France V Republic of Ireland - Thursday, 7th September 2023 - Euro 2024 Qualifier

**Stuttgart88** · 07/09/2023, 8:54 AM

Originally Posted by backstothewall

*Would have picked Sinclair Armstrong here if he had been called up. We may as well take the opportunity to have a look at him.

I would have too. Ogbene, Armstrong and Idah/Connolly. Serious pace there and it'd introduce an "anything could happen" element in the final third. Add Ebsole and you've just got a fantastic recipe for chaos - in a good way.

**backstothewall** · 07/09/2023, 9:02 AM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

I would have too. Ogbene, Armstrong and Idah/Connolly. Serious pace there and it'd introduce an "anything could happen" element in the final third. Add Ebsole and you've just got a fantastic recipe for chaos - in a good way.

Yeah. It's a shot to nothing really.

With a pacey line-up there's a very small possibility we could defend stoutly, frustrate the French and produce a miracle with a counter-attack as they push further forward desperately trying to get a goal.

It probably wouldn't work but none of the other options available to us will work either.

**JR89** · 07/09/2023, 9:21 AM

Originally Posted by Colbert Report

We'll do well not to get clobbered. A 4-0 loss is about the best we can realistically hope for.

They didn't even score 4 against Gibraltar and only beat Greece 1-0. The only team they've clobbered recently is Holland because Koeman had them playing too openly and got picked off early.

Think some folk are just being too pessimistic. Are we gonna lose, yeah, but it's not gonna be a hammering. We'll probably give away two stupid goals and lose 2-0.

**texidub** · 07/09/2023, 9:46 AM

Originally Posted by JR89

Think some folk are just being too pessimistic. Are we gonna lose, yeah, but it's not gonna be a hammering. We'll probably give away two stupid goals and lose 2-0.

At the risk of jinxing it, I agree with this. 2-0 loss more likely than a complete hammering.

While he won't have the same freedom tonight, Ogbene was sensational in the last match. It'll be interesting to see what the French do with him --or try to do with him-- in this game.

**elatedscum** · 07/09/2023, 9:52 AM

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

Ebosele was an unused sub in both Nations League games against Ukraine in June last year, not sure why he didn't make the match day squads against Armenia or Scotland. Kenny made five subs in the home loss, it's a coin toss whether or not he should have been introduced instead of CJ Hamilton, who came on for Cyrus Christie, but it's a lot to ask a 19 year old to make his debut while the team is losing.

Missed at least one, probably both, with an injury. It�s probably in the thread from the camp

**Diggs246** · 07/09/2023, 10:21 AM

Originally Posted by elatedscum

Missed at least one, probably both, with an injury. It�s probably in the thread from the camp

Was Festy not available v Malta and Norway as well ( he may not have been playing much in Seria A but loads of our lads aren�t always playing )

its just not proper planning. The two lads at RWB are old and injury prone.

Its not hindsight loads of us on this forum wanted festy involved previously

**JR89** · 07/09/2023, 10:32 AM

Kenny was asked about Ferguson again and says that he was carrying the knee injury going into the Newcastle game. The challenge from Guimaraes exacerbated a patellar tendon issue he's been dealing with. Probably why he didn't play as much in pre season

**pineapple stu** · 07/09/2023, 10:43 AM

Originally Posted by Diggs246

Was Festy not available v Malta and Norway as well ( he may not have been playing much in Seria A but loads of our lads aren�t always playing )

its just not proper planning. The two lads at RWB are old and injury prone.

Its not hindsight loads of us on this forum wanted festy involved previously

Not as if Festy is the only option either - Manning, McNamara and Lyons have been suggested too.

And again, capping them doesn't improve them as players overnight. Or make them capable of marking Mbapp�. But you'd have had a much better idea who was next in line and they could slot in, when at the moment we don't really seem to know, and O'Dowda* didn't work out in Greece.

* - another injury in technically the same position actually

**pineapple stu** · 07/09/2023, 10:47 AM

Another wing/full-back option gone actually - Omobamidele doesn't make the squad. Had been suggested (though it may have just been random speculation here; not sure if Kenny ever said it) that he might cover across.

