Republic of Ireland Team 2023/24 [old thread]

Zeek12

The Azerbaijan game will be interesting.

Away to Serbia we were very good at times and were undone by a late surge from them in the last quarter (and some dodgy goalkeeping). It looked promising for the games ahead - but then we followed it up with that Luxembourg defeat.

Kenny has to make sure there's no repeat of that. Have to take the positives from this. And ensure we put 3 points on the board at the weekend.

Kermit.de.frog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117835681#Comment_117835681

Ironically this game doesn't really change the position for Ireland. We still have to win all our remaining games and get a draw with Portugal at home.

happyoutscan

Be careful what you say about the ref.

dr.kenneth noisewater

Great performance, Doherty, McGrath and Idah the standout performers for me. Heartbreaking finish and hopefully doesn't affect the team so much.

Should have brought on subs earlier, McClean was a poor replacement for Connolly and Doherty looked goosed in last 15 mins. Should have had McClean on for Doherty and Parrott or Horgan on for Connolly.

Zeek12

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117835691#Comment_117835691

I'm not realistically expecting us to compete for qualification in this group. But Kenny needs to build some momentum, it's been too much stop-start so far, some of it out of his control (covid problems and injuries etc.).

3 points in next game would at least have us up and running and build more belief.

Saw lots of promise tonight. Cullen and Idah will be big players for the future. McGrath is also an exciting prospect.

tanko

Could someone not tell Peter Collins that we lost, he doesn’t deviate from the pre prepared script no matter what happens on the pitch, well beyond time he was substituted for good.

noodler

I only have criticisms of the awful, cowardly refereeing and McClean's definition of blocking a cross.

Everyone else was great.

Load of bollox

pgj2015

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117835716#Comment_117835716

I would have had Parrott or horgan on instead of collins, like what was collins going to offer at the end of a game like that?

All_in_Flynn

Feel sick for Kenny. Hope the FAI stick with him. Results haven't gone his way but there's green shoots in my opinion.

Felt that the lack of minutes in some of our players legs was taking it's toll at the end. Ref was riding us hard too.

Not really sure what positives McClean offers anymore. He's more of a liability at this level now.

Can't really blame anyone for the goals. First header was brave with Duffy flying in and second he just came from Colemans blind side. Two cracking headers and you just have to hold your hands up.

Ugh, really is a sickening result.

Tchaikovsky

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117835691#Comment_117835691

Some home fans for the first time will help the lads on Saturday. Gotta go get 3 points then smash the Serbs

theoneeyedman

Good overall performance. Deserved something out of the game, but that's the way of it.

Red was odd, but he didn't ride us - the Ronaldo slap was a nothing, no way a sending off, and we didn't defend well for the 2 goals.

Doherty was a huge loss, was playing well and McLean a poor substitute defensively, both crosses for the goals came unopposed from that position, and Coleman was caught asleep especially for the second one.

No luck for Kenny or his team, hopefully they take heart from the performance and build on it during the week.

lawred2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117835720#Comment_117835720

His pre-prepared script was for an Irish win?? Ballsy of him

Amirani

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117835662#Comment_117835662

Didn't want to mention them as it gives them attention, but it's **** awful shite.

Faugheen

Bazunu - 19

O’Shea - 22

Duffy - 29

Egan - 28

Coleman - 32

Doherty - 29

Cullen - 25

Hendrick - 29

McGrath - 24

Connolly - 21

Idah - 20

Omobamadele - 19

McClean - 32

Molomby - 22

That is such a young team. Average age of just over 25 in the starting 11. Youngest in over 20 years I think I heard earlier?

Kenny’s trying to build a squad and install a philosophy that hasn’t been done before in Irish football. Yes the results are disappointing but I can’t recall the last performance like that against a top side that was more or less full strength, where for 60mins of the game we were creating the better chances, 1-0 up and should have had a penalty.

With more lads like young lads like Nathan Collins hanging around the Premier League and Parrott finally finding some confidence, this rebuild is going to take time but I am really encouraged by what I’m seeing now, especially after such a disappointing start.

Fandymo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117835482#Comment_117835482

It’s a MINIMUM of whatever’s on the board.

babybuilder

When a top seeded team plays a lower ranked team like Ireland FIFA will always appoint a bollox of a ref like the one tonight. I've seen it many times over the years. As far as the goals conceded every thing was coming down the right wing. Doherty looked knackered. McClean offered no protection and was hopeless. I like him but he's not up to it at this level.

