Was thinking that tooOriginally Posted by joey B
Not sure what's been learned overall. We're not very good up front and I don't know how strong that Belgian team is.
Onwards to Tuesday I guess
Overall would be happy with that. The second half more even but I’d say we shaded that. The three subs of the front line was too disruptive and killed the tempo we’d built up. Great performances across the board but in particular from Szmodics (that’s a real addition), Ogbene (sorry Liamoo) and the midfield duo. Back three all were really good (they’re our best combo) and Kelleher earned his corn with that save. Coleman still a viable option which is great news. Probably Ferguson would be most disappointed given the penalty and header chances. Ebosele stank it out in his cameo. Idah and Johnston couldn’t get into it.
Hard to know what to make of it. Wasn't awful, but how bothered were Belgium at the same time? Apparently it's the first time they haven't scored against a time outside the world's top 50 for 14 years, so that's something I suppose. It was a game that happened, that's about as much as there is to say about it. Typical interim manager type game I suppose.
Keane O'Shea Given Best Smallbone
Good overall, an enjoyable friendly considering the score. We were very solid at the back, did well enough going forward to create enough chances that we should have won it. I thought that it was Smallbones best game for Ireland, kinda summed up the team, not spectacular but solid and did his job well. Collins was excellent too.
Already I see a lot of "Belgium didnt care". That was still a good Belgium team with lads trying to make the team for the Euros. We've lost to much worse teams than that in recent years.
Its really not that complicated!!!
Did Coleman not make a few clangers in second half?
Thought the back 3 did well and Cullen, Smallbone and Szmodics take credit from the game. As does Kelleher. Ogbene should retain his place. Idah looked confident when he came in. Could argue for a start the next night.
The wing backs were hit and miss for me. Just don't think they offer enough for us.
The biggest problem with trying to take anything from this game is it’s an interim management team,on the assumption that O’Shea is temporary the next manager might want to play a completely different way thus anything that’s been worked on now might be for nout,it’s another massive failure by the FAI that we don’t have a permanent manager in place,you only get very limited time at international level to put your ideas in place…..
Irish by birth ,Harps by the grace of god.
Fair enough. I always feel he gets alot of the leeway because he is so likeable while other players would get slaughtered for giving the ball away so much and butchering opportunities
We really are seeing things differently. I thought ferguson played the best I've seen him ay for ireland, good hold up, aggressive, won the header for that chance, got into great positions and on Nother day walks off with 2 or 3
I thought overall it was a very good team performance. Brady and Coleman justified their selection. Coleman made a couple of mistakes on the ball but his defending was excellent. He was right in front of me second half and it was very encouraging to see him play so well.
I thought Ferguson shouldn’t have taken the pen. Brady clearly wanted it and I think it was Coleman’s call as he had a word with Ferguson and Brady. Looks like his left foot slipped just as he was striking the ball, typical luck of a player out of form!
Smallbone and Cullen put in a good shift, keeper and centre backs all effective. Front three all had some moments and could have scored. I think the positive impact of Ogbene was most obvious as soon as he went off. Knight couldn’t get in the game at all in that role and then Festy showed that it’s not all just about pace! I think Ogbene is still largely underrated to be honest, not always the best at holding the ball, makes the odd poor decision, but good far outweighs the bad and terrifies defenders.
Idah probably the best of the subs without doing a huge amount. Again, his attributes are so obvious, if he learns to really use them he’s still potentially a massive weapon.
It certainly looked like a more organised performance than the Kenny era. I think they may have actually worked on closing down shots from 20-25 yards out!!! Hard to read too much into it though, there was quite a few good performances followed by poor ones under Kenny (including a not dissimilar strength Belgium). Hopefully it’s the start of a team building on the obvious potential and the new manager can develop it further.
Sorry no - you are absolutely right and I just phrased that poorly in my rush. He did play really well exactly as you pointed out - just I’d say was disappointed not to score the penalty and maybe the header - and might knock his confidence that bit more than would be ideal.
When was the last time we had a full hand to pick from? This was pretty close I think. Im struggling to think what would have been significantly different from tonight to the previous management. Maybe a bit of a release for players that they are not under pressure for a result for the manager. Other than that it was just basics right ie defensively no calamity moments and build forward, that sort of thing is on the players playing. BBC suggesting this was a dress rehearsal for O'Shea getting the job FT - would be underwhelming but maybe he'd be more pragmatic in approach where Kenny stuck to his guns on how he thinks the game should be played irrespective of strengths or weaknesses.
