Bulgaria : what is our best team if available?

**highlight100** · 01/04/2009, 11:35 PM

After a spirited performance in Bari,what is the best team - in your opinion -for this difficult away test?

Here is mine....

Shay Given - Goalkeeper

Kevin Kilbane - Left Back
John O'Shea - Centre Back
Richard Dunne - Centre Back
Stephen Kelly -Right Back

Damien Duff - Left Midfield
Robbie Keane - Attacking Centre Midfield
Keith Andrews - Defending Centre Midfield
Stephen Hunt - Right Midfield

Kevin Doyle - Forward
Caleb Folan - Forward

**noddy102** · 01/04/2009, 11:41 PM

Don't be silly.

Given
Foley O'Shea Dunne Kilbane
Duff Andrews Whelan McGeady
Doyle Keane

All depending on whether Doyle starts scoring again for Reading, if Duff gets fit, and if the other players keep playing regular football.

**tetsujin1979** · 01/04/2009, 11:42 PM

^^^^^^^
What he said
with Finnan in for Foley

**Colbert Report** · 01/04/2009, 11:43 PM

no disrespect but you're smoking crack if you think that's the team Trap would put out. Robbie Keane in centre mid? no way.

Given
Kilbane
Dunne
O'Shea
Finnan (then Kelly, then McShane)

LM Hunt
CM Andrews
CM Whelan
RM Duff (McGeady on as a sub for one of the wingers at some point)

ST Keane
ST Doyle

Folan will only come on if we're down a goal and we're in need of an aerial threat.

**noddy102** · 01/04/2009, 11:43 PM

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

^^^^^^^
What he said
with Finnan in for Foley

Finnan isn't fit and would also, like Duff need to prove his fitness.
If he was fit then I'd certainly put him in ahead of Foley, but I cannot see him being fit to be perfectly honest.

**eirebhoy** · 01/04/2009, 11:52 PM

Finnan and S.Reid are out for this game.

I'd go with McShane against Berbatov who's the perfect player for him to mark. O'Shea at right back.

**Colbert Report** · 01/04/2009, 11:54 PM

The match is nine weeks away. Are you sure Finnan is definitely out?

**noddy102** · 01/04/2009, 11:55 PM

Originally Posted by eirebhoy

Finnan and S.Reid are out for this game.

I'd go with McShane against Berbatov who's the perfect player for him to mark. O'Shea at right back.

Why not Foley @ right back and O'Shea, who must know Berbatov's weaknesses, at centre half?
Why the hell would you take O'Shea out of centre half, especially since he's been playing excellently in recent times for Ireland there. Trap is grooming him into a great partner for Dunne.

**Colbert Report** · 02/04/2009, 12:02 AM

I know why people are saying put McShane on Berbatov, because of the blinder he had marking Jan Koller a few years back. You should remember, that game finished 1-1 and guess who made the mistake that allowed Koller to score?

**tetsujin1979** · 02/04/2009, 12:07 AM

Originally Posted by noddy102

Finnan isn't fit and would also, like Duff need to prove his fitness.
If he was fit then I'd certainly put him in ahead of Foley, but I cannot see him being fit to be perfectly honest.

Originally Posted by eirebhoy

Finnan and S.Reid are out for this game.

According to this - http://www.skysports.com/story/0,195...108755,00.html - Finnan won't play again this season
So it'll be Kelly (assuming he gets gametime for Stoke)/Foley/McShane in that order for the right full slot

**Colbert Report** · 02/04/2009, 12:12 AM

Thanks for posting the link, I had missed that bit of news. That's too bad but at least we know now, nine weeks ahead, that he won't be available. I'd like to see more from Wilson, the Portsmouth right back, and Foley. Hopefully Kelly can get a few games at Stoke to get him match fit in time.

**Colbert Report** · 02/04/2009, 12:16 AM

What about Joey O'Brien at Bolton? He is due back from injury in April. He played two full seasons at right back.

**noddy102** · 02/04/2009, 12:19 AM

Originally Posted by Colbert Report

What about Joey O'Brien at Bolton? He is due back from injury in April. He played two full seasons at right back.

Any player that considers retiring from international football at his age because he's unwilling to prove himself a bit harder, has a long road to travel before he can be considered a starter.

**eirebhoy** · 02/04/2009, 12:27 AM

Originally Posted by Colbert Report

I know why people are saying put McShane on Berbatov, because of the blinder he had marking Jan Koller a few years back. You should remember, that game finished 1-1 and guess who made the mistake that allowed Koller to score?

McShane made no "mistake" for that goal. He did what most players would do in that situation. Letting Koller get a shot away isn't a mistake. That's to be expected in a 1 on 1. Anyway, McShane has had plenty of man of the match performances against tall, slow players. He put a motm performance against Berbatov on his premiership debut last season afair.

Originally Posted by noddy102

Why not Foley @ right back and O'Shea, who must know Berbatov's weaknesses, at centre half?

Would Berbatov not know O'Shea's weaknesses too? I like what I've seen of Foley but I think it's probably too tough a match to be putting him in. I suppose we could use the friendly to play him in first though. O'Shea and Dunne have done very well together but so have McShane and Dunne for the most part.

And let's face it. McShane is going to play since Finnan is out.

**The Fly** · 02/04/2009, 12:32 AM

Hunt won't start at the expense of McGeady.

**Colbert Report** · 02/04/2009, 12:33 AM

Originally Posted by eirebhoy

McShane made no "mistake" for that goal. He did what most players would do in that situation. Letting Koller get a shot away isn't a mistake. That's to be expected in a 1 on 1. Anyway, McShane has had plenty of man of the match performances against tall, slow players. He put a motm performance against Berbatov on his premiership debut last season afair.

I remember that match pretty well. Keane was still in charge. I distinctly remember McShane being unimpressive.

What are our options at right back?

**eirebhoy** · 02/04/2009, 12:44 AM

Originally Posted by Colbert Report

I remember that match pretty well. Keane was still in charge. I distinctly remember McShane being unimpressive.

It must be a different game as Keane wasn't in charge long.

http://football.guardian.co.uk/Match...-75103,00.html

Man of the match Paul McShane

The Republic of Ireland international is a raging bull of a centre-half but provided a calming influence here, combining aerial strength and tough tackling with clever positional awareness and an ability to play football from the back.

Best moment Too many to mention because McShane, 21, was incessantly breaking up opposition attacks with cunning interceptions and his robust marking.

http://www.tottenhamhotspurs.tv/foru...m-hotspur.html

Man of the Match for me would go to Sunderland's centre-half, McShane. He was outstanding. Won pretty much everything in the air and looked superb.