Slovakia v Ireland - 12th October - K/O 19:30

IRISHSPORTSGUY

Anyone else think JOS was a bit poor tonight? Well at least in an attacking sense. Crossing was pish and broke down a few promising attacks due to a rapist like touch.

Faster than an express train compared to Kilbane though!

Het-Field

IRISHSPORTSGUY wrote: »

I'm fairly confident of 2nd. The central midfield will be sorted soon enough - McCarthy and Wilson will be bedded in in the near future and won't be long until Meyler is fit. 3 young players are arguably better than anything we currently have.

Kilbane will be peddled for either Stephen Ward, or JOS moving to left back to accommodate one of our three Premier League right backs.

I will be bitterly, bitterly disappointed if there's only one or two changes for Norway.

I dont want to see the likes of Kilbane near the team for Norway. There is nothing to be learned from seeing him in a friendly. The same applies to the likes of Robbie Keane, Damien Duff, Aiden McGeady, Glenn Whelan, JOS, and even Dunne.

Hopefully the team will be something like

Given
Foley
Ward
O'Dea
Wilson
Fahey
McCarthy
Gibson
Hunt
Long
AN Other

Krusader

Ciaran Clark wants to play for Ireland, has play games this season for Villa alongside Dunne, should get a call-up

OPENROAD

Just watching post match analysis now, Dunphy rolling back on his comments re Gibson on Friday.

I still think the rte lads are building the team up too much.

IRISHSPORTSGUY

---

Given

Foley - O'Dea - Clark - Ward

Coleman - McCarthy - Wilson - Fahey

---

Walters - Long

I'd like to see that team for Norway. Time for radical experimentation, IMO.

Gonzovision

I say give Connor Clifford a shot.

cantgetright

OPENROAD wrote: »

Just watching post match analysis now, Dunphy rolling back on his comments re Gibson on Friday.

I still think the rte lads are building the team up too much.

I dont like it myself when Dunphy gives credit to the team:D

Sergio

Same old story for king Robbie again tonight!i dont understand how people can rate him as world class striker!

kryogen

Not looking forward to having to watch Paul Green every time we play

The lad just isnt up to it god love him, Long was good tonight, along with Fahey. Keane had me screaming at the telly on more then one occasion and i am really in bad form with him right now

How important will those misses be come the end of the campaign, Slovaks were there for the taking tonight

SantryRed

IRISHSPORTSGUY wrote: »

I'm fairly confident of 2nd. The central midfield will be sorted soon enough - McCarthy and Wilson will be bedded in in the near future and won't be long until Meyler is fit. 3 young players are arguably better than anything we currently have.

Kilbane will be peddled for either Stephen Ward, or JOS moving to left back to accommodate one of our three Premier League right backs.

I will be bitterly, bitterly disappointed if there's only one or two changes for Norway.

:pac:

You're usual spot on but not now. This is Trappatoni. The team next October in the last game will be the same as the one tonight except for any injuries.

StickyMcGinty

FREETV wrote: »

Keane, Duff and Doyle are all overrated, average on their best day type strikers! Sad but true unfortunately. We are talking about international and not sell out club football here! A disjointed squad at best.

Keane - He's not match fit yet is expected to put in 180 minutes in two competitive qualifiers in 4 days. I think we've already seen RK at his peak, but you can't write him off based on the last two games.

Doyle - excellent this season for Wolves. 1 below-par game does not maketh the man

Again with Duff, his best days are behind him, but overrated is not a word i'd use to describe him.

FlawedGenius wrote: »

More missed chances, diving, terrible touches than good things out of Keane.

I presume you're not referring to the Russia game here. If you are, then put down the Indo and watch the replay ffs.

K-9 wrote: »

Looking at the Group it is still wide open. Russia could still drop points away from home. Win our remaining home games and beat Macedonia away and we still might be in with a shout of top.

Spot on. Keep the faith, we've gotten out of worse situations. Next competitive game is in March when hopefully Keane, Given et al will be getting match fit with new clubs.

dreamers75

IRISHSPORTSGUY wrote: »

---

Given

Foley - O'Dea - Clark - Ward

Coleman - McCarthy - Wilson - Fahey

---

Walters - Long

I'd like to see that team for Norway. Time for radical experimentation, IMO.

thats a ****ing retarded team.

