Ireland 0 - Holland 4 Reaction

**drummerboy** · 16/08/2006, 9:13 PM

I wonder if the penny has dropped in the corridors of power in the FAI. They have appointed a man who has no qualifications to manage a team at international level. Ireland were tactically inept tonight, especially in the first half. After only 3 matches the crowd are starting to boo players off the field. Even defensively, we look totallly disorganised. Simple things like marking your man at set pieces is beyond our defenders. In the end of the day the buck stops with the manager.

At least the system was better in the second half. Pleasantly surprised by Alan O'Brien, but he will have to develop a few tricks to add to his unbelievable speed. Kevin Doyle looked impressive, he's have to start in Germany with Robbie Keane up front. McGeady did enough in the second half to convince me that he is begining to mature into a decent footballer.

However the signs are not good. Staunton is already saying he is building for the future. In other words he doesn't expect us to qualify for the Euros.

**The Legend** · 16/08/2006, 9:28 PM

I didnt see the game lads, but i am guessing it wasn't pretty!

**Scram** · 16/08/2006, 9:29 PM

Nightmare, Ireland lose 4-0 and Engerrland win 4-0 in the same night..the only consolation is that it was not in the same game!!

A sign of things to come in Germany or will the missing players make a big difference?....you would have to think so....I didn't agree with the general concensus that taking on Germany just after the World Cup was a good idea...especially with an experimental team. I hope to be proven wrong.

Oh and I am also sorry that Carr came out of retirement and may be first choice ahead of Finnan at right back.

**thelimerick** · 16/08/2006, 9:31 PM

Embarrasing by all accounts but i'll say this for what it's worth:

The team was completely fragmented in the way they approached the match. Players like Finnan were focused on short passing on the ground, finding a man, and moving forward patiently while players such as Kavanagh spent the entire first half hoofing the ball forward and imediately loosing possesion as a result. There were several game plans going on within the one team. That, regardless of who was in or out of the team, was the managers fault. His plan for the match, his idea of the teams approach, as a unit, was simply not evident.
For me players like Kilbane, O'Shea and Kavanagh are Irelands big weak links. I know we're not spoilt for choice but the one saving grace from that match has to be the injection of the younger faces. Doyle did more in the first five minutes of the second half than Morrision did in the first 45. McGeedy, when eventually given the service provided much, as did Alan O' Brien who looks a fine player albeit inexperienced at this level. Thats fine, that will come, the ability seems to be there which is more than can be said for some of the rubbish that have appeared in nearly every Irish team sheet since their debuts.
We are a small nation. We will most likely never be a big player in world football. However we have some fantastic young players with great potential coming though. Players like Joey O' Brien, Stephen Ireland, Aiden Mc Geedy, Paddy Mc Carthy, Kevin Doyle and Alan O' Brien to name a few. I can't see us making it to the Euro's with the likes of Kilbane, Kavanagh, O' Shea and Morrison playing key roles. I'd rather see that passion in the second half today be rewarded over the staleness of the fore-mentioned and see us not qualify than humour ourselves into believing we can WITH that staleness as part of the first team.

**thejollyrodger** · 16/08/2006, 9:36 PM

humilated

**Condex** · 16/08/2006, 9:38 PM

There's been people on this forum who rate Kavanagh, I think hes one of the worst players ever to wear a green jersey..., him O'Brien, O'Shea,Kilbane and the rest. In fact the only glimmer of hope is McGeady and Doyle, thank god I didn't get tickets to the game in Germany...

**PaulB** · 16/08/2006, 9:38 PM

The back 4 looked like they hadn't a clue, could have been 6 or 7, I know it was only a friendly but doesn't bode well for Germany..

Also, didn't Van Persie look a class act, best player on the park..

**PaulB** · 16/08/2006, 9:42 PM

Thought McGeady and Doyle were the only 2 that came out of that game with any credit, and maybe Finnan.

Kilbane, Reid, Morrison, Kavanagh, absolutely shocking Wouldn't like to depend on paddy kenny in our hour of need alos, doesn't instill a lot of confidence in his defence.

**Fergie's Son** · 16/08/2006, 9:42 PM

We should merge the threads.

Kilbane is a left-back or he should be left out.

O'Shea is not good enough.

Reid was out of sorts entirely.

