Ireland vs. Slovakia

leninbenjamin

my God we lacked composure in the second half... wth was the deal with Quinn? surely Miller would have been a better option to have.

THank God we won though, second half was hairy. given didn't know anything about that last real chance Slovakia had.

1st half was very positive though, hope we can play like that again. We really need another decent centre midfielder though, Kilbane was much better than Saturday but he's not a natural centre mid and gets drawn out of position easily. I can't wait til Steven Reid returns

mike65

Jasus somone shut Dunphy up! He's effusive.

Mike.

cson

eirebhoy wrote:

We'll win. Plenty of value in the bookies odds.

Absolutely fantastic value in that bet eirebhoy!

Fanny Cradock

TheJesusWarrant wrote:

Stan has been forgiven by all on radio 1, it's almost as if the trashing from Cyprus never happened.

Bestest Manager EVER!

That's the first Ireland game (bar parts of the second half) I've enjoyed in many a month.

Jonny Arson

Ah the delusion is immense!

Ireland were better than Saturday but still oh so meh.... basics done better, bit more heart from the players (all like after the Czech match when the pressure was on and then came San marino) but there's still no substance in this Irish team and they are still going nowhere under Staunton.

darkman2

I think what this game showed was the cracking young talent coming through. Doyle, Hunt and Long will all be very good players when they mature a bit more. Good game, good performance.

BTW In my honest opinion Keane should be second to Doyle in selection and I hope Long gives him some competition too. Maybe that way Keane will take his head out of his arse.

Limerick Dude

Jonny Arson wrote:

Ah the delusion is immense!

Ireland were better than Saturday but still oh so meh.... basics done better, bit more heart from the players (all like after the Czech match when the pressure was on and then came San marino) but there's still no substance in this Irish team and they are still going nowhere under Staunton.

I think you just quoted Dunphy :rolleyes:

Limerick Dude

darkman2 wrote:

I think what this game showed was the cracking young talent coming through. Doyle, Hunt and Long will all be very good players when they mature a bit more. Good game, good performance.

BTW In my honest opinion Keane should be second to Doyle in selection and I hope Long gives him some competition too. Maybe that way Keane will take his head out of his arse.

I couldnt agree more about Robbie Keane, but I doubt Staunton has the balls, anywho he is our "captain" for crying out loud!

eirebhoy

Delighted.

Duff was magnificient in the first half. Again he set up the goal.
Doyle showed how to play the lone striker role, fantastic game.
McGeady had a very poor game. He's a nervous wreck. I think the few friendlies in the summer will do him the world of good.

We're back in the hunt anyway.

chump

darkman2 wrote:

I think what this game showed was the cracking young talent coming through. Doyle, Hunt and Long will all be very good players when they mature a bit more. Good game, good performance.

BTW In my honest opinion Keane should be second to Doyle in selection and I hope Long gives him some competition too. Maybe that way Keane will take his head out of his arse.

if anything this will give keane a good kick up the ass. was at the game - was good craic, I was a bit disappointed with the 2nd half though. Total defensive stuff. A bit more positivity in the middle of the park and we'd be flying. I honestly think we have some quality young guns in there, and our defense isn't half bad.

Dave!

Great match to watch for a change. Played really well in the first half, very composed, linked up quite well. Let is slip a bit and got panicky in the second half (hoofing the ball up the pitch, etc). As the panel were saying after the match, the performance makes me quite optimistic about the future for the team. Lots of young talent.

The defence was great, McShane played his little heart out as usual... Finnan was good, Dunne was a rock, O Shea was pretty consistent. Duffer as usual was great on the wing. He always sends in those chips to the far post, and there was nobody there for any bar one! Kilbane was sh*te, somebody should tell him not to shoot.... I was shouting it at the telly all night, but apparantly he wasn't listening :rolleyes: Doyle was very impressive, and scored a quality header. Dunno how he twisted his body around the defender, lol, but it was pretty sweet.

Overall fairly happy with the performance! The gaffuh has dodged the bullet again! Now he's likely to be in the job until September anyway.

GuanYin

Lots of positives, lots of negatives.

Certainly Hunt looks a good prospect and he and Long and Doyle may link up very well (I've always liked players from the same club in a team).

Positives:

Duff looked, for 45 minutes, the player of old. Some of his play was breathtaking.

