Republic of Ireland Team Talk/News/Rumours 2017

Pro. F

noodler wrote: »

I wouldn't put Arter in the creative midfielder bracket.

That's all!

I wouldn't attack somebody for disagreeing.

Fùck me you moan a lot.

noodler

Pro. F wrote: »

Fùck me you moan a lot.

I don't go around accusing people of talking bollocks or calling their posts nonsense in fairness.

noodler

Kerrydude1981 wrote: »

Fair play to you James McClean

https://www.sportsjoe.ie/football/legend-james-mcclean-takes-syndrome-team-no-one-play-118665

Fair play indeed.

Pro. F

noodler wrote: »

I don't go around accusing people of talking bollocks or calling their posts nonsense in fairness.

Good for you. Your medal is in the post.

Nalz

Pro. F wrote: »

Good for you. Your medal is in the post.

Great contribution as usual....










By the Ireland team yesterday

Steve

Folks, can you stop the bickering please. *

* Polite warning ahead of the local mods doing a cleanup.

Minderbinder

I think Hendrick has been singled out this week and to be fair I have been a little disappointed too. He didn't bring the same energy as normal and his contributions to attack were fairly nonexistent.

I was surprised because normally he is infectious and brings the best out of his teammates. I think McCarthy, Brady and McClean have all improved since Jeff has established himself in the team. I think those lads combined with Hoolihan work very well together and play some positive football. All those players think positively about how to affect a game. The problem is when a couple of them are missing we don't have similar players to come in and we have to revert to the ultra conservative style we saw this week.

Ward is actually hugely important by default as if he's missing Brady is basically missing too. I'd be very confident at home to Austria and Serbia if we have a midfield of Brady, Hendrick, McCarthy, Walters and Hoolihan.

Dots1982

Perhaps we do have a midfield that can play possession football and that this will come in extremely useful when FIFA change the rules so that everytime a team plays ten consecutive passes to each other a goal is automatically awarded.

Kerrydude1981

Minderbinder wrote: »

I think Hendrick has been singled out this week and to be fair I have been a little disappointed too. He didn't bring the same energy as normal and his contributions to attack were fairly nonexistent.

I was surprised because normally he is infectious and brings the best out of his teammates. I think McCarthy, Brady and McClean have all improved since Jeff has established himself in the team. I think those lads combined with Hoolihan work very well together and play some positive football. All those players think positively about how to affect a game. The problem is when a couple of them are missing we don't have similar players to come in and we have to revert to the ultra conservative style we saw this week.

Ward is actually hugely important by default as if he's missing Brady is basically missing too. I'd be very confident at home to Austria and Serbia if we have a midfield of Brady, Hendrick, McCarthy, Walters and Hoolihan.

I noticed that too about Hendrick,he seemed to be a bit flat energy wise,maybe its a season in PL taking its toll on him,

Also I see Koeman isnt happy this morning with MON and James McCarthy

http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/international-soccer/two-people-are-responsible-for-that-ronald-koeman-in-angry-blast-at-martin-oneill-and-james-mccarthy-35577269.html

Dots1982

Wasn't there something with Hendrick that he didn't play that many consecutive games for Derby, he was always liable for a dropping. Could be wrong?

The_Kew_Tour

Dots1982 wrote: »

Perhaps we do have a midfield that can play possession football and that this will come in extremely useful when FIFA change the rules so that everytime a team plays ten consecutive passes to each other a goal is automatically awarded.

Its not all about Possession either though and its always the word used. Its about getting on the ball and making crisp sharp passes when needed too, and making the right pass, be it simple pass, or through ball

Its about our players getting on the ball and more effective when we have it.

O Neill has done a excellent job in organistation in our own half and honestly could not expect him to do better, but my worry is that going forward we look lost unless a certain Wes is playing.

He seems to have only a Plan A and after that its hope for the best.

Pro. F

Dots1982 wrote: »

Perhaps we do have a midfield that can play possession football and that this will come in extremely useful when FIFA change the rules so that everytime a team plays ten consecutive passes to each other a goal is automatically awarded.

Surprisingly, players passing the ball to teammates is actually an effective way of playing football, even with the rules as the currently stand.

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

noodler

Fifa officially open disciplinary proceedings against Taylor.

Jayop

McClean really is flat out doing sound things for people in Derry. Comes across as an absolute sound skin.