Doherty the only other one of the 25 to miss out obviously

**tetsujin1979** · 07/09/2023, 10:59 AM

Omobamidele only joined the squad yesterday after a family bereavement

**pineapple stu** · 07/09/2023, 11:27 AM

Originally Posted by JR89

They didn't even score 4 against Gibraltar and only beat Greece 1-0. The only team they've clobbered recently is Holland because Koeman had them playing too openly and got picked off early.

Think some folk are just being too pessimistic. Are we gonna lose, yeah, but it's not gonna be a hammering. We'll probably give away two stupid goals and lose 2-0.

I'd kind of take a repeat of the last time we were in Paris - a battering but a respectable enough 2-0 scoreline.

But they have a couple of other big wins this decade - 8-0 against Kazakhstan, 7-1 and 5-0 against Ukraine and South Africa (friendlies, granted), 4-1 against Australia in the World Cup, when they were pretty impressive after going a goal down. We could be unlucky.

Interesting to look back at our line-up from that last trip to Paris just five years ago -

Doyle
Coleman...Duffy...K Long...D Williams
Walters...Browne...R***...O'Dowda...McClean
S Long

Meyler, Arter, Burke, Judge, Shaun Williams and Doherty came on as subs. Some change since then.

Greg Cunningham (another overlooked at full-back?) and Daryl Horgan unused subs, as were keepers Shane Supple and Conor O'Malley. Don't remember O'Malley at all - was with Peterborough at the time, but retired from football when covid hit to return to Mayo to work in financial services.

**Stuttgart88** · 07/09/2023, 11:38 AM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Don't remember O'Malley at all - was with Peterborough at the time, but retired from football when covid hit to return to Mayo to work in financial services.

Me neither, or just barely.

Does anyone know Westport? We went on holidays a few years ago, staying in an apartment on Westport Quays. You could walk from there, through Westport House grounds, out a back gate and hit the outskirts of Westport town. Anyway before we knew the way I asked a local if we were going the right way. He said yeah, you go out that gate, walk a few hundred metres and you'll arrive in the financial district.

I said thanks but thought "financial district? In Westport? He's taking the p1$$".

Anyway, we followed the route and lo and behold the first building we arrived at was...AIB Westport Branch!

**Kingdom** · 07/09/2023, 12:52 PM

Originally Posted by seanfhear

And then ~ Stephen Kenny turns out to be the dentist ! ! !

That sir, is absolute quality. I've guffawed unnaturally loud in the office.
Post of the month,.

**texidub** · 07/09/2023, 1:44 PM

On the plus side, we'll win a few corners and Duffy is likely to play. Every chance we could nick one.

**elatedscum** · 07/09/2023, 2:30 PM

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

Omobamidele only joined the squad yesterday after a family bereavement

Yeah - he posted a tribute to his grandfather on Monday

**Crosby87** · 07/09/2023, 5:24 PM

Thinking about how I used to take half days or whatever so as not to miss a second of an Ireland qualifier.

The biggest crime about this is the malaise. French players in pressers yesterday not even asked about Ireland. They lose tonight, they lose Sunday and Kenny is gone Monday.

And then what? Its gotten so boring....its a shame. Me Irish mates in NYC have no clue there is even a match today.

I'm a huge Colorado football fan. 1-11 last season , probably the worst team I've ever seen. They gave a boatload of money to Deion Sanders, he got rid off most all the players and brought in 88 new ones and they beat the team who played in the National Championship 7 months ago on the road Saturday. As 20 point underdogs.

Somewhat apples and oranges but that's what Ireland need. A shot in the arm. Hire some edgy manager. Make a splash. Do something different. Don't be afraid of bringing in a little personality. How many members of the senior staff in history have been anything other then white? Think outside the box a little. Hire someone differently FFS.

Are any of you excited anymore in the least? Ill never stop watching but its out of obligation now. It is not enjoyable in the least. Because its always wait until next year wait a few more years. Some lad knocks a goal in for Brentford off the bench or something and we are supposed to get excited for that.

Someone needs to come in like Coach Prime at Colorado, instill a new confidence, hire a top notch staff and change the trajectory!!!

Part of me actually hopes they get mauled today so we can get on with things.