Ireland was completely and utterly dismantled by England at Wembley tonight. Even allowing for the absence of Seamus Coleman, Aaron Connolly and Callum Robinson, this drubbing was a reality check for Stephen Kenny. For all the talk about chippy tackles on Jack Grealish and Declan Rice before the match, this game was played with little edge. After Stephen Kenny's men made a bright start, England pulled Ireland apart. The gulf between the sides felt wider than the Irish Sea.
Watching the match from the media gantry above the pitch was a former Ireland assistant manager. On ITV tonight, Roy Keane was brutal in his honesty in assessing Ireland's performance.
'I think the team tonight were way off the pace. I think the worry is they just needed a little bit more fight. Not even a booking tonight. You've got to be more aggressive. As you said, one goal in six games. Tough going. I think England would have had a tougher training days than this tonight. Long way back for this team.'
(Keane's analysis of Ireland starts around 3.30)
Early in the analysis segment, Keane added 'I could have played tonight.'
Ireland have now gone almost 500 minutes of international football without scoring a goal.
SEE ALSO: What Benefit Were Ireland Ever Going To Get From This England Game?
