Updated at 12.08
1. Doyle reminds us of his worth
WITH HIS FUTURE uncertain and another season with Wolves a possibility, not for the first time, the issue of whether Kevin Doyle deserves such a prominent role in the Irish team is open to debate.
However, Doyle tends to invariably perform well for his country even when his club form is patchy and reminds us of his worth when it’s imperative to do so — the World Cup qualifier against Kazakhstan, when he played an integral role in helping Ireland to narrowly avert an embarrassing loss was a prime example, as was last night.
Doyle took his goal brilliantly, producing an unstoppable header to give Ireland the lead early on.
It was a pertinent reminder to those ready to write the Wexford native off that he is certainly still worth having in the squad, if not necessarily the first XI, on a regular basis.
2. Costa Rica won’t go far at the World Cup
Costa Rica aren’t expected to get past the World Cup first round, given that they feature in a group with Uruguay, Italy and England, and on last night’s evidence, this is a fair assumption to make.
Even before they were reduced to 10 men, they didn’t look especially threatening against a weakened Irish team (aside from Forde, Marc Wilson and arguably Robbie Keane, it’s unlikely any of the other players who started in Philidelphia would make Martin O’Neill’s first-choice XI).
Having gone a man down following Giancarlo Gonzalez’s sending off, they were inevitably weaker as the game developed, and were fortunate to earn a draw as Patrick Pemberton saved Robbie Keane’s 66th-minute spot kick in impressive fashion.
Nevertheless, they do possess at least one player who Roy Hodgson and co will have to be wary of — Arsenal’s on-loan Olympiakos star Joel Campbell perpetually caused Ireland and in particular stand-in left-back James McClean problems.
It was Campbell’s incisive through pass that led to Costa Rica winning a penalty, while the youngster constantly looked a lively presence in an otherwise quite ordinary team.
3. Forde mistake proves costly
David Forde will not want to watch the highlights of yesterday’s game anytime soon. He looked nervy early on, flapping ineffectually at hopeful crosses into the box, and it was primarily his error that led to Ireland’s concession of a second-half goal.
As Bryan Ruiz collected Campbell’s through pass, Forde dived recklessly at his feet and brought the Fulham forward down.
It was a needless challenge from the Millwall goalkeeper, as his opponent was unlikely to score from a very tight angle had he not been impeded.
Although he has produced some fine saves as well in recent matches, Forde was also culpable for more than one key goal during Ireland’s World Cup qualifying campaign.
The 34-year-old needs to cut such sloppy errors out of his game promptly, or Ireland will need to look for an alternative stopper sooner rather than later.
4. Goalscoring still a problem for this Irish team
Ireland’s goalscoring record under Trap was notoriously paltry, and that unfortunate trend seems to have continued into the Martin O’Neill era.
Since O’Neill’s opening 3-0 win over Latvia, the Irish team have failed to score more than once in any of the five games that have followed.
Aside from Keane and Doyle, the Irish team that started last night, had scored just five goals between them at international level, and the majority of those absent don’t fare much better when it comes to finding the back of the net.
It’s easy and somewhat justifiable to blame the strikers for this problem, but surely one or two of the midfielder players should be taking greater responsibility in this regard as well.
5. Changes strengthen Ireland considerably
Ireland were probably at their best in the final 20 minutes of last night’s match.
They took the lead against the run of play with Doyle’s header, and rarely threatened for the remainder of the first half.
Unsurprisingly, the second-half changes belatedly swung the momentum in the Boys in Green’s favour, as they searched for a winner.
Jeff Hendrick offered a greater presence and more composed passing than Paul Green in midfield, Aiden McGeady provided superior pace and ball-carrying ability to Anthony Pilkington out wide and Wes Hoolahan gave the midfield some badly-needed creativity and footballing intelligence.
Consequently, the game will surely have provided Martin O’Neill with a clearer picture of his strongest first XI, and that factor, more than the result, is surely what friendlies are all about.
Will Ireland ever win a game again?