Ogbene is frustrating to watch but he scares defenders by what he can do with his strength and pace, they back off or double up on him and that creates opportunities elsewhere even when his decisions making is off. Havent seen much of him in the EPL but you'd hope that game time there woould have him step up a level with being a more consistant threat and less sloppy at times. Ferguson needs a goal to state the obvious, dunno why as very different stage of career, but reminds me a bit of John Aldridge when he couldnt buy a goal for Ireland but came good. Szmodics is a great addition, will take pressure off Ferguson and share any expectation and there are options with Johnston. Add in Idah plus others and there is plenty to work with in attacking terms. Midfield was fine, but for me there is still that sense of being light, needing someone who will drive things on (a Declan Rice almost exactly the kind of player). We tend to get too many games where one midfielder has a good game but others missing, so again needing consistant good performance across midfield - added to a return to being a bit mean at the back and we're progressing...simple!
Ive never been convinced by the wing back system, feel it exposes more than adds to goals scored. I know its fashionable and it does suit when you have a number of decent centre halves but it is no better than standard full backs with the legs to push on at times so maybe there just isnt the quality to make the wing back system count - why not just add an extra body to midfield, play narrower, have the flexibility to push fullbacks on if opposition are not threatening the overlap on the flanks?
Last edited by Nesta99; 23/03/2024 at 7:55 PM.
Long time no post. I thought tonight was very encouraging. The simple change of knowing when to press and when not to was really significant over matches under Kenny. Only real criticism I'd have of O'Shea was the substitutions as it felt like replacing with second string players rather than trying to change things up.
All in all though, that's the first time in a long time where the defence looked completely solid and I wasn't biting my nails every time the opposition got into the final 3rd.
I may be cracked but I liked the look of O'Sheas management team as well and the warmth for Brian Kerr was fantastic.
I dunno, I actually feel a bit hopeful after tonight...if we can back it up on Tuesday!
Reasonably good , but for the love of allah, keep Brady away from set pieces!!! He’s ****e, despite what the comms keep saying, truly awful delivery.
Smallbone and Ferguson were the positives I took. But not a single player on either team got out of 2nd gear really. Mid season friendly with nothing on the line.
We looked a bit more pragmatic and solid. But you'd hope so with Coleman and Brady as the wingbacks.
That's just my take after being there. And pints.
I've been ground down over the years of false and half false dawns to not read too much into an encouraging friendly performance. Belgium fluffed so many gifted viable counterattack opportunities.
I'd fully expect Kelleher to make that save, he is that good. If he didn't I'd be looking at the other keepers. A bonus was Brady at left back, some hesitation on the ball in the first half but overall he's good to go.
Our finishing was poor which obviously includes the penalty effort. One encouraging thing was the bench, considering the starting team did perform well, there was still some talent on the bench even if the subs used didn't make that much impact, that's just the way of friendlies when mass substitutions are made.
is Josh on trial for the permanent 2 year contract?
Personally I don't buy the idea of hiring a managerial team for a team like Ireland. That means you have to pay a sizable salary for a manager then comes the manager's team pushing the costs to the upper limits of insanity. There are what, 6 games a year? Why on earth does a competent coach need his own team? I'd say look for a decent coach in good health, pay an adequate salary and tell him Josh is the nr2 if you approve or select another nr2 from our list of candidates.
I'm blown away by the fact that Robbie Brady is younger than Kyle Walker. It was great to see him back in the team and whipping in free kicks. Would have liked to have seen him take the penalty, but ah well.
Why were there so many empty seats? I was watching on television in America with a seventy year old man who had never watched a football match in his life. He was extremely unimpressed and said he'll never watch again. Hard to blame him. Really tough to imagine someone paying money to watch it in person.
Festy has been playing his football as a wingback. I think bringing him on as wide of a front 3 is u fair to him, why not just bring him on for Coleman?
Was the motm announced as Josh Coleman?
Kenny had me baffled most of the time. This performance felt more solid. It wasn't very exciting, but by the same token we didn't look as vulnerable and lost as we did at times under Kenny. Ferguson unlucky to slip on the peno. He played well though. Ogbene is one of my favourite Irish players and he caused trouble at times as he always will... but his miss was worse than Ferguson's. Brady a pleasant surprise, though he was caught for pace a couple of times. A bit of a 'meh' event overall.
A 2-2 competitive away draw against Belgium began a golden era in Irish football, so I am going to take a 0-0 home draw against Belgium as the beginning of..... an improvement.
Irish TV coverage pointed to this friendly window games only being available as a double ticket, which for people travelling to Dublin, from down or up the country / out side the country, would have ruled Tuesday out, so they passed.
Stephen Kenny Saviour, Leader, Winner, An Autobiography - In All Good Bookstores Now
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