Our defence has matured and played very very well. I think Dunne has matured into a fine player and do hope he has the ambition to go to a more successful club. McShane looks a good prospect too - still unsure at times but his tackling tonight was, at times, magnificent.

Doyle is a goal scorer - I think he has the ruthlessness that Connolly always had, but he has far more to his game. I think we finally have an old fashioned centre forward again.

The team itself looked more cohesive, played football and believed in each other.

Given is still one of the best keepers out there.

Negatives:

Duff look like the player of recent for the second 45 minutes. He was barely involved in the second half.

Staunton still hasn't found his best 11. It's been far too long now for this to be the case.

Kilbane is a work horse, he's been a great servant but his time has come and gone.

We still go missing in the latter stages of games. The Irish team, for as long as I can remember, tends to sit back and let the opposition come at them for the last 20 minutes. This is just inviting a goal.

We're still not keeping possession well.


Controversial thought of the day.

Do we play better without Keane? He is certainly one of the biggest culprits in giving the ball away needlessly and not looking up or taking simple, clever passing options.

cson

More food for thought..... If you swapped Keane for Doyle would he have scored like Doyle did?

Call Me Jimmy

cson wrote:

More food for thought..... If you swapped Keane for Doyle would he have scored like Doyle did?

well if he was in the exact same position in the moment leading to the goal then no.

McShane was class, love to see him getting right stuck in. Used his body as a missile on a few occasions, great to see. First half play shows what we're capable of with a bit of confidence.

I have a question tho. Do we blame staunton for the losses and applaud the players for the win or what? I dunno, when I think about it, it's a bit unfair.

eirebhoy

cson wrote:

More food for thought..... If you swapped Keane for Doyle would he have scored like Doyle did?

No chance. The difference with Doyle up front was huge. Keane was never in a goalscoring position against Wales. I'd play Keane but I'd play him in McGeady's position which would take the pressure off him. I can't wait for the USA trip now, we just have to get the bloody Reid brothers fit, they'd make a huge difference.

cson

Stephen Reid in the middle would make a big difference. Doyle has to be first choice now, although Stan won't drop Robbie.

Energizer

Thank god the match went good! In New Zealand so was starting work during match! :mad:

Steven reid will make our midfield when he comes back! Though i am biased, being a blackburn rovers fan!

Mcgeady will need more matches to get used to the setup.

LuckyLloyd

First half was a surprising improvement. Second half was more along the lines of what was expected - defence did well but we were very negative and looked to hang on rather than kill it.

Slovakia weren't great though. It's a reality.

A stay of execution. But no more than that in my view. Football fans and media blow with the wind, so there will be an upsurge of optimism just as there was after the Czech draw. This team still doesn't look right though, and travelling to the Czech Rep and Slovakia in the space of four days will usher the end of the Staunton reign: unless things magically come together through the following six months of friendly games.

Vokes

So what was the story this time with O'Shea at RB and Finnan at LB - wasn't it just supposed to be a temporary thing for the Wales games to combat their club colleagues - a tactical masterstroke by Stan if you will ....but i guess not

Kingp35

Much better performance although still not quite there. There wasnt many chances in the game for either side but the players put in alot more heart into this performance than Saturday. The shape of the team was much better and Robbie Keane not playing was the blesisng I thought it would be.

The only major negative for me was that McGeady had a shocking game and kept giving the ball away. Other than that it was preety solid but the Slovaks were poor and offered nothing all night.

So we still have some slight hope

eirebhoy

SofaKing wrote:

So what was the story this time with O'Shea at RB and Finnan at LB - wasn't it just supposed to be a temporary thing for the Wales games to combat their club colleagues - a tactical masterstroke by Stan if you will ....but i guess not

Strange one alright. I think it's just down to the fact that neither player is a left back, O'Shea is right footed and Finnan was arguably our best player at left back in Germany. Stan maybe just wants a solid defence and leave the attacking to the attackers.

leninbenjamin

Kingp35 wrote:

The only major negative for me was that McGeady had a shocking game and kept giving the ball away.

yeah, me father watching the game with me would not stop giving out to him. At one point i tried to defend him and say he's not THAT bad a player but he just went and gave the ball away just as i said it...

he just has no confidence and composure by the looks of things. Maybe he finds it hard to gel with the rest of the players seeing as he's up in Scotland and most of the rest are in England or something like that.

eirebhoy

It's just confidence. The most confident you'll see McGeady is in an Old Firm. I don't think competitive matches is the right time to throw him in. We've 3 friendlies coming up now which will give him a chance to settle in. One very good game is all it takes tbh.

leninbenjamin

eirebhoy wrote:

It's just confidence. The most confident you'll see McGeady is in an Old Firm. I don't think competitive matches is the right time to throw him in. We've 3 friendlies coming up now which will give him a chance to settle in. One very good game is all it takes tbh.

