Rep. of Ireland v Sweden - WCQ - K/O 7.45Pm

GavRedKing

Ireland team is :

Forde
S Coleman R Dunne J O’Shea M Wilson
J Walters G Whelan J McCarthy J McClean
R Keane S Long

Was hoping that Brady would play ahead of Mclean TBH but it does look very solid.

I'm going for an optimistic 2-1 win.

The_Kew_Tour

12 bloody years since we beat team seeded higher than us in the qualifiers.

Thats shocking.

We have to win. Draw aint no good now we fecked up against Austria at home.

Heart says 2-1, head says 1-1.

GavRedKing

It depends on which Sweden show up, if its similar to the one we played away, we can win this game if we go for it.

I'm just hoping for no late drama against us, shipping late goals has cost us in game sover the last few years and after Alabas goal to make it 2-2 I couldnt take another one of those moments.

Dunnes fitness will be severly tested tomorrow night, hope he can pull out a big performance for us.

The_Kew_Tour

GavRedKing wrote: »

It depends on which Sweden show up, if its similar to the one we played away, we can win this game if we go for it.

I'm just hoping for no late drama against us, shipping late goals has cost us in game sover the last few years and after Alabas goal to make it 2-2 I couldnt take another one of those moments.

Dunnes fitness will be severly tested tomorrow night, hope he can pull out a big performance for us.

Agree.

Fingers crossed. Lose and its over.

That late Austrian goal could come back to haunt us.

Wonder will Sweden have big crowd? Generally excellent.

Banjaxed82

If we pressure them high up the pitch, I think Sweden could cave. Don't fancy their defence in the slightest.

Unfortunately, as is more often than not, I have zero confidence in this happening. While I don't see a loss, I do see the usual post match gloom..."they were there for the taking..."

noodler

Big performances needed all round but especially hoping McClean has a good game.

Handy11

The killer with this game is that even a win tomorrow means nothing if we don't get a result on tuesday. Can we get 2 good results in a row?? And even then, would we make the top 8 second-placers??

For so much of the last while there's been a big pendulum of doom swinging over the heads of Irish fans, but for some reason it seems to have lifted a bit of late. Can't really put my finger on why. I think there'll be a great atmoshpere there tomorrow night. Actual tension as opposed to grim despondance. We know Trap will be gone soon, so it'd be great to see the lads play well and get used to winning, so the next manager will have a positive enthusiastic squad at his disposal.

It all depends on whether Good Zlatan or Bad Zlatan turns up tomorrow. I'm hoping for the latter and a 2-1 win.

Feckin butterflies.

Handy11

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

Agree.

Fingers crossed. Lose and its over.

That late Austrian goal could come back to haunt us.

Wonder will Sweden have big crowd? Generally excellent.

That goal was horrific. And it was coming for ages.

Was gigging last night in town and there were plenty of Swedes around - they're great craic and know how to drink. Should be good fun.

The_Kew_Tour

Handy11 wrote: »

The killer with this game is that even a win tomorrow means nothing if we don't get a result on tuesday. Can we get 2 good results in a row?? And even then, would we make the top 8 second-placers??

Thats a big reason why we have to win tomorrow night.

GavRedKing

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

Agree.

Fingers crossed. Lose and its over.

That late Austrian goal could come back to haunt us.

Wonder will Sweden have big crowd? Generally excellent.

Some lovely blonde ladies will make up for any disappointment tomorrow night, expect the cameramen to be on the lookout. :pac:

recyclebin

Guess who just got his old job back:

RikkFlair

4 pts from these 2 games is a must really, although in which order we get them I'm not sure which is best.

GLaDOS

Has Dunne played/trained much at all in the last few months?

GavRedKing

ScienceNerd wrote: »

Has Dunne played/trained much at all in the last few months?

Hes played for QPR AFAIK.

dan1895

RikkFlair wrote: »

4 pts from these 2 games is a must really, although in which order we get them I'm not sure which is best.

I'd agree if we'd hung on against Austria but I think 6 is a must at this stage. Don't see it happening

le la rat

Walters on the wing woooot

Gringo180

I wouldn't be worrying about finishing as worst runners up out of all the groups lads, look at group B for instance Bulgaria only have 10 points and they have to travel to Italy and Armenia and The Czechs who have 9 points have to travel to Italy also and have a tricky tie at home to Armenia tomorrow night. Bulgaria and the Czechs also have to play each other so I reckon worst runners up will come out of that group, so 4 points in the next 2 games wouldn't be the end of the world for us.

McGrath5

I am praying for a victory, but I have a horrible feeling this will be a draw.