Francie Barrett

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117835735#Comment_117835735

Don't really blame Coleman for the last goal. After Ronaldo scored with the first header, one of the three central defenders really should have been picking him up.

Ferris_Bueller

What a massive kick in the stones to lose that game.

Lots of positives to take out of it as a collective and on an individual basis. Doherty was magnificent, Bazunu terrific, Omobamidele and McGrath huge shifts on what was basically their debuts. Idah led the line so well in the second half against two elite level defenders. So many others I could mention, it was just a great performance and really entertaining to watch.

I agree though that we do need to build on this on Saturday. We absolutely have to win. Anything less is difficult to defend, but surely the players will be full of confidence after tonight.

Hopefully there will be a good atmosphere around the ground - 5pm kick off on a Saturday, first game back in nearly 2 years following a really positive display. We should get behind Kenny and this squad of players.

MrMusician18

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117835611#Comment_117835611

What? The lads were hanging on, had hardly any possession and even less shots on goal.

Had they win it would've been a travesty. Great to see the GOAT getting the record though.

Amirani

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117835807#Comment_117835807

After 88 minutes Portugal had 6 shots on target to Ireland's 4. Hardly some massive disparity.

pgj2015

its crazy how jamie mcgrath played far better than the anonymous hendrick, jamie was playing against finn harps a couple of year ago.

I was impressed by Omobamidele, he will be a big star for us in the future.

Liam O

Still can't get over this one. We were close to getting something in the Serbia game too if a little undeserved there. They played so well and if McClean just does the basic defensive move of standing up the player instead of lunging in we might win that one and who knows from there?very unlikely we get the points to get close to 2nd now.

Vincent Vega

I dunno what replay people are seeing to call the Ronaldo incident a slap on the shoulder.

His hand still goes towards and past O'Sheas face at speed.

Whether he actually caught him is another story, but slapping or swiping towards another players face should be at the very least be a yellow if not a red.

The fact it wasn't even put to VAR is a joke.

https://streamable.com/gjtz3o

mogwai81

A bit off topic, but is the U21 match on Friday on YouTube or is there a legal stream planned?

sterz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117835807#Comment_117835807

Travesty of what exactly?

Did you smash it

we expected to beat Luxembourg scrappily and we lost: bad night

we expected to lose to Portugal, come what may… we nearly won: good night.

young team, not many club first teamers, loads more young talent on the way.

roll on Saturday

RonanG86

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117835828#Comment_117835828

Y'see I'd be fine with Ronnie not getting a red for barely tapping a guy, except that 9 times out of 10 once you raise your hand to someone's face in a football game it's a red, regardless of whether you actually inflicted any pain or injury.

It's lack of consistency and it's extraordinarily difficult not to speculate that if it had been someone touching Ronaldo's precious face instead of him having a little slap out, the red would've been flashed.

MrMusician18

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117835819#Comment_117835819

29 shots Vs 6, 72% possession vs 28. 14 corners vs 3. If we actually look at the performance critically they were played off the park and deserved the loss tbh.

Faugheen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117835824#Comment_117835824

Hendrick had a very good game. Genuinely don't know what you were watching if you thought he was 'anonymous'.

Hendrick picked the ball up in tight spaces and kept the transition from defence to attack on a number of occasions. He tired out towards the end but that was his best performance in a long time for us.

sterz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117835848#Comment_117835848

One of those games where looking at the performance and not the stats is the way to go. 29 shots seems like a crazy amount but Ireland really didn't look under much pressure for large parts of the game. Same goes for the corners. So what? I think there were 3 in a row where each of them hit Cullen at the front post. Is that being played off the park?

MrMusician18

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117835859#Comment_117835859

That's just excuses, the stats don't lie. Portugal owned the ball, and the lads were hanging on.

Class won out in the end, and Ronaldo, what can you say...

Shanee.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117835871#Comment_117835871

Go back to the United thread if you want to w4nk about Ronaldo

Faugheen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117835848#Comment_117835848

Did you watch the game?

How many of Portugal's shots were hit-and-hopes from outside the box?

The penalty (which they shouldn't have got), Bernardo's miss, and Jota's header in the first half were about as good as they had, and Ireland matched them.

Idah, Connolly, Coleman and McGrath caused great hassle for their defence and along with those chances we also should have had a penalty.

'Played off the park' my arse. Peppering shots from outside the box (many of them getting blocked) doesn't constitute being played off the park.

The only time Portugal dominated was inside the last 20/25 minutes, when it was clear Ireland were tiring.