I just hope Stan has the sense to realise that McGeady is a player worth giving the time too... i'd be afraid that after this performance Staunton would lose faith in him and use him as a bit part player even in the friendlies

Limerick Dude

Id rather have the Hunt than McGeady anyway but i wouldnt be worried ben, staunton has a liking for McGeady so i say he will give him a good go.

cournioni

Just back from the match, was quite pleased with Ireland's performance in the first half. They passed the ball well and defended quite well. Doyle, Duff, McShane and even John O'Shea stood out. Couldn't really find a fault apart from the central midfield.

Second half was like watching the Wales game all over again, Duff didn't get a touch of the ball. Doyle was isolated up front and again the midfield was getting us into all sorts of trouble. The midfield's passing of the ball was dire and they were dropping off into defence inviting the Slovak's to shoot or play a through ball. Carsley, Ireland and Kilbane were to blame for this big time. Only for Shay Given the Slovak's probably would have won.

I thought Slovakia were very poor, they made a hell of alot of mistakes and their goalkeeper was as dodgy as they come. If they were a top team I reckon Ireland would have been in trouble.

Overheard a guy saying afterwards that the performance tonight would shut Dunphy up, well I didn't exactly see anything too promising apart from the talents we have in Given, Duff, Doyle and McShane. Oh and as for McGeady, the only way the lad will improve is if he starts to work on his upper body. He'll never make an international player unless he sorts out his physique.

PHB

Keane isn't a leading striker, Doyle is. It's unfair to compare their performances in this regard, as Doyle is doing the role he is good at, while Keane wasn't for most of the match against Wales.

Up front pairing of Doyle and Keane is a great pairing imo.

p.s. McGeady was shocking tonight, couldn't believe he stayed on.
Very impressed with the defense today, O'Shea reminded me of the O'Shea of old, McShane made some great crunching tackles, the honey monster was very quietly effective, and Finnan was solid as ever. We do have quite a good defense for the coming years.

darkman2

Firstly Doyle is better then Keane IMO with less experience. Long looks like he could be better then Keane. Therefore I want to see a challenge to Keane's monopoly up front. Staunton please take the gamble like good managers do!

Anyway we are back in for qualification. One game at a time I say and a win against Slovakia away wil make or break for us tbh. Win there and we should qualify because in reality the Czech Republic are crap. To be completely honest they are not as good as us on paper. We have some cracking talent coming through now. Do we use it? Thats up to Stan. I would play 4-4-2 with Doyle and Long up front for that game and Keane on the bench but Staunton does not have the guts required of a good manager to do that.

P.S Mcgeady should be benched for next game. Poor tonight with just a few good passages of play.

I would also say that Hunt, Doyle and Long have serious potential. All could be world class with maturity.

I would add to this too - we have a wonderful team - we really do have a team with a great attitude (provided the correct players and formation are picked) and if that does not see us to Euro 2008 then Stan - sack tbh. I would be even more supprised if we did not make the next WC when our team will be at its peak.

Defence was brilliant tonight and Richard Dunne depite the fact he has been incredibly stupid at times in previous games he was immense. Full credit.

What the defence did tonight - and it made ALL the difference - they kept it simple. Kick it out when it needs to be kicked out. No stupid trying to run through strikers or any of that or elaborate passing. Keep it simple - best defence.

cournioni

I totally agree darkman. The potential is definately there for a very good team, however we need to get the midfield sorted out.

Playing Kilbane in there really isn't progressive, he gives the ball away far too much for a midfielder which really defeats the purpose of playing him there to win the ball. Unfortunately Steven Reid is out at the moment as is Andy Reid, who I think are the future for the Ireland midfield if they can both keep fit.

Carsley can do a job in there for now, but at times he really doesn't look like he knows what he's doing at times. Several times he left big gaping holes in the midfield yesterday for Slovak players to stroll through. In the second half he didn't attack the ball at all and we were lucky that we had a defence on song to deal with the threat.

