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C+H Sports Discussion Thread

Bobalicious93

We were hijacking several other thread with sports discussion, so let's take it all into here.

Anyone fancy Pat's over the two legs vs Steaua Bucharest? Not a Pat's fan, but I might head to the second leg. I've heard rumours it may be held in the RDS. Anyone know any more on that?

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Palytoxin

That Apres Match was useless

wnolan1992

Palytoxin wrote: »

That Apres Match was useless

I thought twas pretty funny.

"A state of the nation address from your leader" :pac:

Definitely the most entertaining thing about the coverage tonight.

I'd like to see Kieran get a run out on Monday. Shay hasn't been at it this tournament, and twould be better to blood Kieran now since this is Shay's last major tournament and he's the future...

Won't happen, but no harm in putting it out there. :P

Palytoxin

wnolan1992 wrote: »

I thought twas pretty funny.

"A state of the nation address from your leader" :pac:

Definitely the most entertaining thing about the coverage tonight.

I'd like to see Kieran get a run out on Monday. Shay hasn't been at it this tournament, and twould be better to blood Kieran now since this is Shay's last major tournament and he's the future...

Won't happen, but no harm in putting it out there. :P

They usually rise a chuckle from me, not tonight I'm afraid

I don't find jokes about Germany/IMF/EU/etc. funny in general though :eek:

You're right about Kieran, I'd give anyone who didn't get a run so far a game. We can't go through so there's no point leaving them on the sideline for the whole tournament, give them a chance to represent their country at the Euros I say!

flyswatter

Shay Given produced a world class save tonight let's not forget though.

wnolan1992

flyswatter wrote: »

Shay Given produced a world class save tonight let's not forget though.

Makes no real difference. He hasn't looked in any way confident in this tournament, and I still have my doubts that he's 100% fit.

And even if he is fit, what harm is there in giving Westwood a shot? Would at least give him a taste of proper competitive international football. Given only has about 2-3 years left in him, the injuries he's been picking up lately show that clearly.

Either way we're going home, but at least if we gave the young lads in the squad a shot we'd know if they can actually play decent football. Think McLean should get the full 90 minutes on Monday, as should Kevin Doyle and Shane Long. Drop Robbie Keane and Richard Dunne, Dunne hasn't been at it at all and keane neither.

/armchairpunditry

flyswatter

wnolan1992 wrote: »

Makes no real difference. He hasn't looked in any way confident in this tournament, and I still have my doubts that he's 100% fit.

And even if he is fit, what harm is there in giving Westwood a shot? Would at least give him a taste of proper competitive international football. Given only has about 2-3 years left in him, the injuries he's been picking up lately show that clearly.

Either way we're going home, but at least if we gave the young lads in the squad a shot we'd know if they can actually play decent football. Think McLean should get the full 90 minutes on Monday, as should Kevin Doyle and Shane Long. Drop Robbie Keane and Richard Dunne, Dunne hasn't been at it at all and keane neither.

/armchairpunditry

If Given only has 2/3 years left, well that's a standard lifespan for a goalkeeper anyway at the least. Doubt Dunne will be dropped, trying to save face and restore at least some pride, not another humiliation.

That's what friendlies are for, experimenting, not against Italy in a major tournament, regardless if the team can't progress.

wnolan1992

flyswatter wrote: »

If Given only has 2/3 years left, well that's a standard lifespan for a goalkeeper anyway at the least. Doubt Dunne will be dropped, trying to save face and restore at least some pride, not another humiliation.

That's what friendlies are for, experimenting, not against Italy in a major tournament, regardless if the team can't progress.

But according to RTE we only have one friendly before we start qualification for the WC, and this match is now meaningless, so it's as good a place as anywhere to start rebuilding the squad for the inevitable departure of some of older lads after this.

flyswatter

wnolan1992 wrote: »

But according to RTE we only have one friendly before we start qualification for the WC, and this match is now meaningless, so it's as good a place as anywhere to start rebuilding the squad for the inevitable departure of some of older lads after this.

