Republic of Ireland V Lithuania - Tuesday, 29th March 2022 - Friendly

[geysir]

I doubt the keeper was faking the injury and later probably hadn't got good sight of Parrott's shot.

Good finish to the game to pin Lithuania to their box for the last 10 mins. It was just a friendly but I think Kenny should be starting as strong a team as is available.

[Razors left peg]

I think the biggest thing we learned tonight is that we ever have to go into a serious game with Hourihane and Browne as the midfield 2 we are in deep trouble and I'd question why it took Kenny so long to change that. I would have done it at half time.

Keane was terrible, looked like a L1 player but because of his goals record he might be work another look down the line.

We made very poor decisions around the box at times, lads were having wild shots instead of picking better option at times.

On positive notes, I still love that we can have so much possession even if we dont always do the right thing with it. So refreshing compared to being outplayed in possession by far inferior teams.

Manning was better than I expected. I dont rate him but he showed some good stuff tonight and may prove me wrong yet.

Collins looks excellent to me. Didnt have a lot to do at the back but he has something about him.

We had more intensity when our better players like Knight and Hendrick were brought in towards the end.

Parrotts goal was brilliant, and he was unlucky with the volley just before. Nice to see a striker look dangerous.

Matt Doherty was super at times, and frustrating at others and Ogbene the same.

It was typical friendly fare for the most part, even with the crowd noise. Great feeling to come away with a win, however we got there.

[CraftyToePoke]

My big takeaway from that was how reliant we are on Cullen and, to a lesser extent, Hendrick. Our midfield looked pretty much non-existent for much of that. Taylor, Coventry, Doyle-Hayes and, if he gets regular minutes, Kilkenny will probably need to be looked at as potential alternative options in the not too distant future.

100%
I wouldn't even waste another squad place on Hourihane after that, Id be looking at others. Made for him, that game and couldn't even deliver dead balls.

[Jd2793]

will have to rewatch later on as i was out for the game but delighted to see parrott got the winner. great for the kid, hes had a lot of critics over the past 12 months and i was worried when things were souring around xmas at mk dons but hes really drove on since then. plenty more goals to come from him

[Olé Olé]

I'm agreeing with everyone criticizing Browne and Hourihane. Both were very poor. Passing sideways as it represented the easier option. Never a forward pass or bit of penetration. I'm really disappointed with Kenny that it took so long for him to split that pair up. Hendrick showed what we were missing with a bit of urgency and vertical passing and offering angles to Collins and Doherty and Parrott. Browne and Hourihane just collected the ball from Egan and waited for Doherty or Manning to give them an option. Also note how stagnant Hourihane was on the ball. Really frustrating.

Collins looks a player. He coasts along. He wins everything in the air. His tackling is crisp and his passing precise.

Parrott and Knight showed how good they can be for us. They were creating a lot of problems when they came in.

I felt sorry for Ogbene as he missed an energetic presence alongside him. Keane and Robinson were passive. Keane didn't look good enough. But he couldn't even force his way into the game with a bit of energy. Knight offered Ogbene that and compensated for Robinson against Belgium. Tonight Ogbene had a thankless task. But he did fairly well overall.

Parrott looked on it. I text a mate saying if we score he'll do it.

Overall, we dominated and should have won by more and ended up winning. However, if Kenny doesn't learn that a thing or two about what selections and combinations won't work in this system then I'm concerned.

[Jd2793]

I'm agreeing with everyone criticizing Browne and Hourihane. Both were very poor. Passing sideways as it represented the easier option. Never a forward pass or bit of penetration. I'm really disappointed with Kenny that it took so long for him to split that pair up. Hendrick showed what we were missing with a bit of urgency and vertical passing and offering angles to Collins and Doherty and Parrott. Browne and Hourihane just collected the ball from Egan and waited for Doherty or Manning to give them an option. Also note how stagnant Hourihane was on the ball. Really frustrating.

Collins looks a player. He coasts along. He wins everything in the air. His tackling is crisp and his passing precise.

Parrott and Knight showed how good they can be for us. They were creating a lot of problems when they came in.

