Euro 2016 - Round of 16 - France vs Ireland, 2 pm, RTE, ITV

Dirty Dingus McGee

Why are Ireland being forced to wear white in all but one game when there has not been a colour clash yet.

That_Guy

Dirty Dingus McGee wrote: »

Why are Ireland being forced to wear white in all but one game when there has not been a colour clash yet.

I'd say kit manufacturers have a say too. €€€€

Avatar MIA

That_Guy wrote: »

I'd say kit manufacturers have a say too. €€€€

Is it not because blue and green would be seen as similar to those "colour blind".

Bleating Lamb

If Ward isn't fit you could see him go with Clarke at left back to keep Brady in the engine room, Clarke has played there for Aston Villa before...not that that says much for him:)

rob316

chris241111 wrote: »

We should play McGeady in the starting 11. I don't know why he doesn't, Then scrap Shane Long

That's enough Internet for me today already.

Paully D

O'Neill surprised me against Italy with a very brave team selection and allowing the team to have a really good go from the off. I hope for the same again today.

We have nothing to lose now. Regardless, getting to the last 16 means the tournament will go down as a success for us. Lets have a good go. I'd rather lose by 3 or 4 and have a good crack at the French as opposed to losing by 1 or 2 due to sitting back.

Irish_rat

chris241111 wrote: »

We should play McGeady in the starting 11. I don't know why he doesn't, Then scrap Shane Long

Gives the ball away in key areas of the pitch, can make a good dribble, impact sub at most if we're in need of a goal at the end of the game.

Toobz

chris241111 wrote: »

We should play McGeady in the starting 11. I don't know why he doesn't, Then scrap Shane Long

How to play like McGeady:

1. Round a player
2. Slow down and try round said player again
3. Chase after ball you just lost/smash ball into legs of defender

That_Guy

COME ON IRELAND T'FÚCK!!!

Jimbob1977

McGeady's final ball is the worst in world football.

Saying that, he will probably deliver the match winning cross today

HalloweenJack

Pressure is all on France, they're expected to stroll it. They haven't really hit full flow from what I've seen so far, though I didn't catch the Swiss game. I would be wary of us tiring as the game goes on as that's when they've won their games so far. There is the fear that they haven't fully clicked yet and that'll be my main worry. Oh, and that Payet fella, he's supposed to be good.

For our XI, I hope it's something similar to the Italy game and O'Neill gets them playing the same way. The midfield was where we won the game last time out, I feel. Brady and Hendrick were incredible. Keep them together and if Ward is definitely out, try Christie or Clark. I think Brady in midfield is key to our chances, we really kept us ticking over in the last game. If Walters is up for it, bring him in for Murphy. And if we're still in it with 20/30 minutes to go, throw on Hoolahan towards the end to mix things up a bit and go for it. I do have more confidence in O'Neill's ability and desire to go for a game than Trap's and I think the players responded fantastically after the disappointment of the Belgium game.

France are favourites, we're not, there's no shame going out there and losing, I just hope we don't go out with a whimper, that we go out and at least try to win it, like we did against Italy and in 2009.

I don't see us going through, just like I didn't see us going through against Italy, but there's always going to be that little voice of hope in the back of my mind that says we can.

COYBIG.

SEPT 23 1989

Players need to stop acting like a hand grenade instead of a football is being passed to them

They need to slow it down and think where they are going to put the ball

briany

I hope I'm wrong but I'm worried that the players will be suffering from a hangover after that great win vs Italy.

Didi saying Ireland should be physical - well, yeah, but there's physical and then there's rash, and McClean has the potential to be rash. If the game's not going his way, his temper seems to go. And it's not as if France are a bunch of nambys who can't take a bit of shoving. Dunphy likes to reminiscence about Roy Keane's tackle on Overmars, and it was great, but if an Irish player tries the same authoritative move today, and gets it wrong? Trouble. Card. Player through on goal.

Is it a day for cautious pragmatism - to try and keep it tight 'til the death? Or is in a day for swashbuckling gung-ho football? Either sword offers a chance to live on and also a way to die by, I suppose. Whatever they do, I'll say a silent prayer or two.

C'mon t'fück!

AndyBoBandy

Win or lose, I just hope we go at them and give them a game like in 09, give them the game of their lives, leave nothing out there.

To quote the great Paul O'Connell "I want them standing back and thinking What the Füćk is going on here"

Truly put to bed the nightmare that was Euro 2012. Show the world what spirit and grit and determination can achieve.

Bring a little pride and respect back to our little country.

