Euro 2008 Group D Mar 28

[snyena]

Originally Posted by drawback05

Snyena,
nice to see the other side of the fence. Can you tell all us Irish fans how Slovakia feel they will do ?
How do you rate your team against say the Czechs ?

The wide public doesn't seem to be aware that Ireland's performances haven't been that convincing of late. As Thetwotwins points out, I think Slovakia will start defensively because there is a certain amount of respect (the Irish, Scottish, English and even Welsh footy have a similar reputation here - footballing tradition, strong at home due to great fans, physical, long ball style).

The losses against the Czechs and Germany were to some extent caused by the previous manager's ineptitude. Against the Czechs, he started with only one striker and five midfielders, two of which were defensive midfielders out of form with very little skill on the ball (Valachovic and Hlinka). Also, Varga was in the defense and there wasn't any attacking player with flair in the the team. The carthorse that is Sebo couldn't do much up front on his own, he barely got to see the ball. You simply don't play like that at home; I knew we were going to lose the moment I saw the starting eleven. The situation against the Germans was similar and they outplayed us completely. The new manager Kocian has got rid of some of the deadwood in the team (Varga, Hlinka, Valachovic, Karhan, Reiter, ...) and while I don't agree with all of his selections, I think out team and tactics are better now.

I think the Czech team is slightly better but they still have their own problems right now (ageing squad, the latest scandal involving prostitutes etc.). I don't think the Slovaks lack that much fotbaling-wise, but they need to work on their self-confidence. The Slovak team is very young (the oldest player against Cyprus was 28 or 29) and with some very promising youngsters emerging, it is going to improve further in the nearest future.

I do not know enough about the Irish team so it is hard for me to predict the outcome of this game. In theory, if you managed to play so well against the Czechs, you should be able to repeat the same against us... but it doesn't always work like that in football.

[kamei34]

Rep.of Ireland hosting Slovakia.
I think we have here two countires going in different directions in soccer terms of course.
Home team is in some downtrend for some time, they don't look so sharp as previous years although they still have some good players but something is not right for them, like they don't put too much enthusiasm or is it just about their coach don't know, but the fact is that N.Ireland is actually doing better things currently in this qualis, in terms of fighting spirit and a bit of everything else.
Slovakia is imo team in rise. They have very interesting squad and I expekt from them to continue with wins and try to chase one of first two spots.
I will gladly try this juicy odds on Slovakia, betfair @4.00. GL~
They showed they can play away when they beat Wales 5:1 but also Cypruss 3:1 few days ago.
I'll try also a bet on goals, 1 goal in the match, Ladbrokes @4.00. Hosts are known for tight matches especially at home, and one goal to be scored looks nice to me. Hope it will be the Slovakain one.

[888]

Sport	Football (Internationals)
Event	Ireland vs Slovakia
Selection	Slovakia +0.25 (Asian Handicap)
Strength	8/10
Date	28/03/2007
Bookmaker/Price	canbet @ 2.11 (Back)
Reasoning	Crucial game for both team, but I think Slovakia should be able to get something here, a win is a bit hard to ask for but a draw is not imo. Ireland will miss Keane which is a big loss. However, Slovakia will also miss Durica their influential defender and Krejci. But, I don't really like Staunton tactic, he played a lot of his players on the wrong side of the pitch and not on their preferred side. Also, Ireland form hasn't been consistent lately which is why further boost my confidence to take them. Eventhough on paper, Ireland should win this but if Staunton didn't put it right like what I expected and if Slovak play their best, this should be a tough game and most possible outcome is a draw.

[eirebhoy]

Originally Posted by murko

Ireland is missing their main strike force Robbie Keane, OShea is doubtfull Given also might be injured.
Good chance for Slovakia to grab all three points.

The team was announced yesterday, look at my post above.

Trust me, we lost in Cyprus because we're a very poor team away from home and the manager picked no central midfielders. He has picked the best possible team for this match. Our defence is very good. Duff, McGeady, Ireland and Doyle are well capable of scoring.

