Norway V Republic of Ireland - Wednesday, 20th August 2008 - Friendly

**beepbeep** · 21/08/2008, 10:17 AM

Originally Posted by blobbyblob

Hope I dont upset anyone here but this question is legit -

Would it be fair to say that Robbie Keane doesn't do partnerships at international and as a result his own goal rate is so high but Irelands success has suffered as a result?

eh?

yea he plays with berbatov and torres on a weekly basis, but then shuts down when it comes to representing his country as captain with kevin doyle!

**beepbeep** · 21/08/2008, 10:18 AM

Originally Posted by Duggie

dont think kilbane is to blame for the goal. it was kiely's fault. the ball came to quickly at kilbane for him to react it seemed.

always expect the unexpected.......ah no, i agree 100%, he wasnt to blame.

**Uncle_Joe** · 21/08/2008, 10:28 AM

brief highlights here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KpznInpkGo

**NeilMcD** · 21/08/2008, 10:38 AM

Originally Posted by blobbyblob

Hope I dont upset anyone here but this question is legit -

Would it be fair to say that Robbie Keane doesn't do partnerships at international and as a result his own goal rate is so high but Irelands success has suffered as a result?

I love it. So before Keane was given out to for not getting goals and then he gets a few he is now at fault for other people not getting goals.

Can we get one thing straight, if there is a problem in the Irish team it is not with Robbie Keane.

**Duggie** · 21/08/2008, 10:40 AM

without robbie keane were screwed

**ken foree** · 21/08/2008, 10:46 AM

Originally Posted by Uncle_Joe

brief highlights here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KpznInpkGo

cheers

**Junior** · 21/08/2008, 11:21 AM

Originally Posted by NeilMcD

. There is certainly a view out there amongst the more rural fans .....

hahah just spit it out Neil...

**NeilMcD** · 21/08/2008, 11:28 AM

Spit what out.

**Junior** · 21/08/2008, 11:30 AM

Never mind.

**irishultra** · 21/08/2008, 11:32 AM

Anyone see Sky Sports talking about the Irish team?

**OwlsFan** · 21/08/2008, 11:42 AM

Originally Posted by irishultra

Anyone see Sky Sports talking about the Irish team?

No, and who cares what they, Giles or any other pundit says? Make your own mind up.

I have no doubt that Kilbane is being played primarily for his height in what is otherwise a smallish team.

Main positives from last night:

(a) S. Reid.
(b) We didn't get beaten
(c) Played some very nice football in 1st half (2nd a lottery - forget it).
(d) Duff and Given back and playing well.

Negatives

None really. Whelan and McGeady played pretty much as I thought they would. Not terribily effective. O'Shea did ok apart from one near catastrophe. Doyle needs a goal or two at any level.

Onwards and upwards.

**Calcio Jack** · 21/08/2008, 11:45 AM

Originally Posted by OwlsFan

No, and who cares what they, Giles or any other pundit says? Make your own mind up.

I have no doubt that Kilbane is being played primarily for his height in what is otherwise a smallish team.

Main positives from last night:

(a) S. Reid.
(b) We didn't get beaten
(c) Played some very nice football in 1st half (2nd a lottery - forget it).
(d) Duff and Given back and playing well.

Negatives

None really. Whelan and McGeady played pretty much as I thought they would. Not terribily effective. O'Shea did ok apart from one near catastrophe. Doyle needs a goal or two at any level.

Onwards and upwards.

Who cares what you say I'll make up my own mind

**carloz** · 21/08/2008, 11:47 AM

Glen Whelan - 4 - Passanger, when the midfield gave the ball away 90% of the time it was him. When he was on the ball all he did was safe options of linking up play. He'll never be behind any good play and seemed to accept that and was doing his best to merely hold on his own

Thinks thats a stupid mark to give Whealan. I thought he played very well, particularly in the second half in the horrible conditions. He goes through a lo of the donkey work that often never gets appreciated. I was very impressed with his partnership with Reid and think it has good potential for the future. Plus it adds much needed bite to our midfield

**Wheels** · 21/08/2008, 12:06 PM

Originally Posted by Uncle_Joe

brief highlights here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KpznInpkGo

Thanks Joe. Interesting to see it all from the opposite side of the pitch.

So that was the highlights that the Italians saw? I like the way they cut out almost ALL of the Irish play... none of our good passing was shown. That just means they'll be all the more surprised when we play them off the park

**Kingdom** · 21/08/2008, 12:34 PM

Originally Posted by carloz

Thinks thats a stupid mark to give Whealan. I thought he played very well, particularly in the second half in the horrible conditions. He goes through a lo of the donkey work that often never gets appreciated. I was very impressed with his partnership with Reid and think it has good potential for the future. Plus it adds much needed bite to our midfield

what I noticed about Glenn last night was the amount of one touch passes he gave during the spell of about 30 mins where we absolutely dominated play in the first half. Someone referred to him doing a "Carsley with hair!" job last night. Not at all. He constantly switched play in an instant. He probed the full backs and was always available for the pass. He'd a good game and in my mind I believe he has guarenteed himself a start against Georgia.

**Kingdom** · 21/08/2008, 12:35 PM

Originally Posted by OwlsFan

No, and who cares what they, Giles or any other pundit says? Make your own mind up.

I have no doubt that Kilbane is being played primarily for his height in what is otherwise a smallish team.

Main positives from last night:

(a) S. Reid.
(b) We didn't get beaten
(c) Played some very nice football in 1st half (2nd a lottery - forget it).
(d) Duff and Given back and playing well.

Negatives

None really. Whelan and McGeady played pretty much as I thought they would. Not terribily effective. O'Shea did ok apart from one near catastrophe. Doyle needs a goal or two at any level.

Onwards and upwards.

Owlsfan some good points there. i think delaney is just as tall as Killer, and in mind a better option as full back.

**NeilMcD** · 21/08/2008, 12:56 PM

Delaney is the tallest player in the squad as far as I can see. I have a very good team photo that I took against Coloumbia and there was nobody taller than him there.

**shakermaker1982** · 21/08/2008, 1:00 PM

Originally Posted by Kingdom

what I noticed about Glenn last night was the amount of one touch passes he gave during the spell of about 30 mins where we absolutely dominated play in the first half. Someone referred to him doing a "Carsley with hair!" job last night. Not at all. He constantly switched play in an instant. He probed the full backs and was always available for the pass. He'd a good game and in my mind I believe he has guarenteed himself a start against Georgia.

He didn't do anything but pass the ball backwards or sideways in the first half. One touch passing back to Dunne is not going to achieve anything. Norway didn't even press us last night in our own half so no wonder our defence passed the ball around with a little more confidence. Second half he got stuck in and played ok but he didn't impress me that much in the first half.

**Noelys Guitar** · 21/08/2008, 1:08 PM

This might be stating the obvious but we have to stop Georgia and Montenegro from scoring in the next two games. Offer them nothing. The way we played for the last 30 mins of the first half suggests we can now do that. If we can cut out the O'Shea/Kiely/Kilbane type blunders from last night then we will win our next 3 games. I fancy Keane to score in every game now for Ireland. Given won't make a mistake like Kiely's last night. I would consider playing Delaney instead of Kilbane (Delaney better distribution). And I would take O'Shea to one side and tell him to get a grip and play to his potential.