Irish newspapers react to Jayson Molumby performance as West Brom ace plays v France
West Brom midfielder Jayson Molumby played for the Republic of Ireland in their defeat to France on Thursday (7 September).
The 24-year-old started in the middle of the park alongside Burnley’s Josh Cullen as he couldn’t help prevent his side falling to a 2-0 defeat in the Parc des Princes.
Goals from Real Madrid’s Aurelien Tchouameni and Inter Milan’s Marcus Thuram in either half were enough for the World Cup finalists, with the Baggies midfielder substituted on 67 minutes by his former Albion teammate Dara O’Shea.
Irish newspapers have since reacted to Molumby’s performance, with the Irish Daily Star not holding back on page 55 as it said it was a “frustrating and disappointing night” for him before he was replaced.
The Irish Sun was impressed by the midfielder’s start to the game following his “crunching challenge” on Tchouameni, but the second half was a “tough one” as he “chased shadows”.
On page 55 of the Irish Daily Mail, it said the Irishman “played with aggression early on” before his impact faded as the game wore on.
The Irish News wasn’t quite as harsh in its assessment, stating that it was a “typical Molumby performance” as he was “full of energy” and “won a few balls back in key areas”, but the newspaper added that he didn’t threaten the French much.
Independent.ie thought it was an “energetic performance” from the West Brom man on the right of midfield, as he put in some “lung-bursting runs” to put the hosts under pressure early on before it also noted that he faded after the break.
Tough
It was always going to be tough for Molumby and the rest of the Ireland players against one of the best international teams in the world.
There is a reason why France made it to the World Cup final in 2022 and they should really be seeing off Stephen Kenny’s side with relative ease.
But it sounds as though the Irish media were fairly impressed with Molumby’s start to the game as he looked to impose himself on the French midfield with a strong challenge.
It’s no surprise that he faded as the game went on as it will have been much more tiring on the legs than he is perhaps used to in the Championship.
Although he may be disappointed to not have had more of an impact on the game, it’s certainly an experience that he can learn from moving forwards.
In other West Brom news, video footage has emerged showing why one player should have been sold over the summer.