Malta V Republic of Ireland - Sunday, 20th November 2022 - Friendly

[paul_oshea]

On a signal chat I'd backed netherlands as a potential darkhorse, but there's not much to fear about them here , apart from the fact we've been playing two seeds below where we should be. But that's us not them

[paul_oshea]

Gotta say that made me laugh. BS kalaka if you took out some lines from your paragraphs you'd have some great points. And probably a great party too

[OwlsFan]

There's one thing (well a lot more than one) I don't get. Why is Ogbene being played as a No 9 when he is a winger? I know Rotherham may have started using him in that role but to me he would be much better as a winger/wingback with his pace. Obafemi as the centre forward and Ogbene raiding on the wing.

[Jd2793]

There's one thing (well a lot more than one) I don't get. Why is Ogbene being played as a No 9 when he is a winger? I know Rotherham may have started using him in that role but to me he would be much better as a winger/wingback with his pace. Obafemi as the centre forward and Ogbene raiding on the wing.

never understood it either. he is a lot better out wide than in the congested middle of the final 3rd. whatever about parrotts or obafemis finishing those 2 are miles ahead technically. SK seems to have wedded himself to the idea of ogbene as a forward similar to ebosele. we could have done with seeing him there vs malta IMO. his strong direct running would have been an addition as dohertys best bits come without the ball.

[Demesne Lad]

Christ that was a long hard watch, and after a truly dreadful WC opener too. I put myself in the shoes of one of those Americans who doesn't get football and thought maybe they're right.

Sykes looked good in his 5 minutes.That was about as exciting as it got, and added to the frustration - why not take a look at guys like this for longer?

I don't think any player played particularly badly. We had almost total control of the game, it was just the continuously slow, laboured, unpenetrative build up and recycling never looked like creating any pressure or chances.

Just for comparison, highlights of the Malta v Ireland World Cup qualifier, November 1989 www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cVVFFCsKw4

[osarusan]

Thats 33 years ago.

[SkStu]

there was another game away to Malta that i remember watching a while back and being really f**king annoyed during it. I think Staunton scored a belter of a free to win it late - 99 or 01 maybe? Anyway, it was cack.

[Eirambler]

That was the 3-2 game in the Euro 2000 qualifiers. We were very poor that night but got away with it through Staunton's free kick. Didn't count for anything in the end though unfortunately.

[Stuttgart88]

there was another game away to Malta that i remember watching a while back and being really f**king annoyed during it. I think Staunton scored a belter of a free to win it late - 99 or 01 maybe? Anyway, it was cack.

2-0 up and coasting then we conceded 2 quick goals and as Stu said, Stan bailed us out with a free kick.

[ifk101]

Don’t know the coaching situation following the departure of Eustace but it doesn’t reflect well on Kenny that peak performances during his tenure have come when Barry and Eustace had found their feet (in the case of the latter Scotland (H) and Ukraine (A)).

I thought we really struggled in both games in moving the ball from back to front, that transition between defence and attack. We are crying out for genuine quality in a playmaker/ creative role – like a Ødegaard, which we don’t have on the bench or outside the squad. That said, we are able to paper over this deficiency with coaching and inventiveness (ie games with Barry and Eustace) but if that’s not there, we get the passive/ flat performances of Norway/ Malta.

[Demesne Lad]

Don’t know the coaching situation following the departure of Eustace but it doesn’t reflect well on Kenny that peak performances during his tenure have come when Barry and Eustace had found their feet (in the case of the latter Scotland (H) and Ukraine (A)).

I thought we really struggled in both games in moving the ball from back to front, that transition between defence and attack. We are crying out for genuine quality in a playmaker/ creative role – like a Ødegaard, which we don’t have on the bench or outside the squad. That said, we are able to paper over this deficiency with coaching and inventiveness (ie games with Barry and Eustace) but if that’s not there, we get the passive/ flat performances of Norway/ Malta.

Alan Sheehan, Nathan Jones' assistant at Southampton, is one of our own, and an U-21 international.

[mark12345]

Alan Sheehan, Nathan Jones' assistant at Southampton, is one of our own, and an U-21 international.

Looking at the games at the World Cup, we are further than ever away from the required standard. Canada would have beaten us handily on the evidence of yesterday

[Jd2793]

Looking at the games at the World Cup, we are further than ever away from the required standard. Canada would have beaten us handily on the evidence of yesterday

absolutely. and if we played them in a friendly a few months ago we'd have been expected to beat them by many. the amount of historically poor teams improving has gone through the roof. we are so far behind canada/usa not to mention the likes of serbia etc

[Stuttgart88]

Hard to disagree with that, yet we've been just about competitive against better teams and often self-inflict our wounds. Hope springs eternal I guess...

[ontheotherhand]

Hard to disagree with that, yet we've been just about competitive against better teams and often self-inflict our wounds. Hope springs eternal I guess...

Should be fine Stutts. One underperforming manager can't destroy decades of investment, development and planning.

[SkStu]

Don't be daft OTOH! A new manager will fix everything and then everything's going to be totally great forever.

[CraftyToePoke]

Don't be daft OTOH! A new manager will fix everything and then everything's going to be totally great forever.

Yeah, and a side of mostly Championship journeymen & nearly men will soon after grace a major finals and upset the world order. Just need Kenny out & we're set I tells you, set

[Eirambler]

The prospect of Ireland qualifying for a 24 team Euros again wouldn't exactly be resetting the world order now in fairness.

[CraftyToePoke]

The prospect of Ireland qualifying for a 24 team Euros again wouldn't exactly be resetting the world order now in fairness.

You misunderstand me, upset it when we get there was what I meant. Soon as that pesky Kenny is ran outta town.

[Fixer82]

It would be nice though, after two years in charge, for us to have some idea what our team is