Originally Posted by cavan_fan
thats ****e talk - beat players, quality crosses and got in amongest them - that is the very essence of "end result" - he did everything bar score a goal - which he nearly di also.
I take your point about his other two games - but not this one
We were ok with a make shift team but once again we are back in the very same place.
Staunton did not make the right substitutions early enough in the second half.
The team is still effectively leaderless and without a real coach. Quite frankly, this does nothing for us. I am genuinely concerned that we have another 2+ years of crap ahead of us.
There is no such thing as a miracle cure, a free lunch or a humble opinion.
reid was excellent tonight. he ran himself ragged which was clear when they showed a close up of him at the end of the match. Strangely enough McGeady was good when he came on. did more than he did tonight than he did vs the czechs and slovakia!
LESS OF THE BULL NOW!
I thought Joey O Brien showed fantastic composure considering he played cb and I hope rb is not going to become his permanent position as we have options there.Be interesting to see how he would do in cental midfield and he seems to have a strong mentality.Andy Reid was excellant and Keogh did ok considering he was out of position.McGeady seems better as an impact sub.
That was one of our better performances under Stan. Will probably buy him a bit more time. I think the last 2 games will determine whether he stays. We deserved to win. Andy Reid was immense, think a few are being a tad harsh on Keogh, he was OK. Kelly was abysmal. Shows how desperate we need a LB.
I still think there are some positions in the team which an EL player deserves a shot. I think Ken Oman deserves a shot at Centre-Half. He has been outstanding all season but seamingly EL players are once again being ignored for Internationals.
What about that young lad at Aston Villa, O'Halloran I think his name is. He looks like he can do the business at LB for us for the next ten years.
You're not sure of his name but you think he is good enough to play for Ireland until 2017.....oh ok then...........!!!!!!!!!
Work's Bogey
He's playing with the u21s at the moment. The England game should be a good test for him on tuesday.one for the future according to some.
Life isn't all beer and football...some of us haven't touched a football in months
He's 21 already, should have broken into the first team already. A loan spell at Wolves might do him good.
He's rated at 59 in FIFA 2008!
What a crap match.
I think I should the parachute, because I'm great.
In fact, I think I should get both parachutes, in case one doesn't work.
I think it's the worse possible outcome tonight. We've got a "creditable" draw with Germany. That is what Stan and Oscar Wilde at the FAI will say. This will be used as some sort of validation that the "team is growing", "the learning process is working" etc etc. Stan will lead us to failure in 2010 qualifiying...
The fact of the matter is this group was fairly easy, a decent level of organisation would have seen us get through. We've been very sloppy in every match bar the Germany ones. Even then tonight the Germans were without key players, esp when Schwienstiger went off. But Stan just wanted the draw.
I cant understand the overreaction to McGeady. He had 10 minutes against a tiring defence where we were trying to throw everything forward.
On that note , one thing that frustrated me with Kerr (and it seems as if Stan is the same) was our strategy in the last ten minutes of a match. Its a game that we have to win at any cost so why are we replacing one striker for another and going like for like (doyle and Long) ?
Why are we not sacrificing a defender ?
Also, why isnt Richard Dunne sent up front for the last ten minutes ? Whats the point in Reid and co throwing in crosses when Keane and Long are about 30 cm shorter that the two central defenders ? Take some chances and chuck the kitchen sink at them.
I have spent a long time looking at threads on this site and wondering whether i should post and tonight spurred me into posting.
First of all I would like to acknowledge a player who is constantly slated on this forum. Robbie Keane was brilliant tonight. He missed a few chances, but any player who has played up front at any level will recognise that the work he did tonight was unbelievable.
A lot of people have made reference to the fact that he seems to play better for Tottenham than he does for Ireland but I believe that if you look at the guy on the park he puts in as much effort than I've ever seen anyone put in for Ireland.
Another man whot is regualarly made fun of is Steve Staunton!
I'm sick of looking at the telly/radio/forums and regularly hearing so-called experts/fans dismiss his contribution to our national team.
