Ireland v Wales - Post Match Thread

[eirebhoy]

Yeah I like that team with the exception of O Shea. A bit harsh on Ireland too. I said from the start that he will score goals for us.

Who else is there instead of O'Shea though? I have to say, other than his goals, I haven't been too impressed with Ireland. He misplaced almost every pass before his goal. If his goalscoring ratio keeps up it'd be impossible to drop him though.

If the 2 Reid's stay injury free for a while it might be possible to fit the 2 of them in the same midfield as Ireland with Carsley dropping out but it'd be a bit risky since they've hardly had a chance to get at understanding together.

[NeilMcD]

I did not have time to go to the bookies on Saturday before the game but I was saying to my brothers we must get money on him to be first goal scorer. I am going to put money on Ireland again to be first Scorer on Wednesday. He has a coolness and confidence that are beyond his years.

[geysir]

With the injury record of both Reids, S.Ireland will win enough caps. I'd prefer Andy Reid though, I like the way he gets on the ball and makes space for himself, overall more versatile and a tougher nut.

[FarBeag]

I think that Andy Reid is a far better player than Steven Ireland.Its a shame he is so injury prone.We could really do with his intelligence on Wednesday.

[NeilMcD]

6 March 2007

Out of the frying pan, into the fire

By Liam Mackey
LAST WEEK, Bobby Robson raised a few eyebrows when, citing Ireland’s run of seven points from three games, he suggested that the team were now “on a roll”.


Bearing in mind six of those points had come against San Marino — and three of those by the narrowest of margins imaginable — it’s understandable that few were convinced by the great man’s attempt at positive spin.

After Saturday’s welcome but uninspiring win against Wales at Croke Park, the growing points tally looks even more respectable, but no-one is making bold statements to suggest that Ireland must now be on a jumbo roll — not with a much more severe test against Slovakia just two days away.




In truth, Ireland’s progress is less a matter of confident strides forward and more like that of someone negotiating a minefield. Relief that one hazard is out of the way is quickly replaced by a sharp intake of breath as the next step approaches.

Against that backdrop, the best that can be said about the 1-0 win against Wales is that it saw Steve Staunton and Ireland come out on the right side of a win or bust scenario. And considering the stakes — the pressure on the team and the man as well as the historic nature of the occasion itself — victory in itself was something to be prized.

But not the performance which, a couple of eye-catching cameos aside, failed to inspire any great confidence that Ireland can raise their game to the level required to beat a Slovakian side who came back from a goal down to put three past Cyprus.

For a while on Saturday, the home side at Croke Park seemed to be in the same boat, so isolated and uninvolved was the slight figure of Stephen Ireland out on the right. Staunton must take the criticism for so ill-advised an opening gambit but he also deserves the credit for putting it right — and to positive effect.

Stephen Ireland’s cooly taken goal, coming at the end of a quick and incisive move involving John O’ Shea and Robbie Keane, was the one moment when the game matched the occasion. But for most of the 90 minutes, it was a match to be endured rather than enjoyed, as Ireland dominated but, through a combination of sloppiness and inhibition, never threatened to destroy a shockingly bad Welsh side.

A midfield of Lee Carsley and Jonathan Douglas is never going to open up the opposition with lancing passes, so once more the burden of creativity was largely shouldered by the tireless Damien Duff. It’s become almost a cliche to knock the so-called marquee players but it’s sobering to think of what Ireland would be like without the Newcastle man’s thrilling ability to beat a player or two.

Other positives? Paul McShane was commanding at the back and, but for the blooper which almost opened the door to Craig Bellamy, Richard Dunne had a good game. Not for the first time, Ireland’s failure to exploit a one-goal advantage was spared the ultimate punishment thanks to the quick reactions of an otherwise under-worked Shay Given.

And then there was Stephen Hunt, whose arrival off the bench was such an immediate tonic for back-pedalling Ireland that not only did it panic the Welsh into three desperate fouls and two yellow cards, it also seemed to inspire Kevin Kilbane into finally having a go himself at running at the opposition.

