The Bradys seem like salt of the earth
Ireland physically battered them. They were trying, they were somewhat in a comfort zone somewhat not having played together enough.
You are making a clown of yourself.
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Agree with this. If we had sat back for first 20 mins they wouldn’t have been knocking it around the place getting into a rhythm and would have looked a different team. We eliminated that opportunity completely
I didn’t see the news but I did see the moment last night when Brady embraced his brother, that was moving. The only time I’ll watch a soccer match is when the Republic are playing, fair play to them the squad now must feel completely electrified . They’ll probably go on and win it outright now.
O’Neill said today everything about last night reminded him about his great Celtic and Celtic Park European nights. I made the same comparison to the chaps in the public house last night. He must be some orator in the dressing room. Larsson often references his speech before Celtic walked all over Liverpool at Anfield. Martin O’Neill is an unbelievable man as long as he’s wearing boots and tracksuit on the touch line.
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The use of physicality while always needed was particularly needed last night. 2 men up front means the ball stays up a bit more. That in tyrn saves energy. That also allows time on the ball in middle 3rd as Italy (or anyone) are a little bit more pinned back. That was noticeable last night. We did not do that to Belguim. We didn’t engage their full backs and didn’t pull defenders out of position whatsoever. If a defender os not tired he can be a help/influence the attacking game of his side. Italy are full of ball players, everyone is a help.
I would love to see the Irish running stats. Even though the effort was fantastic and mirrored the first 65 v. Sweden and first half v. Belguim i would be very surprised if the lads did not do a fair bit less running and closing over all. The way we pinned them more back than any team so far lessened the running. Hence we were a more physically balanced team for 90 minutes. The subs while obvious and needed because of the urgency were nonetheless really well timed as well. If that was planned or circumstances is a mute point now, they happened and went well.
There were other things as well that suited our individuals on the night. Long had a partner. McCarthy was in his best role. McGeady & Holohan were fresh against a battered midfield and defense.
Things often look rosey when you win and bad when you don’t and it can be misleading. However i think these last 2 games were black and white tactically wrong and then very right. We got it awfully wrong and had to over work v. Belguim. We got it really right v. Italy.
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I would be interested to hear what the more seasoned soccer lads think of my tgeiry, which i remember last night when listening about Tardelli saying he suggested Hendricks to a few Italian clubs.
Some of our lads excel above whats percieved of their takent or our expectatiins at International level. International football seems far closer (woyld like to see the stats) to Italian and Spanish football than the EPL. Is their athleticism or lack of holding them back in a league that looks for athletes.
Would many of them be better off looking to play in France, Spain and Italy.
The English game is dumb and Irish football takes too much direction from England.
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The micks crying in the streets embarrassing themselves after beating the Italian b team that had already qualified. You could not actually make it up 
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Strangely enough I found myself nodding in agreement with what you said there
Ireland didn’t play with two up to last night as a couple of posters have mentioned.
Long played as an attacking wide player in a very similar position to what Walters normally does for us and more advanced than McClean on the left with Hendrick the most advanced of the central midfield three with McCarty sitting. Our shape wasn’t hugely different from the first two games but the change in personnel and the balance of the team was better, along with the attitude
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The boys were staring down the barrel of a gun last night and came up smiling. You can elect to be bitter if you want but you really shouldn’t be
I couldn’t care less about the partionist Eire team
You clearly do though
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I love laughing at Eire and the drunken apes who “support” them so I do
You’re comparing standards in Eire to what’s demanded as a given in England. Its viewed as great achievement in Eire to beat a reserve Italy team.
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I see that. You’re quite excited
Some lad said it was better than when his children were born. The night Eire beat the Italian subs who had already qualified 
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We were 3/1 to win, we beat the odds and made the last 16. What’s not to celebrate?
I disagree with you on Belfium Kev. We were poor with the ball against Belgium but hassled the fuck out of them in the first half and They had very few chances in the first half. We then could have had a penalty but got caught out. Once we were one nil down we were fucked. They relaxed and then tore us apart. The first goal is much more important to us than to other teams because we are so pushed for quality that forcing the game is very difficult for us and we leave gaps.
Another huge problem for us is that we don’t play to Longs strengths. His game is all about running into space for flick ons and through balls etc but we ask him to run the forward line himself and chase down everything. It’s hardly playing to his strengths. He benefitted from having Murphy there yesterday but Italy’s defence often plays deep anyway so there wasn’t much space for him anyway.