Republic of Ireland Team 2023/24 [old thread]

That's an ongoing problem for us. Shooting when you're clearly going to be blocked is a regular thing, like Ogbene there, should have turned back inside and then shot.

We're awfully frustrating... the game plan has us making plenty of chances - but ultimately if your lads at the sharp end of things have zero composure or awareness, what else can ya do. A team with the same chances, but better basic footballing ability and composure would have seen 3 by now. The Dutch having an absolute mare at the back.

What a difference a player like Ferguson would make. That's the difference between wins, and solid performances with disappointing results.

Doherty needs to cop on

Doherty getting a bit above himself there, lucky it didn't lead to anything.

Doherty again giving the ball away really cheaply in the middle.

Knights been very good so far

Dutch keeper really needs to stop flekken about with his passes.

Good save Gav

Nah....leave him at it. he's grand

That was a very soft yellow card

Very soft yellow for Ogbene.

Nobody making a run there when Browne had the ball - so effing frustrating. That's happened a few times now lads standing around looking at the man with the ball instead of showing for it

Really good half that. Very positive. There's at least another goal in this for us if we can keep the pressure up and cut out the stupid errors. The only worry is as we start to tire well slack off and spaces will open up for the Dutch to exploit

Think we definitely should have had a peno.

Interesting to see the replay.

Ireland had a couple of other chances to score in that half that any properly good team is putting away all day. About as much cutting edge as a butter knife.

With the heat and high tempo of the game, there'll be some tired legs in the second half. The Dutch still have the quality to exploit any momentary slip. How Kenny uses the bench could very well determine whether we get a result or not.

Subtle but important change in pattern in recent games that is quite apparent tonight: previously midfielders almost always shielded the ball by facing our goal when receiving it and then would default to playing it the way they were facing (backwards) - Browne and Knight are visibly willing to pivot when they receive the ball and it opens up the play a whole lot more and we look a more cohesive team in possession than in recent times. Am quite optimistic if we keep building on that we’ll be on a better path.

Cullen though is so frustrating when he gets the ball in opposition half, plays like a lad playing FIFA with a Playstation controller with a dodgy triangle button - doesn’t even attempt any through balls. Almost like he’s playing to optimise his Opta passes completed stats. Even a holding midfielder needs to be able to play some through balls when the opportunity arises.

Irish players never have

There have been big gaps all through the middle of this competition because the CB's have been too far apart from each other. We are a poor team in possession though and if you keep giving the ball away the you will pay for it.

I think they were caught out of position because of the quick turnaround in possession. It looked like we were on the front foot and next think we are caught out.

The referee is fairly s**t. Looks out of his depth and trying to boss the players. Idah in the book next half as they have had another debate at half-time.

The assistant referee, however, is angelic!

Good performance so far, Dutch have cut through a few times but we've created enough chances with the high press. Ogbene is frustrating tonight, his decision making is just too slow. He needs to get the ball in quicker. Knight has been really good. Ref is one of those vulnerable to star player pressure types, Idah just has to look at Van Dijk and it's a Dutch free. Subs will be critical, would be very hard for the starting 11 to keep up the press for the full 90 minutes.