Serbia v Republic of Ireland Match Thread - K.O 19.45 24/03/21 - Mod Note in OP

Irish_rat

Best performance I've seen from Ireland in years. I can't remember them playing that well since maybe the France game.

Better keeper and it was 0-2

Bob the Seducer

Underground wrote: »

With Randolph in goal I think we walk away with a point tonight.

Has to be Bazunu between the sticks in the next game for me.

I think Bazunu is being protected so he mightn't feature before the Qatar game. With the current thinking being that it will be between him and Kelleher for No. 1 in the future, they don't want to throw him in at the deep end.

Wouldn't shock me to see O'Hara against Luxembourg, despite being dropped by Burton. The following won't fill anyone with confidence though:

"...the former United prospect shipped 19 goals in five matches as Burton lost them all. And he has not got a game since.

In that time, O’Hara’s new club have lost just twice in 10 outings and have kept six clean sheets."

lawred2

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

We can't play this style. We will always lose to technically superior teams

We need to play to our strengths.

What are those? Seriously?

There's an obvious alternative to you that gets results?

I don't see it. I see a development of an ethos tonight but we're completely lacking in any standout individual talent...

ShamNNspace

tom1ie wrote: »

Jesus there are some negative fookers on this thread tonight!
We score 2 goals away to a team we weren’t given much of a chance against, while missing our no1 keeper and people are calling for kenny’s head 1 game into the campaign.
Mad!

Like the posters here calling for Kennys head have been in the minority, and a very small minority at that

10000maniacs

Mantis Toboggan wrote: »

2 shots on target, that's a positive given how bad we've been under Kenny.

Hammer Luxembourg the weekend and we're capable of a point in Lisbon, plenty of time to get a few players back.

Yeah the European Champions don't normally do that well at home. :rolleyes:

_Kaiser_

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

It's a shocking record. He should be gone imo.

I don't necessarily disagree, but replaced with who?

The Ireland job isn't exactly in high demand I'd suggest

edgecutter

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

It's a shocking record. He should be gone imo.

Who do we bring in? The FAI is broke and there won't be too many jumping at the chance to take this job. Look at the squad and tell me what Kenny could do differently.

We don't have a striker that scores regularly
Our Premier League players barely play for their clubs.
The Championship isn't that high of a standard when it comes to international football.
Irish football will only get worse and it isn't because of Kenny.

Hammer Archer

Still convinced it was a stonewall penalty on Connolly.

MrMusician18

fullstop wrote: »

What a load of nonsense. Don’t know if you’re on the windup looking for this reaction (I suspect so) but who the hell sacks a manager or resigns one match into a qualifying campaign after a 3-2 loss away to higher seeds? Have a word with yourself.

It's zero wins from nine matches. Zero.

breezy1985

Oat23 wrote: »

Let's throw all logic out the window and ignore the vastly different standard of player Stephen Kenny has to work with compared to previous managers...

The Hendrick decision was bad. I agree there.

Would love to know who all these boards "experts" think Ireland can get as manager. Or what players they think Kenny should play, who is the O'Leary/Hoolihan/Reid footballing god in Dunphys mind that would have saved this team

noodler

raclle wrote: »

So you'd rather go back to the dinosaur crap that hasn't got us near a World Cup in 20 years?

This is almost as OTT as the "Kenny should go" comments.

We've been to two WC play offs in the last 20 years.

Underground

Faugheen wrote: »

Don't know where the idea that Bazunu is any better comes from. He's playing regularly but he's had his fair share of mares as well this season.

Like you said, he's playing regularly. On that basis alone I'd pick him over Travers.

Granted, he won't be seriously tested against Luxembourg so I could see Travers keeping his place.

I wouldn't bother with O'Hara, he's not the future. If Bazunu is gonna be in the mix long term I don't see the harm in bringing him in for Luxembourg.

Mantis Toboggan

Why did Kenny take molumby off? Thought that was a mistake he was playing ok, we fell to pieces after that.

tayto lover

Had Travers stayed on his line for the second goal we might all be celebrating an away point against the Serbs.
Small margins.
I see definite improvements.

RonanG86

breezy1985 wrote: »

who is the O'Leary/Hoolihan/Reid footballing god in Dunphys mind that would have saved this team

It was Obafemi until he couldn't get near the Southampton team and then got injured for the rest of the season. Don't think anyone else has been picked up on yet.

Brock Turnpike

MrMusician18 wrote: »

It's zero wins from nine matches. Zero.

What is an acceptable number of games to get a first win?

For Forks Sake

Mantis Toboggan wrote: »

Why did Kenny take molumby off? Thought that was a mistake he was playing ok, we fell to pieces after that.

Lack of first-team football caught up with him maybe?

Francie Barrett

Father Hernandez wrote: »

Luxembourg on Saturday will strangely be a huge test to see where we are with Kenny, decent performance with a couple goals will be great progress. If we struggle, heat will be on Kenny.

Based on this performance, I feel a lot better about the Luxembourg game. Based on what we've seen tonight, we should have more than enough to win.

raclle

noodler wrote: »

This is almost as OTT as the "Kenny should go" comments.

