Match Thread - Ireland

[daddybuc16]

Atmosphere was a bit nervy at times until the goal, after which the place was absolutely jumping. Loved it.

Thought we were better side overall, although both keepers didnt have a lot to do. The irish were surprisingly dirty for a team under martin o neill but we kept the head and tried to play our game.

excellent goal, when they went across to take that corner all i could think of was don't get caught offside.

Would have capped the night off if keane had been sent to the stands. Overall though a good night. Thoughts and condelences go the family of the young man who fell last night as well.

[Pool Q]

I'll tell you this Ireland were utter shite tonight, just tried to boot us off the pitch and punted it at every opportunity.

Only one team trying to play football.

Not fair on either side. Ireland play a limited game, which isn't pleasant on the eye, but they are effective at it. Defend in numbers, launch it whenever possible, rely on one of the best goal-scorers of the past 20 years in Robbie Keane for the odd goal. In their last away game they beat the world champions, who had beaten us a few weeks earlier. They play the sort of football you would expect from a team set out by O'Neill and Roy Keane, based I guess on the players they have available. I was a bit surprised at how just physical they were, but on another night they could daily have left with a win. They'll be in the mix come the end of the group. Last night was a good performance by Scotland to beat a hard opponent. Now Georgia are shite, we should have skelped them at Ibrox.

[Toepoke]

it was a superbly worked goal that won it. Glad to be proven wrong for once on those bloody short corners that never work.

Aye there were a few groans around us when the corner was taken short.

Strachan said after the game it was a "Stuart McCall corner" so I presume he'd worked on it in training. Hope someone got it on their phone from the stand...

The irish were surprisingly dirty for a team under martin o neill.

Really?

[daddybuc16]

Really?

Aye. I thought o'neill would hate aw that sort of skullduggery. Or maybe just when it happens to his team. i expected the irish to be a bit more of a passing football team.

[Toepoke]

His teams have always been really physical. I suffered Celtic under him kicking Killie off the park several times. He was just fortunate to have inherited Henrik Larsson...

[Tartacus]

I thought the interview with Martin O'Neil was revealing. He looked like a woman who has just had the Police bring her son home. Defensive, delusional and barely covering his inner hysteria. There's summat up with that guy. At least he has the calming influence of his psychopathic assistant to keep things in order. He tried to claim Ireland were 'in control of the game' ! From what I saw Ireland's main (only?) tactics are to battle away and hoof balls into the box. Whenever real football broke out it was Scotland playing it.

[Tartan blood]

Not fair on either side. Ireland play a limited game, which isn't pleasant on the eye, but they are effective at it. Defend in numbers, launch it whenever possible, rely on one of the best goal-scorers of the past 20 years in Robbie Keane for the odd goal. In their last away game they beat the world champions, who had beaten us a few weeks earlier. They play the sort of football you would expect from a team set out by O'Neill and Roy Keane, based I guess on the players they have available. I was a bit surprised at how just physical they were, but on another night they could daily have left with a win. They'll be in the mix come the end of the group. Last night was a good performance by Scotland to beat a hard opponent. Now Georgia are shite, we should have skelped them at Ibrox.

Ireland, right now, remind me of the old pre-Srrachan Scotland. We were very often lacking creativity and the best compliment you could give us was that we worked hard. Ireland will not qualify if things don't change.

Hopefully they can take some points off Poland and do us a favour.

We did skelp Georgia, the scoreline doesn't reflect that, though. Thankfully, goal difference is meaningless unless it's a head to head. Which won't happen.

Worst case scenario, Poland beat Ireland twice. But I can see both sides dropping points against each other. Which will help us immensely

[John_B81]

Maloney and Robertson will be singled out for praise, rightly so, but I thought Mulgrew played very well and showed again why he is a better midfielder than defender. Very composed in possession.

Having watched highlights, must say Hanley was very lucky to stay on the park. Then again, we were due a bit of luck in this group.

[Green_Tide_Rising]

Alright lads.

Congratulations on last nights win.

Deserved.

Its all about winning yere home games.

Anyway fair play and congratulations again

[wheres the pies]

Alright lads.

Congratulations on last nights win.

Deserved.

Its all about winning yere home games.

Anyway fair play and congratulations again

[Tartacus]

Alright lads.

Congratulations on last nights win.

Deserved.

Its all about winning yere home games.

Anyway fair play and congratulations again

[Gala Tartan Army (Borders)]

Dont understand how Mulgrew got motm in front of robertson, anya and naismith. Thought robertson and anya were superb particularly up against Coleman who is a real attacking threat and top right back. Not a lot of football played at times but we got the three points thats all that matters.

[Toepoke]

Mulgrew was my MOTM, absolutely everything went through him and he kept possession very well.

[Caledonian Craig]

Mulgrew had a cracker as did Robertson - a tight call. Can I give a special mention to a player much-lambasted on here of late? I though Steven Whittaker had a very good game.

Also it is quite superb how Strachan is getting so much more out of Maloney. You can see he really rates him and is basically utilising him superbly like no other Scotland manager has been unable to do and that includes Smith and McLeish.

[Pool Q]

Hopefully they can take some points off Poland and do us a favour.

We did skelp Georgia, the scoreline doesn't reflect that, though.

