Ireland Vs Bulgaria

redspider

I watched the match later on TV3 and I can categorically say that Duff was NOT man of the match. The adjudicators got it right and it was Reid. Andy Townsend says he needs to lose a bit more puppy fat, which he seems to be doing. I am surpirsed by Reid's talent and skill tbh. Where has he been lurking these past few years? In the premiership he may find it harder, but for now he excels in Ireland games.

Now to the others. Duff needed this game and he played ok. No magic creation but quite good all the same, but probably not enough to impress Mourinho and irradicate those "mental" problems. Thats worrying from an Irish perspective as his game in Sept is likely to still be affected.

Kenny Cunningham was probably just behind Reid for MotM. Another exemplary display and providing great recovery for Doherty's inevitable mistakes. Doherty has to go I think.

Keane was by and large absent in most moves and didnt get stuck in at all really. He was a passenger. If it was any other player people would be giving out about him. For those that were saying that he was a God, is better than the other 10 Irish players put together, etc, etc - please wake up now and smell that coffee!

Yes, Keane was missed - Robbie Keane - the real missing player in Irelands lineout.

Miller was more lively that Roy but also more or less just going through the motions rather than playing his heart out.

Morrison was ok and was unlucky not to get a good touch on the cross-back from Carr. He is no Ruud van N.

Kilbane was Kilbane, tirelessly running into dead ends, getting some headers in but not a top-class international in my books but should be ok for a sub.

Neither Finnan nor O'Shea were outstanding. Given was solid for what he had to do and could not be blamed for the goal, which was just a snap shot in the penalty box from an 18 yr old (hence the histrionics).

My feeling from the match is that most of the players were going through the motions, not really playing this like a do or die match and really treating it like a practice match - which at the end of the day it was. The few players that took it seriously it would seem were Andy Reid, Duffer and Cunningham. The 3x Man U lads were just having a jolly.

The proper matches should see a different Irish approach, but Robbie Keane is needed.

jesus_thats_gre

Davey Devil wrote:

I didn't see the match. Were you two watching the same game, who's talking crap?

He didnt produce the same end product but he was giving it socks the whole game, far more than the mojority of other on the pitch.. Reid had a decent match but done very little other than score an accidental free kick and one decent effort into the side netting.

However, Keane was brutal. He must have made 2/3 decent challeneges the whole match. He sat is left back from period when at the time it was the quietest position on the pitch. Had endless passes intercepted. He basically looked like he was told to take it easy by a certain someone..

eyerer

yeah pretty poor game
interestingly i saw breen and thought basically that he shouldn't be playing anything more than a subs role, he was crap, but in all his wisdom andy townsend reckons breen should partner cunningham
i think duff just lacked match sharpness, this is the first game hes played in ages isn't it?
unless he played in pre-season
definately want robbie back asap, he may try to dribble too much, not pass etc. but hes by far the best forward we've got

eirebhoy

eyerer wrote:

i think duff just lacked match sharpness, this is the first game hes played in ages isn't it?

Its his first full match since injury. He started the Zola tribute match but got taken off at h/t.

As for Keane, he should be back for the Swizz match. If he was a Sunday league player he'd most likely be back playing this Sunday.

"I am a bit, the treatment I've been getting has been good and I usually come back a bit quicker than expected," considered Robbie. "I'm lucky enough to have been running and kicking a ball - normally when you've had ligament damage, kicking a ball is the hardest.

"I should soon start twisting and turning and, hopefully, I'll be back in a couple of weeks. There is no pain at all, it just gets a bit stiff until I start running and then everything is fine.

"It is a lot better than I expected it to be when it first happened, I thought it was going to be a lot worse. It is going well and I'm pleased with how things are going."

kilkennycat2004

Pretty poor fare at Lansdowne last nite. Especially travelling from Waterford to same.
Still I suppose these games are just to get people used to playing together. Really Morrison is diabolical as a front man. I mean how many chances will you get in competitive games & this was again just in a friendly.
John o Shea has still not recovered from the display in Basel. Fancies himself on the ball but safer to revert to Kenny Cunningham mode for now.
Steve Finnan very unsure. Did he get past half way all nite.
Liam Miller settling well. Roy keane fairly keen, pardon the pun, when on.
Macken well probably no worse than what we have already.
The first 11 should be competitive & with france & the Swiss seemingly on a downward slide maybe Germany beckons on 2006

thejollyrodger

hopefully the match last night will get Duff playing regularly for Chelsea. Andy Reid gets playing in the priemership. Robbie Keane returns to full fitness and is back to his goal scoring ways. Clinton works on his assit. Roy Keane is a lot more motivated and Ireland play like they actually want to win !! Then maybe we have a good enough chance to go to Germany. 18 years later (Euro 88) we come around full cycle

jesus_thats_gre

After seeing highlights I now agree that Duff was not man of the match..