Bob_Harris

Trap wrote:

He [Keane] was tired and I could have changed him. But psychologically it's like killing him.'

Why is everyone so concerned about Robbie Keane's mental state?

The other day I heard analysts on the radio saying it would be wrong to drop Keane or take the captaincy off of him because of his past service and what he has done for us.

He's still a good player but at this moment in time without regular football he is not at all sharp and should not be given favorable treatment to make him feel good about himself.

It seems preserving Keane's pride is more important than taking him off when he is tired and putting on someone fresh to help the team as a whole.

JerryHandbag

Trap hints that he'll drop Keane

http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2010/1012/trapattoni_keane.html

However by the time the next qualifier comes around in March, I would hope Keane is playing regular football, if not at Spurs then somewhere else.

SantryRed

Whatever happened to us playing with no fear? We didn't qualify for the 2002 WC with being so negative. We had a go at teams. Yeah we had Roy Keane but if we had of gone out attacking tonight we would have won 2 or 3 nil. Why can't we deploy an attacking team with a look to the future too. There is no reason why McCarthy shouldn't be playing. JOS should left full. Get Ciaran Clark in alongside Dunne. Get Foley or Stephen Kelly right full. Get McGeady back to right wing. So many things we could do but we don't Not even in friendlies. It's a joke.

IRISHSPORTSGUY

SantryRed wrote: »

:pac:

You're usual spot on but not now. This is Trappatoni. The team next October in the last game will be the same as the one tonight except for any injuries.

Trap is quoted as saying some players (specifically named McCarthy and Walters) will get a chance against Norway.

thats a ****ing retarded team.

Well we won't learn much from playing the regulars in a friendly, will we?

8-10

In a way it's good that we're all disappointed in the draw, it means we all saw a good Irish performance. And honestly, how many times recently do you see a good Irish performance away from home (France obvious exception)

I think that Slovakia are a decent side, who went out of the World Cup at the last 16 to eventual finalists after beating the reigning champions in the group stage to send them home. They had a few players out, but still a good outfit playing at home and looking (like us) to come out of the traps tonight after a poor loss on Friday night.

However, it was us who played the better football and pretty much ran the first half. How often to you see an Irish team hold the ball so comfortably away from home that the crowd start booing their own team's inability to get it back? Must have happened about 3 times in the first half. The penalty was unlucky, but it'll come back to us.

We could easily have come to Zilina and been beaten tonight, on paper. I fancied them to be strong at home in reaction to Friday. And Ireland, travelling after a poor home performance, could have crumbled in the same way as Friday and lost their way early on with long balls instead of keeping possession. Shane Long had a very good game I thought. Playing 2 strikers who like ball to feet or threaded through meant a lot more spreading play across midfield and the back.

I would have taken a draw before the game after seeing us on Friday. I think we were unlucky not to win it, but the performance was encouraging. We have tough trips ahead to our bogey team Macedonia and Russia....more of the same please! I'm happy to have seen a positive Irish side away from home in a qualifier against a higher seed. Rare.

OPENROAD

8-10 wrote: »

In a way it's good that we're all disappointed in the draw, it means we all saw a good Irish performance. And honestly, how many times recently do you see a good Irish performance away from home (France obvious exception)

.

People should really take into account the complete shambles that seems to have existed in the French camp at the time.

The same way the pundits went OTT on Friday not giving the russians enough credit and tonight taking the completely opposite view that everything is fine now.

KungPao

My thoughts;

Keane needs to be dropped. Absolutely great servant and all that, but if he's still not playing first team football by the next qualifier, he needs to go. He cost us 2 points tonight.

Kilbane has to go.

Green is the worst player I've seen play in a green shirt in a long time. Get rid.

Fahey must be a regular now.

Whelan is okay, only okay.

Gibson should be a regular.

Shane Long has something about him, and must be a regular from now on.

