Bulgaria Match Thread

Dots1982 wrote: it’s scary what some people expect of these young players already. I’m old enough to remember Damien Duff taking about three years to settle at international level before becoming a really brilliant player for us. And Damien Duff was ripping Premier league defenses apart at 18.  Respectfully Aaron Connolly is not at Damien Duff’s level. Putting this type of pressure on these youngsters is insane.

BrendanD88 wrote: Dots1982 wrote: it’s scary what some people expect of these young players already. I’m old enough to remember Damien Duff taking about three years to settle at international level before becoming a really brilliant player for us. And Damien Duff was ripping Premier league defenses apart at 18.  Respectfully Aaron Connolly is not at Damien Duff’s level. Putting this type of pressure on these youngsters is insane.   Didn't happen.

And robbie of course.  68 goals.  

irishmufc wrote: kevin100 wrote: [QUOTE=Dots1982][QUOTE=kevin100] Yeah Bulgaria would be one of the weaker sides in the B section and had a shambolic qualifying campaign but they still got 7 points against England Czech Montenegro and Kosovo they aren’t exactly atrocious sides.  That Bulgaria team would still be superior nicely to the Georgia side that played us off the park in Tbilisi last October.  Perspective is needed and reality is we could play fantastic football create chances dominate and draw or lose to a jammy goal. Outside the few top nations the gap between let’s say the 6th ranked team and the 30th ranked team in Europe isn’t huge and anyone of them can catch the other on any given day in a one off game we have done this to Germany Italy Wales etc over the years despite been run over in possession and chances stats and we ain’t immune from being on the receiving end of it.  International football is a step up for a young player mentally but is it a big step up from top flight football in England Spain Germany Italy and France nowadays quality wise I’m not so sure.  We don't tend to beat these type of sides away from home historically and I do think Bulgaria will be a completely different animal this time round especially when both teams have new managers. There's no way they'll be as bad as the friendly last time out.  A one nil away win would do nicely and I'd take it now tbh. Bulgaria will not lie down to us and get thumped 3-0 in their own place. I can't see that happening.

GaretFarellysNutSack wrote: Are footballers told to say "obviously" as much as they can in every interview or something? It's endemic in their interviews.

Basically is another favourite 

pre Madonna wrote: BrendanD88 wrote: Dots1982 wrote: it’s scary what some people expect of these young players already. I’m old enough to remember Damien Duff taking about three years to settle at international level before becoming a really brilliant player for us. And Damien Duff was ripping Premier league defenses apart at 18.  Respectfully Aaron Connolly is not at Damien Duff’s level. Putting this type of pressure on these youngsters is insane.   Didn't happen. Very true. The most disappointing of all the players we have had hyped. He must have went a decade without beating a man.

Edited by McG - 01 Sep 2020 at 1:03pm

Dots1982 wrote: horsebox wrote: Hotlips_Hoolahan wrote: Baldrick wrote: And robbie of course.  68 goals.   64 against Oman. 44 in qualifying games. 21 in friendlies and 3 in the nations league An astonishing record. Nations cup, the home nations tournament. He was retired by the time we played nations league. His record in qualifying in group games vs 1st, 2nd and 3rd seeds wasn’t the best but we didn’t always have the target men In the mould of Quinn and Berbatov that helped Robbie produce his best.

Your right it wasn't the best, it was phenomenal given the fact that we don't score many goals.

I tried to break down his goals as best as possible in to seeded teams 1,2,3 and then 4 and 5. Some are debatable, but it'll give you some idea.

34 goals against these teams.
Malta
Albania
Georgia
Canada
Cyprus
Croatia
San Marino
Algeria
Andorra
Kazakhstan
Faroe Islands
Kazakhstan
Latvia
Gibraltar
Oman

34 goals against these teams.
Yugoslavia
Turkey
Czech Rep
Holland
Iran
Denmark
Germany
Saudi Arabia
Spain
Finland
Croatia
Israel
Wales
Columbia
Norway
Italy
Nigeria
France
Russia
Macedonia
Northern Ireland*
Scotland
Estonia
Sweden

Iran and Estonia are included as seeded since it was the WC and Euro qualifers.
* doesn't really exist but however.



Edited by horsebox - 01 Sep 2020 at 5:09pm

horsebox wrote: Dots1982 wrote: horsebox wrote: Hotlips_Hoolahan wrote: Baldrick wrote: And robbie of course.  68 goals.   64 against Oman. 44 in qualifying games. 21 in friendlies and 3 in the nations league An astonishing record. Nations cup, the home nations tournament. He was retired by the time we played nations league. His record in qualifying in group games vs 1st, 2nd and 3rd seeds wasn’t the best but we didn’t always have the target men In the mould of Quinn and Berbatov that helped Robbie produce his best. Your right it wasn't the best, it was phenomenal given the fact that we don't score many goals.

I still can't understand how slate his record saying he didn't score against big teams. Holland, Germany, France...the list goes on. What makes it even more impressive is when you realise he didn't exactly have world class players supplying him ball either.  

Baldrick wrote: engpad wrote: Looks like O'Dowda, Long, McClean as the front three for Thursday going by training today.  Sounds like the B team side

Social media also saying that the midfield trio behind them are
McCarthy, Hendrick and Hourihane.