Mr. Farage

A lot will depend on the referee. I'm in no doubt he'll be a homer and will be the difference. In a dream scenario we win with an injury time peno from an outrageous Shane Long dive.

Guns blazing all the way
**** it nothing to fear

trashcan

HalloweenJack wrote: »

I think Brady in midfield is key to our chances,


COYBIG.

I agree with this 100%. We are a different team with him in there.He is wasted at full back. Hoolahan is the real dilemma for me. He is probably our best hope of creating a goal, but how to accommodate him, Brady and Hendrick ? Play him behind Shane Long - which means no Murphy (Or Walters if fit), or leave him on the bench again. I have a feeling O'Neill will go with the latter option. I think we need him on the pitch at some stage though. McGeady on the other hand just does nothing for me at all. Great lad for a couple of step overs but only actually delivers anything useful once in a blue moon.

IamtheWalrus

The pictures of the players drinking cans of beer after the Italy game raised alarm bells with me.

NIMAN

I too hope if we are to leave after today, we go down with a bit of fight, not parking the bus for 120mins hoping to win on penalties.

Have a go, try to pass it, and get involved. France haven't been great so far, and they will be nervous, as they are expected to sail through.

I think the main problem will be the ref. We will be lucky to get any decision today, as UEFA need France to progress for the sake of the tournament and the sponsors. I can see them getting any 50/50 decision.

xtal191

1-0 win for Ireland

ShooterSF

The problem I see is people saying keep it tight for the first half and get them panicked. This team has already won 2 of 3 games with last minute goals. They don't seem to lose their nerve. I dunno what we need to do but I think we'll need 2. But one can dream, one can dream.

AndyBoBandy

IamtheWalrus wrote: »

The pictures of the players drinking cans of beer after the Italy game raised alarm bells with me.

Not for me, a celebratory few beers to unwind after what was probably the biggest game of their lives is fine.

Don't forget uncle Roy would have been keeping a close eye on things, and made sure things didn't get out of hand consumption wise.

Mec27

France struggled against Romania and Albania but regardless I think the game will get to the Irish players and I expect France to get 2 or 3. We need to be brave, try keep the ball, and mimic the Italy game as much as we can.

HalloweenJack

IamtheWalrus wrote: »

The pictures of the players drinking cans of beer after the Italy game raised alarm bells with me.

We don't know how many they drank, it couldn't have just been the one each. Most clubs seem to have a 48 hours policy when it comes to drinking before a match, can imagine there's something similar with national teams. As it is, it's been four days since the game

Look at Leicester. The game after they won the league, they went out and thumped Everton, with Vardy grabbing two goals, that was after a whole week of celebrating. It's not something I'd worry too much about. They are professionals after all, the days of the Paul McGrath-type drunk footballer are long gone.

Gavlor

IamtheWalrus wrote: »

The pictures of the players drinking cans of beer after the Italy game raised alarm bells with me.

That was a sponsor gimmic... Did you not notice that it was all carlsberg and any other label was covered up?

No way were these guys on the beer after that game.

Question re today's game.... Go for it at the start and get in their faces or sit back and try soak up the pressure in the hope of a repeat of the Germany game??

The former for me......

LuckyLloyd

I'm so ****ing edgy

SEPT 23 1989

A fear a pumped up Irish player is going to do something stupid very early on

El Chapo

Really looking forward to this. Just hope the lads can do themselves justice.

Probably our only realistic chance of scoring will come from a set piece so we need a huge game from the likes of Long and Murphy to win frees. The big worry for me is fatigue, we played at an enormous intensity in a boiling hot stadium for 90 minutes against Italy, we'll need that again but can their bodies handle it?

Best of luck to the lads.

Mumm_ra

Really? Player pictured with sponsors product alarmed you!

JustTheOne

Gavlor wrote: »

That was a sponsor gimmic... Did you not notice that it was all carlsberg and any other label was covered up?

No way were these guys on the beer after that game.

Question re today's game.... Go for it at the start and get in their faces or sit back and try soak up the pressure in the hope of a repeat of the Germany game??

The former for me......

I read they didn't get to and until 530 am Thursday morning.

coco0981

JustTheOne wrote: »

I read they didn't get to and until 530 am Thursday morning.

Ya but that's not because they were up drinking all night, bus got delayed leaving lille because a few players had to get drug tested

Esse85

IamtheWalrus wrote: »

The pictures of the players drinking cans of beer after the Italy game raised alarm bells with me.

Can you explain why?

