Congrats with the win guys. Ireland should've won with like 5-0 but I'm glad you guys took the win. Our players performed like horse shit, but whatever. Oh well, good luck in the Euros.
Fahey has been withdrawn and McShane, controversially, has been selected ahead of Foley in the final 23. Really harsh on Foley, who did nothing wrong. Paul Green takes Fahey's place. Lads played a training match against a Tuscan XI today, winning 5-0. Keane scored twice, and Cox, Walters and Long got the other goals.
No. He was selected in the initial squad, but there are injury concerns over O'Shea, O'Dea and Dunne to a lesser extent. Foley os a specialist fullback whereas McShane can supposedly play anywhere across the back four. So Trappatoni re-selected the squad with Foley drawing the short straw. Tough on him.
Rather strange match against Hungary I thought. They were very good at times... mostly down to the 4-2-3-1 formation which we always struggle against. Their big striker was effective, too, but lucky for us couldn't finish any of his chances. We now go into the Euros unbeaten in 14. I suspect that some of the Irish players had an eye on Sunday, though. And we played some good stuff too. Dunne and Given were excellent.
yeah we always seem to struggle with the opposition playing the 4-2-3-1, if Modric is given a licence to roam between midfield and attack he'll cause us problems
Does anyone know if Marc Wilson is now on standby? Apparently Trap wants to know his whereabouts but can't get a hold of him!
'No goals, no points' was the common wisdom when Jack Charlton and company set off for then West Germany in 1988, a full 24 years ago. And as any of us who were there at the time will tell you, perhaps the pundits were thinking of England! But having said that, Ireland did not progress beyond the group stage, the only time in 4 major tournaments when this has happened. I suppose the consensus of the pundits 24 years later (maybe even some of the same pundits) is the same - 'no goals, no points'. And with Spain and Italy in the group, you almost might forgive them. But to do so would be to diminish what Ireland have become under Trappatoni - extraordinarily difficult to beat. They are now on the back of a 14 game winning streak and have yet to lose a competitive fixture away from home under the Italian. They have lost 2 at home, but it is a testament to the grit of this side that a whumping by Russia at home in the qualifying stages, which would have deflated and defeated some teams, was used as a springboard to a handsome 5-1 win in the playoffs. Whatever about anything else, Trappatoni has proved with this collection of players that football is most definitely a team sport. No one anywhere is going to be worried about a midfield of Glenn Whelan, Aiden McGeady, Keith Andrews, Damien Duff, Darron Gibson, Stephen Hunt, Paul Green and James McClean, with Paul Green not even having a club. Perhaps the only people worried are Irish fans when considering the tiki-taka brothers, Xavi and Inestia, in the Spain game. But given that the midfield is where games are won or lost in modern football, the pickings for the Irish midfield are pitiful. And yet, Trappatoni has them playing them and the team playing very good football. Of course, by very good football, I mean very difficult to beat while not playing anything that remotely resembles attractive football. These charges were also laid at the feet of Charlton with a condemnation of Route 1 football, but a closer reading of Charlton's philosophy will show a tactical acumen that had substantially more guile than mere hoof and chase. Equally with Trappatoni's system, there is more than meets the eye, but both he and Charlton are guilty of the same charge - the team is better suited to defending a lead than actually getting one in the first place. So to return to the pundits' predictions of 24 years ago. From a quick perusal, it's the easy and the facile thing to say, but there is too more to this team than meets the eye. Yes, they absolutely grind out results, yes, they play phenomenally unattractive football, yes, they have no world beaters in the side, but they seem to have a belief in themselves. Or more precisely in Trappatoni's system. It's very basic. the 2 center halves stay at home, with the full backs raiding up and down the wings. The are also 2 defensive midfielders who sit in front of the 2 center halves and two wide men who operate a variation on the Verrou bolt system with the full backs. The center halves never move up in open play and the 2 midfielders are always deep lying. The 2 forwards play one behind the other, with Keane more usually in the 10 or Totti role. This is what's known as playing to your strengths. It's suffocating football and can really be only counteracted if an opposing team is comfortable playing a strong #10 between the lines, between the center halves and the deep lying midfielders. Spain are. Italy less so, and the impression is that Croatia just might be able, but with Olic injured and Modric in indifferent form, it might also be a bridge too far for them. No goals, no points? Ireland has shown that it does deserve a seat at the top table and is capable of springing a surprise or two. I do expect Spain to top the group (but not the tournament), so the battle is down to the runner up spot. Italy has its usual match fixing scandal - those come more often than a leap year, less frequently than a Sunday - it went out and won the whole tournament. But I don't think they have the same will or belief, the same talent or management to repeat and I do think they are soft enough to crash and burn, a la WC 2010. Especially if they get outplayed by Spain in the first game. Croatia? Well, they are not the force they were some years ago, but you can't help feeling that they might catch fire. But with Olic out, I'm wondering if they have enough guile throughout the team. Spain are just too good at the moment, but they are far from invincible, though I do expect them to hand Trappatoni his first competitive away loss. But I also think it's very likely Ireland might qualify on goal difference, with a draw against Croatia and a win against an Italian side in turmoil who seem to genuinely fear the wily Trappatoni. Then again, maybe it'll be the other way around, but 4 points from Italy and Croatia are most certainly in the realm of the possible.