Internationals watch

I thought Lingaard (spelling) was pretty atrocious, as on at least 3 occasions, he had a great chance to score and blazed it wide or high. I reckon Grabban could have done better!!!

 

Must say this Wales v Georgia game is infinitely better than last night's garbage.
End to end and chances galore

 

Takes two teams willing to risk playing some football to go end to end.

Bah!

 

I agree the rest weren't brilliant either but Rooney was pivotal in the team and did more than most in my opinion to slow us down. All our best football was when we played it a bit quicker. Each time Rooney got it, he dwelt on the ball. I think he was in the past a great instinctive player, that was as a forward. His midfield play is very laboured and I guess that isn't surprising as he can no longer rely on his instincts in an unfamiliar position.
Clearly we have other problems and Rooney is not the sole architect of our awfulness, but until he has a good game from midfield he will attract added scrutiny. The managers are doing ing him no favours playing him, out of form and position.
As for Lingaard, I disagree with Braveheart, I thought he was brighter than most, he was lively and made things happen, more so than most of his team mates even if he did then lack composure.
As the commentators observed, we looked a great team to hit teams on the break, so I lay the blame firmly at the managers door. This was plainly a game we were going to dominate, whilst we won it was with the wrong; tactics, formation and aplication.

Should we cut Southgate some slack? It was his first go after little notice about taking the role.

Bah!

 

Meanwhile, after an hour, it's Macedonia 2 - 1 Italy!

 

RoI have just gone 2-1 up at Moldova. Wes set up Long's opener with an exquisite defence splitting pass. Moldova then got one back on the counter just before the half. James McClean has just scored Ireland's second as they finally break down a packed defence.

 

Ireland 1-3 up now as Wes nutmegs a defender to set up Coleman for the cross which McClean then converts.

 

Well, there's a surprise. Wes being criticised by the studio panel for taking too many touches and ultimately losing the ball!?

 

From the BBC website - "Once again, Hoolahan's display will leave many Republic fans wondering why he has only accumulated 36 caps in a career which saw him make his first competitive start at the age of 31."
I hope you're reading this Trapottoni!!

 

I think it's a stretch to expect Trapattoni to be a regular Norwich Not606 visitor but you never know

 

No, but he could always read it on the BBC website!!

 

I feel so sorry for Kyle Lafferty (Luciano Becchio can probably relate to him best of all ) being frozen out at the Carra and consequently not being considered 'match fit' enough by the gaffer to start for N'Iron.
It would be totally pig-headed of AN and NCFC to retain him again this winter if he's clearly not going to feature. Quite why we did this summer is a bit of an enigma if Naismith is deemed better to play the lone striker role ahead of KL
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football...s-to-start-on-bench-against-germany-despite/?

 

As Dave mentioned earlier, obviously AN doesn't rate him, otherwise he would have started against Brum, even though most of us feel he is quite capable of playing the lone striker role.
For the sake of his international career, we have to let him go to a club where he will get regular starts and so improve his match fitness and be starting games for NI.

 

I think both of you are doing AN and the club a disservice there. And Kyle is not worthy of our sympathy if he has refused to lower his expectations in order to make a move more likely. He is here still more because no one will match his current wages than because AN wants a 2nd, 3rd or 4th choice striker that he doesn't trust to get the job done!

Bah!

 

I seem to recall he was wanted at Leeds (by Evans?) but on loan initially, rather than an outright sale? (Bless our skint feeder club). AN refused to sanction this saying he would only sell, not loan. Asshole. Laffs would be getting wages paid elsewhere and getting the much sought after game time he and Michael O'Neil crave.
So where's the perceived problem there GM?

 

Were they offering enough in loan payments? Not enough so for the club or AN evidently. Do we have sufficient cover to let him go and not on our terms? I want rid of Lafferty but not by giving him away to a rival. If Jerome gets a longish term injury we may yet need him.
Bottom line for me is, if Lafferty was really that despirate to be playing he would have gotten out by now by lowering his demands.
He is still at CR, so I can only summise that his bank balance is more important than the football he supposedly craves playing.

Bah!

 

And just when Rooney thought things couldn't get any worse, now the taxman is picking on him!

Bah!

 

Things just did get worse!
He's been dropped to the bench for tomorrow's match
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/37606560

 

Just when you think you can't hate International break any more, this happens.