______________________________

I love Kevin Doyle, but his presence encourages ugly and ineffective football and from now on he should be a sub, a last 20 minutes and need a goal kind of player.

kryogen

Gibson should not be a starter

Fahey should be played, we missed Lawrence tonight

Fahey and Whelan in the middle with Lawrence and McGeady on the wings would have been much better i feel

Not the biggest McGeady fan either mind you

Krusader

KungPao wrote: »

My thoughts;

Keane needs to be dropped. Absolutely great servant and all that, but if he's still not playing first team football by the next qualifier, he needs to go. He cost us 2 points tonight.

Kilbane has to go.

Green is the worst player I've seen play in a green shirt in a long time. Get rid.

Fahey must be a regular now.

Whelan is okay, only okay.

Gibson should be a regular.

Shane Long has something about him, and must be a regular from now on.
______________________________

I love Kevin Doyle, but his presence encourages ugly and ineffective football and from now on he should be a sub, a last 20 minutes and need a goal kind of player.

No way

Do you think we are a country that can pluck CFs out of the air, wake up we have limited players.
Gibson doesn't even sytart for Utd and you want him to play yet you'd drop Keane for the same reason

JerryHandbag

Really pleased with Fahey, good shift. Thought Long did well too following on from an impressive cameo on Friday night.

It was a big criticism in the last campaign that we kept throwing away leads when we were on top, and its come back to haunt us again. I thought we really needed that 2nd goal before half time to reflect what was a good half. We really need to develop a killer instinct, to put teams away while we have them on the rack because we never seem likely to play well for the whole 90 mins.

NickDrake

gonzovision wrote: »

I say give Connor Clifford a shot.

Ya turned out to be a very good player in Football Manager.

Dolph Starbeam

8-10 wrote: »

In a way it's good that we're all disappointed in the draw, it means we all saw a good Irish performance. And honestly, how many times recently do you see a good Irish performance away from home (France obvious exception)

I think that Slovakia are a decent side, who went out of the World Cup at the last 16 to eventual finalists after beating the reigning champions in the group stage to send them home. They had a few players out, but still a good outfit playing at home and looking (like us) to come out of the traps tonight after a poor loss on Friday night.

However, it was us who played the better football and pretty much ran the first half. How often to you see an Irish team hold the ball so comfortably away from home that the crowd start booing their own team's inability to get it back? Must have happened about 3 times in the first half. The penalty was unlucky, but it'll come back to us.

We could easily have come to Zilina and been beaten tonight, on paper. I fancied them to be strong at home in reaction to Friday. And Ireland, travelling after a poor home performance, could have crumbled in the same way as Friday and lost their way early on with long balls instead of keeping possession. Shane Long had a very good game I thought. Playing 2 strikers who like ball to feet or threaded through meant a lot more spreading play across midfield and the back.

I would have taken a draw before the game after seeing us on Friday. I think we were unlucky not to win it, but the performance was encouraging. We have tough trips ahead to our bogey team Macedonia and Russia....more of the same please! I'm happy to have seen a positive Irish side away from home in a qualifier against a higher seed. Rare.

I ccouldn't really agree more with this, spot on. Thankfully our group is a bit messed up and we are still in with a fighting chance. Good performance tonight too.

OPENROAD wrote: »

People should really take into account the complete shambles that seems to have existed in the French camp at the time.

The same way the pundits went OTT on Friday not giving the russians enough credit and tonight taking the completely opposite view that everything is fine now.

You still have to give the Irish the credit for going out and sticking it to the French, i know it was all or nothing and the French were in a mess but our players deserve huge credit for what they did that night.

Yakult

Im not too pleased with the draw, we could have and should have won it. The minute I saw keane step up for the penalty I knew he'd miss it and what happened.
He still shouldnt be dropped tho, would be silly.
Green going off was a blessing in disguise, but didnt see anything great from Gibson to be fair. Fahey should definally be starting ahead of Green. Providing midfield stays fit.

Overall, meh.. 3 points we could really have done with.

