FAI...June 2024 Friendlies v Hungary and Portugal

[beer baron]

McGeady is frustrating but without his goals in Georgia we wouldn't even be competing in this group.   Brady was poor and I expected more from his dead balls but much better than ward. Fair play to James McClean. His challenge lifted the whole thing. Pity there weren't more like him. Not sure how hoolahan got motm as he seemed to give the ball away alot

Agree on Hoolahan,gave the ball away an awful lot,i wanted him taken off if truth be told. Dunphy mentioning him in the same breath as Xavi,if there was anybody still paying any heed to him they've surely stopped now.

[Tony Baloney]

North are a much better team.

FIFA rankings and current table standings would suggest so but I reckon it's slightly skewed by the fact that their group is entirely pish

If they weren't able to qualify from that shower of shite then there really was no hope.

[moysider]

McGeady is frustrating but without his goals in Georgia we wouldn't even be competing in this group.   Brady was poor and I expected more from his dead balls but much better than ward. Fair play to James McClean. His challenge lifted the whole thing. Pity there weren't more like him. Not sure how hoolahan got motm as he seemed to give the ball away alot

Agree on Hoolahan,gave the ball away an awful lot,i wanted him taken off if truth be told. Dunphy mentioning him in the same breath as Xavi,if there was anybody still paying any heed to him they've surely stopped now.

Unfair. Holohan was actually trying to play football and make things happen. You re being unfair to Dunphy as well who was just using a bit of exaggeration to make a point. Holohan was trying to create and as well as giving the ball away was also creative. McCarty and Whelan on the other hand are incapable of doing anything creative and were missing in the first half  when they should have been taking control of the game. Holohan is no Xavi but I ve seen Xavi give the ball away too.

[An Watcher]

Physically I'm not sure if hoolahans up to it. Pushed off the ball very easily. I'd be fairly confident of getting a point in Poland, not so confident about beating the scots at home!

[ballinaman]

McGeady is frustrating but without his goals in Georgia we wouldn't even be competing in this group.   Brady was poor and I expected more from his dead balls but much better than ward. Fair play to James McClean. His challenge lifted the whole thing. Pity there weren't more like him. Not sure how hoolahan got motm as he seemed to give the ball away alot

Agree on Hoolahan,gave the ball away an awful lot,i wanted him taken off if truth be told. Dunphy mentioning him in the same breath as Xavi,if there was anybody still paying any heed to him they've surely stopped now.

Unfair. Holohan was actually trying to play football and make things happen. You re being unfair to Dunphy as well who was just using a bit of exaggeration to make a point. Holohan was trying to create and as well as giving the ball away was also creative. McCarty and Whelan on the other hand are incapable of doing anything creative and were missing in the first half when they should have been taking control of the game. Holohan is no Xavi but I ve seen Xavi give the ball away too.

Agreed, only grew a pair in the last 10 minutes and he's got to be pulled on that. He's either injured or missing when he's on the pitch....Whelan is there to do a job, protect the back 4...never looks good but he gets it done, somebody has to do it....

[beer baron]

You'd do well to find many games where Xavi gave the ball away as much as Hoolahan did tonight. As for Dunphy he's continually calling players like Mc Clean and Hoolahan top players and i think i remember him calling them world class one evening,totally bonkers, Hoolahans a tidy footballer that passes well and can create chances and Mc Cleans a hard working winger that's playing at the level he should be. I used to like Dunphy as he'd say the odd smart piece of analysis among all the madness but now he seems to just be a parody of himself.

[mouview]

Fair play to the Irish team. Once again punching above our weight in Soccer. For the size, population, soccer infrastructure, we over achieve!

So do Croatia.

[beer baron]

As for the commentators, why were they surprised at the playacting? The Poles were winning away from home in a game where victory almost certainly would've knocked Ireland out of the run to qualify. That's the way soccer is these days and I've a feeling if Ireland are winning in the reverse fixture we might do similar. 

[beer baron]

Fair play to the Irish team. Once again punching above our weight in Soccer. For the size, population, soccer infrastructure, we over achieve!

So do Croatia.

They've arguably 2 of the top 10 or 15 midfielders in World football. Unfortunately we don't.

[From the Bunker]

Fair play to the Irish team. Once again punching above our weight in Soccer. For the size, population, soccer infrastructure, we over achieve!

So do Croatia.

They have an infrastructure?

Dinamo Zagreb 35k capacity stadium.

Hajduk Split 35k capacity stadium.

Osijek 22k capacity stadium.

In fairness their rival to soccer is Team Handball and is very popular there, but I doubt it has the same dominance over soccer that Gaelic games have here?

[Farrandeelin]

Great second half from Ireland. Pity one of the other missed chances did.'t go in. As a footnote, Ronnie Whelan, good and all as he might have been when he was playing, did my head in.

[Hereiam]

Great second half from Ireland. Pity one of the other missed chances did.'t go in. As a footnote, Ronnie Whelan, good and all as he might have been when he was playing, did my head in.

Totally agree Ronnie has got be a poor commentator

[laoislad]

North are a much better team.

Your lot are doing well in fairness.
Great win for ye last night.

[AZOffaly]

Great second half from Ireland. Pity one of the other missed chances did.'t go in. As a footnote, Ronnie Whelan, good and all as he might have been when he was playing, did my head in.

Totally agree Ronnie has got be a poor commentator

He is f**king dreadful. He's so negative and at the same time unrealistic.

[ballinaman]

One thing about MON last night was the he spotted that something needed to change badly unlike Trap who wouldn't have changed anything, got Hoolahan on the ball more by bringing him deeper and shifting him out wide right for parts of the 2nd half.
McLean was true to his word about going through a lad if he had the chance, actually said he would during a presser during the week....the chest bump after as well..."you want some?"
Keano, it's been a blast but I think that'll be his last competitive start...maybe in Faro in September but that's it I reckon.
The jocks will be up for the scrap in June if the game goes like it did in Glasgow and Strachan is a cute hoor....England the week before isn't exactly a great idea, another great move by Delaney...