No we didn't, we beat them 1-0. At home. Poland, off the back of beating Germany 2-0, beat Georgia 4-0 in Georgia. That's a skelping.

[Gala Tartan Army (Borders)]

Mulgrew had a good game as well, but thought Robertson was immense, nothing got by him. Dont understand strachans preference for chris martin, he doesnt seem to work very hard. Why not have rhodes on bench instead, he would surely do as much running as Martin.

[Kirk]

Is it just me or is Chris Martin hopeless?

Nope agree he was pish.

He had a fine game. Was he wearing slippers though as him clearances were pish?

Some very poor kick outs from Marshall but he made a few good saves and claimed the ball well in the air from crosses.

Mulgrew and Robertson both great, Robertson really is quality. Don't think anyone played poorly really, and we were lucky not to get any injuries from those awful tackles. Ireland could have had a red or two. Thought Whitaker played well apart from when he tried to skin someone on the edge of our box. I really like Hanley and Margin at the back too. Lots of positives. Great atmosphere at the game too, had the buzz all day.

[Dublin]

Well done lads, you totally deserved to win,Strachan is doing a great job.

I was very disappointed at how little football we played. we have Roy Keane, one of the best midfielders of his generation and O'Neill, another top class midfielder and the tactics are to bypass midfield, just like under Trapattoni!

That's why I wanted Mick McCarthy back, you know what you'll get with him, football played the right way, that the players seem to enjoy playing, just like Strachan is doing with you guys.

Anyway lets see how the return match goes in March. If we don't play more football, a draw is the best I can see us getting.

If we finish in 4th place, we go from pot 2 down to pot 4 or maybe even 5, down among the dead men!

[Bzzzz]

Excellent performance and a fantastic goal, Parkheid was a great host too, really enjoyed it

Still not overly impressed with Stephen Fletcher, seems to keep make things difficult for himself rather than doing the simple things, will have to watch the game again but think we miss someone with the energy and work rate of someone like Kenny Miller.

[1320lichtie]

IMO fletcher held the ball up superbly just ashame he never stuck away his chances we missed him when he went off Bzzzzz mate

[ronaldhinos dentist]

ireland don't have players like maloney, naismith, mulgrew, anya, brown and Robertson. Last night showed which team plays better football. Ireland tried to batter us and failed. in Dublin, Ireland will be the team under pressure. On last night's evidence, we should at least get a draw. Strachan has instilled belief and a confidence that we will score, which we have done in every game so far.

[McToot]

Agree we missed Fletcher. He takes the ball in brilliantly and makes it look effortless. Every time the ball came to him he either laid it off for someone with his first touch or turned in the same movement as receiving the ball and created space for something. Looked like he missed a sitter with that back heel he tried but that could of been the angle of my view. Was it a great chance?

Thought Martin was poor. Missed a great chance, which when you see it on the tv he had almost the whole goals to fire into and put it by the post which the goalie had totally covered. Not great movement, fell over constantly and was awful at cheating/trying to win free kicks. I'd rather we'd stuck May or Russell on.

Naismith and Fletcher seemed to have a much better understanding than Naismith and Martin.

Everyone else in my opinion had a good game. For me special praise for Marshall and Robertson.

Marshall had a fantastic save down low to McGeady and took every cross superbly under pressure when they were firing in some very dangerous in swingers.

[Paulo2576]

Agree we missed Fletcher. He takes the ball in brilliantly and makes it look effortless. Every time the ball came to him he either laid it off for someone with his first touch or turned in the same movement as receiving the ball and created space for something. Looked like he missed a sitter with that back heel he tried but that could of been the angle of my view. Was it a great chance?

Thought Martin was poor. Missed a great chance, which when you see it on the tv he had almost the whole goals to fire into and put it by the post which the goalie had totally covered. Not great movement, fell over constantly and was awful at cheating/trying to win free kicks. I'd rather we'd stuck May or Russell on.

Naismith and Fletcher seemed to have a much better understanding than Naismith and Martin.

Everyone else in my opinion had a good game. For me special praise for Marshall and Robertson.

Marshall had a fantastic save down low to McGeady and took every cross superbly under pressure when they were firing in some very dangerous in swingers.

Agreed with all of that. Mulgrew mom for me, ran the show. Every time him and Brown play together we look a very good team.

Thought Stevie fletcher looked a quality player with sublime touch and vision, just needs a goal obviously. It was night and day between him and Martin who looked the complete opposite and looked out of place again.Really don't see how he fits into our system.

Everyone else did their part, AR looks awesome and wee Shaun's touch as usual, so classy. Brilliant.

[daddybuc16]

His teams have always been really physical. I suffered Celtic under him kicking Killie off the park several times. He was just fortunate to have inherited Henrik Larsson...

Ah. Never knew that, apologies. My team have always been a league (sometimes 2) below them. So only time i seen them play was old firm games because a few of my mates are rangers or celtic fans and i like beer.

I'm just glad i am posting in the cold light of day, a little calmer than last night. Tried to post on here during half time, but luckily for me parkhead wifi was brutal, because what i tried to post merrited a ban.

[ianp]

Some one who doesn't seem to be getting plaudits is Steven Whittaker. He was a breath of fresh air at right back. So much superior to Hutton. He tackles and wins the ball back, wins headers and get up and down the park and delivers better delivery. More of the same please.