JerryHandbag

I'm a bit more confident lookin at our last 2 fixtures in this group, really should be 6 pts (Andorra away, Armenia home)....might help us if we are slightly behind Slovakia/Russia near end of group. Obviously need to do the biz before that too though

bonerm

8-10 wrote: »

In a way it's good that we're all disappointed in the draw, it means we all saw a good Irish performance. And honestly, how many times recently do you see a good Irish performance away from home (France obvious exception)

I would disagree with this point. We have put in decent enough away performances of late. In fact every pairing for WC2010 we played better in the away game than in the corresponding home fixture (Geo, Cyp, Mont, Bul, Ita, Fra). It just the result of the way we set ourselves up. As such I don't take any hope from this performance tonight and I guarentee you if we had played Slovakia at home tonight we would have seen the same inept unadventurous performance we've seen in every Trap home game so far (prob ending 0-0).

IRISHSPORTSGUY

Long isn't fit to polish Keane or Doyle's boots at club level. No doubt he's a much inferior player overall, but his main strength i.e his pace seemed to bring a certain amount of balance to Trap's system. We don't have many other speed merchants so he definitely brings something to the table.

Mr.Nice Guy

Hopefully there will be some experimentation for the friendly with Norway. We need to freshen things up a bit and give ourselves more options. I would like to see something like this:

---

Given

---

Foley - Dunne - St. Ledger - O'Shea

Coleman - McCarthy - Whelan - Hunt

---

Walters - Keane

---

JerryHandbag

I'd like to see more of Keith Treacey

IRISHSPORTSGUY

JerryHandbag wrote: »

I'd like to see more of Keith Treacey

Used a 'tired' excuse to get out of the squad so have a feeling we won't be seeing him for quite a while, going by what we've learnt about Trap.

KELTICKNIGHTT

Mr.Nice Guy wrote: »

Hopefully there will be some experimentation for the friendly with Norway. We need to freshen things up a bit and give ourselves more options. I would like to see something like this:

---

Given

---

Foley - Dunne - St. Ledger - O'Shea

Coleman - McCarthy - Whelan - Hunt

---

Walters - Keane

---

except keane

AirDemon

Dropping Keane, I'm bemused by this. This is in regards to future qualifiers, not friendlies.

How can anyone seriously even think about this? I'm not saying Robbie is the best player in the world, far from it, not even close to being the best in the prem, not even best at his club BUT that's not what people should look at.

You've got to compare him to who we've got.... Doyle, Long, Sheridan.... Seriously? Why would anyone want to play these players ahead of Keane? Keane has been our best striker for years... Tbh that's mostly due to the fact no one else has turned up that's good enough to be a solid prem player, Keano is.

As for Keane not playing at club level, that's an issue but Keane not playing at club level is still more likely to score for Ireland than Long or Sheridan are if they play every week.

He may have had a bad few nights but look at the squad we have... We're not a world superpower, we don't have like like 5 players that are good enough to take his place. We have one, at a stretch!!!

WallyGUFC

AirDemon wrote: »

Dropping Keane, I'm bemused by this.

How can anyone seriously even think about this? I'm not saying Robbie is the best player in the world, far from it, not even close to being the best in the prem, not even best at his club BUT that's not what people should look at.

You've got to compare him to who we've got.... Doyle, Long, Sheridan.... Seriously? Why would anyone want to play these players ahead of Keane? Keane has been our best striker for years... Tbh that's mostly due to the fact no one else has turned up that's good enough to be a solid prem player, Keano is.

As for Keane not playing at club level, that's an issue but Keane not playing at club level is still more likely to score for Ireland than Long or Sheridan are if they play every week.

He may have had a bad few nights but look at the squad we have... We're not a world superpower, we don't have like like 5 players that are good enough to take his place. We have one, at a stretch!!!

Well what's the point in playing him in a friendly? We need to blood new players. He's on the home stretch now. Personally I'd like to see Long-Doyle against Norway.

Nalz

IRISHSPORTSGUY wrote: »

---

Given

Foley - O'Dea - Clark - Ward

Coleman - McCarthy - Wilson - Fahey

---

Walters - Long

I'd like to see that team for Norway. Time for radical experimentation, IMO.

What about Wes O Hoolahoolahoop?

Bring back Andy Reid too!

yabadabado

the norway game is gonna be a big indicator of how much trap thinks we need changes.i would like to see the likes of Mccarthy,Coleman and Wilson start and Ward,clark,walters get a least a half.I doubt trap will play without a couple of the regulars but there is plenty of room to bed in some new blood.
Given
Coleman Dunne Clark ward

fahey McCarthy Wilson McGeady

Walters Keane

Johnny Utah

What about 5 across midfield?