I definitely can't see us losing and I expect us to win. I'm not eternal optimist. The players back the manager, the squad morale is actually quite high, the manager has picked a decent team, Ireland play better against the better teams, Ireland are a different team at home and away.

We won't miss Robbie Keane btw. He's only suited to playing beside a big striker. It's a blessing in disguise that he's unavailable. The players we'll miss are Andy Reid and Steven Reid but they're always injured.

[friskyfitz]

Republic of Ireland v Slovakia

Reading through the posts here is getting a little amusing because I cannot see WHERE Irish fans are getting their confidence from.... I put my neck on the line here and tipped CYPRUS to beat us and ended up on the scroller for it, now Id expect any fan would like to see Ireland win tonight but it would be a MASSIVE surprise if they did. In fact I asked around today if I could get odds on the WORST WELSH SIDE IN LIVING MEMORY to finish above us in the table but unfortunately I could not find any..

Fact - IRELAND ARE PURE RUBBISH

Fact - THEY ARE ONLY WHERE THEY ARE DUE TO A 95th MINUTE WINNER AGINST THE MIGHTY SAN MARINO

Fact - 6 OF THEIR POINTS WERE ACHIEVE AGAINST THAT MIGHTY NATION (Everybody else will gain 6 points fron them too and put at least 5 goals past them per game )

Fact - DAMIEN DUFF IS NOT THE ANSWER

Fact - KEVIN DOYLE IS UNFIT (and he's our best hope of a goal)

Fact - WE ARE MANAGED BY A COMPLETE MUPPET (beating the worst welsh team in living memory delayed his long overdue sacking - 10 games overdue!!)

Fact - IRELAND ARE FAVOURITES


SLOVAKIA @ 4.0 BETFAIR (This should be 4/5 on!!)

[friskyfitz]

P.S - Im Irish

[Dale Cooper]

I had plans to type up a post for this game, but friskyfitz post will do just fine. He summed it up nicely indeed. Ireland are rubbish and have been for quite sometime. Duff has been rubbish for years and years, always felt he was overrated. Dunne is still prone to the odd mistake - look at the Wales game for example.

Lay Ireland @ 2.18 is the bet for me.

[Dale Cooper]

P.S. I'm Irish too, haha.

[eirebhoy]

Originally Posted by friskyfitz

Reading through the posts here is getting a little amusing because I cannot see WHERE Irish fans are getting their confidence from....

Because we've a lot of good players, we're at home and the morale is quite good. Simple as that. I'm heading to Croke Park now and I'm very confidence. I really hope you guys don't have too much on Slovakia.

[Dale Cooper]

Good players? Care to name them? And I'm not sure where you're getting this morale thing from, if anything it's the worst it's been in 6 years.

[eirebhoy]

Originally Posted by Dale Cooper

Good players? Care to name them? And I'm not sure where you're getting this morale thing from, if anything it's the worst it's been in 6 years.

Shay Given - One of the best keepers in the world.
Steve Finnan - Arguably the best right back in the premiership this season.
Richard Dunne - Man City player of the year for the last 2 years. City have conceded the 6th least amount of goals in the premiership which is amazing giving their league position and the fact that they'll rarely dominate games. Dunne has been voted man of the match 7 times by ex pro's working for the premier league, more than any other defender.
Damien Duff - Not at his very best in the last couple of years but still set up 8 of our goals from the last campaign and this campaign so far. Made the highly rated Bale look very poor on Saturday.
Aiden McGeady - I know all about Aiden. The improvements in his game this season have been huge. He's a great player and the only thing that will work against him tonight is nerves.
Kevin Doyle - 10 goals in 22 premiership starts this season.

Our defence is very solid with McShane and Dunne playing. McShane is an incredibly intelligient young man. We have 4 attacking players well capable of scoring and creating against a relatively weak defence.

ffs we can field a team not far off the quality of the Czech Republic with everyone available. I know that Sionko is nowhere near the standard of McGeady and he gets his game for them.

