Subject: Ireland Vs...

Nice try against Australia, but it just looks like you were outplayed in the end. I guess thats why we got intot he 3rd basket and you guys into the 4th.

Goodluck with the rest of the WC, and who knows, maybe aus will only win 2:1 next time :P

Not good enough. That tactic didn't work and i wont be in any hurry to play Cashin again.

A 3-0 win is a win...:)

I've been looking forward to this game since the re-election :)
i've just finished designing the tactic, it took me nearly two hours so i'm not going to be a happy bunny if it gets ripped apart.
The team selection may look a little odd for the first half. I'm testing out some theories i have but it'll revert to normal in the second as a comparison.
As much as i want to win this game and we're going to try to, it's still just a warmup for next weeks qualifier. I'm testing out things with a view to using them next week, some may work, some wont, we'll take the good and throw the rest. Thats why i've designed an entirely new formation for this game.
On a side note, i've been in this game nearly 10 months and no side i've managed has ever conceded more than 3. I hope it continues.
Oh and watch out for our set-pieces near their corner flags. I had an idea

That was a disgraceful result and we got screwed. The 2nd goal only happened because our sub was still coming onto the pitch and the 3rd wouldn't have happened if it had been Cryan and not Reidy.
In terms of tactics i'm very happy. I think we looked like the better team in patches and the fact we coule have been 4 up in the first 20 minutes speaks for itself. We've been let down by our forwards and our goalkeeper. I think we were easily good enough to win that game and the result is completely unjust.

He covered all your throwins very well. But the most striking in this game was Cashin. I wonder what makes you send a guy like that on the pitch. Over and over again. I know his striking is very high, but whats the point when he hardly ever gets to use it ?

As for the conceded goals, first one was created by the lineker wing guy and the other two from throwins.

I think this game was quite even and the three goal "abyss" is only due to Cashin and throwin.

GL next week :)

I've been using Cashin because there havent been any other comparable options. He was a great striker last season but since the engine change his short-comings are quite obvious now. I wanted to give him one last chance in this game.

how about caffrey? he seemed very capable in the games i have seen.

Thats why he was on the subs bench. It was either him or Walsh coming on in the 70th minute.
He's not a bad player but i'm not sure he's quite good enough yet and i dont think he's being trained in what he would need. Cully is the one most likely to take that spot i think, although i like Keenan.

I'm interested in whether people think we looked better in the first or second half. Basically it's Gilchrist and MacKeamish Vs Freyne and Lizrraga. Dont take any notice of the ratings, they'll be misleading.

Knowing the players better than most I'd have to say Freyne and Lizragga. Whatever limitations they do have they make up with their pace...

On todays game I think your formation was great, the only problem I see in it is the lack of cover in front of the central defenders. Cashin I'd agree, in international terms, is pretty useless; I'm not so sure Matthews is a problem though ;)

I liked the overall performance in the first half better. Lizrraga himself, however, played very well, as usual, i was surprised not to see him playing from the start...

Freyen i dont remember, but from other games i felt his spot was defensive MID, i think he was very good there.

From what i saw Lizrraga kept getting caught with the ball. Thats why Gilchrist played in the first half, he's much quicker to distirbute the ball. I cant say i noticed much difference between Freyne and MacKeamish.

Lizzraga is best on the wing i think, where he has more time to run and choose the pass. Gilchrist i liked, i think he plays well in the middle.
Freyen i remember playing very well as defensive MID. MacKeamish i dont remember.

I decided to abandon the defensive mid in this game and just push the defence up instead. I think it worked pretty well until 1 of the defenders broke the line.
I've been watching Gilchrist in international games for a while and he's not up to the task of playing in the centre yet but i thought he did quite well today.
On the whole i'm pleased with the tactics. I dont think we suffered for having no defensive mid, the distribution was good and we never really looked exposed (Unlike them).
The thing that needs to be worked on is the same thing that caught us out with Australia, it's the throwins when their winger is placed wide. I'm not entirely sure how to fix that. if i pull the defender across any further they can just move inside.

that's the beauty of this game, you just have to anticipate and take the risk...but against teams with good passers its better to cover the lines, but i think its a job for the midfielder to come back and cover that, DEFs I agree, must stay within the box.