Advocaat outfoxed Trap by playing 5 in midfield, which effectively meant they could pass through us like a knife through butter. I really think we should have played 4-5-1 against Russia. What do ye think?




And what about the team below if all players are fit:

---

Given

---

---

Foley

---

Dunne(c)

---

St. Ledger

---

O'Shea

---

McGeady

---

McCarthy

---

Whelan

---

Fahey

---

Duff

---

Doyle

---

Subs:
R Keane
Lawrence
Cunningham
Coleman
Hunt
Long
Gibson



(Drop Kilbane, Green, and McShane)

KELTICKNIGHTT

we need too try new blood in friendlies ,no point playing regulars ,try different setups,players,give other players a chance too show what they can do

Johnny Utah

Trilla wrote: »

Bring back Andy Reid too!

Can he bring his banjo?

AirDemon

WallyGUFC wrote: »

Well what's the point in playing him in a friendly? We need to blood new players. He's on the home stretch now. Personally I'd like to see Long-Doyle against Norway.

Ya beat me to it, I was editing my post to say with regards to qualifiers, not friendlies when ya were posting.

NufcNavan

That was extremely annoying and frustrating to watch.

Slovakia were very ordinary, how they got to the WC or even beat Russia, I'll never know.

It was a good, composed, first half hour or so and we deservedly had the lead. The defending for the goal was awful. Dunne should have marked the no.4. It was quite apparent from the line up of the corner that he was the man they wanted to aim it at. Whelan was on the wrong side of him but probably wouldn't have been physically strong enough anyway.

I wouldn't be disappointed if Keane was dropped. He was awful tonight. Terrible first touch, constantly giving the ball away and never going up for a ball, always depending on a defender's mistake that would never happen. Our 3 best chances of the night fell to him, he did nothing with all of them. Start doyle and Long next time, at leats they're playing week in week out. You can see why Robbie isn't getting his game at Spurs.

We can forget about 1st but I would be extremely annoyed if we came 3rd to Slovakia. They're very ordinary and I'd even doubt that they'd get 6 points off Macedonia.

Fahey was very good, very steady and tidy. McGeady was my MOTM but Long was good too though. The 1st half was good but the 2nd was dreadful.

IRISHSPORTSGUY

AirDemon wrote: »

Dropping Keane, I'm bemused by this. This is in regards to future qualifiers, not friendlies.

How can anyone seriously even think about this? I'm not saying Robbie is the best player in the world, far from it, not even close to being the best in the prem, not even best at his club BUT that's not what people should look at.

You've got to compare him to who we've got.... Doyle, Long, Sheridan.... Seriously? Why would anyone want to play these players ahead of Keane? Keane has been our best striker for years... Tbh that's mostly due to the fact no one else has turned up that's good enough to be a solid prem player, Keano is.

As for Keane not playing at club level, that's an issue but Keane not playing at club level is still more likely to score for Ireland than Long or Sheridan are if they play every week.

He may have had a bad few nights but look at the squad we have... We're not a world superpower, we don't have like like 5 players that are good enough to take his place. We have one, at a stretch!!!

He should start every meaningful game, yes. But I want to see the fringe team out for Norway.

Mr.Nice Guy

Have a look at the goals scored in the last campaign:

1. Italy - 18 goals
2. Ireland - 12 goals
3. Bulgaria - 17 goals
4. Cyprus - 14 goals
5. Montenegro - 9 goals
6. Georgia - 7 goals

Robbie Keane contributed 5 of Ireland's 12 goals. If you remove him from the Irish line-up you jeopardise a crucial element of Ireland's goal haul.

I would not be prepared to drop Keane unless his form dropped to disastrous levels, which it blatantly has not (he'd 2 goals going into the Slovakia game).

Johnny Utah

mal1 wrote: »

Yeah saw that. debating on whether James McCarthy can still declare for Scotland. Bill says he still can since he only played a friendly for Ireland. Liam didn't know that. Liam said that Trap also doesn't know.