Carr is not welcome back

My 'dream' Irish team:

Given

Finnan O'Brien Dunne Kilbane

McGeady Reid Reid Duff

Doyle Keane

**The Legend** · 16/08/2006, 9:42 PM

Much needed wakeup call before the euros start!

**Scram** · 16/08/2006, 9:50 PM

Dreading Germany. Can we please fit in another 3 friendlies before then

Looks like we were playing a "zone" defense when we should have been man marking and man marking when we should have been covering zones. Kilbane caught twice trying to lay the offside trap.

If Alan O'Brien had laid a pass off to Doyle it could have been 2-1 and who knows....5-1 Holland instead of 4-0

Still, some good individual football and hard to expect much from guys who have never played together.

**DmanDmythDledge** · 16/08/2006, 9:50 PM

Originally Posted by Fergie's Son

We should merge the threads.

Kilbane is a left-back or he should be left out.

O'Shea is not good enough.

Reid was out of sorts entirely.

Carr is not welcome back

My 'dream' Irish team:

Given

Finnan O'Brien Dunne Kilbane

McGeady Reid Reid Duff

Doyle Keane

Are you serious about Kilbane at LB? I thought he had a shocking game.

**murtybyrne** · 16/08/2006, 9:55 PM

Lads it was so bad, and to make it even worse the amount of people leaving before full time was shocking............

Just totally Humilated.....

**Closed Account 2** · 16/08/2006, 10:12 PM

Well the only positive I can take from this is that we now know a lot of the squad players are not up to scratch.

I think anyone over 26 who played tonight (with the exception of Finnan, and maybe Andy O'Brien) should be looked at long and hard. Some players I normally rate (eg Kav, Morrison) were well below par. Maybe they were not fully match fit, but I fear I am clutching at straws here with that.

Hopefully this will give the squad the kick up the arse it needs, and we might snatch a draw in Germany - just have to pray the likes of Duff, Keane, Dunne, Given etc can play.

**Fergie's Son** · 16/08/2006, 10:20 PM

Originally Posted by DmanDmythDledge

Are you serious about Kilbane at LB? I thought he had a shocking game.

I'm not sure, who else can we put there?

**DmanDmythDledge** · 16/08/2006, 10:22 PM

Originally Posted by Fergie's Son

I'm not sure, who else can we put there?

Ian Harte if he's back would be the best option surely.

**Dodge** · 16/08/2006, 10:23 PM

Kerr out!!!

**Fergie's Son** · 16/08/2006, 10:25 PM

Originally Posted by DmanDmythDledge

Ian Harte if he's back would be the best option surely.

I've seen Harte get skinned too many times. I'd still go with Kilbane but that's just my personal opinion, not really wedded to it.

**keenanboy** · 16/08/2006, 10:26 PM

I've been watching Ireland for a long time now, and out of say 20 years of football I have seen the worst in the last 3 years. Basle '03, Cyprus '05 and now tonight. I stood there on the North Terrace with the other 42,000 poor fools who gave up their evening to come and see their team play, or at least attempt to play.

Tactically inept, awash with journeymen who should long be shelved by now. Its simple to see the differences....when a Dutch player played a pass they moved into a fresh position, created an angle, an option, a diversion. when Kilbane played a "pass" he stopped to admire it. The attitude seemed to be "we'll I've passed it, I've done my bit." Passed the ball maybe mate, you've also passed the buck.

I wasn't looking for a glamourous performance, the Dutch are a tidy side, but they play it simple, no panicking, no hoofing, just nice an simple...pass and move. I don't know if there was one eye on the new season for some of those players out there tonight...if there was shame on them. For insulting their fans and their jersey.

Humiliated and disgusted.

**Hither green** · 16/08/2006, 10:52 PM

At least it was only a friendly. Hopefully a wake up call.

I agree with some of the earlier comments. Kilbane should have been left back or not in the side at all. I thought Alan O'Brien on had an alright game and I would have liked to have seen him on from the start.

O'Shea awful at centre back AGAIN. After Dunne and O'Brien what have we at centre back? Very little by the look of it, come back Breen all is forgiven. Why not try out some of the young lads, McCarthy of Leicester or Nolan of Blackburn? After Dunne and O'Brien we can't rely on O'Shea.

Fine, we were without Duff in midfield but apart from that... Kavanagh, Reid and McGeady... could almost have been first choice midfield, for me that was the worst bit. The Dutch were good, but we were awful. Where do we go from here I'm not sure