I predicted a defeat in Cyprus when he named the team the day before. I predict a win tonight after seeing the team.

As for the morale, I know for a fact that morale is good. They're more determined than ever to prove the press wrong.

[friskyfitz]

Originally Posted by Dale Cooper

Good players? Care to name them? And I'm not sure where you're getting this morale thing from, if anything it's the worst it's been in 6 years.

Agreed although thankfully "Kirk" Douglas doesnt play but John O shea might along with Dunne and Duff and Carsley

Hopefully from an Irish prespective - We get stuffed, Staunton gets fired and we can get a proper manager who can bring on and guide this young team because, YES we have POTENTIALLY good players but they are playing like a sunday league side..

[friskyfitz]

agree with Eirebhoy about Given and Finnan but where will Finnan play tonight??

Knowing Stans tactics - Centre Forward

[gerrie26681]

Man City actually have probably a top 5 premiership defence.

How did Eirebhoy get away with this?!!!! Nearly shat my pants i was laughing so much.

[aliando]

ireland win 1-0, so some folks were right to head up stream after

[deeloughran]

Originally Posted by gerrie26681

Reading deeloughran's posting above a certain catchphrase involving a fool and his money spring to mind!!!
My money is available on Betfair deeloughran and any other fools who want to back Ireland.
Ireland will not win this game. No way!

Originally Posted by jackierubberleg

If Ireland beat Slovakia, I will send you a pint voucher, until then I'll have a pint of what you're on!

Originally Posted by Dale Cooper

Duff has been rubbish for years and years, always felt he was overrated. Dunne is still prone to the odd mistake - look at the Wales game for example.

Think ALOT of people here have been proved wrong with this performance tonight! AND i get to have a free pint voucher oOo and Gerrie i had my money on it Dale, Duff came through a bad injury in the Summer, and hadn't been played the past few seasons at Chelsea which would contribute to his decline and fatigue, we are starting to see the best of him now appear at Newcastle and his performance tonight was terrific (though second half we were on the back foot due to Staunton's defensive policy when we go up a goal so didn't see him)!!!

[Dale Cooper]

Proved wrong with one game? Haha, give over. Look at Dunne and McShane with 5 mins to go, made a complete arse of it and only for Given it would have been 1-1. He also made a poor mistake in the first half which nearly, and probably should have, led to a goal.

Duff did some good things tonight but his final ball was awful the whole night, typical really.

[deeloughran]

yep that's Dunne's typical one-mistake-a-match thing he has going, thankfully though it hasn't cost us the last two games Duff was playing good balls it is Staunton's fault though he only plays one up front therefore Duff hasn't got much to aim at especially when he likes to dip balls into the back post for someone to run onto but a lone striker typically runs front post.
I'm not a fan of Staunton either as he plays too defensively but most people in here were seriously underestimating Ireland when playing on home soil.

[Dale Cooper]

Rightly so. Lucky to come out with the win it has to be said. I'd make my bet again and again, have absolutely no confidence in that team.

[eirebhoy]

Just back from the match.

Originally Posted by gerrie26681

How did Eirebhoy get away with this?!!!! Nearly shat my pants i was laughing so much.

Do me a favour. Have a look at the premiership table. Check which team has conceded the 6th least amount of goals. Now consider that Man City will rarely dominate a game and the defence has to deal with a lot. City have an excellent defence, Dunne is an excellent defender.

I don't know how some of you watch football. We've an excellent defence and a very good set of players. Dunne and McGeady have a superb partnership. Duff had a cracking first half. The big let down was McGeady but as I said, he struggles with his nerves and will take time to settle in. Just his 2nd start.

We were not lucky to get the win. We dominated the first half. If we hadn't have scored we'd have dominated the 2nd too. Long should have rapped it up.