Kermit.de.frog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117835871#Comment_117835871

Yes, but no one expected us to give them a game. Of course Ronaldo is going to do something special. That's the player he is.

I'm critical of Kenny but I will give credit where it is due.

That was a good performance by a young team who were within 5 minutes of defeating Portugal.

Most Irish fans will take that...for now.

sterz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117835871#Comment_117835871

What are you on about, excuses? I'm not making any. I'm saying that looking solely at the stats doesn't give you the full story. Portugal owned the ball but like I said, Ireland were comfortable with dealing what they were throwing at them for the most part. Apart from Silva's chance I can't remember any other clear cut chance. Everything else was long distance efforts or shots from outside the box which were easily closed down.

And again, what's this supposed travesty you were on about?

~Rebel~

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117835825#Comment_117835825

Both games hinged on penalty decisions that were (imo) called wrong against Connolly at 1-0 up in each case. Had we gone 2-0 up in both games with those two pens given, who knows where we'd be right now...

Brock Turnpike

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117835881#Comment_117835881

Think what people are failing to mention and the penalty that we should have had for the foul on Connolly was that it should've been a red card also. No attempt to play the ball, just goes straight through the back of Connolly. Penalty and red card all day long.

Off the top of my head:

Penalty to Portugal which shouldn't have been.

No red for Ronaldo for throwing a slap at Dara O'Shea

No penalty and red card for the foul on Connolly

Over the allotted injury time in both halves, despite there being no obvious reason for any time to be added on in injury time.

They didn't score the goals that saw us lose, but what hope have you got with officials acting the bollix like that?

thecretinhop

it was bad enough being up watching tokyo at 3am.

peter collins is a clown. if ur old enough he was terrible at f1 commetary.

now hes here after a gut renching loss with platitudes.

in 2002 a whole sketch was done on this on apre match look it up lol.

sterz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117835906#Comment_117835906

Agreed on the penalties but not on the other points. Silly by Ronaldo but O'Shea went down holding his face ffs. Never a red. As for the additional time, not that unusual for it to go over 20-30 secs and I think there was a VAR check in injury time, no?

MrMusician18

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117835900#Comment_117835900

"Had we gone 2-0 up" but we didn't. We couldn't close out this game, hanging on until real class shone out.

0 points from 3 games and a WC qualification basically over. It's a farce. How can anyone defend this.

ben.schlomo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117835900#Comment_117835900

The thing with Connolly was he had gone down twice earlier, both stupid falls which obviously did him no favours with the referee. Not defending the lack of a decision there.

Did you smash it

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117835939#Comment_117835939

I can defend a 2-1 loss to Portugal. Everything else is months ago. Come Saturday we play Azerbaijan at home. The obvious call is to wait and see what happens there rather than judge anything now.

Sudden Valley

With ultimately another defeat I think the next two games will decide whether Kenny will continue in his job for the next campaign. I think if we don't at least come third in the group then I think we can thank Kenny for blooding new players but he should be moved on.

Brock Turnpike

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117835931#Comment_117835931

If any other player on the pitch she's what Ronaldo did, it's a red card. Same happened in World Cup when he should have been sent off against Iran. It's a joke.

"Violent conduct:

An action, which is not a challenge for the ball, which uses or attempts to use

excessive force or brutality against an opponent or when a player deliberately

strikes someone on the head or face unless the force used is negligible"

The injury time ones are minor in comparison to the others. However I have no idea why they seemed to do a VAR check in injury time at the end of the game. There was no incident that appeared to need checking?

happyoutscan

Grown Irish men fawning over the GOAT is **** embarrassing. Grow the **** up.

ben.schlomo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117835939#Comment_117835939

Jaysus that's some take on it. Most teams who are huge underdogs tend to be hanging on in games. That's the nature of football. A farce to have lost by a goal twice away to the two favourites for qualification? Stop.

MrMusician18

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117835989#Comment_117835989

I think you can appreciate the greatness even when it's against your own NT.

His goals at the end were worth the wait.

Did you smash it

Dara o Shea looked to break his ankle tonight?

worst part of the body to injure, hope it’s like Robertson a month back where he miraculously dodged a bad injury

pgj2015

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117835966#Comment_117835966

Kenny is working miracles with the team he has.

MrMusician18

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117836018#Comment_117836018

What miracles are those? Losing to Luxembourg? 0 points in the WC campaign?

The only miracle here is that he still has a job tbh.