TheCitizen

Kerrydude1981 wrote: »

I noticed that too about Hendrick,he seemed to be a bit flat energy wise,maybe its a season in PL taking its toll on him,

Also I see Koeman isnt happy this morning with MON and James McCarthy

http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/international-soccer/two-people-are-responsible-for-that-ronald-koeman-in-angry-blast-at-martin-oneill-and-james-mccarthy-35577269.html

Koeman is never happy. But he and the staff there at Everton are failing to get to the bottom of his injury issues. Why didn't he pull him from the squad if he wasn't fit.

TheCitizen

noodler wrote: »

Fifa officially open disciplinary proceedings against Taylor.

His ban might be upped to a 3 match ban. That should definitely happen at the very least. I see Messi got a 4 match ban for abusing an official which is fair enough, but when a player like Taylor commits a foul that can endanger a players career there really should be provision to revisit the incident and hit him with a lot longer than just a 3 games ban.

The Red Lad

Lads slate me if im wrong and I know there is a massive difference in international then loi but am I the only one who would have loved to see Seanie Maguire or McMillan get a run out against iceland ahead of a Kevin Doyle who is long past it, fair enough Maguire failed in England but if he keeps up his form he will get another shot strikers strive on confidence and his is sky high atm a call up to the international squad would only give him more as with McMillan he has scored in europa league games its worth a shot what's the worst that can happen get what 2-3 shots on target at home between two games ? Wait that already happened against Wales and Iceland with are lack of options and Scott Hogan not wanting to wear the green I don't see why these lads shouldn't get a shot In the near future.

The_Kew_Tour

The Red Lad wrote: »

Lads slate me if im wrong and I know there is a massive difference in international then loi but am I the only one who would have loved to see Seanie Maguire or McMillan get a run out against iceland ahead of a Kevin Doyle who is long past it, fair enough Maguire failed in England but if he keeps up his form he will get another shot strikers strive on confidence and his is sky high atm a call up to the international squad would only give him more as with McMillan he has scored in europa league games its worth a shot what's the worst that can happen get what 2-3 shots on target at home between two games ? Wait that already happened against Wales and Iceland with are lack of options and Scott Hogan not wanting to wear the green I don't see why these lads shouldn't get a shot In the near future.

They should.

But O Neill ain't going to change.

TheCitizen

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

They should.

But O Neill ain't going to change.

Not true. O'Neill drafted Horgan and Boyle into the squad when they were still at Dundalk so Maguire and others may get a call up soon.

Trond

TheCitizen wrote: »

Not true. O'Neill drafted Horgan and Boyle into a provisional squad when they were still at Dundalk so Maguire and others may get a call up soon.

fixed

Dots1982

Yes, O'Neill has been so reluctant to call up LOI players in comparison to our previous managers. The stuff the manager gets criticised for is unbelievable.

The_Kew_Tour

:pac::pac:

No one said that.

Anyway just curious if anyone is going to Georgia away and if so which routes ye going? Hoping to go here.

Dots1982

Pro. F wrote: »

Surprisingly, players passing the ball to teammates is actually an effective way of playing football, even with the rules as the currently stand.

Well we certainly have to try something new since our team is full of recognised goalscorers, especially our midfielders, and we have only managed to score in 16 of our last 19 competitive internationals.

Pro. F

Dots1982 wrote: »

Well we certainly have to try something new since our team is full of recognised goalscorers, especially our midfielders, and we have only managed to score in 16 of our last 19 competitive internationals.

Have you got a point?

Dots1982

Pro. F wrote: »

Yes, because passing the ball doesn't help with scoring goals.

It certainly helps with conceding goals if you make a mistake with a pass.

Giving away the ball on the wing where we normally keep the ball is far less risky than giving the ball away around the middle.

Dots1982

Pro. F wrote: »

Have you got a point?

It should be extremely clear. We are joint top of our group after a successful stint at the Euros and morale around the team at its highest since about 2002 so why would we look to change our way of playing which has got us to that stage.

Jayop

What you'd give for a young robbie Keane.

noodler

Jayop wrote: »

What you'd give for a young robbie Keane.

He never really played up top on his own!

Formation would have to change.

Pro. F

Dots1982 wrote: »

It certainly helps with conceding goals if you make a mistake with a pass.

Giving away the ball on the wing where we normally keep the ball is far less risky than giving the ball away around the middle.