There is no replacement for Dunne in the squad. Well no credible ones anyway.

wnolan1992

flyswatter wrote: »

There is no replacement for Dunne in the squad. Well no credible ones anyway.

I suppose... I just don't want the same team to go again. There'd be no point in setting up the way we've done these past two games, it obviously doesn't work.

Though you'd never know... an Italian style Vs. an italian team... could pay off... #clutchingatstraws

JamJamJamJam

Our fans :')

The guy pretending to cry in front of the camera was hilarious :L

wnolan1992

JamJamJamJam wrote: »

Our fans :')

The guy pretending to cry in front of the camera was hilarious :L

I felt so sorry for fans tonight. Imagine paying in excess of 1500quid for the trip over, and then the team puts in a performance like that... Fair play to them for belting out the songs at the end though.

JamJamJamJam

wnolan1992 wrote: »

I felt so sorry for fans tonight. Imagine paying in excess of 1500quid for the trip over, and then the team puts in a performance like that... Fair play to them for belting out the songs at the end though.

Yeah you'd like for them to have something to celebrate. Even one goal! Just wait for the Italy game

shefellover93

flyswatter wrote: »

:rolleyes:

That comment deserves all the contempt it can get.

He leaves Coleman, Pilkington and Hoolihan at home, and brings on a player who was surplus to requirements at Derby (For good reason) instead of Gibson against the best team in the world. People say he's the reason we got here in the first place; the reason we got here in the first place is due to the fact that Slovakia bottled it against the Armenians and we got a poxy draw in the playoffs. He clearly doesn't watch the players when they play for their club sides

flyswatter

shefellover93 wrote: »

He leaves Coleman, Pilkington and Hoolihan at home, and brings on a player who was surplus to requirements at Derby (For good reason) instead of Gibson against the best team in the world. People say he's the reason we got here in the first place; the reason we got here in the first place is due to the fact that Slovakia bottled it against the Armenians and we got a poxy draw in the playoffs. He clearly doesn't watch the players when they play for their club sides

No, that's not the reason. Look, we have a very limited group of players with a good few journeymen in the squad and not a single world class individual. Spain are the best team in the world with players we could only dream of having. Trap did a fine job even getting Ireland to the tournament.

I don't always enjoy watching Ireland play but he stuck to a system that did the job. The team have been shown up as the average side they are now in this tournament by better teams at the highest level. If you look at say Scotland, who have a slightly better team than us, they didn't qualify and that's because they weren't managed as well as Ireland.

Any alternative players picked wouldn't have made any difference, just look at the amount of possession Spain had and the amount of passes they completed. It's not the managers fault, Spain would have destroyed us either way.

shefellover93

flyswatter wrote: »

No, that's not the reason. Look, we have a very limited group of players with a good few journeymen in the squad and not a single world class individual. Spain are the best team in the world with players we could only dream of having. Trap did a fine job even getting Ireland to the tournament.

I don't always enjoy watching Ireland play but he stuck to a system that did the job. The team have been shown up as the average side they are now in this tournament by better teams at the highest level. If you look at say Scotland, who have a slightly better team than us, they didn't qualify and that's because they weren't managed as well as Ireland.

Any alternative players picked wouldn't have made any difference, just look at the amount of possession Spain had and the amount of passes they completed. It's not the managers fault, Spain would have destroyed us either way.

So you're telling me by playing a system with two wingers against two teams that play predominantly down the middle hasn't hurt us in this tournament. Look at another team with average players like Italy, who played an intelligent system against Spain and it worked for their favour. We don't have great players but we left the best of what we have watching the game instead of playing in it.

None of our teams in previous tournaments have had world class players, the 88 squad had the likes of Tony Galvin, Chris Morris and Tony Cascarino, all of which were journeyman players but at least we didn't embarass ourselves. Same with '94 and 2002, neither were great teams but at least we got out of the group. The fact is, none of our players have played anywhere near as well as they can, Andrews being the exception. When the players decided to scrap the system against France in Paris and play with a bit of creative freedom they found they could actually play football. We had no posession against Spain caus all we did was pass amongst the back four and then give it to Shay who booted the ball back to the Spaniards/Croatians.

