Ireland V Sweden(A) 22 March & Austria(H) - 26 March 2013 - World Cup 2014 Qualifiers

[p2011]

Texts are a bit lazy and very open to misunderstanding. And when you consider Trap's prior history of misunderstandings it's a particularly poor way of communicating for him.

This business of Green and Sammon is further evidence to me that Trap doesn't take the job seriously. Sounds like a disjointed long ball team on Friday night, which would mean we have learned nothing from the summer in Poland.

[DannyInvincible]

Looks like the Friends Arena roof will be closed for the game on Friday: http://www.goal.com/en-ie/news/3942/...irelands-world

It's probably fair enough considering the weather although Trap had hoped the rood would remain open in order to dispel some of the atmosphere. Surely it can't be that major a concern...

Fifa has issued a statement which strongly hints that the roof will remain closed at the Solna venue for Ireland's World Cup qualifier on Friday, March 22

The roof on the Friends Arena is likely to be closed for the forthcoming World Cup qualifier between Sweden and the Republic of Ireland.

Earlier this week, Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni expressed reservations about closing the roof on the 51,000-seater stadium, suggesting that it would be 'too loud' for the players and dismissed the notion that the weather would affect the game.

The final decision is set to be made by a Fifa delegate ahead of the encounter on Friday, March 22 and the world governing body recently issued a statement which suggests that the roof will be closed to 'ensure the best-playing football conditions'.

The statement, which appeared in the Irish Times read: "Fifa is currently assessing the weather situation with the host association and, as you will acknowledge, common sense should prevail at all times in order to ensure the best-playing football conditions to both teams as well as ensure safety and security to the public and local organising committee on duty.

"At the moment, the roof is closed and the weather conditions are proven to be very adverse, with ice and snow falls and extreme temperatures. The weather forecast up to the match seems not to show any kind of drastic improvement in this respect.

"Opening the roof would be too dangerous (it's currently covered with ice and snow) and certainly difficult to understand if we want to preserve the pitch fit and playing conditions that are normal. At the time of writing, we do not see how (and why) we could imagine opening the roof, but the final decision will be taken upon arrival of our match commissioner on site. You may check with us again on Thursday or Friday."

[geysir]

A manager texting messages to a player about a squad exclusion decision does leave a bit more to be desired, in Trap's case at least this communication method can be clearly understood and can be regarded as superior.

[geysir]

Looks like the Friends Arena roof will be closed for the game on Friday: http://www.goal.com/en-ie/news/3942/...irelands-world

It's probably fair enough considering the weather although Trap had hoped the rood would remain open in order to dispel some of the atmosphere. Surely it can't be that major a concern...

Trap usually doesn't have that much of a problem with keeping a crowd quit during one of our games.

It's farcical to be requesting a stadium's roof not to be closed when it's purpose built for this type of weather.

[ifk101]

A manager texting messages to a player about a squad exclusion decision does leave a bit more to be desired, in Trap's case at least this communication method can be clearly understood and can be regarded as superior.

"schweden me. u no. fish better. future maybe need u ;-) :-). ciao".

[paul_oshea]

So basically we are going to freeze until we get to the stadium and then we take off all the cold weather gear when we get into the stadium for the balmy 15c!!!

[ifk101]

You'll only freeze if you're not dressed for the weather. Hat, gloves, scarve, double socks and you'll be grand.

[Crosby87]

POSH when was the last time you missed an away match? I have to hand it to you, maybe you are as rich as you propose.
Get me Peter Forsbergs autograph if you can, he is going to the game.

[paul_oshea]

I don't go to all but a good few, I don't go to as many of the games that fall on a tuesday/wednesday night, as I don't get paid if I don't work, but I generally don't miss weekend games. I can't promise Peters, but I will do my best to get you Mikael Åkerfeldt autograph.

You'll only freeze if you're not dressed for the weather. Hat, gloves, scarve, double socks and you'll be grand.

My socks are pretty thin, and most have holes to be honest. My neck gets itchy when I wear scarves. This sounds like a nightmare endurance test.

[geysir]

Don't forget your balaclava, Paul.
Silk lined, no doubt.

[DannyInvincible]

Don't forget your balaclava, Paul.

Just don't get seen on television with it. God forbid, Gregory Campbell caught wind of it!

[Stuttgart88]

I'll get crucified for this but I can see the logic of Green.