Teams that focus on being better at passing the ball give the ball away in risky positions less often than teams that don't care about possession. Because, firstly, the hoof-ball teams give the ball away, in all types of situations, far more often. And secondly, even the hoof-ball teams have to get it down and play whenever the score goes against them, which then puts them in more danger because they aren't good at it.

Your idea that hoofing the ball away is safer, is wrong. Your presentation of it being a choice between safe hoof-ball and dangerous possesssion is completely false. Nobody would be looking for Ireland to start taking risks in possession, just sensible passing rather than kicking it away.

Dots1982 wrote: »

It should be extremely clear. We are joint top of our group after a successful stint at the Euros and morale around the team at its highest since about 2002 so why would we look to change our way of playing which has got us to that stage.

I've been defending O'Neill a lot on here. It's only the way he approaches some (maybe more than some) away games that I have a real problem with. But in a lot of ways I'm happy with what he's been doing. That shouldn't mean there isn't room for improvement.

I would prefer a more tactically astute approach, involving even more patient use of possession and a much better shape in the opponent's half when we have the ball. But O'Neill's tactics and selections are a breath of fresh air compared to Trap. In his better games - most of our home games and some of the always - he mixes it up between hoofing and passing and we are all the better for that increase in possession. Not that you would have noticed.

Jayop

noodler wrote: »

He never really played up top on his own!

Formation would have to change.

I think you would accommodate a young Robbie Keane in your team regardless of what you need to do to make it happen. Maybe he's not been Ireland's greatest ever player but he's undoubtedly been the greatest player ever for Ireland.

The big worry for me and pretty much everyone else is that since Robbie's goals dried up we have no-one at all who's able to stick the ball in the net with any regularity.

Dots1982

Possession football is good if you are good at holding possession. Trying to play possession football is extremely dangerous if you are not good with the ball.

Now maybe we are better at possession football than I give them credit for but are we better than Ledley, Ramsey and Allen at possession ball? No we are not on all known evidence.

Are our midfielders a bigger goal threat than Ledley, Ramsey and Allen. No they are not on all known evidence.

Are we better equipped than them at being mobile and leggy and putting them under pressure and forcing mistakes? Yes undoubtedly we are for me.

So as I have said in another post we looked to create a deadzone in the middle of the pitch where we don't hurt them and they don't hurt us. And we used our better crossing ability and pace outside with Coleman to get in behind them or cross into the box.

This sums up our attacking strategy in every game we play. That and our attacking wildcard is Wes who is a luxury player but produces about 1 or 2 moments of magic per game to unlock defences through the middle.

Those who say the only way we score goals is through Wes are watching different matches to me. Wes contributes very well but Brady, McClean, Coleman and on certain days Long all play a huge part.

Now that Coleman (for me by head and shoulders Ireland's best defender and attacker) is missing we are going to get seriously tested in terms of chance creation and the pressure is on Brady, McClean, Wes and Long to fill in for him and maybe we can hope McGeady and/or Horgan can step up and possibly Arter or O'Dowda or O'Kane can bring a bit of cut and thrust to the middle of the field.

O'Neill may change the way we play a little with Coleman out but had Coleman not broken his leg we wouldn't have changed a thing.

weadick

His name does not get mentioned but I thought Daryl Murphy was a big loss over the last two games. We always seem to be a bit more effective going forward when he is playing.

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

The Talking Bread

weadick wrote: »

His name does not get mentioned but I thought Daryl Murphy was a big loss over the last two games. We always seem to be a bit more effective going forward when he is playing.

In fairness he has been mentioned a lot

Pro. F

Dots1982 wrote: »

Possession football is good if you are good at holding possession. Trying to play possession football is extremely dangerous if you are not good with the ball.

Now maybe we are better at possession football than I give them credit for but are we better than Ledley, Ramsey and Allen at possession ball? No we are not on all known evidence.

Are our midfielders a bigger goal threat than Ledley, Ramsey and Allen. No they are not on all known evidence.

Are we better equipped than them at being mobile and leggy and putting them under pressure and forcing mistakes? Yes undoubtedly we are for me.

So as I have said in another post we looked to create a deadzone in the middle of the pitch where we don't hurt them and they don't hurt us. And we used our better crossing ability and pace outside with Coleman to get in behind them or cross into the box.

This sums up our attacking strategy in every game we play. That and our attacking wildcard is Wes who is a luxury player but produces about 1 or 2 moments of magic per game to unlock defences through the middle.