PTH2009

JustTheOne wrote: »

I read they didn't get to and until 530 am Thursday morning.

french time the match started at 9pm and was over at 10.48pm approx by the time they do press, warm down, change etc it would be about 1.30am when they leave the stadium and back to the hotel. prob a few pints in the hotel and off to bed, no crazy stuff

Id say the Iceland and Northern Ireland players were out drinking too when they qualifed

spock.

CONFIRMED: Ireland unchanged

Mec27

Fair play MON, fair ****ing play. No criticism from me now, you put belief in the players and their talents, you were brave and that's all we can ask for. Football isn't that important, we probably won't win so just go out and give the FRENCH a ****ing go.

France ON ARRIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

surripere

Ward shouldn't be playing.

alchemist33

Paully D wrote: »

O'Neill surprised me against Italy with a very brave team selection and allowing the team to have a really good go from the off. I hope for the same again today.

We have nothing to lose now. Regardless, getting to the last 16 means the tournament will go down as a success for us. Lets have a good go. I'd rather lose by 3 or 4 and have a good crack at the French as opposed to losing by 1 or 2 due to sitting back.

Unfortunately I suspect we'll go conservative, but here's hoping. Playing Iceland in the QFs would be sweet.

Edit: no changes. LET'S TAKE THESE F***ERS!!

tigger123

spock. wrote: »

CONFIRMED: Ireland unchanged

Sharpen the guillotine!

briany

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

A fear a pumped up Irish player is going to do something stupid very early on

This would be my worry. To me, it would be irresponsible for the management to bring 2009 into this, particularly, in the team talk as a means to that end. Most of the players playing today will not have been there, so getting them hot about that will come off as foolhardy if it leads to a rash mindset that costs Ireland the game. And the game is there to be won as the 90 minutes have yet to be played. I don't really expect Ireland to win, but I would hope for it to at least be a close game so everyone has time to get happy-drunk, so whatever game plan enables that is the one I favour.

Diabhal Beag

Evra is there to be absolutely roasted. Hopefully we do him bigtime.

Knex*

Getting ready for an emotional rollercoaster. Lets go!

briany

alchemist33 wrote: »

Unfortunately I suspect we'll go conservative, but here's hoping. Playing Iceland in the QFs would be sweet.

Edit: no changes. LET'S TAKE THESE F***ERS!!

McClean's on a yellow, isn't he? In a way, McClean's the canary for the whole Irish mindset. If he's nervy, shouty and fouly, I will not hold much hope, but if he's clever with his play, who knows?

briany

Ah, Raglan Road....

IamtheWalrus

Esse85 wrote: »

Can you explain why?

The celebratory aspect, like the team have qualified, no one expects us to progress after this, our job is done. That attitude won't run against France. Just a fear I had.

briany

Less than 5000 fans

The lads will be up against it.....

funtime93

briany wrote: »

McClean's on a yellow, isn't he? In a way, McClean's the canary for the whole Irish mindset. If he's nervy, shouty and fouly, I will not hold much hope, but if he's clever with his play, who knows?

McClean is a knacker. I'd almost wager he will lunge into something and get booked. Shouldn't be in the team anyway. I think we'll get overrun in the middle today with James mcPassenger and Hendrick against kante, pogba and matuidi. They'll have the legs on us there. And Ward going up against payet or griezmann makes me shudder. We can bully them at set plays though.

LeeJM

briany wrote: »

McClean's on a yellow, isn't he? In a way, McClean's the canary for the whole Irish mindset. If he's nervy, shouty and fouly, I will not hold much hope, but if he's clever with his play, who knows?

What has McClean being on a yellow got to do with anything? He gets booked he misses the next match, not a big deal. The level of negativity in here crazy. Yes realistically we shouldnt win. But f*ck it sport isnt always realistic. EKos and Sagna can be got at. Kos wont like having Murphy and Long jumping into him. Brady has magic in his left foot and Hendrick has absolutely no fear. McClean can be a catalyst or a disaster. Coleman is one of the best RBs in the EPL. F*ck it lads and ladies, forget the pessimistic sh*t for once we have a chance to reach a QF of a major tournament for only the second time. Enjoy the moment because it doesnt happen too often.

COYBIG

Agricola

briany wrote: »

Less than 5000 fans

The lads will be up against it.....

That is some bullshít, will be a home game for France and it shouldn't be.

El Chapo

Hope we see Robbie Keane at some point today if we're chasing the game.

The man deserves to say goodbye. Absolute legend.

briany

Agricola wrote: »

That is some bullshít, will be a home game for France and it shouldn't be.

Yeah, although hopefully I jumped the gun there. There might be more, hopefully.