im amazed the score is still 1 - 1 worst display of defending from bothsides ive see in awhile... saying that im not really amazed considering the standard of finishing on display,but you know what i mean.
FT - Ireland 1-1 Bolivia. Decent exercise, but I'm sure it's not a match that will be long-remembered.
Ireland sure likes to play with South American teams eh? First Chile then Ecuador and now Bolivia. Hopefully you will play Brasil and Argentina.
Just FTR, Long's goals this year were also in England. He scored four, two in the prem, two in cup games. Not sure how scoring for Sunderland in the CCC is more impressive than scoring for Reading in the prem? Also, Long is a huge, if raw, talent. He's been improving by leaps and bounds the past two years. I think he needs to go out on loan for a year, get in a lot of games (he never really played much first team for cork, did he? never really played this game much at all before he was 17, and transferred to reading at 18 or barely 19, didn't he?). But he's going to be very, very good, for club and country. Question: How did Bennett look? I pretty much know how doyle, hunt performed, and I've seen enough of long to have a pretty good guess. Bennett is an unknown.
Scoring 10 in the CCC is better than scoring 2 in the EPL, one against Burnley in the Cup and then one against Liverpool (I'll give him that). EDIT: By the way, the 2 EPL goals were against Wigan and Sheffield United...2 teams that either went down or were so close to going down it went down to the last match
and stoke's two CCC goals were against luton (relegated) and plym (nice cup run, but mid-table, so teams 14 and 26 spots behind Sheff Utd). Not sure I'm seeing your point. Again, to anyone who saw the game, did Bennett look like a player?
I said neither Stokes nor Long should be in the squad. I don't think he deserves it (in a Qualifier, for this its fine) over Connolly, Murphy, Lee, Morrison, or even Sleeves Elliott really, but I'm not manager
Right, but I was referring to your "for Stokes it was 2 in England at least" comment, and pointing out Long was also in England.
I know it might be hard to get a complete picture, but what's his pace like? Is he strong in the air? Really, I want to know if he's good enough to push for a starting slot this year, or is he cover?
From what I saw he looked decent - possibly some problems with concentration, which could just be down to a lack of match practice. He looks to be lacking a bit of pace, but is very determined and brave. He made a couple of vital last-minute tackles & blocks when it looked like his man had gotten away from him. Scotty (our resident Cork supporter) could give you a better analysis, I'm sure.
Long offers a physicality and dynamism that's lacking in all of the alternatives except Murphy. Lee is far too static and technically deficient to ever be a serious option for us up front, while Morrison, Connolly and Elliott are too easily controlled by decent centre-halves. Long is very raw, but he causes problems for the opposition, and if we could arrange some support from midfield he would be a useful option.
I'd have all of them over Long or Stokes, thats my opinion and its not going to change until Stokes or Long has done anything near what the above strikers have done (I guess Murphy and Elliott are still a bit on the young side but they have both scored at CCC level which, even Long didn't do regularly...3 league and 1 cup goal in his CCC season)
Spot on. Anyone who doesnt rate Long as an up and coming international really doesnt know a lot about the game. Morrison and Elliott as back up for sure but this trip was about the young players. Another bad turnout from the Irish fans again. KOH