Republic of Ireland Team 2023/24 [old thread]

Oat23

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117860709#Comment_117860709

Certainly not a stunning performance. George has been pushing that agenda since about the 60th minute.

But don't be one of those people writing off Serbia. They are so far above our level it's laughable that any Irish fan would look down on them. Maybe it's because none of their players play in England (apart from Mitrovic)

Our starting striker is on the bench for Norwich. Their backup striker plays for Real Madrid and was one of the Bundesliga's best.

TheRiverman

Well said Liam Brady.

irishguitarlad

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117860698#Comment_117860698

To be fair this Serbia team is much better than the one a few years ago.

archfi

Brady saying Hamilton going too far in his praise!

RonanG86

Brady is being a lot more cautious with his praise and acknowledging that we weren't great.

MrMusician18

At least Liam called out George's and Alan's bollocks.

~Rebel~

Better as the second half went on, with plenty of positive movements. But ultimately, we still just never look like someone actually putting the ball in the net. I don't know how we fix that. The possession in good areas is there, the players are just not doing the final bit required.

Side note, funny from Kelly; "If we perform like this we'll wipe the Luxembourgs and Azerbaijans away!"... as we continuously failed to get shots on target.

gmisk

Definitely not a fantastic performance, but a good result, the players are trying definitely

External Association

How many home games without a defeat?

tayto lover

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117860698#Comment_117860698

As I said earlier they all had a scoring centre forward. Kenny doesn’t have that. That’s the difference.

noodler

Liam Brady and Sadlier reigning in the RTE commentary.

This is a result we we would have gotten under other managers tbf.

tom1ie

Good man Liam. He’s called out george and kelly.

briany

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117860734#Comment_117860734

That was a poor result but not as disappointing as the draw away to Georgia. That was the real crime of that campaign. Serbia are always a good, knacky side with a sting in their tail, but you need to be putting away Georgia if you want to qualify for tournaments.

Five Eighth

A fluke of an equalising goal but they all count. Great effort from all and outstanding performances from Bazanu and Omobamidele. Good show from O Doherty, Hendrick, Idah and McClean.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117860741#Comment_117860741

The 2 lads talking a lot more sense than the match team

Drumpot

Lets hope they can build on this. Great to see the crowd being so supportive and positive, there are some signs of some good things that can come from this campaign.

Mr.Nice Guy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117860751#Comment_117860751

And as I asked you earlier, what scoring centre forward did McCarthy have in the last campaign? McGoldrick was the main forward for us and he got 1 goal in the group.

johnnyryan89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117860696#Comment_117860696

More like Omobamipele, that turn to beat the Serbia player, and nearly bangs in one top corner. What a performance after the news of O'Sheas recovery time.

RonanG86

If Doherty & McClean had played like that against Azerbaijan, we'd have probably beaten them. That's what's frustrating.

RonanG86

Christ, Tony O'Donoghue waffles.

TheRiverman

Bottom line, we do not have natural strikers. Shane Duffy once again our most likely goalscorer.

ben.schlomo

Good result and really decent performance. Some excellent individual performances out there, Bazunu, Omobamidele, Doherty were all excellent. Hendrick had his best game in years, McClean deserves props for a much better performance too.

mossie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117860728#Comment_117860728

Probably the same ones who were celebrating Ronaldo's goals the other night.

gmisk

We weren't favourites to qualify...but would you expect us to beat Luxembourg...and Azerbaijan at home?...

Some positives definitely but some perspective.

Bazunu seems like a really sound lad as well

y0ssar1an22

speaks very well for only being 19

noodler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117860728#Comment_117860728

Not at all. I admit I couldn't see the goal coming and it did take a bizarre own goal for it to happen.

Just sickened to be out of qualifying after two games and suddenly being unable to beat the lesser seeds.

piplip87

Not to get carried away but the last twenty minutes there was good attacking football. The lads out there tonight put 110% into this game.

It so much more exciting watching this team and this style than the O'Neil and Trap eras. These young lads will come on for this.

I'd say give Kenny this campaign and the nations league to see where we are at.

namloc1980

Those Paddy Power banter ads are painful.

elefant

Serbia are a seriously talented side. Every one of their subs would probably be our star player. When you have Cullen, Hendrick, McGrath up against Milenkovic-Savic, Tadic and Gudelj, coming away with a point is a very good result.

