Will Cyprus sink Ireland (again?)

darkman2

Sorry posted this in wrong thread before...



Am I the only one who thinks Cyprus will beat Ireland at home? Im incredibly nervous of this game because Cyprus trashed a competent Ireland team last time (with S Ireland in it btw) - they should have beaten Italy and Bulgaria at home. They play an incredibly aggressive game. They are, in fact, a decent side.


But am I the only one that thinks this is THE toughest away game and not Italy or Bulgaria? I think Ireland will be beaten again because of the Cyprus 'in your face' style of attack. It is persistent and lethal. I have never seen a team play as aggressively attacking as they play. And it is intentional of course.

I don't know but im very worried about this game. Anyone else?

Bubs101

No. Staunton couldn't manage a cat

CHD

I think we will get our first good win in a while, 3-0. As long as big players are injury free.

Nalz

Arent they missing their two best players?

I smell a 1-0 to Ireland

flanzer

Gotta love the optimism of this country! It's that attitude that'll get us out of this sorry financial mess.

Have to agree with Bubs and Trilla. Trap will get us a scrappy 1-0

dogpile

S. Ireland to score the only goal midway through the 2nd half

astrofool

People often underestimate what a manager can bring to the team.

The FAI made that mistake, and we all have two years of da gyaffor to burn out of our memories as a result.

builttospill

CHD wrote: »

I think we will get our first good win in a while, 3-0. As long as big players are injury free.

I'm shocked by some of these posts. Like the Op I'm seriously worried about this game. So much so that I'd be ok with a draw. I do think we can win but I think some fans are letting their passion get in the way of reality.

3-0???

Not a chance in hell.

deisedevil

builttospill wrote: »

I'm shocked by some of these posts. Like the Op I'm seriously worried about this game. So much so that I'd be ok with a draw. I do think we can win but I think some fans are letting their passion get in the way of reality.

3-0???

Not a chance in hell.

I think we'll get a win out of it, just barely if at all. But a 3-0 win will be a shock in fairness.

DSB

Cyprus are not a good team, Staunton just didn't have a clue and made them look to be a good team. But lets not forget he also made San Marino look like a decent team. Would we be worrying about playing them?

dsmythy

Ireland have to perform if they are to beat Cyprus. Anything else and three points are not going to happen.

_blank_

People underestimating Cyrpus do so at their peril.

IrishIrish

DSB wrote: »

Cyprus are not a good team, Staunton just didn't have a clue and made them look to be a good team. But lets not forget he also made San Marino look like a decent team. Would we be worrying about playing them?

You must not have seen any other games that Cyrpus have played recently. They are a good team. They completely destroyed Italy at home and could easily have been 3 or 4 goals up on them only for some extrodinary goal line scrambles. They eventually ended up losing in the dying moments due to being all out attack and getting hit on the counter attack. Italy also should have had cannavaro sent off in this game which would have made a big difference at the time.

They also completely outplayed Bulgaria in another match and should have been a goal up when one of their players was through on goal but he got taken down and the defender only given a yellow. They create plenty of chances just not the best at converting them.

It will be a very tough game for Ireland.

eirebhoy

Yeh apparently Italy would have been very lucky to get a draw over there never mind the win. I don't think they're as tough opposition as Montenegro though.

Het-Field

Cyprus will be a difficult proposition. However, the team is far more together then it was in 2006-2007, and we have a very defensive manager. We certainly wont conceed 5 goals again !

dsmythy

Het-Field wrote: »

Cyprus will be a difficult proposition. However, the team is far more together then it was in 2006-2007, and we have a very defensive manager. We certainly wont conceed 5 goals again !

True. We'll have to score a goal though. Maybe two.

WeeBushy

Il Trap has brought in a consistency that we haven't had in years. I'm confident that we'll perform to a much higher level than last time. We just aren't as flaky with trap in charge. 2-1 or 3-1 i predict.

