FAI...June 2024 Friendlies v Hungary and Portugal

[spuds]

He lay he lay he lay in 6th minute of injury time

[AZOffaly]

To get a 1-1 home draw with Azerbaijan?

[spuds]

To get a 1-1 home draw with Azerbaijan?

Yes sir, good bit of time wasting by Azerbaijanis. One of their subs only on for 15 minutes was going down with cramp. Fairly biased commentary.
Thought Sky are supposed to sexy up these games, what are they doing with Steve Staunton and his glazed looks and dulcet tones.

[From the Bunker]

I'd say Trap has never been as confused as to his starting team, as he after todays game. He has found out probably, that he has a few players with potential. But because of his hesitancy to blood these players earlier than now, they are still a bit nieve to international football and Trap does not have the time or the soft games to wean them in. Players like Ward, Doyle, Cox don't look up to it or lack the bit of spark. Keogh coming on tonight? Coleman, McClean and Brady look good but are nieve and lack a bit of cuteness. Oh yeah, he's not going to start Long in the internationals next spring. He hates the lad.

[Declan]

Thought Coleman was decent in patches, Clarke looked like a good player and Holohan at least tried to get on the ball. Other than that a decidedly underwhelming night. McCLean strikes me as a good lad , a tryer but no real football intelligence. Of the new lads I saw tonight - Brady - lightweight, Meyler no - but giving him the benefit of the doubt he came on with 20 mins to go in a shite game.

Other than that it confirmed my opinion that we have no plan or strategy in even trying to play when we have the ball.  I looked at Andy Keogh when he came on and his immediate reaction when Ward  or anyone got the ball on the left hand side was to go inside and close up any space. Our understanding  and appreciation of how to use space is neanderthal and that is purely down to Trap.

I think it was agreed that Long would get 45 due to his ongoing hamstring issues.

Nothing has changed my opinion that Trap hasn't a f**king clue 

[magpie seanie]

Watched the second half. Hoolihan really should be on that team most of the time. There will be times in won't work but he is a bloody good player in my book, offers something different. Cannot understand how Cox gets a game. Simply nowhere near the standard required. Why play McClean on the right? I fail to understand why managers play lads on their wrong side, especially the likes of McClean. Several times he ended up over on the left due to his natural inclination. Maybe when he is older and a bit cuter it will work but give the boy a chance and ask him to do something similar to what he does for his club.

Coleman deserves special mention. After the way he has been treated he would have been well within his rights to tell Trap to stick it but he has hung in there and was outstanding tonight. Good lad.

We can have a decent team if the right players are picked and not told they are useless.

[Billys Boots]

Cox has a very poor first touch, nowhere near international standard - he had a decent chance just on the offside line from Hoolihan's pass and tried to turn onto his right foot (where the defender was) instead of taking it on the run - schoolboy error, awful stuff. 

McClean was game, but as Declan says, is immature as a footballer - did some very brainless things last night. 

Hoolihan made an impact for 20 mins after he came on; looked well up for it, crisp passes, a bit of urgency - the Greeks copped him fairly quickly and set themselves up to contain him; he didn't get a kick for the last 20 mins.  I think Trap will see him as an option, rather than a starter. 

Coleman played well, but it was pretty obvious from early on that their left back was a liability, and Coleman took him on everytime he got the chance - made Coleman look a bit better than he actually was, though he should now be guaranteed to start in that position. 

Greeks were impressive - very solid at the back, smart in the middle and efficient up front - well organised and a good functional unit, easy to see why they're ranked so highly.  They'll give anyone a good game, on their own terms - this was a good test, though I got the impression that the Greeks took it handy in the second half. 

[ballinaman]

Had a wander over last night.

Actually played some tidy football at some stages. Coleman has to be nailed on but I can see Trapp reverting to type with Dunne, St Ledger and O'Shea right back....he doesn't do change unless it's forced on him.

Stephen Ward is not an international footballer, awful passer, poor control and no vision apart from the long ball up the line. Of course our best chance of the game had to fall to him.

Thought Hoolahan showed well, no surprises there considering his form for Norwich. Long didn't get a kick in the 1st half.

[AQMP]

Never a fan of Zlatan but that fourth goal was special!

+1.  Sensational goal.

[maldini]

Coleman was brilliant last night, Hoolahan looked good and as a bit of creativity about him, its nearly time for John O'Shea to be retired from the international game, wouldn't start him when we have a full squad back
McClean and Brady weren't impressive, McClean looked awkward on the ball and one dimensional, he was on the left in the first half and his crosses couldn't beat the first man.

[rodney trotter]

Coleman had a great game last night, Robbie Brady had a great first half, Shane Long was lively first half aswell.
Both replaced  at half time. The Greeks are a very hard team to break down, thought Hoolahan gave Ireland more creativity when he came on, few nice moves came from his passing. Good that he finally got a chance.

Don't think David Meyler will set the world on fire at International football, every time he got the ball when he came on he was too conservative.

Very small crowd which wasn't a surprise.

[Captain Scarlet]

just saw the highlights and hoolohan looked the part. ffs it almost boggled the mind to see a midfielder in a green jersey offer for the ball in a tight space and then play the right pass every time.
and this thing of him being a specialist player is not something i fully buy into. you could put him into a centre mid spot and he would work his arse off.
he is a very intelligent player. like jaysus whelan and andrews have made a career of being holding midfielders who don't get forward but also somehow don't protect our back four.
you could play hoolahan on the right and let him tuck in and get coleman bombing up the wing?

[NAG1]

Whats up with Fahey?

[laoislad]

Shane Long looked excellent today for West Brom.

[beer baron]

Whats up with Fahey?

Rumour has it he's had a falling out with the manager and could be in the airtricity league soon