FAI...June 2024 Friendlies v Hungary and Portugal

[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.

[oakleaflad]

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.

Yeah and you could add Ozil, Khedira and Howedes to that list that were missing against Ireland too. Though from the players you mentioned only Reus would have been a certainty for the first 11. Schmelzer maybe would have at the World cup but won't any more. Durm is better and Howedes did a solid if not spectacular job at the Word Cup.

[imtommygunn]

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

While they were so were Ireland but Germany definitely lack a striker option. When balls were played in the box Ireland were defending in numbers however it was noticeable how few Germans were actually in the box. Sometimes there were none. Maybe the more attacking midfielders were missing and this was part of the problem but as per Spain every now and again there are games when just passing round without real cutting edge in the box and eventually wearing teams down just won't work and this was one of them.

I'm not sure I would agree with the thought that if Germany went down the middle more they'd have scored more. The goal was really a mistake as in that area you shouldn't be getting time to pick a shot off and for once they were allowed to. All other times they were closed down - I think they had to go down the wing to draw Ireland out a bit.

Fantastic result really though I still think that the way we were setup initially wasn't great and we need Gibson and Hollahan playing and McGeady needs to be out wide.

[Main Street]

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.

Maybe germany could have been more determined to get the 2nd  etc, but that wasn't down to Germany being arrogant or dismissive of our ability or dismissive of our chances of equalising. They had a hard time creating any worthwhile chances in the game and only scored with the perfectly struck shot, in off the post. Their second hard game in a few days, perhaps they were weary of the task. Germans also experience fatigue, contrary to the image of the super robot like footballer. Maybe it was down to any combination of real factors,  like fatigue, injuries, lost mojo, irish defence and the changes made by O'Neill just added that little bit extra offensive technical ability.
Teams wobble and our belated phoenix like resurgence forced a few wobbles in the tiring Germans, starting with Gibson setting up Wes. They then made mistakes.
At 4 nil against Sweden perhaps they fell into a trap (with some rationale) thinking that Sweden couldn't possibly come back and score 4, but  we know what happened next. But at 1nil, not even the Germans can be arrogant.

[nrico2006]

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.

Yeah and you could add Ozil, Khedira and Howedes to that list that were missing against Ireland too. Though from the players you mentioned only Reus would have been a certainty for the first 11. Schmelzer maybe would have at the World cup but won't any more. Durm is better and Howedes did a solid if not spectacular job at the Word Cup.

Schweinsteiger was also missing.

[AZOffaly]

I don't know MS. They just looked so casual. They gave ball away that wasn't really pressured. I think Kroos gave out shite to a lad for doing it just before the Ireland goal, maybe the 3 on 2 that Hoolohan butchered.

Now it  might just be that Germany are not very good at the moment, but I just thought they were extremely lax after they went 1 up especially. And the fact that Low didn't even bother to call up replacements for injured players added to that impression for me.

[Billys Boots]

I don't know MS. They just looked so casual. They gave ball away that wasn't really pressured. I think Kroos gave out shite to a lad for doing it just before the Ireland goal, maybe the 3 on 2 that Hoolohan butchered.

Now it  might just be that Germany are not very good at the moment, but I just thought they were extremely lax after they went 1 up especially. And the fact that Low didn't even bother to call up replacements for injured players added to that impression for me.

I think that's very harsh - I thought McGeady was at fault for not timing his run, Hoolahan couldn't find him because he was at the wrong angle to make the 3 on 2 tell. 

[AZOffaly]

Maybe, but a better player would have not allowed himself get caught in possession. You have to be able to react to situations like that too, in my opinion. You're right about McGeady, but Hoolahan should have been able to keep the ball and recycle.

[Billys Boots]

What?  Turn-around and look for help behind him?  Walters was marked by the other defender - it was a basic 2v1, or start from scratch. 

[AZOffaly]

Yes, start from scratch, not get caught dawdling because the perfect pass wasn't on.