Trap shows what the fuss is about

Ah that's better. As if to illustrate the pointlessness and futility of predicting the pattern of a football game, Ireland contrived to turn the world on its head in Bari last night, coming away with a fully deserved 1-1 draw that just might have turned into a famous win with a slice of luck late on. After an early sending off and goal for Italy, it was the Irish who showed all the ambition and football through the 90 minutes and were full value for their draw in the end.

On his homecoming, it was justification for a manager whose methods have been doubted plenty in these parts. Trapattoni showed all the tactical awareness you'd expect from a man of his experience; he hasn't had a better night on the sideline for Ireland. Starting Andy Keogh was a gamble that backfired but he was brave enough to whip him off after 20 minutes, throw another body up front and give Robbie Keane a free role. Trap recognised the lack of ambition from an Italian side a goal up and a man down and reacted instantly. Later, Noel Hunt's intro for a tired Doyle sparked a life into Ireland's attack, and Darron Gibson gave a crispness to passing. John O'Shea went right-back to give more cut than Paul McShane.

All his switches worked as intended, Caleb Folan's sheer power eventually wreaked enough havoc for an equaliser (and nearly a winner). The lads on rte (seriously boys, have a bit of class, intelligence and positivity in recognising what happened last night rather than being obnoxious and ignorant) suggested Trap was chancing his arm when in fact the man showed he knew exactly what he trying to achieve. He had the balls and gumption to recognise the Italians were in defensive mode and change the mentality of the Irish side to go for it. That Robbie Keane eventually notched what was required only gave Ireland (and Trapattoni) their just rewards.

Now there are qualifications to all this giddiness. Italy completely handed Ireland all initiative, territory and possession pretty much for free. When they nicked the opener, it would have been perfectly natural for the Italians to sit very deep, soak up pressure and look for a 1-0 from there. It gave the Irish midfield and full-backs full permission to get on as much ball as they wanted. We may have lacked some guile and creativity in banging away at the door for so long - and again rte, Cannavaro and Chiellini's excellence were huge reasons for lack of chances, saying Cannavaro was poor is just plain wrong - but we kept plugging away with a belief when other sides may have thrown their hat at it. We showed a bit about ourselves when we needed to pull that out. Stephen Hunt had his best game for Ireland. Whelan and Andrews were positive and dynamic. It was heartening stuff.

From here, well it'd be crazy to expect Ireland to go to a dangerous Bulgaria in some sort of gung-ho, all-out pushing men forward mode. Expect Trapattoni to set us up in whatever way the game needs. We've now shown we can develop and change the system to suit. Onwards and upwards with confidence, if not delusionary ideas of anything being easy just cos we held the world champs.

Questions, not answers - Ireland 1 Bulgaria 1

So the argument continues. After another unconvincing performance from Ireland ended in some dropped points at Croke Park Saturday night, we again find ourselves in the strange yet familiar situation of being terribly unsure whether the good is outweighing the bad here or vice versa. More questions than answers from Ireland's 1-1 draw with Bulgaria Saturday night, more doubts raised than dispelled and plenty of fodder for both sides from the Trap argument.

Well, where do you stand? Are we spoilt, hard to please brats for demanding a little more than being seven points clear in second place halfway through the group? Does Trap wonder where we get these ideas about ourselves - asking for flamboyance and flair from a side who've struggled far worse than this in previous campaigns and who basically are damn ordinary all told? Are we simply unable to pass the ball decently or are we being discouraged from doing so? Is the manager getting the most from an average side by being solid, defensive, bland and trying to nick goals or is he holding us back from the swashbuckling, all-action romping we're more attuned to (spot the sarcasm)?

You want more queries? How can we have any sort of control over possession, the tempo and rhythm of a game and the ball when our central midfield is incapable of passing, getting on ball and such basics? Is Trap really all that fussed by that lack of ball? Can anyone explain the meaning of Paul McShane? Is there a more headless, technically incompetent international footballer than Stephen Hunt? Are we overachieving, underachieving or rightly achieving? Is Eamon Dunphy right for once? Would Andy Reid or Lee Carsley make a difference? Does Stephen Ireland want to make a difference (and is it any fault of the management if he doesn't?)?

See how confusing it all is. Even Jumpthefence ain't all that sure which side he comes down on. All we know is that Saturday night's performance was jaw-droppingly, cringeworthingly, watch-through-your-fingers awful. We notched a goal within a minute and dropped everyone behind the ball. Bulgaria could hardly believe the ball they were given, pushed four men high up the pitch quite a lot, sent their full-backs forward and squeezed us into our own half. They weren't exactly whipping through us, but they had so much possession, Bulgaria couldn't but create chances. Given stopped a couple and the away side ought have taken at least one. Ireland simply could't - or didn't particularly want to - keep the ball.