When Brian Kerr took charge of Ireland I was delighted. I thought, "Here is a guy who understands our game, who has grown up in Ireland with the league as it is here, and who knows how it is to be a supporter of Irish football."
I feel Staunton has learned from the mistakes of Kerr. He has brought players into the team who would never have got a look in under any other manager. These players have a loyalty to the manager who gave them their first cap. Look a Keogh tonight. He didn't use the ball well at all times but when we were with or without the ball, he showed that he had a desire to play well for team and manager.. for country.
I also want to praise the contribution O' Brien made tonight. Coming into the side and distributing the ball excellently as well as playing well positionally (and this is not an easy thing to do) was a welcome sight for me. This man really stepped up to the plate.
The performance of Andy Reid will be talked about by one and all. This fella should start every international for us.
mattie, i dunno if your on a bit of a wind up, but robbie keane certainly was not brilliant tonight, and your point about keogh being willing etc, that is a basic minimum for any footballer and not a whole lot to do with the manager, kevin kilbane for example has been willing to break his arse for 3 irish managers and keogh is in that mould, it has nothing to do with "the gaffer" and even if it was thats all Staunton offers which is not enough at any level, a manager should have all the bases covered, tactics, organisation, selection, set pieces et al and for me and i dont think im alone in thinking that staunton doesnt cover any of these bases
I am sure he is a lovely fellow,and he done ok in a cameo apperance tonight but in fairness, McGeady wouldn't kick snow off a rope,possibly one of the worst players at present to wear the Green. Well that's my opinion anyway.
Last edited by highlight100; 14/10/2007 at 1:28 AM.
Inexile, No windup, I promise.
In retrospect brilliant was a bit strong for Robbie tonight, but he was not far short of it, and you probably won't agree with me, he wasn't far short, and it was a captain's performance...something I haven't seen from him 100% till tonight... On your resonse to Andy Keogh.."minimum".. that is unfair. What I saw from him tonight was far beyond "minimum".. he put effort in where other players (like mcGeady who people were calling on to be in the staring line-up) would have given up.
Also, it is worth pointing out the gane that the likes of Steve Finnan and Richard Dunne had tonight.. These guys played like they wanted to play for Ireland.
I would say that I thought Staunton should have introduced Miller at some stage tonight, but other than that I thought the manager had an extermely commendable performance!
First of all, welcome to the madhouse, that is foot.ie.
Staunton is made fun of, with good reason. This has been a weak group, we've shown against Germany, Czech Republic, and Slovakia at home, what we're capable of, given the right boss, the right tactics, and the right team. Staunton is not even LSL material. You don't lose 5 goals in Cyprus and qualify for tournaments. You don't win only 4 games from 10 and qualify for tournaments. You don't lose 3 qualifying games and qualify for tournaments. We didn't lose the group tonight, we lost it many moons ago.
The next qualifying draw is in 7 weeks time, and with a proper boss in charge, we might actually win the group with the players at our disposal. Staunton is not that man.
Cheers
Mypost, Are you being fair.. LSL is no slouch
but seriously,
I agree, Cyprus was a DEBACLE, worst Irish peformance in a long time
BUT.. this might need to happen to a team (and don't anoyone dismiss this as a a give em a chance routine).
Look at Scotland. Average players. Given belief...not just by a manager but by the media and by support.
Look, help me out......
Does anyone else think we are turning into ENGLAND the way we critisize everthin the minute things go slightly wrong?
Sure it's not perfect but does anyone else think we are moving forward or am I on my own??
Last edited by mattie; 14/10/2007 at 2:05 AM.
Andy Reid was top class tonight really showed his passing ability. I thought that Joey O Brien was a close second for man of the match. His reading of the game was top class and considering he was played out of position it was an immense performance.
Robbie Keane and Kevin Doyle were poor and Keane should really have scored that goal. Long should have been on earlier for either one of them.
All in a nothing match really.
In Trap we trust
Well Andy Reid should from now on be one of the first names on the teamsheet. He's the only player in midfield than can pass the ball and be creative with it. Hopefully get Duff back for the WC qualifiers.
McGeady was good when he came on. The makings of an excellent player is there. It's his decision making that lets him down IMO.
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