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You are here: Home / Sports / Ireland v Spain Open Thread

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28Comments

  3. 3.

    MikeJ

    Nice to see Torres score, but as a Chelsea fan I’d like to see him do it to earn his paycheck.

  9. 9.

    pseudonymous in nc

    Ireland seem to have collectively decided that they need to play like an English Championship team: hoof and battle and hope for set pieces. I don’t think that’s necessarily a terrible idea, because they’re not going to compete with the Spanish at possession and passing.

  15. 15.

    qwerty42

    I’ve had both; they are good. But I have to favor idiazabal. Especially smoked. Can be hard to find. However, this is a cheese of the Basque region, not sure how much they identify with the rest of Spain. Great cheese, though. (darn, I’m thinking of it now)

  16. 16.

    Amir Khalid

    Spain are three up with 20 minutes to go. There’s time for this match to finish up 4 – 0 or 5 – 0, and it might well do that.

  20. 20.

    Amir Khalid

    And the despondent Irish yield yet again, this time to Cesc Fiberglas Fabregas off a corner. Do the King of Spain’s men have time to make it five?

  21. 21.

    Paula

    “89′

    Brilliant rendition of “The Fields of Athenry,” ringing rounds the stadium with clapping assistance from the Spanish fans. Superb.”

    Think I’m gonna tear up a little.

  22. 22.

    Temporarily Max McGee (soon enough to be Andy K again)

    @Randy Paul:

    Historically it’s been those nationalist divisions amongst the Spanish team that have led to their downfall in major tournaments (I’m looking at you, Spanish team of World Cup 1982!). That they’ve been so cohesive going back at least as far as 2008 is a credit to both the players and the staff.

    And the football has been pretty damned spectacular, too.

    That said, I still- very slightly- favor Germany to win the championship.

  23. 23.

    Paula

    Ugh. Ireland were my United States proxy. Sad to see them go, and with so little to show for it. Their fans are awesome though. Not too many supporters groups can summon that spirit when the home team is being beaten so badly.

    (Every one of Spain’s golden boys scored. Must be nice.)

  25. 25.

    pseudonymous in nc

    So, Spain have the advantage on goal difference against Croatia, but they haven’t yet booked their place; Italy need a win and ideally a bag of goals; Ireland are going to be playing to salvage some pride. Nice set up for the final matches.

    This group could end 5-5-5-0 on points.

  27. 27.

    handsmile

    Well look at this, a football thread in which most of the comments actually had to do with the subject match or at least football in general. Sorry I missed it.

    The lopsidedness of this match (like a cup tie between a first and third division team) was a harbinger of what awaits us at Euro 2016 when the tournament will be expanded to 24 national teams. At last the world will get to witness the competitive qualities of Albania or Luxembourg! The money should be good though.

    With pride and Trappatoni likely to be insufficient for Ireland to defeat or even draw against Italy on Monday, La Furia Roja will need to be furia (and I think they will) in its match with Croatia. A draw however, and Italy must put at least three goals past Shay Given in order to advance.

  28. 28.

    billy fulton

    Trappatoni is bad for Irish football. If you are being defeated, you have to change something. He changed nothing. His tactics were ludicrous. The Irish players were trying to mark their opposite no. from anything up to 20 metres away.The only way to beat a team like Spain is to man mark like one does in Gaelic football or hurling. He left players at home who should have been on the team, and he left players off the team from those he had with him who are much better than the ones he played. It’s hard enough to beat Spain with your best players without putting on people who have passed their sell-by date. Ireland were extremely lucky to qualify. They should have been hammered by Russia.But they and Trappatoni showed their true ability in this game. Monday will be the same as Trapp won’t change.

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