Our central midfield tackles a little, harries, fills space and makes an obstacle in front of our defence. It doesn't, isn't capable technically, and isn't really meant to, look for ball, keep possession or influence the flow of play - boy how we miss Stephen Reid more than Andy. That puts serious pressure on our wingers and forwards to deliver when they get ball. Stephen Hunt sent in a wonderful free-kick and then went on to show just why he's not a good starter for us. Aiden McGeady was off-form and lacking sharpness. Robbie Keane and Kevin Doyle hardly got a kick first half - though Doyle was excellent in the second winning ball in the air he'd no right to.

In our system we cry out for ball-playing full-backs. Paul McShane is so short on confidence and plain ability that he literally waved ball away from his direction during the game; he didn't want it. Kevin Kilbane offers nothing going forward and looked like being exploited again and again by the Bulgarians. Add all these problems up and there's a pattern. We'll spend more time than not without the ball, defending, organising and being ugly. John O'Shea and Richard Dunne were rocks and will always need to be, along with Shay Given. It's hardly rocket science; the less technically proficient sides will need to defend more. We might never like the idea but our manager doesn't trust our ablity to control the flow of a game or take off the leash and go all out at an opponent.

Ireland did have a bit more energy and attacking intent second half but conceded a goal at a time Bulgaria looked least like scoring one. Robbie Keane had a couple of half-chances and Kevin Doyle a full one but couldn't grab what would have been a stolen winner. It felt like a chance missed and a couple of points dropped and yet it felt like a performance like that didn't deserve a win. We're still seven points clear but if we get nothing in Bari and Bulgaria beat Cyprus at home on Wednesday, they'll know a win in Sofia would leave it at one point and them having a game in hand. This'll be a dogfight yet. Our saving grace is that's just what we're set up for.

Read Tom Humphries and Vincent Hogan's ideas here.

Back with Preview for Italy Wednesday.

Ps - to the eegits who booed at the final whistle. It was shocking yet not surprising. I'd spent two hours listening to a fair amount of, let's be honest, uneducated, badly-informed, waffle from a bunch of people near me in the Davin Stand who had little interest in anything but abusing the ref, moaning at the players and bringing the worst of English football-fan tradition to the experience. We're not Argentina. Please don't make this a consistent thing, it's not x-factor you're watching.

Ireland 2 Georgia 1 - the escape

In the build-up to the game last night, RTE showed an interview clip of Giovanni Trapattoni saying the result was more important here than a performance, as a poor performance could be put right over time, but a bad result stands forever. In the end, it was hard to disagree with that logic. Ireland were desperate at times, and lacked any creativity or fluency, yet through sheer force of will and helped by the most dodgy penalty you're ever likely to see, they just about got over the line. Unconvincing, yet ultimately got the result, just like the manager's reign so far. We'll take that if it's going though; and the suspicion remains that Trap has luck in his corner.

For long spells it was about as pretty as the doodlings of a two-year old. That early goal rocked us back badly - Stephen Kelly's nervy beginning managing to make Paul McShane look solid - and in truth, there was a clueless aspect to our probings first half. Georgia were livelier to the ball, seemed to have numbers swarming everywhere and we just didn't have the necessary tempo, quality or possession to mount any sustained attacking. Given made a decent stop, Dunne put off their striker from a dangerous cross and all we had to show was a slightly harshly disallowed goal from Keith Andrews, a McGeady shot parried away and a few half-dangerous crosses.

We needed an upping of pace and tempo and in fairness, we got it second half. McGeady showed character and a willingness to get on ball to take people on over and over, even if his final delivery surely needs some work. Kevin Doyle worked his socks off, won a pile of frees with his strong running. Ireland hemmed Georgia in, balls flashed across goal and around their box and still there was little enough real penetration or chances being created - this was more shellacking their area and hoping for an outcome rather than sustained passing and probing. Still, we got a just-about deserved break, a crazy penalty decision which in fairness Robbie Keane stuck away coolly. Cliche but there was really only one winner after that and Keane then got his shoulder to a corner to knock in his second. Game over, as Georgia looked out on their feet.

Positives? Well we probably needed a win like that, a coming-from-behind, battling, digging out a few goals when needed sort of victory. It's a decent sign for morale, character and it ought to give us momentum now. Keith Andrews looked tidy in midfield. Doyle, McGeady and to a lesser extent Duff, stood up to be counted when the time came. It was a win and three more points.

And still there's that nagging thought that we were damn average at times. Jumpthefence would be closer to Graeme Souness' assessment of our squad than Dunphy's - there's no way you can argue that any more than one or two of our lads would make any world-class team - so perhaps sneaking wins of this sort isn't underperforming for us. But we need to sort out the lapses at the back that are still giving goals away. We're still taking a huge gamble playing two wingers and two forwards when we're so lightweight midfield - and we are lightweight there, Andrews did fine last night, Whelan wasn't good, but the two together aren't strong enough for a two-man midfield. Our set-pieces around their box were unthreatening for all the frees and corners we had, nobody seemed to have the quality or gumption to whip a fast-paced cross in. Robbie Keane might have had two goals but he was a shambles at times, dropping deep when he should have been up top, moaning at decisions and passes, flapping about without really achieving, basically being Robbie Keane. We do think Andy Reid should be in the squad, we're less sure of Lee Carsley, Stephen Ireland isn't the management's problem.