I felt sorry for Ogbene as he missed an energetic presence alongside him. Keane and Robinson were passive. Keane didn't look good enough. But he couldn't even force his way into the game with a bit of energy. Knight offered Ogbene that and compensated for Robinson against Belgium. Tonight Ogbene had a thankless task. But he did fairly well overall.

Parrott looked on it. I text a mate saying if we score he'll do it.

Overall, we dominated and should have won by more and ended up winning. However, if Kenny doesn't learn that a thing or two about what selections and combinations won't work in this system then I'm concerned.

sounds very familiar with hourihane im afraid. still scarred from his performance vs andorra

[CraftyToePoke]

I suppose overall a typical mid season second fixture in an international window where changes are made, some work and offer options, some don't. Collins, Manning and Parrott came out of it enhanced, others didn't. Main thing is the win, didn't concede, all done with some impressive passing stats also.

[mark12345]

I suppose overall a typical mid season second fixture in an international window where changes are made, some work and offer options, some don't. Collins, Manning and Parrott came out of it enhanced, others didn't. Main thing is the win, didn't concede, all done with some impressive passing stats also.

Important to get the win and not concede. True. But it is time now to start sorting the good from the bad. Overall team performance was very good against what were weak opposition (although it wasn't so long ago that teams like Lithuania would come to the Aviva and dominate us). Hourihane is the biggest individual casualty from this performance. He simply isn't international class. Was impressed with Manning and Collins and I know it's not too popular an opinion here but I thought Browne showed for the ball all night long. As someone stated earlier though, he needs to find the forward pass instead of always going sideways. Doherty excellent.

[joey B]

How many that started tonight would we expect to start in June? I’d say Doherty,Ogbene,Egan and Robinson…

[Razors left peg]

How many that started tonight would we expect to start in June? I’d say Doherty,Ogbene,Egan and Robinson…

Could Parrott have put himself in ahead of Robinson? Though he was wasteful tonight

[DCWA]

More negatives than positives from tonight. Relieved to get the win.

Standout negative was Hourihane he was disgracefully poor. That tame free kick floated into the keepers hands late on (that was spilled) probably summed up perfectly his evening.

[joey B]

Could Parrott have put himself in ahead of Robinson? Though he was wasteful tonight

I’d still see Robinson starting,Kenny probably seen more from him over his time in charge but Parrot did himself no harm tonight and hopefully he’ll have a good end to the season…

[passinginterest]

Can’t disagree on Hourihane. Kenny have a start to loyal squad players, Hourihane and Browne in particular. It was probably a last chance to impress and hard to disagree on Hourihane. To an extent I agree with Stu, in that he looked grand in general play, he probably had a 99% pass completion rate, but as has been said it was all so passive and his set pieces were poor. With Molumby, Sykes, Kilkenny and Coventry all coming through that was likely his last chance and I expect we won’t see him in a competitive game again unless there’s an injury crisis. Browne did offer a bit more energy but he does lack a bit of creativity on the ball too. It was a game crying out for a McGrath, Ronan, Byrne type to just play a penetrating ball or two.

Collins did look very solid and made at least one crucial tackle where Robinson gave away a very cheap ball. Robinson looked totally demotivated all night. Ogbene had some great flashes first half but faded a bit as it went on. Manning the better wing back first half but Doherty got more involved second half. Keane looked nervous and I though he improved a bit second half when he came looking for the ball a bit more. Parrott was an improvement and delighted he got the goal. At least we’re starting to have options up front now with Idah, Connolly and Obafemi to add to that squad.

Cullen is pivotal for us, he’s literally the pivot the team depends on now and Hourihane can’t produce it. The biggest worry for me is what happens if he’s not available. I think Coventry is the nearest to a replacement but I don’t think he’s nearly good enough yet either.

[Insidetherock]

Anyone writing Troy Parrott off at twenty years of age, is an idiot, and should be called out as such.. seriously.. he's 20

Harry Kane was playing L1 football at 20.. went through four different clubs on loan before going back to Spurs..

I'm hoping we make it to Germany in 24.. but we're starting to see the makings of a cracking team at home in 28 by the looks of things..