I thought Bazunu, Omabamidele, Doherty and the fans were really excellent.

johnnyryan89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117860709#Comment_117860709

A team we've never beaten before, and lost 1-0 at home the last time playing defensive football. You're probably raging we actually got a result tonight instead of losing.

FintanMcluskey

Bazunu comes across very well for a 19 year old

He was born in February 2002, fcuk I'm old

briany

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117860730#Comment_117860730

He was always going to finish out the campaign and considering that Ireland are effectively out of the running there isn't even anything to really save, so even the biggest Kenny opponent must surely shrug and say there's nothing to lose with letting him see things out.

namloc1980

Plenty of "Irish" fans absolutely gutted with that result tonight.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117860785#Comment_117860785

Doesn't matter how we equalized it's just pathetic to be calling this one of our worst home defeats in years when we hadn't lost yet.

Hint of glee in your post too

Zeek12

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117860730#Comment_117860730

I think it was 418 passes. And 82% completion. Against a technically very good side. Been a long time since we've seen an irish team trying to play like that.

We're still lacking a major threat upfront. But those are encouraging signs.

And we've blooded a very good keeper and CB who will both improve and are already impressive

crossman47

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117860790#Comment_117860790

Agree. McLean also had his best game for Ireland.

Mr.Nice Guy

Never seen such delusional propaganda from the commentators. Great to see Brady and Sadlier calling that out for the nonsense it was.

The record stands at 1 win in 16, 7 draws, 8 defeats. 0 wins in 12 competitive matches.

It occurred to me watching that game that we are basically morphing into Georgia. We will have decent spells of play during games, but ultimately we will be outdone by teams with better gameplans, and we won't have a hope of qualifying for any tournament in the near future. All the talk of better attacking play we were promised under this regime and yet we've gone from relying on Randolph and Duffy, to relying on Bazunu and Omobamidele. Not the exciting future we were sold.

Say Your Number

Didn't George say it's a long time since a draw was celebrated like that, probably means 2010

tayto lover

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117860751#Comment_117860751

This Serbian team is much better now than it was then I believe. If we can unearth a goalscorer we’ll improve.

Give them a chance or maybe you want to go back to the hoofing.

LowOdour

I posted on here last week that a minimum 3 points were needed for SK to save his job

Then i look at the team that finished the game:

3 League One players

1 player at the bottom of the championship

Players with little or no game time this season (and that may not change)

gmisk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117860788#Comment_117860788

More painful than Aidan Gillen "acting"...naw.

Brock Turnpike

Serbia have far better players than us, they were seriously impressive in possession at times. They will be kicking themselves they didn't kill that game off.

However I think this puts to bed any notion that the players don't respect Kenny or are not playing for him. They somehow pulled a draw out of what really should've been a defeat.

Bazunu, Doherty, Omobamidele, were the star performers.

Idah was good again but tired badly in the second half.

Someone managed to find a time machine and transport 2016 Jeff Hendrick to the present day. Hopefully they can keep him here.

Hamilton and Kelly were ridiculously over the top in what they were saying.

Xander10

would these 19 year olds be getting first team experience under MON or McCarthy? not a chance.

People need to look at the bigger picture.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117860812#Comment_117860812

Absolutely fantastic to see him finally play with controlled energy rather than just playing with angry or headless chicken energy

Oat23

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117860833#Comment_117860833

Omobamidele, at best, would be sitting on the bench. Neither of them would ever have thrown him in against Portugal. Kenny trusted him and it paid off.

Scoundrel

We could easily have been beaten 5 or 6 the commentators are like comical Ali at times. We deserved that luck after Portugal to be fair that was a good performance this tonight was absolutely shite

noodler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117860734#Comment_117860734

We drew against them away that campaign. Also got a draw and win against Wales, drew and beat Austria, could beat the minnows at home etc.

namloc1980

Great atmosphere. Some difference with the atmosphere under the previous managers when the crowd would get very frustrated with the long ball defensive stuff.

gmisk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117860833#Comment_117860833

I don't disagree...but bigger picture this and picture that...would McCarthy or MON have lost to Luxembourg or sneaked a draw at home against Azerbaijan?

He has bought himself some time after that result imo not a massive amount else

Xander10

Sadlier talking sh1te