United slip into title mode

Some pertinent questions. Is this the beginning of the end for the title race? Can Liverpool haul in a five-point, likely to be eight-point before they play again, lead? Have United ever looked as comfortable? Will they ever concede a goal again? Is this the strongest United group of all time? How good was Paul Scholes last night? Some attempted answers. Probably. Unlikely. No. Maybe not. Squad-wise, yes. Very, very, very, awesome.

Fulham have made life awkward for Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool this season but last night they were swept away pretty imperiously by a United who're just starting to click. Berbatov flitted into life and gives a wonderful fulcrum to attacks. Tevez scuttled around to effect. As Jonathan Wilson pointed out in the Guardian last week, the main reason they're so hard to score against is that they keep possession so well, their defence rarely comes under any sustained pressure. And Paul Scholes is the very personification of that philosophy.

There are murmerings this season that Scholes is less effective now than in the past, that he's vulnerable in a two-man midfield against younger, stronger legs, that he's not stamping himself on games like the Scholes of old, that he's unable for the bigger games (he was anonymous at both Anfield and Stamford Bridge earlier this season). Well last night he turned back the clocks. From the stunningly executed volley that may have needed a blip from the keeper but deserved a goal nonetheless to the way he shaped the tempo and rhythm of United's attacking with intelligence and awareness of space that no other player in the squad possesses, Scholes was sensational.

He strolled around midfield, always available for ball. He raked countless passes crossfield for Ronaldo, Park, O'Shea and Evra to attack the wings. He displayed the usual variety of passes, keeping things short and simple but knowing that the 50-yard ball can be devastating when perfect. Check out this Guardian chalkboard and see the stats - 64 passes, 62 successful. But it's the variety and the fact that so many are forward, probing, attacking passes that leaps out. Scholes was always looking to create openings. On last night's form he's in a class of his own. Whether he's the legs to recreate that against the Pools, Inters, of this world we'll find out.

Check out Martin Samuel's reasoning on the title race in the Daily Mail which of course makes complete sense. Simply put, United are top because of the better team/ squad, not due to any failings/ rants from Rafa.

Note - it's great to see John O'Shea continue his run of good form in the United team. We'd worried he was likely to be shunted back to the bench on Evra's return but Ferguson just moved him across to right-back where he was solid and actually far more creative going forward than he's been at left-back recently. He's got his critics, myself included, but he's been good recently. Darron Gibson is getting more gametime now too, which can only be encouraging for his career.

Things we learnt

Firstly, some digressions. Apologies for the gap in production here, some technical difficulties, etc. And though we didn't make the shortlist for best sports blog, boohoo and all that, we'd like to say cheers for the nomination and longlisting anyhow. Jumpthefence will be back when older, wiser and a little stronger, we're but a cub in the Irish blogging world (born December 08 in fact!) Anyway, on with the learnings from last weekend...

1 Ireland still on track in Six nations
Yep it was ugly as hell for ages but Ireland hung in there through a difficult first half and just had enough quality to squeeze out a win when playing reasonably poorly. There was little of the fluency of the French game but it was like playing Arsenal one week and Bolton the next, as the players/ manager said afterwards, two completely different styles of opposition. If we're nitpicking, it was worrying how we were bossed around at times and struggled for possession in the first half. But defence was generally good, Kearney looks a real player at full-back - mixing the solidity of Dempsey with the pace and attacking of Geordan Murphy - and Ireland always had the players to make breaks like Tommy Bowe did or punch holes eventually, as with Luke Fitzgerald's try. Elsewhere though, there was enough to suggest England won't lie down at Croker like two years ago and that Scotland will be damn competitive at Murrayfield. Way to go yet.

2 Kerry footballers on fire
You can tell pretty easily when teams are on a mission by their energy, their workrate but most of all, they'll have this purpose and sharpness about everything they do. Kerry had that last Sunday and they blew Tyrone away early on. Tommy Walsh and Colm Cooper were wrecking machines inside, Darren O'Sullivan looks a more clinical, effective player than in the past, Paul Galvin has the look of a guy with two summers of football to fit into one. New faces are fitting in well and the likes of Tomas and Darragh O'Se yet to come back. Jack O'Connor has his team buzzing nicely for February, but then again, it is only February.