We've been to two WC play offs in the last 20 years.

but we haven't actually gotten to the world cup :rolleyes:

10000maniacs

Brock Turnpike wrote: »

What is an acceptable number of games to get a first win?

It's not the winning that's important. It's the beautiful football that we play surely?

fullstop

Mr.Nice Guy wrote: »

Kenny's decision to bring on Hendrick for Molumby resulted in them putting the game to bed. They gifted us a goal late on but that was where things started to go wrong.

Stephen Kenny’s record as Ireland boss:



Needs a win against Luxembourg to avoid getting to double figures without a victory. Can't imagine too many Ireland coaches have faced that prospect.

In fairness not many Irish managers have had lads dropping like flies from Covid and injuries for their first 10 games either.

Edit; like others I do agree on the Hendrick point. He just shouldn’t be anywhere near the team.

MrMusician18

edgecutter wrote: »

Who do we bring in? The FAI is broke and there won't be too many jumping at the chance to take this job. Look at the squad and tell me what Kenny could do differently.

We don't have a striker that scores regularly
Our Premier League players barely play for their clubs.
The Championship isn't that high of a standard when it comes to international football.
Irish football will only get worse and it isn't because of Kenny.

Broke yet paying Kenny over €500k this year and Robbie on €250k.
If say there'll be a few people that wouldn't mind that wedge.

Amirani

breezy1985 wrote: »

Would love to know who all these boards "experts" think Ireland can get as manager. Or what players they think Kenny should play, who is the O'Leary/Hoolihan/Reid footballing god in Dunphys mind that would have saved this team

Yeah, it says a lot about the current cohort that we don't have 1 of those types anymore. There's nobody else, that was as good a team as we could have played tonight.

Faugheen

noodler wrote: »

This is almost as OTT as the "Kenny should go" comments.

We've been to two WC play offs in the last 20 years.

How is it? Staunton, Trap, O'Neill, McCarthy.

All played the same way and had the same attitude. The players aren't good enough to play football so we're just going to hit and hope.

We fluked our way to Euro 2012 and Euro 2016 and it papered over the cracks that are coming to fruition now.

Mantis Toboggan

MrMusician18 wrote: »

It's zero wins from nine matches. Zero.

guaranteed win the weekend and a chance for some goals. Kenny deserves to campaign in fairness.

Francie Barrett

Mantis Toboggan wrote: »

Why did Kenny take molumby off? Thought that was a mistake he was playing ok, we fell to pieces after that.

He looked very tired coming off I have to say.

PabloAndRoy

For the first time in a long time, I actually enjoyed that. Thought it was a good performance from all the starters. Feel sorry for the keeper.

ozzy jr

Player of the match?

Is man of the match a thing of the past?

(That won’t make sense unless you’re watching Rte)

Amirani

RonanG86 wrote: »

It was Obafemi until he couldn't get near the Southampton team and then got injured for the rest of the season. Don't think anyone else has been picked up on yet.

Haha, remember the outrage from some on here when Obafemi didn't make the first squad. Hilarious.

RonanG86

Bob the Seducer wrote: »

I think Bazunu is being protected so he mightn't feature before the Qatar game. With the current thinking being that it will be between him and Kelleher for No. 1 in the future, they don't want to throw him in at the deep end.

Wouldn't shock me to see O'Hara against Luxembourg, despite being dropped by Burton. The following won't fill anyone with confidence though:

"...the former United prospect shipped 19 goals in five matches as Burton lost them all. And he has not got a game since.

In that time, O’Hara’s new club have lost just twice in 10 outings and have kept six clean sheets."

We have a generally reliable, but average, keeper in Randolph and two prospects in Kelleher and Bazunu and pretty much nothing else.

The only silver lining is that Kelleher has come on a lot in 12 months despite not playing regular senior footie and proved for Liverpool that he can perform if dropped in at the deep end.

edgecutter

MrMusician18 wrote: »

Broke yet paying Kenny over €500k this year and Robbie on €250k.
If say there'll be a few people that wouldn't mind that wedge.

That deal was done when Delaney was in charge and the FAI are obliged to honour it. If Kenny does go, the FAI won't be handing out that money ever again and that limits our options even further.

Who would you bring in?

Underground

Reality is if John Delaney had run the FAI properly from when he got the top job in the mid 2000's and focused on grassroots football, investment in academies and coaching at youth level, we'd be starting to reap the benefits of that approach right about now

callaway92

Hammer Archer wrote: »

Still convinced it was a stonewall penalty on Connolly.

Wasn't the one where Coleman slipped and the Serbia player tumbled over him a potential pen too?

RonanG86

Faugheen wrote: »

We fluked our way to Euro 2012 and Euro 2016 and it papered over the cracks that are coming to fruition now.

Euro 2016 was our best campaign since 2002 and it's the one where we played the least amount of hoofball.

That's not a co-incidence.

breezy1985

Brock Turnpike wrote: »

What is an acceptable number of games to get a first win?

The equation would involve who you are and what is available to you + who the games were against + how important were the games + who can replace him= x so no easy answer.

