FAI...New Manager Hunt continues

[Denn Forever]

It's hard to watch them without thinking of Aprés Match.

That said I thought the basic tenet of their argument was that the Germans were there for the taking and the initial set up of the team was wrong.  The only reason for the improved set up was due to Whelan's injury and having to change formation.  And hopefully the management will take on the lessons of the game.

[magpie seanie]

Anyone listening to Dunphy and Co should have a look at themselves. Agenda driven and the result/game/performance is incidental to them, its all about the lads and keeping their "reputations" up.

Its a pity Souness wasn't on with them as I'm sure he would have rattled their cages.

Massive result and sets up the group very well. Next game V Scotland will be a real battle now.

Sometimes, like last night, I choose to look at the car crash. I look at it and make up my own mind. Occasionally they make some decent points, usually Giles, who is less driven by vendettas and tries to keep to the facts. If I'm not in the humour I'll go for the upbeat Sky version (now that I have the choice).

I like O'Neill and think he will do well. His managerial spells have always followed a trend - starts off getting the team solid and workmanlike, than increases the emphasis on passing and playing ball. I think he is on the road to doing that here. We need the likes of Gibson and McCarthy fit and playing regularly at club level so they can be selected to play the full 90 minutes. It was better to have our better passers on the pitch when we were chasing a goal than being taken off knackered.

[oakleaflad]

Anyone listening to Dunphy and Co should have a look at themselves. Agenda driven and the result/game/performance is incidental to them, its all about the lads and keeping their "reputations" up.

Its a pity Souness wasn't on with them as I'm sure he would have rattled their cages.

Massive result and sets up the group very well. Next game V Scotland will be a real battle now.

Sometimes, like last night, I choose to look at the car crash. I look at it and make up my own mind. Occasionally they make some decent points, usually Giles, who is less driven by vendettas and tries to keep to the facts. If I'm not in the humour I'll go for the upbeat Sky version (now that I have the choice).

I like O'Neill and think he will do well. His managerial spells have always followed a trend - starts off getting the team solid and workmanlike, than increases the emphasis on passing and playing ball. I think he is on the road to doing that here. We need the likes of Gibson and McCarthy fit and playing regularly at club level so they can be selected to play the full 90 minutes. It was better to have our better passers on the pitch when we were chasing a goal than being taken off knackered.

Was I watching the same match as everyone else?
Germany pushed up on the Irish defense in the first half and made them play long balls. If Ireland tried to play passing football from the back forward from the start of the game they would have been beat 4-0 or so. It was only when Germany went a goal up and put men behind the ball that Ireland started to pass the ball about - this was due to the Germans defending their lead and being more tired than the beginning of the game. 
It wouldn't have mattered which Irish 11 started the game, it still would have been long balls for at least the first half or face a massacre. The bit in bold is key! Regardless of this I do feel that the team that finished the game was stronger than the team that started the game and would be better for starting against the weaker teams in the group.

[lynchbhoy]

Could you imagine if the north v the south were drawn together in France.

I'd love a handy win and would love to get the north of Ireland team in our group!
Handy points for us!

Why  would they be handy? They beat Greece tonight away who were in the knockout stages of the WC, and were missing Evans.

Anyway thats a long way off, neither team is qualified yet.

Isn't that Greek team all about 50 years old now!

We drew with the World Cup winners away and played sihte doing it!
If we improve at all we could be quite handy!

Missing Evans is a bonus I'd say!
Dreadful 'defender'

Wish we had the north of Ireland in our group!
Easy points!

Typical Irish mentality, going mad at fluking a draw to a depleted German side.  As for playing shite doing it, thats probably as well as the Irish team can play when you look at the players they have.  Evans would walk in to the Irish team.

not getting carried away
could be beaten by the jocks yet!
but a draw v Germany away is a great result.

you are having a laugh about johnny evans - im still a better centre half than that clown. and im a cripple.he cant defend

[rodney trotter]

Getting a fair share of luck along the way so far, last minute goal by McGeady in Georgia and O Shea last night. It could easily be 4pts from 9, good battling spirit anyway.