3 Irish soccer team at crossroads
Reading the Sunday papers, there's a definite sense of holding back any sort of commitment towards this Irish team and more so, their management. Simply put, people don't quite know what to make of Trapattoni so far and aren't sure whether to go with lucky, underperforming or getting the most from a limited group of players. In his press conference last Thursday there was a feeling that Trapattoni is setting up a gameplan to make the most of scant resources and we'd agree on the whole. We don't have the players to dominate possession against the Italys, Spains (even England don't, as they found out last week) or even Russias and Croatias. We're not going to play a hugely expansive game. And we're set up to be more effective against the better sides, to nick wins and draws against technically superior opposition,not to sweep aside the likes of Georgia or Cyprus with fluent, flowing football. It was good to hear that Stephen Ireland's skill set would be accommodated somehow, so Trap isn't blindly sticking to system either. But we feel we'll see the best from this system of play against the Bulgarias and Italys.
Ciaran Cronin in the Tribune probably sums it up best.
We'll get back to the Irish midfield soonish though.

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

Ireland 30 France 21 - a miracle match

Oh what a ride that was! We sat down Saturday evening partly fearing a nervy kickfest of a game between two sides who didn't want to lose and instead we got a giant slugfest of flowing, attacking rugby, two teams who tore into each other for eighty minutes, five wonderful tries and countless individual performances of note. France charmed us for the opening hour with the rhythm and beauty of what they were trying to do; so much so that we found ourselves cheering for Les Bleus at one stage. But Ireland's sheer willpower won us over, that and some genuine ambition and fantasy rugby of their own. In the end, that mentality won the game as well.

But boy was it a hard-fought win. The peerless Gerry Thornley says in the Irish Times this morning that the Ireland of last season or two years ago would have been beaten and he's dead right. In fact, we would have been slaughtered I feel. This was a France team - whether by accident or design from Marc Lievremont - that held true to their old values, running the ball in numbers from everywhere on the field and routinely picking Ireland apart with the variety of their lines in that opening half hour. Their first try was a breathtaking example of support play and how to punch holes in an opposing defence, going down one side and then the other before crossing the line. We feared a thrashing at that point. Beauxis at fly-half was controlling things; Chabal was running ball at will; Poitrenaud was imperious at full-back. Worst of all, the French had their tails up, and we know from experience how dangerous that can prove.

But Ireland hung in there. We kicked the ball far too often through Tomas O'Leary in the first half-hour but once we settled there was danger in Irish moves as well. Now our backs were running onto ball at speed rather than getting possession standing, which happened far too often under Eddie O'Sullivan. Jamie Heaslip finished a wonderful move with the shimmy of a winger to touch down. Brian O'Driscoll gave an inkling he's still got moves with the sort of burst he used come up with time and again, bashing through an opening at speed to create the second try. Ireland were rampant.

Yet France conjured up another moment of magic - Beauxis and Medard improvising an opening despite being outnumbered five to two on the right wing - for another try. A drop-goal made it a two-point game and Ireland were on the verge of buckling under constant pressure. That they didn't says a lot about the winning head Declan Kidney brings possibly. D'Arcy bundled over, and though France hit back with a penalty, Heaslip worked a penalty from the re-start.

Ireland were winners, and though we thought they got an awful lot of decisions from the ref, and the French showed a pile of flair and open rugby, it was a deserved win. For the bloodyminded refusal to give in, and for the few brilliant moves they worked. For Paul O'Connell's leadership and lineout dominance, for Rob Kearney's composure under pressure (he claimed six or seven catches like an established pro), for Heaslip's energy. A bit to go for sure, but Ireland can, for the first time in ages, take heart from being a serious outfit again.

Brian O'Driscoll - talent fulfilled?