COYBIG

NaiveMelodies

Apparently only 500 tickets left! I'll believe that when I see it.
If it does sell-out, it'll be fantastic, genuinely need the 12th man to get us over the line tomorrow, 4 points from next 2 games gives us a huge shot.
Happy with the team, would have preferred Brady over McClean, but a good option off the bench all the same.
So bloody excited, nights like tomorrow can get the nation behind the team again, COME ON!

Ganymede Glow

I'll be at this tomorrow so hopefully we win this. I'm going for a 1-0 win, Robbie Keane penalty. Throw hot teabags at Ibra when he sulks off the pitch. Take that Ibra!

Duff

ScienceNerd wrote: »

Has Dunne played/trained much at all in the last few months?

I think he's played 4 games for QPR this season.

tayto lover

Big risk playing Dunne.
Saw him with QPR and he didn't look up to the pace of the game at all.
Could be a make or break decision. Hope it's the right one.

irishfeen

2-1 Ireland... Trap to prove all his doubters wrong.... IN TRAP WE TRUST

Awesomeness

Huge game. Im nervous and excited for it. Hopefully a big performance to keep the dream alive

GLaDOS

Happy enough with the team anyway, though I'll be surprised if Keane contributes much, and I'm a big fan of Robbie. Still annoys me that Trap announces his team 24 hours before the game.

kenco

Huge game(s). 4 pts needed to have a good chance. Hard to say who is the better to beat as if either lose they are in trouble (much the same as us). I would take 4pts now but cant see it im afraid. 2 maybe 3 looks likely and that would be that.

Hope im wrong but cant see beyond a draw tomorrow....

stiffler123

Just have to beat them. Offside goal, phantom penalty- whatever it takes to win. COYBIG! If Ibra shows up though we are in trouble.

darragh16

Good team bar Dunne imho. Don't know if his fitness will cut the mustard at this level and could give away a lazy free or penalty. No Cox on the wing this time, which is always a bonus!

Mr.Nice Guy

Going with Dunne is a big risk. I can't help but think back to the Euros when Shay was thrown in goal despite major concerns about his fitness. Unfortunately Shay just wasn't up to it. Now we have Dunne who hasn't played for Ireland since that tournament going up against one of the world's best forwards.That has to be a worry. It's probably no exaggeration to say this is one of Dunne's biggest games for Ireland. If he manages a big performance he will further cement his stature as one of the best Irish defenders of the modern era; if he is culpable for a Swedish goal or two, we may sadly look back on this as the end of the Dunne era. I hope that we are celebrating a great Dunne performance.

Shane Long is another concern of mine. He hasn't had a great season thus far and was poor against Georgia and Wales. Let's hope he finds his shooting boots at last. Robbie Keane playing gives me great hope.

Overall it's probably the best team that can be expected. On the bright side we have a lot of big, strong leaders in there. Guys like Dunne, Keane, O'Shea, Whelan, Walters, Long. I don't think they will be overawed by the occasion. If that rubs off on the other lads then we could be in business.

Ibrahimovic is a guy that can produce something out of nothing - and I remember well Henry doing just that in Dublin with a beautiful curled strike past Given a good few years back - but if we do what we can do then some magic from him might not be fatal to our hopes.

I'm going to be optimistic and say 2-1 to Ireland.

PTH2009

1-1 draw. Ireland to score early and then Ibra to score in the 88th Min

Liam O

Woulda probably preferred no Keane but happy enough with the rest.

cson

Bought the season ticket there in a moment of madness.

12 points to finish off the campaign would be grand :pac:

We got in with 12 points last time, I think we'll probably need 13 this time around though. So deducting the Fairies results we essentially need to beat the Kazaks and one of Austria/Sweden and draw the remaining games.

Not quite mission impossible but I do think we need 6 points from this round of games to cover it unfortunately.

Winston Payne

We didn't beat either Austria or Sweden last time around and nothing much has changed since. I don't see us beating either of them this round. Scoreless draw Friday evening, loss in Vienna then hockeyed in Berlin to cap it off. Then Trap will leave and the real pain will begin.

FlawedGenius

1-1, Madden to come on and get the equaliser

The_Kew_Tour

I cant see us winning in Austria.

Spiderpig92

Liam O wrote: »

Woulda probably preferred no Keane but happy enough with the rest.

I would have agreed until recently but Robbie is our only out and out goalscorer, he is the only Irish player likely to score 20 league goals this season albeit in the MLS. He is our leader and talisman and I would expect him to come to the fore tomorrow. With regards Dunne, from what i've seen has played well for QPR, playing 90minutes in every match for the last couple of weeks or so. Would love to see him at his best and hopefully keep Ibra in his pocket

simongurnick

Swedes can turn it on a be lethal, but apart from the comeback against zee Germans, they have been average at best. Austria have a nice young team but we could be getting them with their confidence knocked after the Germany game.
COYBIG 2-0

SirDelboy18

With Keane in there I always fear for our chances against good opposition. Can only see a draw to be honest.

