Republic of Ireland V Azerbaijan - Saturday, 4th Sep 2021 - 2022 World Cup Qualifier

[DeLorean]

He appeared to at the start yes but as said he's slowly morphing us back into the way we were, it's the only way we've been able to get us goals. There's little change , only desperation and poorer results.

I think someone used the word "superb" about Portugal? Someone also said something similar around the time of Serbia away but also that it only mattered if we went out and outplayed and beat Luxembourg - which we also didn't do

So you're not even going to tell us who you're wumming? The names of these few posters who should retire from foot.ie en masse for the crime of believing we played superbly in a match.

[Stuttgart88]



Jeez, that was painful. After a really bright start I thought we were looking at 3-0 at one point but everything just went flat and directionless after 10-15 mins.

Doc had an awful first half, way below his performance on Wednesday. Connolly was a passenger and McClean remains the most one-dimensional footballer I’ve seen at this level. Molumby is functional at best. Coleman is wasted at CB. Sure he can defend well but against a team set up to defend we really need his energy out wide. Poor selection for an opponent of this standing.

It’s hard to see where SK expected the creativity to come from. If it was to be from Parrott then he was badly mistaken. One smart back heel and a half decent shot was all he contributed.

I thought the approach needed changing as early as 30 minutes in.

Horgan started really well and enthusiastically sought the ball but his early influence waned and he became increasingly careless. He and Hourihane’s misplaced or overhit passes were infuriating. Our crosses were dreadful. If this Chelsea fella Barry is working on set pieces it didn’t show.

Robinson should have been on earlier, probably from the start. He looked closest to scoring. 90 mins in the pitch and you’d think one of his chances would have gone in.

I don’t think there was any necessity for 3 at the back and it cost us a body further up. If the whole purpose of SK’s “revolution” is to have us playing better ball then I don’t see how relying solely on width - and James McClean - is in any way progressive. He has overlooked the need for an advanced playmaker for most of his tenure. I don’t see how he can achieve what he says he wants to achieve without one. Otherwise it’ll always be huff and puff, work the ball out wide, at home anyway.

This was really really bad, again. I’m not sure it’s any worse than Gibraltar x2 or Armenia really, performance-wise. We actually should have scored (Molumby, Coleman, Idah header(s), Duffy first chance…) which I don’t really remember from McCarthy’s worst games.

I thought Kenny deserved credit for Wednesday, but I think he has to take a lot of the flak for yesterday. I watched him and Andrews from the middle tier / block 520 and thought they were too passive. I’d have been screaming at the players to increase the tempo from quite early on.

As my mate said after Duffy’s header salvaged a late draw, the more things change the more they stay the same.

[Stuttgart88]

So you're not even going to tell us who you're wumming? The names of these few posters who should retire from foot.ie en masse for the crime of believing we played superbly in a match.

Good luck waiting for a reply. He still owes me one from the Bulgaria game. Tied himself up in knots over being called out for blatant wumming and then he just took himself off rather than answer.

[CraftyToePoke]

So you're not even going to tell us who you're wumming? The names of these few posters who should retire from foot.ie en masse for the crime of believing we played superbly in a match.

Its me he's wumming. Or trying in his own special, and kinda sad way to anyway. And its stemming from things said not on here but elsewhere.

Things I'm fine with having said also.

Carry on lads.

[liamoo11]

Why would he change the wing backs from Portugal. They were both brilliant. He took away Coleman as attacking threat and put in McClean who gives the ball away all the time. That was the start of the issues. Then after 20 mins we could see 3 up top wasn't working. Idah needed a man beside him. Game was crying out for a bit of cleverness in midfield. Jamie McGrath left on bench! Taking off Connolly at ht for Horgan was mind blowing. It was doubling down on what wasn't working rather than using Connolly off Idah. Hourihane needs to stop being picked for squads, he's a waste of a jersey. We actually improved when Collins came on, because he was a 2nd striker that we needed



Jeez, that was painful. After a really bright start I thought we were looking at 3-0 at one point but everything just went flat and directionless after 10-15 mins.