[Billys Boots]

Billy, did you think Germany just assumed they would coast home after they scored? They looked unbelievably careless to me.

Yes AZ, Loew clearly doesn't rate us - and that's understandable from his experiences, and I think his players have a similar view (they certainly thought they were home and hosed last night).  I think that was a little arrogant, considering the experience of their full-backs - I think they won't be taking that approach against us again in Dublin. 

[lynchbhoy]

Getting a fair share of luck along the way so far, last minute goal by McGeady in Georgia and O Shea last night. It could easily be 4pts from 9, good battling spirit anyway.

and playing fairly shite to be honest (apart from some great spells in each game)
you can see that this team is capable of a lot more.


still a bit suspect at full back. Striking options too - apart from Robbie Keane, the rest of the strikers are not on form.

[AZOffaly]

Luck is one way of looking at it. Never giving up is another. Lots of good teams get very late goals. Man United made a habit of it for about 15 years.

[ballinaman]

Massive result and sets up the group very well. Next game V Scotland will be a real battle now.

Got my tickets confirmed on Sunday night. Think we are getting an allocation circa 4,000...plenty more will travel without I reckon. Scotland were always going to be tricky, would have preferred to avoid them even before the draw.
The Gallowgate will be bouncing!
Martin O'Neill living up to his rep as a "lucky manager", long may it continue!

[general]

looking tickets for Glasgow lads, gimme a shout if you can help out. Cheers

[Main Street]

Billy, did you think Germany just assumed they would coast home after they scored? They looked unbelievably careless to me.

Yes AZ, Loew clearly doesn't rate us - and that's understandable from his experiences, and I think his players have a similar view (they certainly thought they were home and hosed last night).  I think that was a little arrogant, considering the experience of their full-backs - I think they won't be taking that approach against us again in Dublin.

Total speculation Billy,
Germans have been arrogant and dismissive of teams like us in the recent past and still dispatched us and others  with ease.
I doubt any disrespectful attitude came from Loew on how to approach the game and I doubt the German players were under the illusion they would coast home at 1 nil.
There was no (or nearly no) point last night where the German game flowed in the devastatingly effective way that they dismantled us in the last campaign, and that had little or nothing to do with arrogance or dismissing our threat. Quite simply, Germany at present just look like a decent team stripped of their old sheen,  who beat Scotland at home .....just about, who lost to Poland but created  a few  great chances  and now they failed to beat a solid disciplined  Ireland and created even fewer chances than they did against Poland.
Germany failed to get a 2nd, were in some state of panic at the end,  made some remarkable errors like giving away possession and
we took advantage. We got what we deserved.

[Billys Boots]

I don't disagree that we got what we deserved MS, but do you not think Germany could have generated another similar opportunity for Kroos in the last 15 if they had wanted to - that is in a few yards of space centrally, within 30 m of goal.  They didn't, and didn't try to - I felt that they felt the way in was down the channels, targetting the full-backs (one a converted striker and the other a makeshift for the day).  I think that Ireland saw that they could rob the ball wide, which they did on a few occasions - three times they made decent chances by doing so.  I think if the Germans had kept it central, and kept the pressure on Ireland to defend in front of the middle of the box, we'd never have been able to get back into the game. 

[nrico2006]

I think that you also have to look at the fact that Germany were severely depleted.

[Estimator]

I think that you also have to look at the fact that Germany were severely depleted.

Germany were severely depleted a few months ago but still won the World Cup with a massive injury list.

Bender x 2
Gundogan
Badstuber
Gomez
Reus
Schmelzer

All ruled out for a variety of reasons.

[beer baron]

Re-watched the last 20 minutes again this morning to see if i was missing anything as i didn't think we played well.
After seeing it again i stand by it,it was a miracle result,we were the best team for 5 minutes at best. Jeff Hendricks assist was excellent though,harsh that he's got no plaudits for it after saving the poor delivery from Hoolahan.