Republic of Ireland V Turkey, Italy, Costa Rica & Portugal - May/June 2014

[gastric]

Jeez, this thread needs a health warning at the moment. Just off to take a lot of Prozac!

[DannyInvincible]

I didn't think it was that bad, to be honest. At least, it wasn't all negative and we looked like we were trying to do something to score. Fair enough, it didn't quite gel or work out on many occasions but we had the ball in Turkey's half for a lot of it and tested their keeper on numerous occasions. As Charlie says, we didn't look out-of-place at all, nor were we over-run. Things will improve and hopefully we can be a bit more clinical with the players spending more time working together. Walters' goal was a lovely finish in spite of the terrible defending by his man; how he didn't realise Walters was always going to have to turn back in on his right to shoot, I don't know. The goals we conceded were as a result of disorganisation, so definitely something to work on at that end for the management team.

[DannyInvincible]

Something's not right in the set up for me, Keanes body language says to me he isn't happy with MON bring one if his sidekicks in.

Roy would look that way anyway. I think you're trying to read into things that require no reading into.

[NeverFeltBetter]

See, I know its inevitable that people will conjure up a rift between MON and Keane at some point (because who doesn't love to stir), I'd just rather it waited until a few competitive games.

[tricky_colour]

Lack of any atmosphere made it a difficult game to watch, the defence needs working on, don't think Alan Hanson would have
been impressed with the it, particularly for the second goal, would have been hard to draw a line through the back four,
unless it was a circular one.

[Charlie Darwin]

Wasn't that long ago, we were all praising Mr Trappatoni.

Something's not right in the set up for me, Keanes body language says to me he isn't happy with MON bring one if his sidekicks in.

On a positive side we have plenty of time before the big games and we can bring in the likes of Dunne , SSL and Keane to cope with the better sides.

When were people, apart from you, praising Trapattoni? (Having worked under him for 5 years, you'd think you'd have learned to spell his name by now.)

The team are obviously adapting to a more positive style of football. The defensive vulnerabilities remain, but there is a clear positive vibe in the replacement of old school defenders like Dunne with ball players like Delaney and Wilson. They'll make mistakes but Turkey's defenders made more mistakes, but unfortunately our strikers weren't as clinical as they were. I wouldn't worry too much, Sean, if you get a contract at a decent Championship side next season and are playing football I'm sure you'll be in the loop.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Just in, fairly ropey all round.
Walters took his goal well, otherwise not great cause for optimism. Not so much pessimism either.

[Stuttgart88]

That's the most uplifting post yet.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Well, refreshment had been taken. The goal aside, no great positives to recall. Just extremely ordinary.

[IsMiseSean]

Anyone know which TV station are covering the Costa Rica friendly?
Setanta have the Italy & Portugal games but no mention on Costa Rica.

[geysir]

Well, refreshment had been taken. The goal aside, no great positives to recall. Just extremely ordinary.

Yes AB, but your reported "Not so much pessimism" is a paradigm shift regardless of your inebriation levels and therefore your post could be interpreted as an uplifting statement.

I'd generally agree, but I'm not looking for an immediate shift in our fortunes on the football field, we still have the same players and all the baggage that goes with that. But there's evidence that MON is looking for us to play a game, that for years most wanted Ireland to play. That's enough for me at this stage.

Not much point in berating players for not being better than they are, or howling at the moon because we don't have more quality players, but we can have plenty opinions on how they are organised to play.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Well, yeah. No-one should dispute that.
For me though, less about the system, but who actually plays, at times.

[tetsujin1979]

Anyone know which TV station are covering the Costa Rica friendly?
Setanta have the Italy & Portugal games but no mention on Costa Rica.

no mention here - http://www.live-footballontv.com/ - which is fairly reliable for football listings.
I had looked into going over to New York for a week, but flights at that time of year are abysmally priced (not a real fan, cost is no object to true fans, every member who's ever registered on ybig is going, etc, and so forth)

[ArdeeBhoy]

Only know of 2 people going from this side of the pond, cheer up tets...

[Stuttgart88]

At least we have Brady, Keane, Gibson, McCarthy, Dunne even, and one or two others still to come into contention.

I thought Whelan could have cost us goals twice in the first 5 minutes. He is clinging to his place now. I was also aghast at how often our players mis-weighted simple enough passes. There were some good bits alright and the defensive errors can be worked on, but I'd still like to see an Irish XI looking cohesive from back to front throughout the game. Even two bit number 4 and 5 seeds can do it at times. I think I might be waiting a while.

[Yard of Pace]

I thought Whelan could have cost us goals twice in the first 5 minutes. He is clinging to his place now..

But was showered with praise by Stoke fans all season. He's the most curious player I've seen for Ireland. Over 50 caps and he's only 30 and I think he's absolutely useless every time he plays.

[Stuttgart88]

I'm a charitable guy and like to look for the good in people. I can see that he is talented and has a nice touch, a decent range of passing and is actually the type of player that we haven't created enough of over the years. But he exasperates me. Our midfield problems began long before he became a regular, but he has done nothing to alleviate them. God, to think we used to berate Matt Hollland!

[Bungle]

At least we have Brady, Keane, Gibson, McCarthy, Dunne even, and one or two others still to come into contention.

I thought Whelan could have cost us goals twice in the first 5 minutes. He is clinging to his place now. I was also aghast at how often our players mis-weighted simple enough passes. There were some good bits alright and the defensive errors can be worked on, but I'd still like to see an Irish XI looking cohesive from back to front throughout the game. Even two bit number 4 and 5 seeds can do it at times. I think I might be waiting a while.

Fully agree with all of that. It's shocking the lack of concentration and ability of some of our players on the ball. The most basic skills of football seem to be missing, yet they are all millionaires a few times over!
While I hate the way alot of the public have turned their back on the team and many view our players as joke figures which really annoys me when they are clearly giving it 100% for our country, it does get harder and harder to defend the lack of the basics.

We may well be 5th seeds for the next draw if we don't start putting together some results which is absolutely frightening. A few good results from the next 4 friendlies and a good start to the next campaign and we might be third seeds (I'm a glass half full kind of guy!!). We probably need to pretty much win all of our games to be second seeds or do something like beat the Germans.

[the doc]

At least we have Brady, Keane, Gibson, McCarthy, Dunne even, and one or two others still to come into contention.

I thought Whelan could have cost us goals twice in the first 5 minutes. He is clinging to his place now. I was also aghast at how often our players mis-weighted simple enough passes. There were some good bits alright and the defensive errors can be worked on, but I'd still like to see an Irish XI looking cohesive from back to front throughout the game. Even two bit number 4 and 5 seeds can do it at times. I think I might be waiting a while.

Ah hmm,

Haven't you forgot someone?

[Stuttgart88]

Is that true about WC seeding?