Summer Friendlies/Training Camp

Indeed, I'd say there must have been a few eyebrows raised when it was heard Kenny was bringing in a relatively unknown non Irish coach from Chelsea but that decision is looking inspired now.

 

I had been wondering about this also. Have only ever heard glowing reports in relation to him so hopefully he's having an impact alright.

Some good analysis here.

Knight and McClean being 2 key players. 

I would have liked to see how Jack Byrne would have fitted in had he been fit to play.

Would anyone vote for a midfield of Cullen and Knight with Byrne ahead of them?

I've seen very little of Byrne playing so looking for more realistic opinions.

McClean put in a great cross that Duffy was close to getting on the end of last night. Also started the attack where Horgan superbly set up Idah. He was also more defensively solid than Doherty. This was an improvement.

Parrott and Idah didn't really work out as a two. Idah was really struggling to assert himself while Parrott tried harder to get involved and won a few frees in decent positions. IDK what he was thinking trying to take the ball around a defender with the experience and nous of Orban, though, seeing as he's not exactly endowed with explosive pace. Idah improved when Horgan and Knight were playing either side, and Knight in particular was constantly leading the charge on attacks.

Hourihane lazily gave the ball away in the opening moments and it didn't get much better from there - even his free kicks were atrocious. I don't think anyone else offers a drastic improvement on him to be frankly honest. Molumby is more mobile but he's as unsophisticated as they come, with his kicking the corner flag routine and running battle with a Hungary player after getting muscled off the ball summing him up quite well; Arter, of course, is little better. I think some people are getting a bit of a reality check re: Cullen. He's a decent option to sit in front of the defense but he's not any more adventurous than Whelan was and some of his passes out of defense are comical. I just feel that their aggression, athleticism and mobility alone simply make them better options than Hourihane, and importantly, they compliment each other better when he's off the pitch as evidenced last night. It's important to mention, though, that Hourihane played two playoff games with Swansea and was probably absolutely knackered.

Shane Duffy was uncharacteristically expansive with his passing, using the ball well, and he looked dangerous on set pieces while making a vital interception in our own box. One dodgy moment aside where Doherty put him under pressure and Duffy and O'Shea were careless in trying to clear their lines. Egan was very unlucky not to score but had a few dodgy moments demonstrative of his domestic struggles this season. O'Shea very composed in bringing the ball out of defense but can look nervy when there are loose balls in the box.

Bazunu keeps a first clean sheet for us, which is badly needed for him. Kelleher outdid Bazunu's first half save with a string of saves of his own in the second half, demonstrating incredibly quick and instinctive reflexes. He oozes composure, like Randolph, and I would be confident with him in goal in September. I still maintain we would've went home with a point with either him or Randolph in goal against Serbia.

Horgan helped to change the game and settle us down and it's no coincidence that the 60-80th minute of the game immediately after he came on was our best spell in the game.

I would've liked to see more of Ogbene. He got himself into great positions and offered something different with his pace. Did superbly to tee up the second chance he was involved in. I don't think he's going to be any more composed in front of goal than any of our other attacking players based on his first chance, though.

Overall, decent game management by Kenny and signs of green shoots.

Why was Sean Hughes from Never Mind the Buzzcocks the referee, though? I thought he was dead.

If I do bring it up Horse, I'll be sure to caveat it with the fact that he was otherwise solid every other minute defensively over the two games, which he was. 

Nations league kicking off next June. Euro 2024 qualifying kicking off March 2023. 

I’m far from a fan of his either. I admire his commitment for us and how hard he works but that hasn’t been of much use to us since the 2018 World Cup qualifiers. In saying that he was better yesterday his crossing was much better and he made a great tackle during the first half. In saying that there was a time during the Andorra game where he didn’t beat the first man with 3 crosses in a row. Left wing back could suit him going forward.