All-action Hunt’s ability to inject forward momentum might seem to define the concept of an “impact sub” but Saturday’s cameo, on top of his proven record with Reading, should be enough to secure him a place in the starting eleven for Wednesday’s game against Slovakia. Better by far that the visitors be fearful of Ireland rather than the other way around.

Stephen Staunton certainly seems to be in no doubt that Slovakia will be coming to Croker anxious for much more than a share of the spoils. Asked after training in Malahide yesterday if the look of the Group D table after the weekend represents a boost for the Irish, the manager was not entirely taken in by appearances.

“I think it does,” he replied, “but we’ve played a game more than Slovakia and they’re only a point behind us, so from that perspective they’ll be thinking if they can beat us in Dublin we’re out of it. So that’s what we have to guard against us. They’re a big, strong athletic side. And we know what system they play since their new coach has come in.”

Staunton will know even more later today, after he studies the DVD and match report which his scout John Deehan was bringing back from Cyprus. And with one eye on the still distance vista of qualification, the Irish manager welcomed Germany’s significant 2-1 away win against the Czech Republic in the group’s other game at the weekend.

“Hopefully now, Germany go on and win every game — bar one,” said Staunton. “The only away game they’ve got is ourselves and you would fancy them in their own backyard to go and beat the rest. But it’s really down to ourselves what we do. The Slovaks are going to be a big test for us and there are other tough games in the group.”

And with a touch of the defiance that the team needs to show on the pitch, the manager added: “This young squad is growing stronger, day by day, week by week, month by month. And the more criticism they get, it’s making them stronger.”

While the setting was stupendous, the pitch was considerably less so? “It’ll be a lot better Wednesday night,” reckoned Staunton. “I’ve been assured by the groundsmen in Croke Park that they’ll get it to the best of their ability. A wee bit of rain, but not too much would be nice.”

And Staunton had one other comment to make on the weather.

“I don’t think anyone realised the strength of that wind on Saturday. There was a hell of a wind blowing straight down towards the Canal End.”

A quote worth recording; who among us thought we’d see the day when a soccer manager would include the phrase “the Canal End” in his comments about conditions at an Irish game.

Off the field then, all is changed, changed utterly. But on it? Staunton and this Irish team will need to produce much more on Wednesday under lights at the same venue if they are not to be consigned to a footnote in history.

[DmanDmythDledge]

I think that Andy Reid is a far better player than Steven Ireland.Its a shame he is so injury prone.We could really do with his intelligence on Wednesday.

Agreed. He has to be one of the first names on the teamsheet when he returns.

[Ceirtlis]

I thought Robbie Keane played well and some of the criticism of him has been very harsh. He normally goes deep for the ball so to play him up front on his own is ridiculous. There were loads of times in the first half when he was laying the ball off to one of the wingers on the edge of the box and there was no one in the box to actually cross it too. He moans a bit but he should have had a penalty and he set up our winner as well as being involved in most of any other good moves that we have had.
As for Damien Duff i dont think that he lacks effort, he just might not be as good as we all thought he was going to be. He hasnt played well since the first year he was with Chelsea. Thats a long time to be out of sorts. I feel abit sorry for him especially when he is playing the likes of Cyprus and San Marino who double mark him and he doesnt seem to have the skill to get round them.
Steve Stauntons tenure has been nothing short of a disaster.What is wrong with playing players in their proper positions? He doesnt seem to have any system that he trying to implement, the whole thing is so all over the place you would nearly think that he is trying to sabotage the team. From no defensive midfielders against Cyprus away to an ultra cautious system at home to Wales. We have no chance of qualifying because we probably have to get 4 points from 2 games against Germany and Czech Republic. Can anyone see us getting that considering the team were over the moon to draw with the Czechs at home.
We have a good chance of winning against Slovakia on Wednesday if the team is set up right. I think some people are overestimating this crowd they got hammered at home by the Czechs and Germany 0-3 and 1-4. Here is their squad, i dont want to be ignorant and say i dont know any of them so il just say most are not playing with big clubs. They are missing their main man up front Mintal.