I tend to agree with Emmet Malone's opinion in this morning's Irish Times:

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/socc...ovic-1.1331750

For some, Green seems to have become a sort of byword for all that is wrong with the Trapattoni regime. He represents, the critics believe, the triumph of industry over artistry, and the mere mention of his name tends to elicit groans from the purists. The 29-year-old certainly has his limitations but they are sometimes a little too readily trumpeted while the shortcomings of others are more willingly overlooked.

Few could argue, in fact, with the impact he had on the Poland game, with Green setting about the visiting midfielders in a way the Irish generally had hopelessly failed to do over the first 45 minutes. Whether he can have the same impact in Stockholm, when the stakes, and the tempo, are so much higher, remains to be seen.

Did Green make any noticeable difference against Poland when he came on? To be honest I barely even remember the way the game evolved, apart from the key incidents. Malone says we curtailed the Poland midfield better when he came on. I can't really recall.

[back of the net]

Malone says we curtailed the Poland midfield better when he came on. I can't really recall.

The polish midfield walked all over us in the first half - was sitting in the south terrace and Green had a huge influence IMO when he came on in somewhat getting to grips with them....equally as malone says....if he can do the same during a more high pressure / high tempo game...that remains to be seen

[geysir]

Green did well in tandem with McCarthy. McCarthy's game improved. Our game improved.
Green's impact though might have been boosted in the relative light of anchor (weight) Whelan going off.

I'd say Trap will still go for a McCarthy/Whelan CM partnership. I'd prefer a Green/McCarthy CM to that.

[paul_oshea]

Just don't get seen on television with it. God forbid, Gregory Campbell caught wind of it!

I knew he broke it(quite a lot), I never knew he caught it

[paul_oshea]

I'll get crucified for this but I can see the logic of Green.

I tend to agree with Emmet Malone's opinion in this morning's Irish Times:

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/socc...ovic-1.1331750

For some, Green seems to have become a sort of byword for all that is wrong with the Trapattoni regime. He represents, the critics believe, the triumph of industry over artistry, and the mere mention of his name tends to elicit groans from the purists. The 29-year-old certainly has his limitations but they are sometimes a little too readily trumpeted while the shortcomings of others are more willingly overlooked.

Few could argue, in fact, with the impact he had on the Poland game, with Green setting about the visiting midfielders in a way the Irish generally had hopelessly failed to do over the first 45 minutes. Whether he can have the same impact in Stockholm, when the stakes, and the tempo, are so much higher, remains to be seen.

Did Green make any noticeable difference against Poland when he came on? To be honest I barely even remember the way the game evolved, apart from the key incidents. Malone says we curtailed the Poland midfield better when he came on. I can't really recall.

He did he made a big differences, particularly with building up irish attacks, which sorta goes with CDs opinion of him.

Tbh, I can see the logic too, but CD made me think again about whether he can do the defensive job that Trap has him in for. I think he can, I just don't know if he is good enough to do it against Sweden and more importantly Ibrahimovic.

[Fixer82]

It's a massive game for Green. He has an opportunity to silence his critics.
For me, I'd have no massive problem with him being in ahead of Whelan.
But I also think if Trap lines up in a straight 4-4-2 formation we can get overrun in midfielc no matter who is in the middle of the park

[ifk101]

The best form of defence is attack. :-) I think we should be encouraging our central midfielders to become more involved by putting their foot on the ball and using it, rather than just sitting in front of the back four and trying to break up opposition play. As it is we are splitting hairs over which players can marginally improve an outdated gameplan and tactics.

[zero]

none of our attacks will come through the middle of the field (it will be long ball stuff and wide play) so having green in there to hustle is not the end of the world. like most i'd rather him in there for whelan than for mccarthy but on the flip side, being able to bring mccarthy on to change things if needed is better than vice versa.

i think coleman and long are key to any chance we have of success attacking wise. if coleman can get forward he will cause them trouble - he's looked very sharp the last few weeks - and for long this is an opportunity to establish himself as first choice front man.

overall though i think sweden are too strong so it's the old case of hoping they have an off day and we play at our max.

[paul_oshea]

Ive been hearing this "Irish players playing in the championship "crap. So here goes, if we play this team we have only 2 championship players. I hate the way everything is exaggerated to back up someones agenda/point/vendetta:

Forde
Coleman Clark OShea Wilson
Whelan Mccarthy
McClean Long Brady
Keane

That's 8 players from the premiership. Easily on paper just as good as any of the players who play for Sweden, bar Ibrahimovic they should be no better than us. Obviously our keeper is a concern. But it annoys me the way they exaggerate things about our squad just to stick to a long running theme. 2 our of players were in the premiership team of the week last week FGS!