Eirebear

flanzer wrote: »

Gotta love the optimism of this country! It's that attitude that'll get us out of this sorry financial mess.

lol! You have to love ludicrous statements like this.

I'm no economist...but im fairly sure it was blind faith and optimism which got the world into this sorry financial mess.

isnt it understandable that considering the underperformance of the team for the best part of a decade that people might be just a tad wary?

A nervy nil-nil

shane86

darkman2 wrote: »

Am I the only one who thinks Cyprus will beat Ireland at home? Im incredibly nervous of this game because Cyprus trashed a competent Ireland team ...........

Let me stop you there Bill. Competent? Ill always remember the evening of this match I staggered out of bed a half hour late to see us 2-1 down. Id been overdoing it at a house party of Danny Dyer in Human Traffic proportions until 10am and wasnt entirely sure if I was reading the score correctly. Clearly you were in a worse state than I was watching that match. We had a blind manager leading a team half consisting of 3rd choice players ffs.

Line up on the night:
Kenny; Finnan, Dunne, Andrew O'Brien (Lee 71), O'Shea; McGeady (Alan O'Brien 81), Ireland (Douglas 83), Kilbane, Duff; Morrison, Keane.

Kenny was awful. The O`Briens, Douglas etc are not international standard. Keane was out of form for yonks for us by then. Although he did score it is only under Trap that McGeady has turned out a worthwhile player for our squad (and there is still some way to go). IIRC Duff was playing through the pain (again). It was player for player one of the worst squads we had in years. A mix of bad manager meets one of the worst injury crisis possibly any team has ever seen was some mix.


As for this time around, the team seems to be gelling together better with every match, but Cyprus were a tough little force in our home leg, we were lucky not to concede.

If we can beat Cyprus we could win the group, it isnt entirely impossible for Cyprus or Bulgaria to hold Italy to a goaless draw. Get praying

DmanDmythDledge

I would be surprised if we win and think a loss is more likely than a draw.

Bubs101 wrote: »

No. Staunton couldn't manage a cat

They controlled midfield when we played with Trap as manager...

eirebhoy

We could have had the best 4 defenders and goalkeeper in the world and lost that game in Cyprus. Kilbane-Ireland central midfield was one of the craziest decisions I've ever known. Neither of them would know where to stand on the pitch within about 20 yards playing in that position. Kilbane had a decent run in midfield under Kerr but that was beside Kavanagh and Keane so he wasn't required to do much positional thinking for himself. It's a different story playing as the 2nd midfielder or defender than trying to organise things yourself.

Elonex

It'll be like Bulgaria all over again. Go one nil up, and bottle it. Draw one all.

eirebhoy

1-1 seems to be the only score we know atm.

inforfun

Much better teams have completely lost the plot on that island.
Ireland should be happy with a draw.

Kirby

We will win. I'm confident barring and shocking injuries. If we do win, the group is there for the taking which is such a nice thought.... not having to go through the torture of playoff matches.

IRISHSPORTSGUY

If it's Keith Andrews and Glenn Whelan in midfield AT BEST we'll be watching from behind the couch for the last 30 mins as per usual, whilst we struggle to mantain a 1-0 lead because they keep giving the ball away, not tackling and literally only marking space.

eirebhoy

In fairness, for a central midfield that marks space Bulgaria created very little against us in Dublin. They sat on their lead but that's the Trap way. It seems only Steven Reid isn't afraid to take a risk and do more than he's asked.

IRISHSPORTSGUY

eirebhoy wrote: »

In fairness, for a central midfield that marks space Bulgaria created very little against us in Dublin. They sat on their lead but that's the Trap way. It seems only Steven Reid isn't afraid to take a risk and do more than he's asked.

That wasn't really due to Andrews and Whelan IMO. They got into decent positions but their end product was terrible - straight onto Richard Dunne's forehead most of the time.

Kirby

I think an Andrews / Ireland partnership has legs for us. I'm a fan of andy reid, always have been, and if news of his weight loss is true he deserves to be in the squad but I just can't see him getting into the first team under trap .