Republic of Ireland V Serbia - Saturday, 24th May 2008 - Friendly

[mark12345]

Finding a partner for Dunne (shakermaker1982). I agree McShane is not up to it. I've said it all along and nothing has changed my opinion - Steven Reid is the best man to partner Dunne. I know he's a midfielder and it would mean him playing out of position, but it has to be done. Reid has the mobility to make up for Dunne's lack of it and has the aggressive nature required to frighten defenders.

There's simply no one on the horizon among the defenders we have so we're going to have to manufacture one, and Reid is the man!

[irishfan86]

He always seems to give defences a handful, but he desperately needs to start bulking up. He gets bullied and pushed off the ball far too easily.

I watched most of Reading's games this past season, and I'd disagree with you. If anything he gets called for a lot of fouls for barging into defenders.

He wouldn't knock Richie Dunne down, but I've seen him barge over a number of fullbacks.

[kingdom hoop]

Haven't read through the thread as too tired. To keep things simple and draw attention to myself, the highlight of my night was me quick-wittedly saying "ah lads ye'll miss a goal" to the people walking out with five minutes to go. And sure enough, they missed a goal!

Keep the faith!

[mypost]

Problem with that is the Hill is usually for away fans

How many Cypriots are coming in October??

I take it that, as a defensive-orientated boss, McShane won't be making more appearances, if goals continue to be given away from balls sailing over his head.

[Lionel Ritchie]

Inclined to think McShane is getting an OTT pasting now. As Tets pointed out -he made two mistakes -in an end of season friendly ...and one of those, the one for the goal, was compounded by Delaney who was playing the Serbian boy on despite having the clearest view of the line. A little more communication and that's sorted. Hardly a banishment offence in any event.

More concerned that too much of what creativity we have, crosses in, goalscoring opportunities and general attacking play involve Duffer which, given his tendency to spend half a season on the treatment table, makes us hostages to fortune when the real shooting war starts.

Set pieces need work too -though our goal had the pleasing look of something that had been practiced about it.

Can't wait to get out of headquarters.

[shakermaker1982]

Lionel - McShane is like Titus Bramble in his pomp, he seems to make at least one mistake a game which always results in a goal. To play the offside trap like that was suicidal. You might try those things if you've worked with your other 3 defenders most of your playing career i.e. Arsenal in the 90s and you have some kind of telepathic relationship going on but not with an untried back 4 that has never played together in its whole life!!!

[Razors left peg]

Finding a partner for Dunne (shakermaker1982). I agree McShane is not up to it. I've said it all along and nothing has changed my opinion - Steven Reid is the best man to partner Dunne. I know he's a midfielder and it would mean him playing out of position, but it has to be done. Reid has the mobility to make up for Dunne's lack of it and has the aggressive nature required to frighten defenders.

There's simply no one on the horizon among the defenders we have so we're going to have to manufacture one, and Reid is the man!

Thats a ridiculous post.First of all ,Dunne very moblie and doesnt need help there, people see his size and just automatically assume he is slow and he is far from it, and Secondly Steven Reid has never played Center half in professional football so to start him there at international level would be stupid, especially considering how good a central midfielder he is and how vital he could be to us in the qualifiers in that position. If we had any midfielder that could be converted to a defender it would be Joey O Brien, he did well there against Germany, but unless he plays in that position regularly for his club we shouldnt even consider him there

[Stuttgart88]

Boring game, very disjointed performance. That wasn't football we played, it was just a sequence of discontinuous long punts from defence up the field that invariably resulted in lost possession. Sometimes by chance we'd retain possession in the last third where Duff was erratic in his delivery, but decent at taking on his man.

I've said a hundred times that this'd be a decent team if we had a decent central midfield. It has to be remembered that this is a long way from our best midfield pairing. We have better options.

Once I heard the team I thought Miller & Whelan would struggle to get a grip against taller, more athletic and probably more technical players. It was hard to tell on TV but I felt neither showed for the defenders, leaving Dunne to play it long all the time and invariably inaccurately. I'd like to see Whelan again - I've always liked him as a player - but Miller never again. Miller's passing was very poor and he has no physical presence.

This time last year Potter impressed by doing the simple things. Why can't anyone else look to do the same?

Great to see Kiely back, just the presence we need. Delaney impressed me too. Just look what happens when Keogh, a forward, is played as, eh, a forward. Long looked lively and athletic and Murphy added something. Doyle was off the pace but he's had a long tough season and, yet again, it's hard to fault either Robbie or him because the service was so shocking. Nevertheless his place is becoming very much under pressure.

Hunt had a very poor game.

I still have a feeling that playing some form of 3 man midfield may be Trap's favoured "solution" in the near to medium term.

[finnpark]

Was very impressed with Delaney

Defence wise he was rubbish imo. Hes another McShane waiting to happen. Very inexperienced and doesn't seem to have the quality for this level at all. Did well going forward but its defenders we want not strikers

My thoughts:
1. From the first game he played I knew McShane was rubbish
2. Delaney is rubbish.
3. Kelly is better but not much.
4. O'Shea and Kilbane should be in the defence 1st choice.
5. Robbie Keane should be dropped, Murphy is better than both Doyle and Keane.
6. Duff is rubbish at club level but always puts in a good effort at international level.

Will this team qualify for anything: Not a chance

[Razors left peg]

Boring game, very disjointed performance. That wasn't football we played, it was just a sequence of discontinuous long punts from defence up the field that invariably resulted in lost possession. Sometimes by chance we'd retain possession in the last third where Duff was erratic in his delivery, but decent at taking on his man.