StickyMcGinty

i think the ireand team looks VERY solid with keane in it, take him out and its like jenga.... it all falls apart. i've my cyprus ticket anyway, hope we do the biz!

Ping Chow Chi

redspider wrote:

I watched the match later on TV3 and I can categorically say that Duff was NOT man of the match. The adjudicators got it right and it was Reid. Andy Townsend says he needs to lose a bit more puppy fat, which he seems to be doing. I am surpirsed by Reid's talent and skill tbh. Where has he been lurking these past few years? In the premiership he may find it harder, but for now he excels in Ireland games.

Plently of people here have been saying that Reid was quality for over a season now

G

redspider wrote:

My feeling from the match is that most of the players were going through the motions, not really playing this like a do or die match and really treating it like a practice match - which at the end of the day it was. The few players that took it seriously it would seem were Andy Reid, Duffer and Cunningham. The 3x Man U lads were just having a jolly.

The proper matches should see a different Irish approach, but Robbie Keane is needed.

Exactly, Keane needs to be seen to chip in for the friendlies and not just the important games. Too risky for a lot of the players to go at it hammer and tongs. Andy Reid knew Curbishley was in the crowd and Duff needs some football. I was dissapointed Kerr didnt experiment a bit more with the subs.

eirebhoy

G wrote:

I was dissapointed Kerr didnt experiment a bit more with the subs.

He had loads of time to experiment and he now knows the team he wants to play against Cyprus so it was only a matter of letting them play together and get used to each others game.

Dewey

eirebhoy wrote:

.

Dewey, Duff up front is tried, tested and failed.

.

I know Eire, but i think the team will do better with a midfeild of Miller/Barrett.....Keane....Holland....Reid and the strike force of Duff and Keane up front.

I just think Morrison isnt good enough at the moment, he cant score but does work very hard. Plus if you play Duff on the left like you said, where does Reid play?? i think Reid has been brilliant since he came into the Ireland side last November and i would start him on the left against Cypus.

eirebhoy

Dewey wrote:

Plus if you play Duff on the left like you said, where does Reid play??

I think Reid would be a better option than Duff up front but I'd still prefer the Morrison/Macken-Keane partnership for the time being. Reid on the right of midfield in that case and drop Miller.

Big Ears

Barret could play up front instead of Morrison and Reid could play behind him , or a free role in a 4-5-1 formation of course Robbie is our first choice striker and he would be the one up front instead of Barret when he's fit again .

Is Robbie fit for the Cyprus game ?

Big Ears

eirebhoy wrote:

I think Reid would be a better option than Duff up front but I'd still prefer the Morrison/Macken-Keane partnership for the time being. Reid on the right of midfield in that case and drop Miller.

beat me to it , but I forgot that Maken is another option .
He would also be better than Morrsion at knocking headers on for Robbie to run on to , rather than Morrsions header the ball to control it , because he cant reach the ball with his chest because of his size .

redspider

Ping Chow Chi wrote:

Plently of people here have been saying that Reid was quality for over a season now

I thought he was a bit older, but I see he's only 22. I've seen him knocking about too but only the last two seasons or so. He is at Forest but did he come straight from Cherry Orchard as an 18 yr old or was he much younger than that?


Here's a profile:

The young Irishman has emerged in the 2000/01 season as a player with a big future ahead of him. Scored on his debut against Sheffield United and notched another against Huddersfield a couple of weeks later. He can operate as an orthodox left-winger or out-and-out attacker and is a player of tremendous skill and balance.

Position: Left-winger/striker

Squad number: 14

Born: Dublin – 29/7/82

Height: 5’ 7”

Previous clubs: Cherry Orchard

Dub13

Duff is one of if not the best left wingers in the world,it would be a sin to play him up front he has to play on the left.

Pigman II

Typical rubbish from Ireland under Kerr. I think we've established by now that we have a semi-decent first-XI but were sunk if we have to call on the likes of Donkerty, Quinn etc.

Also Reid wasn't 'wonderful' as most of the press/public seemed to think. He scored a goal that was meant to be a pass and he got pushed off the ball too easily and many times for my liking. Seems all you have to do is score a jammy goal and play a few pretty passes that come to nothing and you're the new Liam Brady!

Keane was good defensively but he was giving the ball away too many time during his rare attempts at a forward pass.

Carr should be dropped. Yes I'm probably the only person in this country to think that but whilst Finnan is never spectacular he more dependable at RB IMHO.

Morrison made a bad tactical choice by not subbing himself after 12 minutes and Duff is more useful on the bench than at CF.

Miller is finally showing his potential i.e. none.

The only players for me who come out of that game with any credit were Skillbane, and Cunningham.

eirebhoy

Pigman, I'm beginning to doubt if you're actually Irish.

Pigman II

Well I know I'll never be a credit to my county like the likes of Jon Macken .... but I try my best.