Republic of Ireland Team 2023/24 [old thread]

ben.schlomo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119189452#Comment_119189452

I know what you're saying but the pass was also just so obvious that Robertson knew it was there to be nicked. Duffy, defensively, was his usual solid self, crucial blocks and great in the air at both ends but that doesn't excuse just how poor his passing was/is.

ben.schlomo

An interesting snippet from the BBC text during the game.

TheCitizen

Brilliant stuff. Iron out that slow playing out from the back for the sake of it and this could be a real turning point for Kenny

Kermit.de.frog

"I was just like...hit it" lol

Indeed.

PokeHerKing

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119189508#Comment_119189508

You're gonna have to stick to the weather predictions after today.

athlone99

Mad stat

deisedude

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119189330#Comment_119189330

In fairness Robertson has played like 200 games this season, he must be bollocksed

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119189520#Comment_119189520

Part of that is got to do with how low ranked we are now. But in fairness how often do we beat anybody by 3 goals.

Pawwed Rig

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119188612#Comment_119188612

Good call 😁

dfx-

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119189402#Comment_119189402

"We've no right to win" does not exclude the possibility of winning.

Ireland are a different team when they score first. Two excellent goals, possibly more, multiple candidates for MOTM (Parrott personally) and energy after a fortuitous opener. If they concede first, they could be there all night and not look like scoring.

JDigweed

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119189091#Comment_119189091

Exactly, armenia were awful and we huffed and puffed. Gotta treat each game like a cup final now

kksaints

Great win. Obafemi and Parrott did excellently up front and never let the Scottish backs settle. Molumphy harried and pressed brilliantly. Yes, he's not going to make too many defense splitting passes but we do need energy like his in midfield. McClean hit some very good crosses along with some bad ones. Not sure how often we'd want him starting but for his energy and drive he's worth having in the squad. Duffy was great in the air but not good with the ball at his feet. Some of his misplaced passes could have been disastrous. Collins looks a quality centre back, hopefully he'll get regular game time next season where ever he is.

Good atmosphere although bizarrely there was a proper fist fight at the back of section 510 and 511 in the last few minutes of the second half between two sets of lads. Some fairly nasty digs thrown, not sure what caused it.

breezy1985

Edit: wrong thread.

Mushy

Only saw the 2nd half, great result anyway. Hopefully can build on it now, things could look very different if get a result in Poland.

Higgins5473

That fourth goal was 100% a goal.

RoryMac

Just in from the game and was great to see an excellent performance from us. Created lots of chances, nice mix of passing, good performances throughout the team. Best home performance from an Irish side in a long time.

Scotland were absolutely awful and the only success they had was a few times we badly chose to try and play out from the back when Scotland had pushed up high.

Hopefully more of the same from us on Tuesday against Ukraine

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119189699#Comment_119189699

I wonder would VAR have looked a bit harder if it wasn't 3-0.

Faugheen

It's really quiet in here tonight. You love to see it.

Higgins5473

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119189759#Comment_119189759

Possibly, even without the goal line technology I don’t know how VAR didn’t give it.

johnnyryan89

https://twitter.com/McDonnellDan/status/1535699167762436097

Hopefully Obafemi being a possible doubt is like Egan being ruled out for tonight but played 90 mins. Would be a real shame for him to put in a motm performance and get injured.

Himself and Parrott worked hard up top and the fresh legs of Browne, Molumby, and McClean added much needed energy into the team.

Higgins5473

Can anyone tell me why Robertson was getting so much abuse during the game?

tanko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119189802#Comment_119189802

Anyone but Liverpool supporters.

johnnyryan89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119189735#Comment_119189735

Thought the way Scotland were pushing up high like that maybe a midfielder could have dropped back making a dummy run for the Scottish players to try press us high but have the defender go longer with the pass instead.

Duffy needs to either force his way back into the Brighton starting XI or get himself a loan because he needs to be playing regularly. He's a momentum player and playing regularly is gonna cut out some of that sloppiness in possession he showed.

DrumSteve

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119189823#Comment_119189823

Wonder could Ebosole get a run out?

