Ireland vs Finland/England

[Mac]

@Bandage

Mikey Johnston’s game intelligence is brutal at times for a lad that has natural ability - getting dispossessed at the edge of his own box & the lad hitting the post & then ignoring O’Dowda’s run before playing it to him way too late when he’s yards offside. It drove Benny Rodgers demented at Celtic.

Well said

[Bandage]

Terrific play by Mikey, he has ability & is a fine dribbler. It’s just the awareness piece that’s missing but he can make a fine career all the same in England.

[myboyblue]

With Jinxy and Festy we have the best wingers in world football.

[neilld]

I’d worry about him against a better side. Think he’d be ran over. Wouldn’t be the only one of that midfield though. He put that on a plate there fair play.

[Bandage]

@Mac

Well said

Thank you.

[neilld]

He should at the same time, he had him 1 v 1 just inside the 18 yard box and the lad can’t touch him but it’s beautiful executed and was beautiful to watch. Obviously I wrote him off completely 5 minutes ago so am sour.

[Phil_Leotardo]

Haven’t seen first half. How is Doherty ? Acting like he cares now?

[Fagan_ODowd]

@Phil_Leotardo

Haven’t seen first half. How is Doherty ? Acting like he cares now?

Motm so far.

[neilld]

He plays like a drunk Adel Taarabt and I mean that as a compliment.

[neilld]

One or two amazing touches, clever running in attack, very tidy on the ball. Completely heartless if needed to extend himself physically. Same as always.

[myboyblue]

@Fagan_ODowd

@Phil_Leotardo

Haven’t seen first half. How is Doherty ? Acting like he cares now?

Motm so far.

Ah stop. Tis Festy.

[Bandage]

@neilld

He should at the same time, he had him 1 v 1 just inside the 18 yard box and the lad can’t touch him but it’s beautiful executed and was beautiful to watch. Obviously I wrote him off completely 5 minutes ago so am sour.

Jaysus, no need to be sour after an Ireland goal. As I said, and as backed up by @Mac, Mikey has plenty of natural talent but is infuriating at times. It’s the game intelligence piece & lack of consistency that’s held him back but he can produce moments of brilliance. I wondered if that obscenely good run of form on loan last season might finally be signalling a maturity or consistency coming into his game but I see he’s back in & out since joining West Brom permanently. He’s probably deserving of his squad place for us though & definitely so if he can come up with assists like that.

Good learnings for Heimir here overall. Think we’re meant to be pressing more aggressively in a 4-2-4 that’s the flavour of the (2024-25) season but it’s not as cohesive as you’d want. Understandable with all the changes & in international football but I imagine he’s bedding all that stuff in at each camp. If one part of the chain’s missing & somebody doesn’t go in unison then we can be played through & we have been exposed at times.

[Bandage]

Are we missing anyone through suspension tonight?

[Watchyourtoes]

Knight would drive you fuckin mad.

[neilld]

There’s little stuff Ferguson does that you can see he is going to be a top player.

[neilld]

He has the measure of the lads down their right now anyway

[Bandage]

That was really good play all over. Great diagonal run by ODowda to clear out the space for Johnston to have a 1 v 1 run & a crack at goal. Patient play before that, probing & sustaining the attack.

[caulifloweredneanderthal]

‘Doc & Jinxy’ be a grand name for a buddy cop series

[neilld]

Scales doesn’t panic in fairness to him.

[Bandage]

Antman going off for them, he’s been bugging me all game.