Goalkeepers: Kamil Contofalsky (Zenit St. Petersburg), Lubos Hajduch (Ruzomberok).

Defenders: Martin Skrtel (Zenit St. Petersburg), Jan Durica (Saturn), Peter Singlar (Liberec), Marek Cech (Porto), Maros Klimpl (Banik Ostrava).

Midfielders: Marek Sarapa (Rosenborg), Dusan Svento (Slavia Prague), Matej Krajcik (Slavia Prague), Zdeno Strba (Zilina), Balazs Borbely (Kaiserslautern), Igor Zofcak (Ruzomberok), Marek Hamsik (Brescia), Vratislav Gresko (Nuremberg), Jan Kozak (Artmedia Bratislava).

Forwards: Filip Holosko (Manisaspor), Robert Vittek (Nuremberg), Martin Jakubko (Saturn), Stanislav Sestak (Zilina).

[Dr. Ogba]

I still think there's nothing wrong with the team that 2 good midfielders wouldn't sort out.

You can blame O'Shea all night long but any time he had the ball I looked to see who was showing for it. Nobody was, and if anyone did he didn't have the touch to control it anyway. He had no option but to hoof it up the wing most of the time.

Wales passed the ball well, why couldn't we?

Spot on. I thought O'Shea was very solid and it was a credit to him that Giggs barely influenced the game at all (ffs even youngirish admitted that O'Shea played ok!!) . He can't be blamed for poor distribution as there was absolutely nobody in midfield showing for the ball.

To be honest (and I'm sure plenty will disagree with me) I think we're desperately missing Andy Reid's creativity and willingness to show for the ball. A 4-5-1 in a similar vein to the Czech match except with Doyle as the lone striker with a McGeady/Reid/Hunt creative axis would cause most teams problems along with a good solid base of 2 holding midfielders (Carsley and Douglas).

With this in mind I'd go for the following starting XI against the Slovaks in an attacking 4-5-1:
Given
Finnan
McShane
Dunne
O'Shea
Carsley
Douglas
Duff
Ireland (play just behind Doyle if available)
Hunt (McGeady on the bench as an impact player)
Doyle


Also, just to echo the sentiments of a few of the previous posters, I cringed in utter embarrasment when Keane was booed off...what an absolute disgrace, I'm not Keane's biggest fan but no way should anyone wearing the Irish shirt be booed off the park...I thought we were above all that...

[citizenerased]

who booed him??where i was sitting everyone was clapping him!!

[NeilMcD]

John and Tommy

[Dr. Ogba]

who booed him??where i was sitting everyone was clapping him!!

Apologies don't know any of them by name...

I was in the Hogan/Canal upper and could deffo hear boos going around the place when he was substituted...

[SUB of the day]

upper cusack, thought I was hearing things, but definite boos, something is rotten etc etc

[Rosco]

upper cusack, thought I was hearing things, but definite boos, something is rotten etc etc

yep was there also and definite booing, while i dont think his performance was great on saturday, the day we start booing our players off the pitch is the beginning of the end as far as i'm concerned. To many people there for a jolly rather than support the team, hopefully a chill weds nite will put paid to that and they all stay in their nice comfy armchairs and let the real fans get on with it.

[Nailer77]

I thought I heard that as well and was in the upper hogan. Said it to one my mates but heard nothing, was sure I heard it though.

[eirebhoy]

I was reading yesterday's Star earlier today and saw an interesting quote from Carl Robinson of Wales:

"I spoke to a couple of Irish boys and they had nothing but good words to say about us. They said we dominated possession, kept the ball well and that they would like to be in a team that does that."



So is it...
A. A spin on the quotes.
B. Robinson lying.
C. A bit of both.
D. The Irish players actually said this.

?

[zenokelly]

Definitely a complete spin