Fking up against LUX would be a big problem for me even then you need to look at the last part of the equation very seriously

Francie Barrett

ozzy jr wrote: »

Player of the match?

Is man of the match a thing of the past?

(That won’t make sense unless you’re watching Rte)

Coleman, Cullen, Browne, and Robinson were the standout players I have to say.

Father Hernandez

Francie Barrett wrote: »

Based on this performance, I feel a lot better about the Luxembourg game. Based on what we've seen tonight, we should have more than enough to win.

As do I, we've struggled against the likes of Georgia even Gibraltar lately so if we can go out and get a couple of goals, play well, it'll be great confidence for the players.

@Castletownman makes an excellent point on players, unfortunately we don't have them.

We're a small nation with a small footballing legacy. The likes of Wales and more recently Scotland are our level who have qualified for major tournaments recently because even one world class player in a small nation can change the whole side. We don't have any.

'Spoiled' enough in my generation anyway with some of the players we had but we simply don't have them. This is our level unfortunately until some players come along or we give Kenny a bit of time to see what he can do with a young side over a bit of time.

Irish_rat

MrMusician18 wrote: »

It's zero wins from nine matches. Zero.

Its competitive games that matter.... Competitive.

Mushy

Definitely some positives in there, it wasn't all just playing it long, 2 goals which is first time in a long time particularly against a higher seed team. Team selection overall wasnt a disaster, the limitations of the squad are there for all to see.

Definitely negatives too, can't stick with Travers anyway. Hendrick coming on wasnt a good sight but I hope that was just to give Molumby a rest before Saturday.

I know they weren't going to qualify, but I hope they haven't regressed to losing to Luxembourg either. If the team selection reverts back to Hendrick/Brady starting, its a step backwards at this rate.

PTH2009

Disappointing result but wasn't a bad performance by us in any means. I'm happy were giving lads a bit of experience

Anything other than a win on Saturday would be a disaster. Serbia also facing Portugal the same day and we want a draw from that

Brock Turnpike

Positives:

Coleman his best game for us in a long time

Midfield much better without Hendrick and Hourihane
Scored twice

Browne looks like a genuine goal that from midfield which we haven't had in a long time

Denied a clear cut pen imo (based on replays I've seen)

Much more composed in possession in general

Pressing very good at times

Shape very good

Negatives:

Keeper terrible
Doherty very poor
Hendrick, Brady, McClean being brought on ahead of Knight were very disappointing decisions
Connolly disappointing - his attitude doesn't seem great

TheCitizen

Francie Barrett wrote: »

Based on this performance, I feel a lot better about the Luxembourg game. Based on what we've seen tonight, we should have more than enough to win.

Yes. Should win that and will if we perform like tonight.

noodler

Faugheen wrote: »

How is it? Staunton, Trap, O'Neill, McCarthy.

All played the same way and had the same attitude. The players aren't good enough to play football so we're just going to hit and hope.

We fluked our way to Euro 2012 and Euro 2016 and it papered over the cracks that are coming to fruition now.

Hehe...fluked.

Hehe

RonanG86

Brock Turnpike wrote: »

Positives:
Connolly disappointing - his attitude doesn't seem great

Connolly has all the hallmarks of a guy who's not taking being a footballer seriously.

Niggling injuries.
Not kicked on at club level after initially breaking into the team.
Getting in trouble with his club.
Knackered after 65 minutes.

Really hope I'm wrong, cos until he went off I couldn't accuse the guy of not trying tonight.

elefant

PabloAndRoy wrote: »

For the first time in a long time, I actually enjoyed that. Thought it was a good performance from all the starters. Feel sorry for the keeper.

Succinctly put, and I feel exactly the same.

FrankGrimes

Progress. Wish he’d changed the shape earlier in his reign but Kenny did tonight and we looked a much better side as a result. Yes mistakes were made, keeper could’ve done better, Serbia’s finishes were quality. But there was enough cohesion in the overall play to have confidence we’ll make and take chances against the lower ranked teams.

Like it or not, that’s our current level and we need to master that level and then focus on rising from it. Despite the result and Kenny’s stats to-date, the glass for me is more than half full now as there’s reason to believe our shape and play are improving and will lead to better results. Onwards.

breezy1985

Underground wrote: »

Reality is if John Delaney had run the FAI properly from when he got the top job in the mid 2000's and focused on grassroots football, investment in academies and coaching at youth level, we'd be starting to reap the benefits of that approach right about now

Yep practically every world cup winning team or seemingly over achieving team has invested in smart underage management. Event he English have copped it and seen improvement

Amirani

Irish_rat wrote: »

Its competitive games that matter.... Competitive.

Always a pain listening to those lads giving out about pre-season friendlies and their team losing matches in their tour of China or the Saudi Arabia Cup.

Normal people don't actually care, competitive games are all that matter.

raclle

noodler wrote: »

Hehe...fluked.

Hehe

We finished 3rd in the campaign so had they not changed the rules we wouldn't have been there.

I'd love gibralter in our group just to sush the lads that think we should be winning all around. I think that's the only team we beat under the previous regime right?