Francie Barrett

I predict 1-1.

A result not good enough to get us qualification, but not bad enough to get Trap sacked.

briany

Here's a surefire prediction on the game. Ireland to open with 5 minutes of decent play then proceed to give the ball away needlessly for the next 35 followed by another 5 minutes of running up the wings and a couple of wobbly crosses, one for goal kick and one for a high looping corner easily headed away. We'll all wonder why the team is so toothless at home even though we've had about 5 years to mull it over at this point. It's an evergreen talking point for the panel and for us.

Second half, largely more of the same but Ireland's five minute spell will come in the middle rather than at the beginning. There will be a baffling position change or substitution for no good reason at 75 mins. Possibly to give the other team a more sporting chance of scoring a goal if, by divine providence or by grace of the almighty set piece, do Ireland find themselves ahead. That's only fair, isn't it? In the case of conceding a goal and finding themselves level, they will try to rectify it by flailing impotently in injury time while the nation's stomachs sink. If the team concedes a goal and find themselves behind, they will rally and then flail impotently in injury time while the nation's stomachs sink.

Sadly, this is not me attempting to channel a sardonic Roy Curtis article but an aggregate behavioral pattern that I think Ireland will follow based on watching them for the last 5 years under Trap.

Banjaxed82

History says we won't beat a second seed team, so I don't seen why Sweden will be any different. Throw in our dreadful home displays in the last few years and it pretty much cements the inevitable out come.

Can't see a win against Austria either.

If we come out of this with 4+ points, it won't be based on the precedence of performance we've had under Trap so far. Something very different is going to have to rear its head in order to achieve what we need.

RayCon

0-2 unfortunately

slingerz

by picking keane ireland are effectively playing with 10 men

The_Kew_Tour

Who would we replace Keane with?

slingerz

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

Who would we replace Keane with?

Hoolohan, Pilkington

someone fit enough to get around the park and work hard rather than throw their arms in the air and complain.

his move to the MLS should have been the end of his international career

The_Kew_Tour

slingerz wrote: »

Hoolohan, Pilkington

someone fit enough to get around the park and work hard rather than throw their arms in the air and complain.

his move to the MLS should have been the end of his international career

The same Pilkington who pulled out of so many squads it was embarrassing.

Hoolahan I'll give you that although some people seem to make him out to be Messi.

Banjaxed82

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

Who would we replace Keane with?

Probably Hoolahan in behind Long. He does a far better job linking up with midfield than Keane.

When it comes to goal scoring threat you can't look beyond Keane, but he has been far too ineffective against the bigger teams of recent. Not necessarily the fault of Keane, but he doesn't get the supply in these matches required to make opportunities, which in turn renders him redundant in the team. I would agree he is (in bigger matches) a liability.

That said, if Trap encourages the team to press higher up the pitch, I think we could see a different Keane. A Keane chasing shadows is no use to us.

Dickerty

slingerz wrote: »

Hoolohan, Pilkington

someone fit enough to get around the park and work hard rather than throw their arms in the air and complain.

his move to the MLS should have been the end of his international career

What's the big problem with Keane? He has 5 goals and 2 assists in the last 4 MLS games. If you watch those goals, you'll see he is as sharp as ever - they are usually well taken goals, not tap ins.

He scored in Kazakhstan, a hat trick against the Faroes, and 2 against Georgia.

So he's the ONLY player in our ranks that we can rely on for a goal. But we should drop him why??

Dickerty

Banjaxed82 wrote: »

Probably Hoolahan in behind Long. He does a far better job linking up with midfield than Keane.

When it comes to goal scoring threat you can't look beyond Keane, but he has been far too ineffective against the bigger teams of recent. Not necessarily the fault of Keane, but he doesn't get the supply in these matches required to make opportunities, which in turn renders him redundant in the team. I would agree he is (in bigger matches) a liability.

That said, if Trap encourages the team to press higher up the pitch, I think we could see a different Keane. A Keane chasing shadows is no use to us.

This. If you don't make chances, he can't finish them. We can continue to lump high balls to Walters or Sammon, and maybe he gets something that way. But he's best when he can run in behind, use his experience to find the spaces, but that means us having a playmaker that can create chances for him, and for Long...

LuckyLloyd

I watched the LA Galaxy away to Vancouver and Donovan got a peach of a goal after a couple of minutes. Keane was being double marked and had a ball played into him fast and he laid if off perfectly for an on rushing Donovan with one touch. Great awareness and deftness of touch.

Long has 16 goals in his last 66 league appearances. Can't finish. We'll need to score to win, Keane is our best chance of that. Same as it ever was.

SlickRic

whatever about Keane's overall play, he's still the best we have at sniffing oyt a chance, and he's still our best finisher.