The midfield needs to be sorted out.

Iago

PORNAPSTER wrote:

Carsley can do a job in there for now, but at times he really doesn't look like he knows what he's doing at times. Several times he left big gaping holes in the midfield yesterday for Slovak players to stroll through. In the second half he didn't attack the ball at all and we were lucky that we had a defence on song to deal with the threat.

Carsley was excellent last night and was right up there with Dunne for man of the match. He was hamstrung by Kilbane who kept drifting out to the left and leaving players behind him, Carsley often had two players to mark and sometimes 3 running at him and still managed to staunch a lot of what was coming through.

The centre of the pitch was like a car park at times there where so many bodies in there, but it's never easy when your midfield compatriots can't tackle and won't tackle (duff and mcgeady) not to mention the fact that Kilbane looks like there's a bungee line that drags him back to the left touchline if he gets too far away

shane86

Brilliant stuff, although I dont know where all this about the Slovaks being poor came from. Id say they were the toughest opp we played so far (regardless of the Cyprus result, re actual play). They got a few shots on target, some of which a keeper of less calibre than Given probably wouldnt have stopped.

Did anyone hear Dunphy pre match, he litreally quoted Keane word for word regarding who should be playing Would have taken Kilbane off instead of McGeady myself but anyway

Nalz

Was at the game, and I think we just about deserved it. Doyle did very well first half, making some good runs and a fantastic headed finish. Duff and Ireland also had a great first 45 but faded out of it as the game progressed in the second half. Solid enough in second half but we couldnt keep possession.

Back 5 (Given incl) were excellent. Only players I was slightly dissapointed with would be McGeady and to a lesser extent Kilbane. Kilbane is all heart most of the time but apart from that he had nothing to give.

Given 8, Dunne 8, McShane 8, O Shea 8, Finnan 8, McGeady 6, Duff 8, Carsley 7, Kilbane 6, Ireland 7, Doyle 8.

Daemonic

Last night was encouraging. With Keane available again I'd prefer to see him playing the slightly deeper role Ireland was asked to play last night with Doyle leading the attack. Keane has shown when playing with Berbatov that he can link up well, i just don't think the lone striker role suits his natural inclination to wander to the wings or come deep.
That would allow Ireland to play his preferred attacking midfield position with Carsley as the holding midfielder and Kilbane warming the bench.

leninbenjamin

Iago wrote:

Carsley was excellent last night and was right up there with Dunne for man of the match. He was hamstrung by Kilbane who kept drifting out to the left and leaving players behind him, Carsley often had two players to mark and sometimes 3 running at him and still managed to staunch a lot of what was coming through.

The centre of the pitch was like a car park at times there where so many bodies in there, but it's never easy when your midfield compatriots can't tackle and won't tackle (duff and mcgeady) not to mention the fact that Kilbane looks like there's a bungee line that drags him back to the left touchline if he gets too far away

Yeah i thought Carsley did really well, considering the amount of slack he had to pick up for Kilbane.

Even though the defense did excellent yesterday, there were times when they were guilty of drawing the pressure on us. McShane in particular launched a number of balls that ended giving possession straight back to the Slovakians. For the past few years now we've been guilty of looking nervy when we have a lead, and that was still in evidence today. There's a serious lack of composure among the side at times that worries me still.

I wouldn't be bothered about Duffers and McGeady not tracking back. they should be up there to hold on to possession, and relieve the pressure of the defense. While McGeady was dire alright on the night, Duffers just didn't get enough of the ball in second half.

soma

Something I havent seen reference to so far on here. I'm pretty sure those two back-to-back home wins are (at least on paper) our most impressive home results since qualification for WC 2002. Anyone beg to differ?

I'm no fan of staunton, but in the last few years Ireland have very rarely beaten anyone other than minnows competitively (but plenty of moral victories e.g. France in Paris).

LuckyLloyd

I would be of the opinion that the victories over Wales and Slovakia are pretty comparable to the wins over Georgia and Albania under Kerr during the EURO 2004 qualifying campaign.

Nothing to get excited about.

redspider

A lot of good points made here.

Ireland get a result, there are some positives to be taken from it, the approach in the 1st half for one and the tempo, but there are still many negatives.

