QuoteI believe Walters now has more Premier League goals than any other Irish player combined.
The second goal is a great goal. In fairness, Ireland left him with a lot to do because Ireland was advanced ahead of most of the QPR defence but probably realised he was moving to an obtuse shooting angle. Slipped it back in deliciously and Walters coupled power and precision to find the back of the net with plenty to do.
I believe Walters now has more Premier League goals than any other Irish player combined.
Have you moved into the reals of quantum physics here ? !Originally Posted by TheOneWhoKnocks
Just checked and it as Stephen Ireland who did a clever back heel to assist the first goal.
Only the third Republic of Ireland to score a Premier League hat-trick. Robbie Keane and Leon Best the others.
Not bad for a player "quadruped with hooves for feet" *
* a Charlie D quote, in a sarcastic jesting retort.
I think he would have got more credit for his hat trick had it not been QPR who are useless away from home.
Having said that he took his goals very well.
Will be interesting to see how he does if he continues playing centrally, if he keep banging in the goals
he should be able to do the same job for us.
A perfect hat-trick no less. One with his head and one with each back hoof.
http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/Stoke...ail/story.html
Stoke suspect that Walters has fractured his cheekbone. He could be a doubt for the Poland game.
If Walters, Brady, Pilkington and McGeady were all out of contention, that would leave McClean, Quinn & Long as realistic options for the wide positions.
Last edited by TheOneWhoKnocks; 14/03/2015 at 11:22 PM.
I couldn't imagine that keeping Walters out of the game. He'll be doing all he can to nab this mask off his Scottish teammate Adam:
JON Walters has tweeted the grim news that he sustained a fractured cheekbone - as feared - at West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.
Walters was forced to quit the game in the second half after being caught by an arm in the face when contesting a near-post corner.
He was due to undergo x-rays today amid fears he had suffered a fracture.
And he has confirmed as much with a cheeky Tweet this afternoon aimed jokingly at team-mate Robert Huth.
He wrote: "So in 10 yrs 2 fractured cheekbones A broken nose Eyebrows stitched bk on and Teeth knocked out. Yet I'm still better looking @robert_huth"
Walters now faces several weeks on the sidelines and that will disrupt his international commitments with Ireland at the end of the month.
Read more: http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/Stoke...#ixzz3UZL1XNHo
Personally, I think we would be better off without Walters in the team if we are going to make a proper go of this. And we have enough players playing half-fit or lacking match fitness. We don't need another. It's not like he's that important.
http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/s...er-318932.html
As recently as his latest squad announcement last week, Martin O’ Neill underlined the importance of the player to the Irish cause when he said: “Jon is not only wholehearted, when he is wide on the right-hand side you know what you are going to get.
“Jon is not going to beat three or four players and put in a great cross. What he will do is work for you there and he will hold it in his position and he will get in at the far post when the play is being built up on the left hand side.
“He’s done remarkably well considering he has now become a mainstay of the Stoke side when at the start of the season he thought that his time was nearly up and he had to be convinced by the manager to stay around.”
This kind of sums up the mentality of our team and shows why it is so easy for teams to figure us out. Does O'Neill really think players like Brady & McClean are so lacking in the fundamentals of football such as holding their position, tracking back and getting stuck in that he thinks he has to play Walters?
If he actually watched Brady & McClean he would see that they are quite adept at it. Bruce has praised Brady's versatility and his defensive strengths have kept Robertson out of the team in matches against bigger sides.
I'm fed up of this TBH. Walters was good against Germany but he was awful against Scotland. We need to show some ambition here. He has no pace, can't head the ball, can't cross and his link up play is average. He shouldn't be an automatic starter.
I agree with that overall but I think he's still a big loss as an option, but I would prefer if he was an option from the bench than a starter myself.
I couldn't imagine that keeping Walters out of the game. He'll be doing all he can to nab this mask off his Scottish teammate Adam:
Yea it does not sound like the sort of injury that would prevent you playing with some sort of cheek protection.
Not unless it is really bad anyway, if it was really bad it would not have been a suspect injury.
Not an auto starter for me. He should only play up top if needed , we should not be using him wide right
I thought Walters was better than Long in Glasgow though. If I was a defender I'd least like to face Long, just for the handful he represents. I think Walters' has more of a goal threat though I wouldn't want to be relying on either.
It's much of a muchness for me. I think Keane should start this game, a game I assume we'll be looking to be on the front foot in.
I think both Long and Walters could start as it's not looking certain Brady and McGeady will be fit. McClean didn't feature at all for Wigan last night. Injured, suspended or dropped?
McClean was suspended last night.
Thanks, I suspected as much.
I don't think O'Neill trusts Hoolahan and I think he'll be on the bench.
I think Whelan, McCarthy and Gibson might all start as a midfield 3, Gibson with license to probe forward. I think his recent Everton form proves his fitness and his ability. That means 3 of McClean, Long, Keane and Walters ought to start. My instinct is that McClean will keep his place for his pace, directness and ability to protect the left flank - maybe not as necessary if Ward doesn't start.
It's a tough one to call. If Walters misses out through injury (I doubt it) that'd make his decision easier.
I'd like to see a 433 with the above midfield, and probably McClean, Keane and Long upfront, with McClean and Long covering central, wide and wide defensive roles interchangeably.
I think lack of match fitness mitigates against McGeady, an O'Neill favourite, and he, Brady, Hoolahan and Walters represent good options from the bench.
Of course, injuries between now and then will dictate a lot.
My back 5 is Given, Coleman, O'Shea, Clark and Wilson.
Of the 15 players I mention above: it puts paid to the myth that we haven't got decent players. Most are EPL starters and the others have performed well at EPL and other levels. Can they be put together into a decent team?
am only going by what I read rather than witnessed but I think gibsons best performances recently have come playing as a deep lying midfielder
Possibly. But that doesn't mean he is best suited to that role for us, especially with McCarthy and Whelan available. I really don't want McCarthy to be played more advanced after he looked lost in that role in Georgia. I think Gibson is easily the best placed to be creative and he'd likely to be more so if anchored by two deeper players.
Didn't Gibson run the show in a recent Europa League game?
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