Ireland 0 - Holland 4 Reaction

[hoops1]

no matter what players are missing there should be evidence of what the
team are trying to achieve, what way they are going to play, after 3 games this should be all visible. With Ireland there doesnt deem to be any structure/game plan or purpose about what we are doing. I believe the booing
and leaving early were people angry at the lack of these things. Fans know enough about the game to know that these results are meaningless. But its the shambolic way Staunton and the team are going about there business that is causing the anger. The team had no direction and was leaderless. These things come from the manager firstly. Kerr had many faults but preperation and direction werent. Even if he was overly negative no stone was unturned in his attempt to get things done properly. His approach generally was accepted to be based on good football principals. Staunton appears to me to be trying to take us back to a more Charlton type set up.
Bring back Good aul Mick and Tony lets have the crack get, the team spirit going sure that will carry us along, lets try to create the club type set up.
This mentality and attitude should have died with the Charlton era.
The team lacks good character and good professionals. Real men. Coupled with a manger inexperienced and behind the times.
Its early but the signs really look bleak

[Billsthoughts]

I hope he isn't another Tony Dailey - anyone remember him? Could beat any man down the left wing and just didn't have a clue what to do with the ball as soon as he was in or level with the box.

.

jesus he was the first guy to come int o my head on wed as well.....

[southbucket2001]

All we lacked was experience, a few flashes of good individual play, but we didnt have the experience up front or in the middle that Holland had (excluding Huntelaar). Hate to say it, but Brian Kerr never lost a match 4-0, hell, he never even lost a match at all until 365 days ago (it is midnight in Ireland, right?), against the future world champions

Yeah but he never won a match that mattered either. Kerr had terrific results in friendlies but pants in the games that counted - the qualifiers. I could never nor still have not worked that out. I know its maybe positive thinking to hope for reverse logic under Stan.

Does anyone agree with promoting Alan Quinn to centre midfield alongside S Reid?

Is Andy Reid even fit to be considered for Germany?

[Irish_Praha]

jesus he was the first guy to come int o my head on wed as well.....

Great minds and all that

[mjpcc]

Depending on the result in germany - I would seriously consider hanging youngsters in the squad for the next games against czechs and cyprus. I think the fight for 2nd place will be a real dog fight - I would fear the welsh and the slovaks more than the czechs to be honest.

McGeady, Alan O'Brien, Joey O'Brien, Ireland - mccarthy and mcshane shoudl be brought into the squad - I know people will they totally lack experience but to be honest I would prefer these players to get experience.

If everyone is fit my team for Germany is

Given

Finnan
Dunne
O'Brien
Harte

McGeady
Reid
Reid
Duff

Keane
Doyle


That team is not too bad at all and is capable of getting a result if they play their hearts out - I include Harte because of his skill at free kicks....and our other options for left back aren't an awful lot better than him and dont have the free kicks skills

Concanta no matter how bad they play I think hanging any of them is going a bit far. How about making them refund all the fans expenses for away trips instead.

[Dassa]

watched the highlights of the game and as good as the dutch were the ROI were quite poor. What do Republic fans think is the problem, poor squad, tactics or just injuries?

[Junior]

What do Republic fans think is the problem, poor squad, tactics or just injuries?

All the above + poor leadership both on and off the pitch.

Still, it was a friendly. Germany is the first game that really counts.

[Stuttgart88]

I'm half way thru a family holiday in Scotland and have only very limited internet access. I tried a post from Starbucks in St. Andrews the other day but I don't think it went through - my connection cvut out about a second after I pressed ''submit''!

Watched the match in a bar & could barely believe what I was watching. After the Chile game I criticised Staunton for tinkering with the shape. Not because I dislike change, bt because I think if you change the shape of the team you should only do so if you have the personnel for the roles required. Sadly, Stan made exactly the same error again from what I could see, admittedly only on TV.

Stephen Elliott is a predatory forward FFS. What exactly did Stan have him doing? Anything but what he's actually best at.

I said a few times recently that I'd still pick Morrisson ahead of Doyle unless a compelling case was made against Holland or at club level. That case has been made and emphatically.

I've also been advocating Kavanagh but I'm desperately disappointed in him. The Dutch, to a man, passed the ball accurately and with purpose. Kav, probably our best passer, hoofed it high & long and aimlessly. The contrast was stark & I'm afraid I've really lost faith in Kav's ability to play at the level required.

What the **** was going on for the first goal? O'Brien's fault? Whatever, it was unbelievable. I don't blame Elliott too much for the second goal. He shouldn't have to be back that deep. The guy should be up causing their defenders trouble (which he can do) not his own!

I still think that with our best players fit we can do OK but Staunton's tinkering has me worried. He seems to be employing change for change's sake, not with any sense of playing to the strengths of the players we have available. Keep it simple for Stuttgart, it's our only chance. Despite losing 2 goals and a hatful of chances in the second half, I thought we looked miles better with a simple shape & some subs showing they're better players than those they replaced.

More when I get back to work on Friday!