That's not an accurate description of our attacking strategy in the Wales game, nor many of our home games. Before the sending off changed the game: We did kick it long and play down the wings a lot, but we also got on the ball and passed it around, including through the middle of the pitch, a reasonable number of times. But you've made no mention of that. And Wales were on the ball in the middle of the park and playing up to, and in to, the final third from the midfield a lot against us. A deadzone the midfield was not. But that's just the Wales game, we were talking about generalities up to now.

The idea that you have to be better on the ball than the opposition midfielders in order to make passing the ball a good idea is wrong. You are just looking at the wrong thing. The important thing is how good the opposition are at pressing when they don't have the ball; how well organised they are to prepare for and execute a high press when they lose possession and how energetic they are. Then you can weigh that against how good your own players are on the ball, and so figure out if you can pass it around without being constantly dispossessed in your own half by the other team. So, for example, if you were playing Sampuoli's Chile teams of recent years, most teams could get themselves in trouble passing it out, therefor playing it long to avoid their press would make sense a lot of the time. (Wales are a very well organised team in this regard by international standards too, but they don't have the same insane energy that the really good pressing teams have.)

You seem to think all we have is a collection of hard working cloggers, but in reality we have an abundance of players with the skills to pass the ball to each other. And, on top of that, in international football you don't face opposition teams that are organised when pressing very often. You act like we should cower in fear and kick the ball away at every half decent team we meet, but you aren't looking at the right things when trying to work out how dangerous any particular opposition are when it comes to passing the ball against them.

Edit: And another thing, Wes is good defensively, hard working and good at holding onto the ball. He also has the creative skills that stand out, but the idea that he is a luxury player is very misguided and sounds a lot like the old fashioned prejudice against small technical players.

Dots1982 wrote: »

Those who say the only way we score goals is through Wes are watching different matches to me. Wes contributes very well but Brady, McClean, Coleman and on certain days Long all play a huge part.

Now that Coleman (for me by head and shoulders Ireland's best defender and attacker) is missing we are going to get seriously tested in terms of chance creation and the pressure is on Brady, McClean, Wes and Long to fill in for him and maybe we can hope McGeady and/or Horgan can step up and possibly Arter or O'Dowda or O'Kane can bring a bit of cut and thrust to the middle of the field.

O'Neill may change the way we play a little with Coleman out but had Coleman not broken his leg we wouldn't have changed a thing.

TBH I think you have gone off here into a different conversation you were having with a different poster.

Jayop

Just because our players don't play in the top 4/5 teams in England does not mean they are ****. A player playing for Everton now is a top player generally. Same for a lot of premier league players at lower clubs. They're not cloggers anymore. While the top pl teams aren't at their peak, imo the average lower to middle team player is a lot more talented than a few years ago.

Dots1982

Pro. F wrote: »

That's not an accurate description of our attacking strategy in the Wales game, nor many of our home games. Before the sending off changed the game: We did kick it long and play down the wings a lot, but we also got on the ball and passed it around, including through the middle of the pitch, a reasonable number of times. But you've made no mention of that. And Wales were on the ball in the middle of the park and playing up to, and in to, the final third from the midfield a lot against us. A deadzone the midfield was not. But that's just the Wales game, we were talking about generalities up to now.

Well I'm not saying we play long ball so if the midfielders didn't get the ball at their feet at all and we just played down the wings entirely that would be a really strange strategy. What I mean by the deadzone in midfield is that our midfielders don't penetrate the opposition through the midfield and they try not to be penetrated. Not that they aren't allowed to touch the ball which seems to be what you think I meant. The midfielders are much more likely to pass to the wings is what I meant than pass through the centre. That is because the attacking runs are made on the wings rather than the centre.

The biggest problem we had up to the Euros was that our midfield had no goalscorers. I went through each squad before the Euros and the only teams that had scored less goals from midfield were Portugal (who have a phenom in their forwards to get them their goals) and England (who had a fairly inexperienced midfield in terms of caps compared to Ireland). This has shown signs of improving in this campaign with McClean particularly showing that he can be a goal threat. There is a massive focus on the creativity of our midfield but the lack of a goal threat there is what has held us back.

The Red Lad

McClean unlucky not to score against Wales too seemed to be going in only for the deflection. Think he will finish our top scorer in this campaign we are very lucky to have him and playing the way he is too the lad loves playing for Ireland more then anything.

