International standard and Ireland

I actually think the way to get to the bottom of our issues and problems in the last Qualification campaign ought to include an appreciation of the "rub of the green" factor which was so prevalent in the campaign. Starting with Hendrick's goal against Serbia, and continuing on with the red cards for Taylor and Maksimovic, the combination of the Georgian keeper and the referee for Duffy's goal in Tiblisi, even Schmeichel's mistake that had us with one foot in the final's for 30 minutes or so. Apart from Duffy's goal that was chalked off against Austria, we were generally the beneficiary of team errors and refereeing decisions. Wales was a different type of luck. Its not belittling the win to admit that we benefitted from not having to face an £80 Million player who has won four European Cups, and was central to Wales getting to the Euro 2016 Semi Finals, likewise to admit that Joe Allen was influencing the game greatly before he went off in Cardiff, or that we met Ashley Williams at a time when he was struggling to maintain form. Coleman would never have permitted what unfolded against Denmark, but at the same time, would he have been able to turn the 1-2 reversal at Half time in a manner that you would expect Bale to do?

You beat what is in front of you, and you make the breaks, but we certainly enjoyed an unprecedented rub of the green, and since Gary McKay scored against Bulgaria in 1987, we have regularly enjoyed the rub of the green, and Cardiff was no exception.

BriMurt wrote: Now secondly, the thing that really propels a successful defensive team is not only their defensiveness. I think there's a bit of a delusion going on among Irish fans that if only we had the right manager, he could beat our motley crew of Championship stalwarts and EPL can't-quite-get-a-game-guys into masters of the 1-0 victory. The fact is, I think, is that while a manager can come in to give shape and direction to a team, unless he has one or two really special players to build his team around, then what he's building is less of a lasting edifice in the history of football and more of a sandcastle, a house of cards waiting to be knocked over, because a team without that spine has little resiliency. You watch Ireland go a goal down to a half decent team and you're all to often left wondering what answer they have.

 

The thing is, Ireland have shown resilience. Germany and Italy are two examples. They didnt go a goal down, but they needed wins in both games, and they achieved that. The bulk of those players are still around the squad. But since then, we have resorted to a 4-5-1 style approach which place Duffy-Meyler-Walters/Murphy at the forefront of the system. Against Denmark, the correct substitutions to have made would not have been to have taken out the last vestiges of a weak midfield, and put four wingers across the middled, thus emaciating the midfield. By by-passing midfield you are weakening the team as it falls entirely on a Route 1 approach to do all the work. Northern Ireland show what you can do with a proper system, even with journeymen style players. Australia, Iran, Saudi Arabia have all shown various amounts of resilience. Iceland are a great example, and the entire apparatus of Icelandic football should be watched closely.

BriMurt wrote: So until Ireland have another Duff and another Roy & Robbie Keane to really lead the team and power them along, overachieving and having the bubble burst might be as good as it gets.

Edited by Het-field - 21 Jun 2018 at 10:05pm

Just giving context to the previous poster's claim that you "rarely" lose by more than one goal.

You have matched us- records since WC 2014 are almost identical.

Your problem seems to be that while both the Euro and World Cup Finals are now less elitist than they were- a lot more mediocre teams take part, basically- the qualifiers for the latter are still pretty tough.