15 seconds in, Coleman played a captain’s role when he buried De Sciglio. It laid down an excellent marker - Ireland were not there to make up the numbers. Growing up under my old man’s roof, the main sports were hurling, football, boxing, rugby, and soccer. In every single one of those codes we were told that if we went out and got stuck into our opponent right from the get go, we’d have gone a long way to besting him.
Soccer is a contact sport, and that’s exactly the way Ireland played it last night. They had a physicality and an honesty about them that has been sadly missing in a lot of its so-called ‘big teams’ and its ‘best players’. It really was a joy to watch. I’d take that sort of endeavouring any day over ‘fancy dans’ that roll around on the ground fanny-acting after getting the slightest touch, if any at all.
You seem to put great store in records @GeoffreyBoycott. Would it be possible for you to take your limp dick out of the encyclopedia and throw up the records of both Ireland and England when playing Italy in competitive fixtures?
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.
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The running stats are often meaningless because they don’t record intensity etc. But for the record we ran 101.8km against Sweden (who ran 101.5km); 103.2 against Belgium (who ran 102km) and 103.1km last night (Italy had 103.9km).
On the subs point - did anyone read Gavin Cummiskey’s player ratings today. McGeady wasn’t amazing or anything last night but nor was he dreadful. Cummiskey referenced his introduction as shocking. Even when giving O’Neill a rating, it was “Saved by Hoolahan and Brady not McGeady.” Bizarre writing from a guy who bizarrely still gets to write about something he clearly knows nothing about.
Jesus @Rocko will be getting a lot of pm’s looking for you to be banned again.
Look it, it was a very good Eire performance. They played the only way a result was going to be got ie up and at em put em under pressure bollock and bite. Shane long roaring at the keeper like a knacker epitomized the night. I called it before the game in fact I’d say o Neill read some of my posts.
But it was a wop 11 that would rather have been anywhere else. They couldn’t give a fiddlers. And let’s face it Eire are the last shower of fuckers you’d need to be facing if you’ve got Spain coming up in a proper game in 5 days. Jumping out of tackles. Jaysus the goalie was a disgrace. Stone useless cunt.
Saying that Eire should be very happy with their performance, and of course matching the Abandoned 6s achievement is always going to be important for that section of society down south.
Absolutely. I was picking the lads up from training the other night and there was a seniors game on here. Lads well in their forties…jeez they were pinging the ball around, great technique. The equivalent game in the British Isles would be kick and rush trench warfare.
Go easy on Gavin. Gavin is Blackrock College rugby gentry. Former league of Ireland soccer correspondent Scruff Thornley lands the plum gig of following the Irish rugby team to South Africa. Meanwhile Gavin has to slum it with soccer types in France.
Intensity is taken on all modern GPS. just not reported to press most likely. But i have regularly seen speed and distance of speed in various zones. Thats the real data for monitoring fatigue.
Competitive international fixtures are when you get down to the knockout stages. England faced Italy in the drawn 2012 European Championship Quarter Finals, with Italy advancing in the lottery system. There was the exhibition match in 1990 when both lost out in the lottery system after drawn World Cup semi finals. You were probably still too wrapped up in 1990 and 2012 Eire homecoming celebrations to notice.
Ya and maybe that should be encouraged. Would be something innovative from FAI. Hire a few agents as well. Plenty other players do it learning harder languages.
Yeah, he started out as the Paper of Record’s League of Ireland correspondent. I’m still scratching my head as what bright spark in D’Olier Street thought he was the man to fill the boots of the incomparable Edmund Van Esbeck.
Jesus