Ireland v England: Player Ratings

/”1 Caoimhín Kelleher
Showed formidable performance. Made two extraordinary saves by dealing with one-on-one encounters within the initial 20 minutes, effectively blocking Gordon and Kane at direct point. In the second half, continued to protect the net making the score manageable. Score: 7
7 Matt Doherty
Exposed Coleman significantly while trying to play offensively which would have been acceptable if he posed any real threat. His impact on the game was meagre at best, leaving him ineffectual. Score: 4
2 Séamus Coleman
England took the opportunity to target his side, with Gordon continually driving at him. However, he stood his ground admirably under the circumstances. Exited the game due to an injury after sixty minutes. Score: 5
4 Dara O’Shea
Overwhelmed by England’s fast-paced passing leading to Grealish’s goal, indecisive whether to follow Saka or Rice and ended up trailing both. His distribution of the ball was subpar. Score: 5
22 Nathan Collins
Narrowly avoided disaster when he lost track of Kane for an initial opportunity, followed by an exceptional diving tackle at Kane’s feet prior to Rice’s goal. Regardless of the challenges he faced, he persistently stuck to his role. Score: 6
11 Robbie Brady
Exhibited diligence while marking Saka, compromising his own offensive tendencies in the process. He didn’t contribute anything positive when attacking, often reverting back to play it safe. Score: 4
8 Will Smallbone
Lacked alertness at the first goal, losing focus as Gordon nudged through without noticing Rice slipping away behind to be ready for a secondary effort. Couldn’t maintain control of the ball throughout. Score: 4
14 Jason Molumby
Fumbled an early heading opportunity which landed too quickly but needed to be netted. Had another good chance after an hour but missed. Managed to keep up good efforts till the end, marking as one of his better performances. Score: 6
21 Sammie Szmodics
Had a semi-chance in the first half but didn’t power his shot enough to beat Pickford. Got a better opportunity in the latter half but missed the goal. Struggled to keep pace with Rice for the second goal. Score: 5″/

10 Adam Idah
Had a challenging match, constantly vying with Marc Guehi and running himself ragged for no outcome. If he had a choice, he might have considered a different line of work. Score: 5

20 Chiedozie Ogbene
Put significant effort into the game, one sprint against Mainoo in the first half stood out. However, the majority of his time was spent moving all over the field and disrupting the opposition’s rhythm. Score: 5

Substitutions: Jake O’Brien and Jason Knight entered the game with just 30 minutes left and the result already largely decided. O’Brien accumulated a yellow card, whilst Knight didn’t really get into the game. Evan Ferguson was able to get a game, his first in five months, which is a positive note. Score: 5

Manager Heimir Hallgrímsson
Despite facing one of the top-tier teams in England, this performance was far from promising. The squad failed to exhibit the compactness and resilience that was expected of them. From early in the second half, the crowd began to voice their discontent with the lack of direction in their long-ball strategy. Improvements are needed for Tuesday’s match. Score: 5

Written by Ireland.la Staff

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