Asking whether something or someone fulfilled potential is always a subjective thing. Was the Sopranos ending a giant damb squib that ruined the series? Could The Dark Knight possibly live up to expectations after Heath Ledger’s death? Is Wayne Rooney a more mature, team player now or has he lost the playground instinct that made him so breathtaking? See, hours of arguments right there. With the Six Nations starting tomorrow, we wondered if it was blasphemy to question if the Irish captain, Brian O’Driscoll, had lived up to his world-class billing or has he been something of a disappointment?

Come on, we all remember. The young buck with the dancing feet of Michael Flatley and the speed of a tearaway cheetah, all fancy sidesteps, line breaks and more changes of direction than your average episode of Lost. That hat-trick of tries in Paris that announced himself to the rugby world as a force. The slaloming wonder try for the Lions in Australia. Hell, Jumpthefence never even knew Irish rugby players could run with a ball – with the honourable exception of Simon Geohegan of course – and here was one of our own showing skills and off-the-cuff genius more associated with the French game. We marvelled and called him one of the best young players in the world; everyone else joined in for once.

It’s not that it all went horribly wrong - it wasn’t a Gazza-like car crash of a career that went off the rails or even a Lee Sharpeish waste of talent. Just that the excitement rather fizzled out after a time, that the wild buzz of the early relationship was replaced by a more solid, reliable sort. The stats back up a frittering away of plain effectiveness on the scoreboard. Early era O’Driscoll was a try machine – 18 in his first 34 games, 25 in the first 52 – as he attacked from all angles, scored tries of all shapes and sizes, finishing moves on the line, being the last man on the shoulder, breaking lines and tackles from 40 metres out to touch down. There were big winning touchdowns of the cometh the hour persuasion – France (01), England (05) to mention a couple.

Since 2004 or so, his record doesn’t stand up to that. One try in the last three Six Nations championships (that’s thirteen games) and five tries in 29 tests. A handful of assists and meaningful breaks with the odd flash of genius - the wonderful set-up for Andrew Trimble’s try in Paris in 06 leaps out, as does the break in the dying seconds at Twickenham later that season. A pretty mediocre World Cup. And all this with the most talented Irish side for a long time, there were games in the early days where opposition could afford to doubleteam O’Driscoll, given he was the only genuine threat to their line.

So where’d the edge go? Well, a decent-sized list of injuries have surely played a part, more for disrupting his rhythm than a great amount of games missed. He’s sacrificed a yard or two of pace and elusiveness for pure bulk; putting the team and his ability to tackle and recycle ball ahead of individual flair. He's been a marked-man in plenty outings and struggled to impose himself. There's simply no argument against the fact he's lost some of the dashing, what'll-he-do-next excellence he showed in 00-03 especially.

And still he’s hugely effective in other areas. There’s no better centre in rugby for winning turnovers. He’s outlasted all the wonderboys (Traille, Jauzion, Baby) of French rugby and seen off plenty English centres over the years. He’ll put a shift in every time he steps on the field. Contrary to opinion, he is a proper leader – and for anyone who’d question his bravery or ruthlessness, have a look at his hit on Paul O’Connell here (at 2.56) and tell me it wasn’t a statement. There’d be a fair argument that O’Driscoll has been too honest over the years, putting his body on the line rather than keeping himself tuned for the marquee highlights-reel moments. It may even be the most accurate asssessment in the end.

A superstar of the world game then? Probably. Did he fulfil potential? Probably not, in this observer’s mind – he needed to dominate a few games at the top level to become a true great; not enough rollicking runs or tries as time went on. There must be kudos for adapting and evolving to always have a role to play for Ireland, Ryan Giggs-like if you will. There’ll always be murmerings of what might have been as well though.

Why Robbie Keane didn't make it at Liverpool

Boardroom power struggle? Balderdash. Benitez wanted Keane in the summer, as much as he's trying to distance himself from the signing this past month. Here's Jumpthefence's take on the most horrible six months and another Irish footballer who couldn't quite make it at a top club.
1 THE WRONG SIGNING IN THE FIRST PLACE
An argument we made right away. Robbie Keane = livewire, headless (at times), free spirit,non-clinical forward who needs a run of games to find form,tends to go on long runs without goals and works best running in behind defences. Benitez = tactically controlling, distrusting of flair,with penchant for rotating forwards who spoke of using Keane as creative influence off Torres. Liverpool = club who needed clinical finisher or consistent creator of chances against teams who put ten men behind ball. Make your own mind up on chances of success.