Trap had so little confidence in our team he sent us to the tournament with a system that was outdated, defensive and clueless. All we did was pump long ball the entire time, and despite it working for the first half against Croatia it was soon shown up. Even last night, hoofing the ball up to Robbie was about as useful as digging a tunnel with a plastic spoon. We bypassed our midfield, and negated our two wingers so it was like playing with 9 players for most of the game.

You can't say that different personel wouldn't have made a difference. John O'Shea has had a nighmare of a tournament, Coleman being the obvious choice; McGeady can't cross his legs and worse yet his unwillingness to track back has left Ward completely exposed at left back (A cause of at least 3 of the 7 goals we've conceded) and Glenn Whelan has been completely annonymous in the games (Hoolihan at least has a bit of attacking nouse).

It's not even that we lost, but it's that we were shown up by both Croatia and Spain as a team that's worse than we actually are. I don't believe in this 'oh we're just happy to be there' crap, we've punched well above our weight in every major tournament we've played in and if we get through to the tournament we should at least expect to make a good account of ourselves. The fact is that we've conceded 7 goals in two games and Xabi Alonso made more passes last night than our entire team, and he came off after an hour! We really could have played much better with a different system and different players, and we'll be beaten badly again on Monday by an Italian side that need a result.

I'm not saying that with these changes we would have beaten Spain, but we were beaten 4-0 and had 3 shots on target against a Spanish side who drew against an unfancied Italian side, rested one of their best players, and never left first gear for the entire game, and for me that makes me feel embarassed

wnolan1992

Was the France - Ukraine match delayed by an hour or something? Turned on at 6:30 and it was only coming up to half time... thought KO was 5pm?

flyswatter

wnolan1992 wrote: »

Was the France - Ukraine match delayed by an hour or something? Turned on at 6:30 and it was only coming up to half time... thought KO was 5pm?

No, it kicked off at 5pm and was suspended after 5 minutes due to thunder and flooding. Started again at 6pm I think.

wnolan1992

flyswatter wrote: »

No, it kicked off at 5pm and was suspended after 5 minutes due to thunder and flooding. Started again at 6pm I think.

Ah, that explains it.

Hopefully the Swedes can do a job on England tonight, gotta root for my Nordic homies. :P

soccymonster

CMON SWEDEN.

I was Swedish in a previous life lads. I just know it.

EUPHORIA!

wnolan1992

Yurt!

This is actually a pretty good match!

Hon Sweden!!!

wnolan1992

Boo-urns!

Poor Sweden are out. So at least Ireland weren't the only team eliminated in the second round of games...

Walcott and Welbeck's goals were pretty awesome, so it's hard to begrudge them the win...

*although I will. :P

suitcasepink

So lawwwds
Waherfurrrd and Clare tomorrow.
We gonna bayte da snot outta 'em?
I think we will.

soccymonster

deise_girl wrote: »

So lawwwds
Waherfurrrd and Clare tomorrow.
We gonna bayte da snot outta 'em?
I think we will.

I am neutral in every way.

But I think Clare will win. Maybe it's just due to Waterford's previous first game performances in the past. And the Davy factor!

Love you Davy

Professey Chin

soccymonster wrote: »

I am neutral in every way.

But I think Clare will win. Maybe it's just due to Waterford's previous first game performances in the past. And the Davy factor!

Love you Davy

Youre dead to me

soccymonster

The Great Chinholio wrote: »

Youre dead to me

That comment is totally invalid and I disregard it completely based on the fact you're a Waterford supporter.

wnolan1992

Team sheet for tomorrow night doesn't inspire much... $:\$

I just don't get why he won't give McLean, who is our form player from the season a chance. This game is meaningless, I'd prefer to see us lose by a good few goals than to scrape a draw or lose 1-0 playing the same old team.

I want to have faith in Trap, I really do, but his stubbornness is getting harder and harder to put up with.

Professey Chin

shefellover93

All we need to do is score one goal tomorrow and we're as good as Holland

Screaminmidget

anyone watching the US open?

jefreywithonef

Only seeing this now