For now, we move on with hope and a bit of momentum, but let's not get carried away. Our next match will probably define our campaign - win it and we're battling with Italy for top spot, lose and we're totally back in the dogfight for second and with a lot of our tougher games left. We'll be back tomorrow with a look at how we might sort out midfield and what options are there.

Ratings for last night -
S Given - Possibly could have been more decisive with the goal but overall as solid as ever and made a vital stop first half. 7
S Kelly - Oh dear oh dear oh dear oh dear. So bad we pined for Paul McShane. Felt for him cos he's clearly so lacking match practise or confidence. 4
J O'Shea - Dominant throughout and rarely made an error. Attacked ball well in air. 7
R Dunne - No booboos of Man City proportions and shut down most threat from Georgia's attackers. 6
K Kilbane - The invisible man. Can't possibly say anything bad about him as he made no mistakes and didn't look under pressure but contributes so little going forward and never overlaps the winger. 6
G Whelan - Really needs a Stephen Reid alongside him to get away with it at this level. Wasn't sharp on the ball at all. 5
K Andrews - neat competitive debut. Looked for the ball, rarely lost it, got into some attacking positions edge of the box and drove forward second half. 7
A McGeady - looked our most consistent threat. Frustrating first half as kept hitting the first man with crosses but ran at defenders and always offered something. 8
D Duff - Still possesses inklings of the old Duff but just doesn't have the killer pace to get away from defenders anymore. Some nice touches. 7
R Keane - Managed to show why Rafa got rid of him while still scoring two goals. We'll admire the coolness for the pen and the instinct and determination for the second; it just glosses over the tactical unawareness, pointless runs, constant griping at teammates and officials and ineffectiveness.
K Doyle - the opposite of his partner. More effective on the ball, in linking play, in offering a genuine outlet with his strength in possession and runs. But never looked like scoring. 7

The strange case of Stephen Ireland

It doesn’t quite make us Arsene Wenger but Jumpthefence liked the look of Stephen Ireland from the beginning. We remember a wonderful assist at Fulham way back in his early days that suggested a higher path to follow and there were glimpses of brilliance, if not quite sustained excellence, over the last few seasons. The turn on Nemanja Vidic at Old Trafford and the goal assist that followed in December 06. Cracking goals against Wigan and Sunderland. Most of all it was that technique and composure on the ball. Ireland, ironically enough, didn’t play like an Irish player at all; his skill set spoke more of a European style, someone who’d grown up with a ball at his feet and who mastered the basics pretty early on in his career. In fact, over a year ago we called him the most technically gifted Irish footballer of a generation – that we’ve seen even - and we’re more convinced of it now.

Watch Ireland play and he’ll very rarely lose a ball with a poor first touch, or give a silly hopeful pass when a simple one is on – he’s learnt that every ball doesn’t have to be a killer one as well this season. He’s damn cool in goal situations, as he’s shown for Ireland with those extremely calm finishes against Wales and Slovakia especially. Weaknesses have been worked on. This time last season there would have been question marks over fitness, staying power and physical presence in a midfield position. Ireland slaved all summer to get his conditioning right and came back a stronger, fresher footballer. John Giles’s valid criticism in the past was a reticence (or inability) to impose himself on a game, to demand the ball and make things happen. Anyone who’s seen Ireland play for Man City this season – against Arsenal especially – knows that’s been knocked on the head now too. 20 league games with 7 goals and 6 assists are the bare stats but Ireland’s been even better than that would suggest.

All of which makes the Ireland story run and makes it so depressing. The deal was that he’d call when he’s ready to come back and it’s plain stirring to say Trapattoni should have named him in a squad in the hope he might show up. The management have done all they can. Ireland, for his part, has made it reasonably clear that he’s happy enough away from it all right now. That’s his decision, for better or worse. I’d be with Vincent Hogan in that it’s probably best to draw a line underneath it all now and move on without him. The hype and whisperings and loaded questions that accompany every squad announcement don’t help anyone.

Why’s Ireland not for turning? Well I’d guess at a few different reasons. I’m imagining he sees the press interest when he isn’t even here and baulks at the thought of running that gauntlet and all the probing that’d accompany a comeback. I’d suggest Ireland’s a sensitive enough sort that doesn’t really fancy stepping back into a dressing-room to be met by a mixture of bitterness, slagging, bitching and lack of friendliness.

About a year back Jumpthefence spoke to a guy who covers Man City for Manchester Evening News who described Ireland as a quiet lad who loved to just train and play football and a guy who was hugely popular with teammates and liked within the club itself. Ireland feels comfortable in his environment at Eastlands, is playing superbly and the thought of stepping out of that comfort zone by coming to Dublin doesn’t seem worth the risk. I’m not arguing it’s the right choice, and I’d think he’ll either regret it or change his mind sometime in the future, but I can see the reasoning.

From an Irish point of view, it’s terribly disappointing not to have our most in-form player available but heaping abuse and derision on Stevie Ireland isn’t the way to go here. Time to move on without him if that indeed is his wish.