International Soccer has been in decline in this country for a long time,while the gaa and especially rugby has moved steadly ahead,unlike rugby,the fact that any player that shows any potential is immediatly exported is guarenteed to keep the game from any possibility of being developed here,just keep the game mediocre,and despite the dire results from the international team,like an overblown overpaid politician,Delaney can still draw an inflated salery of nearly half a million euro per year in return for exactly what nobody can say for sure,but the worst part is nobody has a clue how to change it for the better.
Nobody has a clue how to change it for the better?
Well, if just a few extra thousand people attended LOI premier division games that would certainly be an enormous help.
It’s hard to have proper underage structures in place when most of our clubs are semi professional and can barely survive season to season, let alone think about long term future and youth structures.
Also irish soccer fan’s thick and ignorant attitude is just as much to blame for this situation as Delaney, they STILL moan about the “unwatchable standard” of LOI, despite the fact that half the current ireland team are from the LOI and play in the epl.
They also complain about the €15 cost of LOI games, yet seem more than happy to drop 3-400 euro on weekend trips to see pool, man Utd or arsenal.
There is no football or rugby on in the summer to stop these people going to Friday night games.
Better domestic league means more young players coming through and even more players making it the premier league and international level…. It’s that simple, yet too many fans in this country are still too thick and naive to see that the future of irish football does Not lie solely in the English premier league.
Nobody has a clue how to change it for the better?
Well, if just a few extra thousand people attended LOI premier division games that would certainly be an enormous help.
It’s hard to have proper underage structures in place when most of our clubs are semi professional and can barely survive season to season, let alone think about long term future and youth structures.
Also irish soccer fan’s thick and ignorant attitude is just as much to blame for this situation as Delaney, they STILL moan about the “unwatchable standard” of LOI, despite the fact that half the current ireland team are from the LOI and play in the epl.
They also complain about the €15 cost of LOI games, yet seem more than happy to drop 3-400 euro on weekend trips to see pool, man Utd or arsenal.
There is no football or rugby on in the summer to stop these people going to Friday night games.
Better domestic league means more young players coming through and even more players making it the premier league and international level…. It’s that simple, yet too many fans in this country are still too thick and naive to see that the future of irish football does Not lie solely in the English premier league.
I’m a huge rugby fan but we are forgetting the club structure in Ireland had the same effect in rugby hence the decision to move provincial. A decision they should make in soccer too in my opinion. I would go see a Munster soccer team play.
I agree with the focus going Provincial. In the past LOI teams have set up joint academies with championship teams in England with limited success. Provincial academies funded by the FAI with an annual tournament at various age ranges could bring a similar growth to that seen in the GAA and in Rugby over the last few years….. And while I’m at it… Delaney out!
It is this kind of sports journalism that wrecks my head. One mistake in an end of season friendly and let’s start getting on lads backs.
Clueless verging on madness questioning Forde’s place on the team.
Firstly considering he was one of our best players in qualifying and secondly that we have very little competition.
Westwood has been released by Sunderland, given is now coaching and has retired, and then we have a couple of young goalkeepers with zero experience at Newcastle and man city.
Thank you. At least there are others who see how good David Forde is. If he was seven years younger the top sides would be battling to sign him
Not sure if you stayed up an watched the game but I did and Forde had a shocker to be fair.
It’s far more than one mistake to be fair. He was at fault for more than one goal in the World Cup qualifiers (as referenced above), his kicking has been consistently poor and he hasn’t exactly set the world alight at Millwall of late.
Of course he’s done some good things for Ireland too and deserves credit for that, but Darren Randolph, who’s just had a good season with Birmingham, arguably deserves a chance when he’s available.
Forde has played very well for Ireland, its a joke he is getting stick, some Irish fans are never happy
I did. Forde had a poor display but I won’t condemn a guy who has consistently performed for Ireland
Paul. Accepted that David Forde had a poor match against Costa Rica, missed two crosses and gave away a penalty. Done. However, you reference other poor displays. What matches? The only poor keeper performances prior to this were Westwood against Germany and Shay Given in all three Euro Final games in 2012. Also, I do believe David Forde win player if the year at Millwall this year. Saw Randolph come against Spain in a friendly and he was poor
The FAI would have to start realising that soccer is losing all the natural superstars to GAA and Rugby because they have the underage structures in place.. The GAA and rugby plough money into the underage structures and they produce quality players like BOD and Bernard Brogan.. The FAI plough money into their own pockets and produce garbage like we’ve been watching this past 10 years or so… Only for the IRFU were redeveloping Landsdown Road the FAI still wouldn’t be anywhere near owning a National Stadium.. Their a complete an utter disgrace…
I got Costa Rica in the work world cup draw. Hopefully I’ll get the boggie prize of the 1st team out or most goals conceded.
