I think he comes away from tonight with plenty of credit. There was a lot he did very well.

I find it hard to criticize any of the players tonight, or the manager. Just very sickening to lose it like that. The positives have to have been the emergence of Omobamidele, McGrath and Idah as more than viable international options. In addition to O'Shea, Bazunu and to some extent Connolly under Kenny's tenure. That is significant. Cullen, Doherty, Duffy, Coleman and Egan were very good for most of the game. I agree with those who thought Hendrick was solid and that McClean is done for at this level. Bad for the goal and should have done better with his chance (for example, if he had gone across the keeper there is a chance the keeper parries it out to our other two attackers that were in there - poor).

If we can get a couple of wins in the next week then this window has been a strong positive in the Kenny era. There are really positive signs all round and a bright future for this management team and bunch of players.

Referee was an absolute bell end.

[Kingdom]

It's funny how some people can only see one players wrong and another rights regardless of how they perform.

Gtfo of town you absolute spoofer! ha ha haha hahahahaha!

[paul_oshea]

Talk about opportunism. Quote the whole bit. Yer worse than the sun.

"Arguments based on this fallacy typically take two forms:

As a straw man argument, it involves quoting an opponent out of context in order to misrepresent their position (typically to make it seem more simplistic or extreme) in order to make it easier to refute. It is common in politics.
As an appeal to authority, it involves quoting an authority on the subject out of context, in order to misrepresent that authority as supporting some position"

[paul_oshea]

Those ratings are a bit high to be honest backs!

Connolly was poor; just outclassed. I'd give him a 5. Bazunu - saved the penalty but gave it away too. His fumble nearly cost us, and booting the ball down the pitch after his save in the 94th minute did cost us. It's the last minute of the game; you have to keep possession. Had surprisingly little to do, partly because the centre-backs were great (and they had to be) - and a scoring centre half was the obvious choice for man of the match for me. Idah - had some good touches but found it hard to get into the game. Wasn't for want of trying, but it wasn't a 9 performance.

I think Portugal being so poor has to be acknowledged as a factor - you'd be looking at 5s for them on average, and 7s for us.

Good analysis stu. Looking forward to hearing eiramblers in the morning. Agree with Canadian stu about needing to get the wins from the next two. It's imperative. No more hard luck stories, positivity required and bring about that change with wins.s

[SkStu]

It was decent counter-analysis alright from the pineapple one. But then again most analysis is better than “we should have just man marked Ronaldo after he scored the first goal”… LOL just messin