A tough loss for Ireland.
Former Ireland international Richard Dunne has issued a damning take of Ireland’s development under Stephen Kenny, after their 1-0 loss against Armenia at the Republican Stadium in Yerevan.
The Boys in Green were second best throughout much of the contest at the foot of the Caucasus Mountains, and were deservedly beaten after turning in a listless performance.
The result also sets them back in a big way ahead of their upcoming Uefa Nations League games this month.
“I just don’t know where the Irish team goes from here..”
And speaking on Premier Sports after Ireland’s latest setback under Kenny’s reign, Dunne revealed his damning take on the performance.
“When he talks about not looking back and forgetting about the previous Nations League games and stuff like that.. If you look at that game today, it’s very similar to the games that we’ve played previously,” he explained.
“So you need to analyse them and you need to understand why are we still making the same mistakes 18 months down the line.
🗣️ Richard Dunne: “I just don’t know where the Irish team goes from here.”
🇮🇪 Republic of Ireland are still looking for their first win in 11 #UEFANationsLeague games. pic.twitter.com/oSp3UKEC91
— Premier Sports (@PremierSportsTV) June 4, 2022
“The ones that we made against Finland, Luxembourg and stuff like that. The results are all that matters now because the performance wasn’t good enough. The results haven’t been good enough for a long time and I just don’t know where the Irish team goes from here.
“There’s been a lot of new players who’ve come in, and there’s been a whole change. You spoke about the the vibrant style of football. We didn’t see much of that today. Ireland very rarely made it difficult for Armenia.
“The centre-halves were stood watching the ball going from the left to the right, back to the left and back to the right.
Armenia take the lead thanks to a wonderful long-range effort from Eduard Spertsyan. Stephen Kenny’s side with it all to do in the final stages.
Live now on RTÉ2, RTÉ Player and RTÉ Radio 1. pic.twitter.com/Yql0jIBVNg
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) June 4, 2022
“We never really turned them and made it difficult for them. There needs to be more variety in Ireland’s play to put pressure on teams. It’s almost like a dirty word to play a long ball or something like that.
“It all becomes desperate towards the end and there’s no real.. It’s like ‘let’s play lovely football and then we panic, we’ll just knock it long’.”
Ireland’s Nations League hopes.
With the defeat, Ireland began their Uefa Nations League campaign on the back foot, after sinking to a damaging loss in Armenia.
Kenny’s side, however, will be looking to make amends in the coming days, with Ukraine and Scotland set to visit the Aviva Stadium.
The Boys in Green complete their set of games away to Ukraine, with the game pencilled in to be played in Lodz, Poland.
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