Lads, just on James McCarthy:

I was astounded that Chippy didn't know about the rule regarding competitive matches. Basically, until a player plays a competitive international match at senior level, he is not tied to that country. Chippy seemed genuinely confused about this rule, which is worrying as he was assistant manager under Trap.

McCarthy has played a friendly for us against Brazil, but he has yet to play in a competitive match for Ireland. This was discussed in another thread, so maybe Bill is lurking on this forum!

Anyway, as I said earlier, it was imperative that McCarthy was called into the squad for these two games, and even if he only got 2 minutes at the end of one game it would tie him to Ireland for the rest of his career. Instead, we have to wait until March (I think) for our next competitive game. Let's hope young McCarthy doesn't get a yearning for the Highlands in the meantime!

Dolph Starbeam

NufcNavan wrote: »

Fahey was very good, very steady and tidy. McGeady was my MOTM but Long was good too though. The 1st half was good but the 2nd was dreadful.

Really? I'm usually McGeadys biggest fan but i thought he got very little of the ball tonight, not his fault really. He did nothing in the 1st half bar winning the penalty and in the 2nd half he had a few runs that led to nothing and only 2 crosses that i can remember. I don't like to say it but i thought he was pretty poor, saying that he didn't get any support from centre midfield or Kilbane so he had it tough.

Long would have been my man of the match by a fair stretch, Fahey was top class also, he looks very good on the ball, always did the right thing with it. St. ledger made up for a slightly dodgy game against Russia too.

KELTICKNIGHTT

should be dropped till at least till hes back in form as he hasnt being for long time,we taking more than past 2 games too,so quoting stats about goals scored is great but look at how many he missed in front of the goals too,be more maybe

Le King

McCarthy needs to get games.

Didn't see the game today, but I'd hope he drops Green for him.

Mr.Nice Guy

KELTICKNIGHTT wrote: »

should be dropped till at least till hes back in form as he hasnt being for long time,we taking more than past 2 games too,so quoting stats about goals scored is great but look at how many he missed in front of the goals too,be more maybe

You don't get it. Until we have a striker that we can guarantee will return 5 goals in his place then it is just tabloid knee-jerk reactionary guff. Can you guarantee Long will get 5 goals? Sheridan? Stokes? Doyle up top on his own?

No. Keane is the best front man we've got. Love him or loathe him but that is the reality. He has been the top or joint top scorer in every campaign and unless he goes on a massive goal drought, he merits his place.

He is the top scorer in the current campaign too by the way with his 2 goals, but yet he should be dropped. The mind boggles.

KELTICKNIGHTT

Mr.Nice Guy wrote: »

You don't get it. Until we have a striker that we can guarantee will return 5 goals in his place then it is just tabloid knee-jerk reactionary guff. Can you guarantee Long will get 5 goals? Sheridan? Stokes? Doyle up top on his own?

No. Keane is the best front man we've got. Love him or loathe him but that is the reality. He has been the top or joint top scorer in every campaign and unless he goes on a massive goal drought, he merits his place.

He is the top scorer in the current campaign too by the way with his 2 goals, but yet he should be dropped. The mind boggles.

i get it plenty,have the time he messes up ,he far from a top striker now this passed year,tonite was finaly straw with hes poor performance,only way keane can get too stay is if he gets regular club football and improves his performance as its well below par,cant live in past he did but the present and future ,,tonite he should have at least but number 3 in then net,he had so many chances and bungled it badly,a fact
so maybe few friendlys over next few months will give us options of a up comming striker ,this keane is only striker isnt worth anything if the striker cant strike a ball in front of the net and put the ball in the net
my brother a diehard and he was pissed off with keane again i though he break the bar ,he said get that useless ?/ of the field,,we have too get and try new blood in friendlies ,its a fact,
only way keane will stay as striker,he has too get it together, i dont see it happening ,other players have gone down the same fate when the dont get regular club time
so either keane gets it together or he should go,simple as that

Krusader

How many goal scoring chances did Long have tonight, none. Robbie Keane continously finds himself space to get in these positions, yes Long gives you a workman like performance but he doesn't have the class to get in the positions that Robbie gets into.
If Robbie had been playing regulary for Spurs he would of knocked in one of those chances, he didn't such is life. Lets move on