Doc had an awful first half, way below his performance on Wednesday. Connolly was a passenger and McClean remains the most one-dimensional footballer I’ve seen at this level. Molumby is functional at best. Coleman is wasted at CB. Sure he can defend well but against a team set up to defend we really need his energy out wide. Poor selection for an opponent of this standing.

It’s hard to see where SK expected the creativity to come from. If it was to be from Parrott then he was badly mistaken. One smart back heel and a half decent shot was all he contributed.

I thought the approach needed changing as early as 30 minutes in.

Horgan started really well and enthusiastically sought the ball but his early influence waned and he became increasingly careless. He and Hourihane’s misplaced or overhit passes were infuriating. Our crosses were dreadful. If this Chelsea fella Barry is working on set pieces it didn’t show.

Robinson should have been on earlier, probably from the start. He looked closest to scoring. 90 mins in the pitch and you’d think one of his chances would have gone in.

I don’t think there was any necessity for 3 at the back and it cost us a body further up. If the whole purpose of SK’s “revolution” is to have us playing better ball then I don’t see how relying solely on width - and James McClean - is in any way progressive. He has overlooked the need for an advanced playmaker for most of his tenure. I don’t see how he can achieve what he says he wants to achieve without one. Otherwise it’ll always be huff and puff, work the ball out wide, at home anyway.

This was really really bad, again. I’m not sure it’s any worse than Gibraltar x2 or Armenia really, performance-wise. We actually should have scored (Molumby, Coleman, Idah header(s), Duffy first chance…) which I don’t really remember from McCarthy’s worst games.

I thought Kenny deserved credit for Wednesday, but I think he has to take a lot of the flak for yesterday. I watched him and Andrews from the middle tier / block 520 and thought they were too passive. I’d have been screaming at the players to increase the tempo from quite early on.

As my mate said after Duffy’s header salvaged a late draw, the more things change the more they stay the same.

Parrott is never comfortable out wide even at 21s level cause he has no.pace and no tricks . To be effective he needs to play centrally so he can use the skills he has. Connolly is similar he is not a winger he is a central striker even by his own admission. If yiu stuck idah out wide and parrott or Connolly central idah definitely wouldn't have been winning man of the match awards

Horgan terrible at this level as headless as mcclean without mccleans experience and physicality.

I agree there has been no attempt to find someone to be that creative player in a midfield three other than mcgrath who then was left out for the game where creativity was actually going to be needed to break down an opponent. The only other player s I can see in the squad who potentially can be a creative player in a midfield 3 behind a front 2 at home against a team we are going to try to break down is Robinson or parrott.

[paul_oshea]

Good luck waiting for a reply. He still owes me one from the Bulgaria game. Tied himself up in knots over being called out for blatant wumming and then he just took himself off rather than answer.

I didn't I was banned for a week

Not you del don't worry possibly stu, kingdom and crafty though :P

Agree about Robinson he's the only bit of creative intuition and flair we have up front. Perhaps he wasn't fit enough to play the full 90. I think taking off Connolly at half time spoke volumes, Kenny's learning something's the hard way it's just a pity that Horgan's influence in games is only a quarter. I do not see what we were trying to do yesterday speaking to lots after the games and the general opinion was no intelligent play and no one willing to do it, there was time and again a chance for a through ball to take the defender out of the game and they went to the touchline as the man with the furthest opposition player away from him. That was McLean 90% of the time right on the touchline well away from the endline , rinse and repeat. If you're going to be brave at your own box then be brave up on the oppositions box too

Great to be back at the game from the stands you see so much more. Egans movement is great he's like the fulcrum. Cullen does serious work off the ball. I think Doherty still had the sh1ts, he was very slow and laboured Maybe he has covid

[Kingdom]

Got forbid I should take myself away from foot forever, I may post something quick just in case.
I’d an excellent seat, as perfect as I could ask for, to see our shape.
Dunno how many posters were at the game, but things were off during the warm up. Sloppy and downright poor.

I saw certain things during the game that alarmed me, from the youngsters (Connolly) from senior pros (Coleman and Duffy) and from Kenny.