AllGunsBlazing

That performance really rolled back the years. Had Kenny been sacked the day after Ukraine I would have struggled to mount a plausible defence of the man, but just delighted to see him get that result. The next Ukraine match will be a tough one though with injuries and suspensions.

trashcan

Gas the difference 90 minutes can make isn’t it ? A much improved performance and I’m delighted for Stephen Kenny. Getting the break with the first goal was huge IMO. I’ll admit I wasn’t convinced by Obafemi previously, but my God, two moments of absolute quality from him tonight. Thought Parrott was very good too, and took his goal well. Nathan Collins outstanding, and I would say we’re looking at a future Irish captain. I still wouldn’t bet that we’ve turned the corner completely, and no doubt if we lose on Tuesday ( which is more than possible) then it will be “Kenny Must Go” again.

My view is this team may still be a year or two from fulfilling its potential, and there may be more setbacks. However we have some young players who I think will ultimately come good, whether it’s for Stephen Kenny, or a future manager. I’ll admit my “LOI fanboy” bias and hope that it is for Kenny. Avoid defeat on Tuesday and he’s probably saved himself for now. At least , whatever else, no one can say now that the players aren’t playing for him.

athlone99

Jes enjoyed that today. Ireland are chalk and cheese when it come to scoring first and conceeding first. Long term problem which hopefully Kenny can start to solve. Glad he seems to learned from the previous 2 games.

Collins looks like the natural replacement for Duffy. Molumby and Cullen have to be the midfield two or at least Cullen and Knight. Molumby isnt great on the ball but his workrate far outweighs what Hendrick offers. Parrott look like he could be the 10/creator we need. It is starting to look like the young players are simply our best options.

Im excited by Parrott, Obefami, Knight and Idah. I hope Connolly can rediscover some club form. I think LWB could become a problem position.McClean and Stevens almost past it and Manning has been playing as a left sided centre half the 2nd part of the season for Swansea.

I still dont see us winning on Tuesday but ill take a performance similar to tonight. This team seems like they are very close in every game. We havent been well beaten apart from the England friendly and our XG (ya ya its a sorta bullsh*** stat) but its been positive in most games. Team is going in the right direction, theres huge potential in the young lads but they need to kick on at club level. They also need to put that level of effort into every game no matter the opposition.

Heres hoping for a 21s win and a draw on Tuesday!

Brock Turnpike

Going to enjoy that win tonight. Just cracked open a lovely IPA and will be watching the highlights with a smile on my face.

Amazing how certain people are in here, unable to enjoy the performance and win, instead dismissing it and saying "Ukraine on Tuesday is the real test for us". Get ta ****.

Nathan Collins looks like he's going to be some player. Hope he maintains his current development as he seems to have it all - size, pace, power, comfortable on that ball.

LowOdour

Typical, the one ireland game i didn't get to watch since SK took over is one of the best ones.

After I got home, needed to check Troy Parrotts stats.

14 games, 4 goals for ireland.

Bar Robbie, cannot think of any irish 20 year old having 4 international goals at that age.

Pawwed Rig

Thought Collins made a good few errors today as did Duffy. We got away with them though but another team might have punished us

Francie Barrett

Some initial thoughts

1. Collins was our outstanding defender tonight, he was the one defender this evening who didn't look like he had two left feet.
2. McClean is still our best player at left wing back, he is not liked by many, but his work rate his exceptional and he can produce better than others have.
3. Obafemi/Parrott both showed they have the killer instinct in front of if goal. That ball from Obafemi in particular was disgustingly good.

How can we be beaten by a very poor Armenia team, yet go out and defeat a decent Scotland team in a comprehensive manner?

Francie Barrett

https://twitter.com/PremierSportsTV/status/1535671998155587585

Obafemi.

Francie Barrett

https://twitter.com/PremierSportsTV/status/1535662062612795393

Obafemi with an outrageous assist.

trashcan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119190094#Comment_119190094

Possibly a bit of complacency in the Armenia game. We looked relatively comfortable in the first half and controlled the game. If Ogbene had scored with the header just before half time I’m sure it would have been a different outcome. But he didn’t and the game just began to drift away from us in the second half, and when they scored we looked devoid of ideas. Still think we have a problem when a team sits in and defends deep against us.