I've said a hundred times that this'd be a decent team if we had a decent central midfield. It has to be remembered that this is a long way from our best midfield pairing. We have better options.

Once I heard the team I thought Miller & Whelan would struggle to get a grip against taller, more athletic and probably more technical players. It was hard to tell on TV but I felt neither showed for the defenders, leaving Dunne to play it long all the time and invariably inaccurately. I'd like to see Whelan again - I've always liked him as a player - but Miller never again. Miller's passing was very poor and he has no physical presence.

This time last year Potter impressed by doing the simple things. Why can't anyone else look to do the same?

Great to see Kiely back, just the presence we need. Delaney impressed me too. Just look what happens when Keogh, a forward, is played as, eh, a forward. Long looked lively and athletic and Murphy added something. Doyle was off the pace but he's had a long tough season and, yet again, it's hard to fault either Robbie or him because the service was so shocking. Nevertheless his place is becoming very much under pressure.

Hunt had a very poor game.

I still have a feeling that playing some form of 3 man midfield may be Trap's favoured "solution" in the near to medium term.

Sums my feelings up on the game pefectly

[Razors left peg]

Defence wise he was rubbish imo. Hes another McShane waiting to happen. Very inexperienced and doesn't seem to have the quality for this level at all. Did well going forward but its defenders we want not strikers

My thoughts:
1. From the first game he played I knew McShane was rubbish
2. Delaney is rubbish.
3. Kelly is better but not much.
4. O'Shea and Kilbane should be in the defence 1st choice.
5. Robbie Keane should be dropped, Murphy is better than both Doyle and Keane.
6. Duff is rubbish at club level but always puts in a good effort at international level.

Will this team qualify for anything: Not a chance

yeah Murphy has proved he is better than Keane with all those goals he has gotten at club and international level

[finnpark]

yeah Murphy has proved he is better than Keane with all those goals he has gotten at club and international level

How many of those were penalties and standing in the 6 yard box. His performances for Ireland over the past 2 years have been a disgrace. If you don't agree with that then you don't have a clue. He should not be playing and definitely shouldn't be captain. Put him on the plane back to Las Vegas

[Razors left peg]

How many of those were penalties and standing in the 6 yard box. His performances for Ireland over the past 2 years have been a disgrace. If you don't agree with that then you don't have a clue. He should not be playing and definitely shouldn't be captain. Put him on the plane back to Las Vegas

First of all he has stated that he definately wasnt anywhere near Las Vegas. His performances in the Premiership for the last 2 seasons have been outstanding and while he hasnt been great for us neither have many of the players, but in Keanes case that has been down to the manager not being strong enough to tell Keane to stop roaming all over the pitch and just concentrate on the last third.Robbies biggest problem for us is that he has been working too hard in the wrong areas, but he could never be accused of lack of effort.Too suggest that Murphy is a better player than him shows that you are the one that doesnt have a clue mate

[jebus]

There was a noticeable improvement in how to keep the ball as opposed to the Brazil game. I know different class of opposition and all, but in the Brazil game it really looked like a bunch of u-10s playing with a ball down a park. They had no shape, no direction and clue waht to do when they actually got on the ball. Last night they had shape, kept the ball better (still not great mind), and actually seemed to have a game plan (attack the wings), that to me is an improvement.

Individually I think if Whelan can do as well as he did last night in the next few games he will be a fully fledged squad member. McShane's confidence is shot, and he could do with going back to the Championship and re-establishing himself at a club like Wednesday or Wolves. It's good to have Kiely back, Duff did well, but needs to cut out the diving, Delaney looked handy, and I'm still not convinced by the Keane/Doyle partnership.

If I were Trap I'd hope to God I can get a fit Steven Reid on the pitch, tell Andy O'Brien he'll get a run as Dunne's partner, pplay O'Shea and Delaney as full backs, play Andy Reid alongside a hopefully fit Steven Reid, put McGeady and Duff out the wings, give Scannall a start in these friendlies, and I'd recall Clinton Morrison

[irishultra]

How many of those were penalties and standing in the 6 yard box. His performances for Ireland over the past 2 years have been a disgrace. If you don't agree with that then you don't have a clue. He should not be playing and definitely shouldn't be captain. Put him on the plane back to Las Vegas

Robbie Keane standing in the 6 yard box?

[Razors left peg]

Robbie Keane standing in the 6 yard box?

If only!!!!

[Tipp Townie]

Trap,Tardelli and Brady were great when the goal went in! That was great to see.

I missed it yesterday, and i've been trying to find some youtube footage of the match, mainly for the equaliser and reaction of course.. Can anyone sort me out with a link?

[brine3]

I think Brady might have even broken into a smile.

[shakermaker1982]

5. Robbie Keane should be dropped, Murphy is better than both Doyle and Keane.

Drop our best player and the only guy who has shone consistently in the PL all season? I know he has not been firing on all cylinders (for us) for a while now but he cannot do anything with the ball if he doesn't have it. All he got last night was long punts into the corners to chase, sure I could run after them kind of balls and you wouldn't notice the difference. It's a waste of the guys ability. Ronaldo, Kaka and co would all look average if they never received the ball. Murphy is a decent squad player and nothing more.

[Greenforever]

How many of those were penalties and standing in the 6 yard box. His performances for Ireland over the past 2 years have been a disgrace. If you don't agree with that then you don't have a clue. He should not be playing and definitely shouldn't be captain. Put him on the plane back to Las Vegas

Do goals in the 6 yard box only count as half

0.4 goals per game in the premiership and for Ireland is about as good as it gets, unless your name is Ronaldo