I don’t think sacking him is the answer, nor him resigning, but the writing is on the wall. The tide has definitely turned.

The only reason I can think Josh Cullen didn’t get MOTM was because of the Azeri goal. Aside from that he was our best player by a country mile. Idah had a really good game too.
I’ll expand on the above properly, when I’m back at a laptop, but the last golden nugget I have is that based on yday, we’ve about 10k core Irish fans. The rest don’t give a ****.

[paul_oshea]

I think most there did to be fair but it does speak volumes the "love" for the national team when they couldn't even sell it out. There's very little interest in the national team because we have been so poor the last year and a half and results have been so bad. I disagree about the start the movement and communication and the want of the ball was great for the first 10 minutes maybe 15, but after that the tempo dropped massively and we became a bit complacent, I think that's down to Kenny he seems to just think we can feel our way to a win because we've created chances and we'll just score. He can't keep coming out banging the drum and saying how great we are , it's worrying he clearly believes it too. Also of giving youth a chance why does he persist playing hourihane he is awful? The formation and personnel was clear he'd wanted his best 11 fresh and ready for Serbia but it backfired yesterday.

Not wumming crafty, what I think is sad is you can't see what's right in front of you that we all see and still clinging to something that's not even visible in the far away distance beyond the hills anymore. But sure look when all you have is a hammer everything (looks like )becomes a nail.

Idah was good but he's too often taking himself away from goal instead of taking a touch towards goal and opening up the space in front of him. It's an area I hope the coaches at Norwich work on

Oh ya and why was Egan playing as a centre forward for 30 mins last night

[Stuttgart88]

I didn't I was banned for a week

you were banned for not answering a straightforward question. You played dumb saying you didn’t know what was being asked despite a clear question and the relevant posts being provided for you.

[paul_oshea]

Solid result. Green shoots. Keep building for the Euros.

You're taking the Michael right?

[paul_oshea]

you were banned for not answering a straightforward question. You played dumb saying you didn’t know what was being asked despite a clear question and the relevant posts being provided for you.

Sorry stutts send it on there whichever post it was in the thread and I'll have a look!

[CraftyToePoke]

Not wumming crafty, what I think is sad is you can't see what's right in front of you that we all see and still clinging to something that's not even visible in the far away distance beyond the hills anymore. But sure look when all you have is a hammer everything (looks like )becomes a nail.

What I see is a team I enjoy watching more that the previous two managers ones, for their failings.

I see a team making chance after chance which I refuse to cheap blame a manager for the players missing.

I see inconsistency of young players, a given in the game. Again not something to lay at a managers door.

You seem keen to speak of a general consensus, and the ' we all see ' - its almost as though you've been shunned in some way, exiled, and are hurting from that.

Its only a game Paul, a game of football, after all. Its equally funny you seem to believe reputations are forged and lost on this insignificant little corner of the www. Perhaps that's why you never say anything till the coast is clear.

Looking forward to Tuesday here in Crafty land, another game of football to enjoy. Just a game of ball ....

[paul_oshea]

What I see is a team I enjoy watching more that the previous two managers ones, for their failings.

I see a team making chance after chance which I refuse to cheap blame a manager for the players missing.

I see inconsistency of young players, a given in the game. Again not something to lay at a managers door.

You seem keen to speak of a general consensus, and the ' we all see ' - its almost as though you've been shunned in some way, exiled, and are hurting from that.

Its only a game Paul, a game of football, after all. Its equally funny you seem to believe reputations are forged and lost on this insignificant little corner of the www. Perhaps that's why you never say anything till the coast is clear.

Looking forward to Tuesday here in Crafty land, another game of football to enjoy. Just a game of ball ....