Shay Given saved our bacon as he always does. I think he deserves a pat on the back for that, dont you? ;-)

The defence was quite good, McShane throwing himself to the cause at times, although that incident could have been a penalty. As has been said, O'Shea ia right footed and even though he did play at left-back at Man U he was a filler and he didnt excel at it. Finnan though is a better crosser of the ball perhaps than O'Shea from the right. I'd still prefer it the other way around.

The formation was clearly 4-5-1, with Duffer on the wing getting the ball in. Although he did well and jinked well his crosses usually went astray as more often than not he didnt pick out Doyles runs. Having only one forward and two wingers (who dont head) will always produce fewer goals.

The goal came early and that helped, from a free taken by Duff from the right, and an excellent header from Doyle. He deserved that and everyone is happy for him.

> midfield compatriots can't tackle and won't tackle (duff and mcgeady)

McGeady was poor at tackling it has to be said. He gave the ball away a lot and he wasnt able to jink past better quality opposition than he faces in Scotland. He will need to improve if he is to stay in the first-11.

Carsley did a good enough job I thought as did Stephen Ireland. Kilbane is just a workhorse and if we had anyone better than him they shold be used, such as Stephen Reid.

Hunt did okay, but as was correctly pointed out by Giles, he gave the ball away cheaply at times when we needed to hold posession for longer. Long did well.

I still think that qualification is beyond us however. We are in a good position for 3rd and will need a draw in Slovakia in our next match in Sep. That is such a long way away it will be like playing a new team. I think then we should play Doyle and Keane up front in a 4-4-2 formation.

PORNAPSTER wrote:

the performance tonight would shut Dunphy up

If only, if only .....

But I was glad to hear what Brady and Giles thought about Roy's comments on Shay Given ..... good to see that, whilst Dumb-phy quietly claimed a 'no comment' policy.

Redspider

mewso

A Good first half performance and a just about deserved result. I am amazed at how quickly pessimism turns to optimism and talk of qualifying for the Euro champs. I hope we do. I believe we have a squad that should easily qualify under proper management but the current management has shown and will show imho that they are incapable of doing so.
I would have respect for the gaffeh if he was willing to come out after a game like the one against Wales and say "I'm glad we won but we need to improve". A bit of sodding honesty.
As it is he has been vindicated now in his own eyes and alot here seem to be seeing qualification out of the blue. Not for me. If all the pressure, Keano's comments, media criticism had any effect in galvanising the team into last nights 45 minute performance that will all be forgotten by September.

PRman

LuckyLloyd wrote:

I would be of the opinion that the victories over Wales and Slovakia are pretty comparable to the wins over Georgia and Albania under Kerr during the EURO 2004 qualifying campaign.

Nothing to get excited about.

Defo agree with this statement. At least Stan has a good 5 months to try and imporove his managerial skills. And september is a good month for the players unlike february - ha ha!!

On another note - was at the game last night and I think our songs are c*p. That 'stand up for the boys in green' is tripe - it's an english song. For a country with so much culture can we not find something better to sing? I think the mexican wave also distracts the players.....

LostinBlanch

musician wrote:

A Good first half performance and a just about deserved result. I am amazed at how quickly pessimism turns to optimism and talk of qualifying for the Euro champs. I hope we do. I believe we have a squad that should easily qualify under proper management but the current management has shown and will show imho that they are incapable of doing so.
I would have respect for the gaffeh if he was willing to come out after a game like the one against Wales and say "I'm glad we won but we need to improve". A bit of sodding honesty.
As it is he has been vindicated now in his own eyes and alot here seem to be seeing qualification out of the blue. Not for me. If all the pressure, Keano's comments, media criticism had any effect in galvanising the team into last nights 45 minute performance that will all be forgotten by September.

I'm with you here, this was just like after the Czech game, and then came San Marino. Still no consistency of performance in the team, which is a worry. I won't be getting giddy just yet.

Redspider, I was on the hill, just behind the goal for that penalty incident, not that McShane had any option but to do what he did. Another ref could easily have given it. Thank God he was such a homer!

Thank God Robbie Keane wasn't playing last night, he'd have been moaning and waving his arms about the place instead of doing what Doyle did, roll up his sleeves and play the game.

Mr Magnolia

PRman wrote:

On another note - was at the game last night and I think our songs are c*p. That 'stand up for the boys in green' is tripe

Agree for 3 reasons
- it's a crap tune, though it does serve a purpose
- distracts me from the game when I have to stand up every 5 mins
- my seat is in front of the dis-abled/wheelchair seating, every time we stood up the people behind us could see nothing

PRman wrote:

I think the mexican wave also distracts the players.....