Pro. F

Dots1982 wrote: »

Well I'm not saying we play long ball so if the midfielders didn't get the ball at their feet at all and we just played down the wings entirely that would be a really strange strategy. What I mean by the deadzone in midfield is that our midfielders don't penetrate the opposition through the midfield and they try not to be penetrated. Not that they aren't allowed to touch the ball which seems to be what you think I meant. The midfielders are much more likely to pass to the wings is what I meant than pass through the centre. That is because the attacking runs are made on the wings rather than the centre.

The biggest problem we had up to the Euros was that our midfield had no goalscorers. I went through each squad before the Euros and the only teams that had scored less goals from midfield were Portugal (who have a phenom in their forwards to get them their goals) and England (who had a fairly inexperienced midfield in terms of caps compared to Ireland). This has shown signs of improving in this campaign with McClean particularly showing that he can be a goal threat. There is a massive focus on the creativity of our midfield but the lack of a goal threat there is what has held us back.

You are all over the place, but let's see if we actually agree on the thing we were debating. Do you agree we have players with the required skill to pass the ball out from the back and string 10 passes together, including in midfield, against decent opposition?

Dots1982

Pro. F wrote: »

You are all over the place, but let's see if we actually agree on the thing we were debating. Do you agree we have players with the required skill to pass the ball out from the back and string 10 passes together, including in midfield, against decent opposition?

I'm all over the place because I'm not really too interested in debating with just you because you think our midfielders are possession players and I don't and neither of us are going to convince the other they are right so I'd rather open it up to other people.

In answer to your question: Sometimes yes, sometimes no, we aren't a very good technical passing side, Wales have better possession players. Austria and Serbia i would imagine do but can't say with absolute certainty. That's my uninteresting answer.

Pro. F

Dots1982 wrote: »

I'm all over the place because I'm not really too interested in debating with just you because you think our midfielders are possession players and I don't and neither of us are going to convince the other they are right so I'd rather open it up to other people.

In answer to your question: Sometimes yes, sometimes no, we aren't a very good technical passing side, Wales have better possession players. Austria and Serbia i would imagine do but can't say with absolute certainty. That's my uninteresting answer.

If you're not interested in dicussing it with me then you shouldn't quote and respond to me. It's just unnecessarily confusing. I've made my points about why I think we are able to keep a hold of the ball against decent opposition, you have ignored those points and talked about other things to other people. Good talk.

Dots1982

Pro. F wrote: »

If you're not interested in dicussing it with me then you shouldn't quote and respond to me. It's just unnecessarily confusing. I've made my points about why I think we are able to keep a hold of the ball against decent opposition, you have ignored those points and talked about other things to other people. Good talk.

Tedious man

The_Kew_Tour

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Just letting people know

Morrison J

O'Neill not holding back. He's right to be fair. Just released this statement.



Once again the Everton manager, master tactician of the blame game, has struck out in his comments today, criticising both myself and James McCarthy.

Perhaps a review of Everton's pre-season programme might provide some enlightenment.

James had a magnificent tournament for the Republic of Ireland last summer during UEFA EURO 2016, playing his last game in very late June. He then returned to Everton after a very short break, but only 11 days later, he played his first of three games, all within an eight-day period, against Real Betis, Manchester United and Espanyol. Overloading?

It should be added that James last played for his country on the October 9, 2016 - almost half a year ago. Since that time he has been totally under Everton's supervision.

James is diligent and conscientious in his professional preparation.

Perhaps, in this instance, quiet introspection may serve the Everton manager and his medical staff better.

ScummyMan

FAI shared that statement on Facebook, top comment got a LOL from me.

Shove that up your hole Koeman you clog-wearing, tulip-picking, windmill-working clown

Laois_Man

Minderbinder

Both managers are just looking out for themselves. I think Koeman is more annoyed by the Coleman injury but can't blame Ireland for that.

McCarthy is a more important player for Ireland than he seems to be for Everton. Credit must go to him for trying to play against Wales although he obviously wasn't ready. James McCarthy has shown class throughout which can't be said about the two childish managers.

Morrison J

Morrison J wrote: »

O'Neill not holding back. He's right to be fair. Just released this statement.

Once again the Everton manager, master tactician of the blame game...

That's where he went wrong. Surprisingly stupid by O'Neill to get into name calling. I think Koeman and Everton are wrong...but to apply silly labels like "master tactician of the blame game" is childish. Just give the facts, McCarthy injuries, games played, who was in charge of him etc. and most adults will join the dots.

Pair of them should grow up!

Saying that I hope it escalates to a fist fight