2 LACK OF GOALS/ FORM FROM BEGINNING
Look, bare stats: 25 games - 7 goals ain't a hot streak but ain't awful either. Problem was the amount of sitters Keane passed up - Bolton, Fulham,Preston spring to mind. Problem was the amount of games Keane struggled to create anything resembling a chance for himself or others - especially those draws at home. Problem was by the end other players seemed to have lost a little faith in him. His last start v Everton in the league, Keane touched the ball nine times. Just not good enough.

3 WRONG JOB DESCRIPTION
Much bluster poured from "experts" in the summer about Keane being a perfect link man for Torres to work off. Rubbish! Can you ever remember Keane creating a goal playing for Ireland? Keane does his best work playing off the shoulder of defenders; something he never got the chance to do against teams who sat deep at Anfield. Ask him to play up front on his own and you'll never see the best from him. Ask him to play deep off Torres and he'll flap about but create nothing.

4 RAFA
Oh yes, Rafa must take blame, lots of it. For buying the wrong player in the first place. For playing him in positions that wouldn't work. For niggling away at a confidence player till he had nothing left. For benching him just as he showed some form and goal threat. For whipping him off EVERY single time he failed to perform rather than showing some faith. For not getting anything like the potential from another attacker.

5 MENTALITY/ PRESSURE
Some players are big-club players, perhaps Robbie Keane just isn't. Of course there's a difference togging out each week for Liverpool where every game is dissected and every point vital as opposed to say, Spurs, where most people just see highlights reels every weekend and poor runs of form are quickly forgotten or don't mean as much. Benitez is said to have been dismayed by the shaking of the head every time Keane saw his number come up, the mutterings and the increasingly frustrated rants at teammates when he didn't receive passes. Fact is that Keane didn't look quite at home at Liverpool, and there have to be questions levelled at the player as to why that was.

Things we learnt

1 Chelsea are no more
If their performance at Old Trafford less than a month ago was tired and stale, yesterday's display at Anfield was surely the final straw. They hardly created a chance worthy of the name, persisting with some five-a-side keepball. Gone was the hunger, fight and dynamism of the Mourinho era - all bar Lampard, Terry and Alex ought take a good hard look at themselves. Sure, the crazy red card pushed the game in Liverpool's direction but Chelsea had barely mounted a gallop even before that. Anelka was his usual flighty self in a big game. Kalou and Malouda aren't first-choice title-winning players. Drogba gave a disgraceful pass after coming on that reeked of just not caring. If Abramovich cared half as much as he did in Jose's time, Big Phil would be in big trouble. Count them out of the league, and the Champions League - another successful prediction for Dunphy!

2 Kerry look mean; so do Tyrone
We've already declared our reluctance to take too much from national league games - especially first-rounders in early February - but you know, it wasn't a bad first weekend at all. We watched Kerry begin Jack O'Connor era II with a fair verve and purpose - David Moran and Tommy Walsh looked scarily strong and hungry, Colm Cooper looked lively, Paul Galvin and Darren O'Sullivan sharper than recent times and the way they moved the ball was wonderful. On Saturday night, Tyrone put together some really top scores and moves, Sean Cavanagh was splendid at full-forward and Stephen O'Neill looked like the player of 2003 again. A full-forward line of O'Neill, Cavanagh, and a lean, hungry Mulligan would be awesome. Watch out.

Good news for:
Some Irish footballers who got decent moves. Robbie Keane seems to have ended probably the most disastrous transfer in history by heading back to Spurs. Jumpthefence has been critical of Keane (we genuinely don't reckon he's up to it at that level) but Rafa's treatment of him has been terrible and we're damn glad from an Irish point of view he's shot of it. Shay Given should revitalise at Man City, though we'll reserve judgement on whether they'll become a superpower or a disaster. Willo Flood has gotten a dream move to Celtic, though it's hard to know how much he'll play. Stephen Hunt might yet move to Spurs or Wigan and it'd be worthwhile to see how he'd do.