It must be fairly demoralizing to be out playing your socks off to a crowd who is paying more attention to a mexican wave than to the game itself

Nalz

"Stand up for the boys in green", ah its not that bad. Gets the whole stadium up and singing. Mostly everyone stands up and sure then they say to themseleves "ah sure we might as well sing while we're at it"! Thought the crowd were excellent last night. Heard better tunes but its effective...as for that Mexican waves, what a stupid thing to start in what was a tense enough game.

What exactly did Dunphy say last night?

BaZmO*

Sparks400 wrote:

It must be fairly demoralizing to be out playing your socks off to a crowd who is paying more attention to a mexican wave than to the game itself

But Mexican Waves are only generally started when a game is sh1t so I was surprised to see them trying to start one last night. Well actually I wasn't surprised to see them trying to start one as it was the schoolboy that was trying to start and we all know how easily distracted the kids of today are...

As for giving out about the songs. FFS!!! :rolleyes: People complain when the fans don't sing and then when they do sing they complain that the songs aren't good enough! :rolleyes:

If it bothers you that much come up with some better songs.

PHB

The mexican wave was good at the Welsh game, bad at the Slovakia game. It's for boring games, while Slovakia was tense.

As for stand up for the boys in green, its a pretty good song, and everybody knows it. If there are whellchair disabled people behind you, nobody will think any less of you if you don't stand up ya know.

I want to point out, that I feel we won in spite of the team selection. To an extent, the team picked itself last night. Furthermore, Stan's subs were really quite poor if you ask me. Ireland and Doyle might have been injured, but why leave McGeady on so long?

Mr Magnolia

BaZmO* wrote:

As for giving out about the songs. FFS!!! :rolleyes: People complain when the fans don't sing and then when they do sing they complain that the songs aren't good enough! :rolleyes:

If it bothers you that much come up with some better songs.

now I now who was starting that chant

leninbenjamin

Trilla wrote:

What exactly did Dunphy say last night?

utter sh1te. he started off talking about the positives and how its a good sign, but ended up really negative about the whole situation. I stopped listening.

Mr Magnolia

PHB wrote:

The mexican wave was good at the Welsh game, bad at the Slovakia game. It's for boring games, while Slovakia was tense.

As for stand up for the boys in green, its a pretty good song, and everybody knows it. If there are whellchair disabled people behind you, nobody will think any less of you if you don't stand up ya know.?

I know, but if it's a knock-on effect, people stand because the people in front stand and their view is impaired. Didn't bother me TBH, just a comment.

PHB wrote:

I want to point out, that I feel we won in spite of the team selection. To an extent, the team picked itself last night. Furthermore, Stan's subs were really quite poor if you ask me. Ireland and Doyle might have been injured, but why leave McGeady on so long?

Going out on a limb here but I thought McGeady's performance wasn't actually that bad.

PHB

Why? He'd get the ball, and if he managed to control it, he would beat 6 players, some of them twice, then lose the ball with a terrible pass. He was actually shockingly bad.

padser

PHB wrote:

Up front pairing of Doyle and Keane is a great pairing imo.

I think that's hitting the nail on the head and is probably the biggest positive to come out of the game. We have been without a target man for Keane to play off since Quinn (for all that I didn't really rate him) left and Keane has always played better when playing off 'the big man'.

An international strike force of Doyle and Keane isn't going to set the world on fire but should be more thn competant for seeing off the weaker teams and should be able to cause problems to competant teams as well.

Getting that far would be a pretty significant improvement on what we have at the moment which is one striker (Keane) who is pathelogically incapable of putting the ball in the net and who is currently trying to play the role of linking midfielder and front man simultainiously.

BTW Comparing Keane to Doyle is completely pointless...they are completely different players.

The only worry I would have about the Keane/Doyle combo is where Ireland would fit into the team.

LuckyLloyd

Sparks400 wrote:

Going out on a limb here but I thought McGeady's performance wasn't actually that bad.

It was terrible. It just didn't happen for him last night. Gave away possession far too often; was outmatched and outdone by Gresko both in the physical stakes and for pace; and offered nothing in defence. It would have been perfectly reasonable to put him out of his misery at half - time.

One bad game does not make a bad player mind.