Jarhead_Tendler

Great to get a win . Feeling way better about international football than i was at 4.59 today

johnnyryan89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119190094#Comment_119190094

The team effort against Armenia felt like a pre season friendly game whereas today was like a big league game with the team rightly up for it.

johnnyryan89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119190110#Comment_119190110

What made that better was it was Parrott that was challenging for the ball, ends up on ground but gets up and straight away into box to give Obafemi a forward option who picks him out with an outrageous pass.

Xander10

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119190169#Comment_119190169

Not a total excuse, but I think people forget the time of kick off and the temperatures in Armenia that day. I'm sure conserving energy had to be a factor in the slower pace of the game.

Scotland go there on Tuesday but have a 3 hour later kick off.

bricksNDmortar

Obafemi recreating Ray Houghton without the body open

BlazingSaddler

Fantastic win tonight but what a horrible momentum builder we have coming up, Ukraine playing like they have a real point to prove. Duffy a big loss and would have been a great test for Obafemi

breezy1985

From the side camera it looks like Obafemi's shot is so powerful it blows the keeper off his feet like something from an action movie.

johnnyryan89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119190203#Comment_119190203

It's definitely a factor which made the lining up with two in midfield all the more baffling, but the performance levels just dropped in the second half and changes were made too late to try regain momentum in the game.

Brock Turnpike

That Obafemi assist just gets better every time you watch it.

Faugheen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119190094#Comment_119190094

It's a general problem we have against teams that we should be beating and who sit much deeper than say Scotland did tonight. Tonight there was a lot more space to move around.

I also think if we don't make a breakthrough, then as the game goes on more panic sets in and it just turns into an omnishambles. Armenia and Azerbaijan prime examples. In the case of the latter, once the first goal goes in there is a lot more confidence and freedom to move about the place because Azerbaijan would have been trying that bit harder to level it.

I'm not trying to make an excuse, btw. Kenny's next challenge is to find a way to get these players to make a breakthrough in the first 15-20 minutes against teams ranked lower than us because once the first goal goes in there is a lot more confidence in their play. The longer we're being held out, the more panick-y we get.

TheCitizen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119188081#Comment_119188081

Are we all LOI “fanboi’s” again now?

johnnyryan89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119189856#Comment_119189856

Five of the starting XI under the age of 23 and four of those still eligible for our 21s. Kelleher, whose 23 and both Cullen and Browne are the only ones between the ages of 23-28. We're still a team in transition and there's gonna be some ups and downs but today we put in a good performance against a Scotland team that's been playing well the last couple of years and were made to look poor today.

Whoever the manager is come the start of the WC 26 qualifiers will have a squad where that 23-28 group will look like:

Bazunu (23), Kelleher (26), Travers (25).

O'Shea (26), Collins (23),

Cullen (28) , Knight (24), Molumby (25), McGrath (28), Ogbene (27)

Parrott (23), Obafemi (24), Idah (24), Connolly (25).

Omobamidele could start that campaign as first choice and he won't be turning 23 until mid way through it. Other lads like Dunne, McGuinness, Cashin, O'Connor, Bagan, Ronan, Coventry, Kilkenny, Smallbone, Noß and probably leaving out others will be in that age group.

johnnyryan89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119190003#Comment_119190003

You look at his minutes played and it's four goals in six games when you round up.

johnnyryan89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119190245#Comment_119190245

Think QPR are the one team mostly linked with him and Michael Beale is a good young coach. Russell Martin brought him to MK Dons and could do it again but wouldn't be a starter unless they went with a front three of Piroe, Obafemi, and Parrott. Defensively don't think they could do that without some serious investment in defence.

trashcan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119190320#Comment_119190320

Yep, that’s what I mean. Factor in the games those players will have played in the meantime and I think we’ll be in a much different place. You left Evan Ferguson off that list btw, and no doubt a few more players will emerge in the meantime.

Faugheen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119190348#Comment_119190348

Ferguson won't even be 21 by the time the next WC qualifiers come around.

The post is a great one. You want the spine of your squad made up of experienced players between 24 and 30. We're missing that for the most part right now and I think that fact is lost among many people here who have been panicking.

Right now, I personally don't think it will be Kenny that will get the results in the long run, but that's why the appointment after him is so important. He's putting all of the building blocks in place at the moment and it will take the right appointment to take the next step and reap the rewards.

That's not me saying sack Kenny by the way, in fact it's quite the opposite. The last thing we need to do is to impulsively sack him without a plan to move forward with this group of young players.