That's very refreshing to hear and the honesty , and yes you're right probably fairly obvious to be fair but for you it's not that big of a thing, it's a passing interest take it or leave it. Enjoying being entertained by something on the box. For me and I feel most others on here, certainly those i go to games with that's just not the case hence why I travel all over and post on foot cos it's, I won't say all consuming, a biG chunk of my spare time around the international team/window. We all have different interest and we all spend varying times and money on those, some more than others depending on what it means to them. I guess you have your music or whatever for that , for me it's the Ireland national team , still a healthy obsession - just about

I await your ole ole tired cliche :P

On the players thing you have it or you dont , you show it fairly early on, look at keane against Argentina or whatever , you just knew he had it. Duff too. Idah aside ( and at present all he is is another Kevin Doyle, in terms of what he offers bar the goals) I'm not seeing these glimpses to suggest anything more than what we already have. Of course it would be great if I'm wrong and we start to see that

[Stuttgart88]

Sorry stutts send it on there whichever post it was in the thread and I'll have a look!

Last posts in the Bulgaria match thread.

[Calcio Jack]

Nobody says that McClean recovered the ball between two rivals and placed it to Cullen McClean is the least of the worries in that role. He is usted as scapegoat maybe because he talks polítics and football people avoid hot topics.

Against Portugal McClean was responsible for their first goal by ‘selling’ himself and failing to block the cross- a few mins later he messed up a decent chance.

Yesterday the ‘highlight’ of his mediocrity was getting blown up for a foul throw- he’s simply useless at this stage ( previously was useless and liable to get red carded for dangerous aggressive tackling and mouthing off at officials )

Nothing to do with his politics he’s just a crap footballer and many here wonder why Kenny can’t see that..

[Stuttgart88]

Just saw wales' injury time winner in Belarus. Waxy goal, weak shot and bad goalkeeping. You need breaks in football too. It was Bale's third too. Handy to have a player like that.

[backstothewall]

McClean used to have the pace to get into some space and deliver a decent cross, and generally harass the opposition when we were out of possession. He just doesn't have the legs for that game anymore. He either attempts to take on the fullback and ends up losing possession, or tries to cross earlier from a deeper postion, but that ball just isn't as dangerous.

[CraftyToePoke]

That's very refreshing to hear and the honesty , and yes you're right probably fairly obvious to be fair but for you it's not that big of a thing, it's a passing interest take it or leave it. Enjoying being entertained by something on the box. For me and I feel most others on here, certainly those i go to games with that's just not the case hence why I travel all over and post on foot cos it's, I won't say all consuming, a biG chunk of my spare time around the international team/window. We all have different interest and we all spend varying times and money on those, some more than others depending on what it means to them. I guess you have your music or whatever for that , for me it's the Ireland national team , still a healthy obsession - just about

I wouldn't say that, no. I watch all Ireland games, membership at Treaty who I have yet to even see play, had the same at Limerick FC. I watch non league, league and premiership in England where I live, go to a game most weeks particularly if there is one of our lads involved, I'd often post what I see on here. I believe I did so about Josh Cullens debut for Bradford some years ago for example, about how impressive he was, so it's nice to see him doing well down the line. Basically I love the game, and the Irish team most of all in the game, its a daily thing and has been since I was eleven or so.

What I don't do however is adopt a middle ground say nothing wait & see position & then launch bile at people down the line, as you have. Even then had you predicted this ( which you steadfastly refused to do ) all this is is a managerial tenure struggling in football, so its hardly visionary. Its everyday stuff.

If that is the measure of fandom to you, of what a supporter should be, I think you have misjudged & you can definitely have it, all to yourself.

So cling to the fact that you are at the games, its just a pity you are there for what seems to me to be a void elsewhere in your journey through this life, and this manifests in an ugly way to an extent that people prefer to move away from you.

Looking forward to Tuesday & good luck to the team, our team and our manager. Ireland.

[paul_oshea]

No need to spell out your footballing credentials for me or your season ticket membership crafty

I still go to the games home and away with the same people, offering similar views on football we see. It's good to see others opinions even if they are wildly off and/or inaccurate. You'll always get some nuggets that you might have missed or not picked up on while there.

[MylesNotMiley]

Just saw wales' injury time winner in Belarus. Waxy goal, weak shot and bad goalkeeping. You need breaks in football too. It was Bale's third too. Handy to have a player like that.

Did you see the foul for Wales' second penalty?

How it was given and the barge into the back of Connolly against Portugal wasn't, I'll never know!!