Does it make you a bad fan if you detest watching Ireland friendlies?
In summary: we are shi*e!!
Success breeds success. After Italian 90, USA 94 every kid in Ireland wanted to play football and rugby was in decline because it was a badly organised amateur sport in Ireland. So the irish team leading into the late nineties was becoming awash with talent who had been through the underage structure and had been picked up by big English clubs. They weren’t mature enough at the time to help Ireland qualify for France 98 but they were about for Korea/japan 2002 and Saipan aside we did well in that tournament. Then concurrently in the late nineties rugby got its act together went professional and developed an underage structure that is recognised now as one of the best in the world eventually producing the “golden generation” with whom Ireland have had varying degrees of success. At the same time following 2002 World Cup the Irish football team’s fortunes declined as the old guard retired and because of this decline they had to seek out new young talent but by then rugby was doing so well the pool of football talent playing at a high level in England had reduced considerably. That coupled with our failure to qualify for euro 04, Germany 06, euro 08 meant kids were even less likely to play the game in Ireland and those playing even less likely to be picked up by big clubs in England. Also we kept looking to new mangers as if that would fix the problem. It won’t. Unfortunately success breeds success as much as failure breeds failure.
For a country our size and with so many different organised sports in the country we are always goin to have varying degrees of success
Half our team even more were English. I not sure a particularly high amount of players were coming tru underage.plus was less foreigners in premier league so guys got more of a chance of making it
Are we not foreigners to the Premier League?
Kevin Doyle is mince.. His goal scoring record has consistently gone down every season.. He’s part of the reason why this Ireland team can’t score goals..
Anyone know if there are highlights available anywhere?
There’s a vine of it!
It might be worth looking at Randolph again, though I think he’s of a similar level to Forde. The likes of Ward, McLean, Cox, Sammon, Green and Whelan need to be jettisoned pronto – they’re simply not up to it. I think Pearce and Duffy were the best of a bad lot regarding new defensive options, I’m not convinced by Keogh as yet. Hopefully Joey O’ Brien can get a run of fitness going as well.
Hendrick has been the best positive from these games, Meyler’s also a good option who may yet improve some more. The team should now be built around Hoolahan, he’s a different level to the rest of them. Add McGeady, Wilson, Reid, McCarthy, Gibson and Brady and suddenly things aren’t so bad in midfield.
I’d like to see Walters get a chance in the role Long has been playing in front of a five man midfield. Similarly Stokes, it’s a pity he got injured. Those two, with Keane, Long and Doyle are our only viable forward options.
Green and mcShame shouldn’t be in the squad and whelan is done. He’s useless. Meyler, mc carthy, hoolahan and hendrick should be our 4 center midfielders
What’s the story with joey o brien? Is he not good enough
He’s injured
Brilliant goal. Take that Doyle bashers. Never seen Robbie score 1 as good
Your not related by any chance?
Im sure we could find one goal as good out of his 62 goals for his country
Welcome to the basement guys.
Ireland in the second half were woeful, headless and playing with fear of an equaliser! Ireland were lucky to come away with a draw. What game were you watching?
Is a friendly the equivalent of the friend zone
Top teams battling for David Forde! He’s a decent keeper but come on!!!
Shay Given gave Ireland a respectable world ranking!
Not that it’s all his fault(Forde) but just shows over the last few generations how Ireland’s goalkeeper is instrumental for any sort of achievement!
I said if he was seven years younger. He’s a top keeper and the best of Westwood, Randolph, Bunn, Elliott, Doyle, Murphy and Henderson. I am looking forward to seeing how Ian Lawlor develops at Man City