If that bid is England/Ireland only.. both teams will get automatic qualification like Poland/Ukraine did.. could have four years to really build a squad for that

[ontheotherhand]

Frustrating at times as we struggled to break them down but stepping away from that it wasn't all that bad I thought. We should beat Lithuania and that starts with keeping a clean sheet. Job done there even if they offered little threat and I thought Collins and Manning looked promising. Collins in particular looks a real prospect. Second step would be dominating possession and we did that. The downside was the final third where we struggled, particularly when Hourihane was involved as many have said. Seems strange to say that when we had the ball in the net 5 times but late goals always make it seem like it was maybe more of a struggle than it was.

The major worry for me, and zero said it earlier, is that we don't have much in midfield or attack outside of our first string. Hopefully someone can step up in a creative role as that game was crying out for it and, as we've all said, we need someone to back up Cullen as well. We need more options and nobody really stepped up bar Parrot and Knight if you don't already count him in the first string.

[backstothewall]

Just home. It's interesting that they're bringing them out of the tunnel to Ric Flair's music now because...

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

The way we won that was a lot of fun in the end. That we won means that all there is to say is that we were dominant throughout.

A year ago we would have found a way to lose that. Tonight we won it at the death.

[elatedscum]

i'd agree with most on here.

was most apparent the gulf between cullen + hendrick and hourihane + browne. thought hourihane got a little less passive in the last half hour or so, maybe after he scored his goal. i think probably james mccarthy is still the most adequate replacement for cullen, not that he's a great option, just that he's the best of them. i think coventry is still another season and a half from being ready, kilkenny further down the line, connell and johansson further again. i would have liked to have seen knight get some time in hendrick's position, as maybe he's the best option to replace jeff. it's tough because there are midfielders like ronan, taylor, sykes, browne - who are perhaps more suited to being an attacking midfielder in a 3.

back 3 centre halves were all good. Collins is built like Richie Dunne. he's just huge, tall and wide.

i preferred manning on the left of the back 3, as opposed to wing back. was seated on the side he played in the first half and i'm not sure the pace really plays up as much as you'd want it to at wing back. the composure and forward passing was impressive. i'd be more confident of him having a future after tonight. doherty was good.

keane was disappointing, wouldn't write him off yet but he'd go to the back of the queue, behind Parrott and Hogan (and probably Idah and Obafemi by June). can't really argue with ogbene - thought his marker was their best player and put the ball in the net twice. certainly one of our better players. robinson was poor. he'll have days like that, periods like that within games, where he picks the wrong options, gives the ball away poorly etc etc. i think overall with the changes we made, there was a lack of pace when Knight Parrott and Hogan finished the game. Could probably do with another quick player who can play wide: Connolly, Ebosele seem obvious contenders. Thought Knight and Parrott were really good coming off the bench. Hogan didn't do badly, came up a little bit in my estimation, played on the last man well for the most part...

good to get the win, keeps the momentum going...

[Exgrad]

Think Kenny will have learned a lot from tonight, only thing is most of it will have been negative (still useful).

[ifk101]

Great to see Parrott’s delight, that’s what it should mean playing for Ireland. Up to him now to decide where he wants to go with the undoubted ability he has.

Otherwise, disappointing with our weakest in depth. Stacked in certain positions but vulnerable (currently) if we lose starting players in midfield/ attack to injury/ suspension.

[pineapple stu]

You know sometimes I really do wonder about you.

Are you actually serious ?

Yep. Set Manning away to cross for the first "goal". Scored the second "goal" himself. Didn't make any hospital passes to nearly cost a goal (unlike Browne). Online ratings generally balance "some neat touches and passes" or "Showed his class on a number of occasions" with ****e set pieces (which is fair).

So not going to get ahead of Cullen/Hendrick, but equally "the biggest individual casualty from the game", "disgracefully poor", comparisons to the Andorra performance or suggestions that he should never be called up again - all over the top for me.

Anyone writing Troy Parrott off at twenty years of age, is an idiot, and should be called out as such.. seriously.. he's 20

Who has written Parrott off?