Comments on: Nothern Ireland-Poland Preview. A Typical Must Win Game.

By: Boniek

Boniek — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 17:18:57 +0000

This game leads me to believe that they took bribes to throw the game. Many of the mistakes very a little too obvious, almost predetermined. I bet none of the players would be able to look you in the face and admit that they tried their hardest. They are an embarrassment to the country. They don’t deserve to wear the eagle on their shirts.

Lets not raise our expectations on Salamon too high without actually seeing him play. We are partly to blame when we see one of our youngsters do well abroad we automatically assume that hes a can’t miss prospect. We need to wait and see what this particular kid can actually do before we even mention him for the national team.

By: Witold

Witold — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 17:02:39 +0000

Our defenders are bad, very bad. We must never make a pass into the area between the two goal posts. All time the ball was in our zone that will be the total panic, no control, no one want the ball, we had the chance that the NIrelande players were that bad that they could not take advantage of all the situation that our defenders had gave them. We can’t tell that we haven’t a good player in front, Jelen and Saganowski take the advantage of the few chances that they had, but our midfielders were as bad as our defenders were bad.
But when all the players play bad you must take a look at the coaches bench.

By: chester

chester — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 16:19:08 +0000

I wouldnt ever start Jelen as a lone striker he isnt able to keep the ball. I would play him with Brozek together because Brozek is able to control the play better and Jelen is more chaotic in his play. There should be a rotation between them two Lewandowski. Then bring Janczyk as a sub instead of having Sagan or Sosin. Salomon should be brought in even at such a young age he def has much more technical skill then all of out CMs.He just needs to get there physically. We cant forget about Orbaniak that will hopefully solve the left wing problem. Then Kokoz should play in the San Marino game since he does play in Seria B he knows the type of play. If he shows something start him in the next friendlies and he should replace Dudka which isnt a natural CD. Every since euro 2008 the defense has been shit because he has been playing and Bak has been out. Zewlakow is ok for now he just had a bad day.

By: gregorio

gregorio — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 15:48:20 +0000

it was the shittiest performance of our team that I can actually remember. the number and idiocy of mistakes was way beyond any conceivable limit! We were not a team yesterday, and we didn’t really want to win. there was no confidence in us, even though we’ve much more quality of the two sides. We didn’t get into a physical fight with them, but also didn’t put forward anything instead. as a result, we looked pathetic.

but I agree with adas. outregous as our performance was, drastic measures are no solution.
I’d keep beenhakker until we’re definitely out of the race for WC 2010. let him take the whole resposibility for the qualification and either he can turn it over once again for us and take the credit, or fail and take the blame. we still have a reasonable chance, on paper ofcourse.
I wouldn’t rid the old players. However sad it seems, we simply have no better options, thery are no young Poles playing in good leagues regularly that we haven’t checked in the NT. besides old or young, all our players were crappy in the game, so it’s rather a matter of motivation and concentrating the team than the age.
It’s a goog idea to play with 2 attackers. Maybe not against all opponents, but at least in the games we are the favourites. when we switched to 4-4-2 towrds the end, our play finally looked like it should have looked. we just didn’t have creative DM’s and were left with roger to create a chance. jeleń couldn’t keep the ball and lewandowski was out of position. he’s much more dangerous closer to the goal.
finally, boruc shouldn’t have palyed yesterday and the sad conclusions you guys made about him taking seriously all the media fuss about him, i agree with. he just should let it go and focus on the game. but i don’t know if leo could see the danger of boruc’s poor form. maybe artur looked confident for the last week, he had decent games for celtic, too. anyway, now he should be dropped at least for a few months. sort yourself out, artur. sadly, our second goalie shitted his pants. I mean literally. he got diarreah or whatever it’s called. It’s not a premise to count on fabianski in the important games, I’m serious. even thoguh, leo talked a lot before the game about how great keepers he has and howunfair he feels when he must bench any of them. well, to me it seems the only one up to the task could’ve been załuska. only could’ve…

By: kazik

kazik — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 15:43:29 +0000

Didn’t finish my comment on Boruc:
No reason to one time that ball. Settle and then get it out, he had plenty of time.
Funny thing is he did the same exact thing later on in the game and made another bad kick (at least he connected with the ball).
The fans at Europa (in Greenpoint, NYC) just laughed and cynically applauded after he got it out the second time.
No excuse to play like this on this level!

By: kazik

kazik — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 15:38:43 +0000

There is no excuse for Boruc. A mistake like that cannot occur on this level. He had time to settle the ball instead of trying one time it. The pitch was thick and the ball jumped over his leg, he either took it for granted or doesn’t concentrate enough. He let his team down. The defense is horrible. The first goal the midfielder on the right was beaten twice before the long cross and nobody (Wawrzyniak) was marking the goal scorer. The 2nd goal by Evans No. 3 (that’s a No. 3, no one with a number 3 on their shirt should beat our defender in the box and score) was again a lack of energy or concentration especially by Wasilewski (who is a terrible defender). I think you cannot blame this game on the lack of offense. The Irish came out faster and more determined than us, and were quicker to the for more that 85% of the chances. It all starts from the backline and our backline is horrendous. It doesn’t matter how great our strikers will be, if the back can’t hold and control the ball we will never win.

By: Peter

Peter — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 15:00:07 +0000

Ya, I would also like to add that I hope Boruc’s brain farts don’t lead to everyone forgeting just how putrid everyone else played.

By: andrzej z

andrzej z — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 14:12:25 +0000

This surely was the most inept display by Poland for many a years against a team that would probably be struggling in mid table obscurity in England’s League 1. What does that say about us?? We have hit the bottom of the well. This performance was nothing short of scandalous resulting in us being the laughing stock of europe. Like Tomasz I looked at the table and still see a chance to quaify albeit through the play offs. Self deception indeed. Boruc’s two blunder’s aside the whole team were a disgrace unable to string two passes together but more worrying was the lack of hunger to win this game. Boruc needs to see a good psychiatrist and sort himself out whilst Leo will undoubtedly walk after wednesday making way for someone who will be tasked to salvage something from a campaign that went wrong from day 1 against Sovenia. Wstyd kurwa!!!!

By: tomasz

tomasz — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 13:03:52 +0000

I haven’t fully recovered from the game, still digesting it. I was extremely depressed yesterday, but when I looked at the table today I regained some faith (maybe it’s a form of self deception). I should collect my thoughts in the evening and then write a note. Thanks for all the comments, if only players cared as much as we do…

By: Tomek

Tomek — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 12:05:48 +0000

This match was so horrendous that I actually don’t want Poland to go to South Africa. Save the emberrassement, and concentrate on EURO 2012. Throw away Krzynowek, and Zewlakow, and other old farts, give Boruc some extreme therapy (He’s still a quality keeper, but completely fucked up psychologically, I can see it, I’ve been trough that myself. Fabianski isn’t good enough.). Add Salomon, Janota and other youngsters to the team. Boot Leo, he clearly doesn’t give a shit anymore. Awesome that we went to EURO 2008, but after that It just went worse and worse. Add Smuda or some other ambitious coach.

This match showed me why so many Poles want to play for Germany. Because seriously, I was tempted to stop caring for Poland at all and go support the Netherlands fulltime. The match was THAT BAD. Of course I will always support the Bialo Czerwoni, but yesterday’s match was just a slap in the face of all Polish supporters.

I feel sorry for all the supporters that paid something for probably one of the worst matches I’ve ever seen in my entire life. I’m dead serious.