Strongest Irish line up

[the-blue-harp]

there been a lot of talk on here about who should be playing and who shouldnt etc. id like people write down their first eleven in their playing positions to get an idea how you would fit everyone in! the only change i could make is duff.

i think.
.........................given
finnan.....dunne............o'shea....kilbane
................whelan......s.reid
mcgeady.................................duff
.............doyle............keane

[Duggie]

there been a lot of talk on here about who should be playing and who shouldnt etc. id like people write down their first eleven in their playing positions to get an idea how you would fit everyone in! the only change i could make is duff.

i think.
.........................given
finnan.....dunne............o'shea....kilbane
................whelan......s.reid
mcgeady.................................duff
.............doyle............keane

ya now that whelan has claimed his place im happy with this side at the minute.

[noddy102]

Given
Finnan, O'Sh*t, Dunne, Delaney/Kilbane
S. Reid, A.Reid, Whelan, Duff/McGeady
Doyle, Keane.

Play Kilbane until Delaney gets some competitive experience.
Play Duff if properly fit, otherwise McGeady.

[Stuttgart88]

Would you really play Steven Reid right midfield where he has so frequently looked totally lost and ineffective in the past?

[Duggie]

dont worry it wont happen - noddy's team is so not trap's style.

[Delbertt]

Given
Finnan, O'Sh*t, Dunne, Delaney/Kilbane
S. Reid, A.Reid, Whelan, Duff/McGeady
Doyle, Keane.


Why have O'shea in your team if you think he's sh*t?

[third policeman]

Given
Finnan - Dunne - O'Shea - Kilbane
Whelan
S.Reid - A.Reid
Doyle - Keane - McGeady

That's my selection for the minute. Still have a suspicion that Joey O'Brien might do a better long term job than Whelan, and that St Ledger should be tried out to give us the option of moving O'Shea to left fullback. It's scary that we are relying on McShane and Delaneyfor defensive cover.

[noddy102]

Would you really play Steven Reid right midfield where he has so frequently looked totally lost and ineffective in the past?

Well he is naturally a right sided midfield player, and I'd like to accomodate Andy Reid into the team.
Steven has played many games for Blackburn in the past (including this season) on the right. He was awful against Germany in 2006, but then he had a back injury. It would be a much more balanced midfield imo, if Reid was on the right, and Andy Reid in the middle, plus it would allow McGeady to play on his favoured left hand side.



Why have O'shea in your team if you think he's sh*t?

Because no matter how good he plays for Ireland (he was fantastic in both games just gone), he'll always be John O'Sh*t for me.

[Billy-Green]

----------------Given

Finnan----Dunne------O'Shea-----Delaney

Murphy----Whelan-----S.Reid-----McGeady
----------------A.Reid

-----------------Keane

[Brendan 82]

I think this could be our strongest team at the moment

Given
Finnan OShea Dunne Kilbane
McGeady Whelan S Reid Duff
Keane Doyle

[Stuttgart88]

Well he is naturally a right sided midfield player, and I'd like to accomodate Andy Reid into the team.
Steven has played many games for Blackburn in the past (including this season) on the right. He was awful against Germany in 2006, but then he had a back injury. It would be a much more balanced midfield imo, if Reid was on the right, and Andy Reid in the middle, plus it would allow McGeady to play on his favoured left hand sideGood response mate, but I couldn't disagree more :)

It wasn't just Germany where Reid was poor, I can think of several games - most notably the must-win game against Russia under Kerr where he was awful in right midfield. Just because he's right footed doesn't make him right-sided!

He has impressed me at CM and that's where he adds most value to us - and to Blackburn. Did you see his performance there away to Arsenal last season? Quality. Anyway, just my opinion.

The John O'Shea retort was less measured.

[eirebhoy]

Horses for courses now. For me if we could select 12 players the team picks itself. So one has to drop out for each game. Maybe Whelan on the bench for the easier games (Georgia, Cyprus home). McGeady probably on the bench for the tougher games where a draw would be good enough (Italy away).

We'll be lucky to have everyone available anyway so the team might just pick itself. Well, if you're going to pick Hunt over Reid then it doesn't. :)

[newbie]

for me its the team picked the past 2 games except with Duff in for Hunt. 2 games ago id have said Andy in for Whelan but you cannot drop the lad after his last 2 games for us. very very impressed!

If Whelan was to not get any game time between now and then for Stoke the Reid in for him at home to Cyprus.

[Billy-Green]

Maybe Whelan on the bench for the easier games (Georgia, Cyprus home). McGeady probably on the bench for the tougher games where a draw would be good enough (Italy away).


I dont think we can afford to class any game as easy can we, remember cyrpus and san marino last campaign. I think are strongest 11 for each game is a must.

[eirebhoy]

I think are strongest 11 for each game is a must.
Our strongest 11 at home to Georgia and Cyprus contains a central midfield of Steven and Andy Reid imo. ;)

[Billy-Green]

Our strongest 11 at home to Georgia and Cyprus contains a central midfield of Steven and Andy Reid imo. ;)

Good answer, you should go into politics :D

[mark12345]

It's all talk about Andy Reid not being included, and rightly so. He is a very creative player. But is everyone forgetting Owen Garvan. His two goals against Portugal in the week were class. He's got a bright future and is as creative as they come. Garvan should at least be among the substitutes. Scannell is a fine looking prospect also.

My team

Given
Finnan
Dunne
O'Shea
Hunt

McGeady
Reid
Whelan
Duff

Keane
Doyle

Subs: Reid (A), Garvan, Scannell, Kelly, Kiely, Murphy, Keogh, Delaney

[kingdomkerry]

Home

.................Given
Finnan O'Shea Dunne Kilbane
Duff S Reid A Reid McGeady
........Doyle Keane

Away

............Given
Finnan O'Shea Dunne Kilbane
Duff Whelan S Reid McGeady
..........Keane Doyle

[Greenforever]

It's all talk about Andy Reid not being included, and rightly so. He is a very creative player. But is everyone forgetting Owen Garvan. His two goals against Portugal in the week were class. He's got a bright future and is as creative as they come. Garvan should at least be among the substitutes. Scannell is a fine looking prospect also.

My team

Given
Finnan
Dunne
O'Shea
Hunt

McGeady
Reid
Whelan
Duff

Keane
Doyle

Subs: Reid (A), Garvan, Scannell, Kelly, Kiely, Murphy, Keogh, Delaney


Are you mad, Hunt at left full and no place even on the Subs bench for Kilbane?

[Razors left peg]

At this moment Im not sure what my first choice starting 11 would be, I'd love to have Andy Reid in the team and he's my favorite Irish player at the moment but I cant argue with the performance of the players in the last 2 games.Im just glad that we have a manager that we can trust at the moment and Im happy to leave it up to him to decide what he thinks is our strongest team

[Scram]

Well he is naturally a right sided midfield player, and I'd like to accomodate Andy Reid into the team.
Steven has played many games for Blackburn in the past (including this season) on the right. He was awful against Germany in 2006, but then he had a back injury. It would be a much more balanced midfield imo, if Reid was on the right, and Andy Reid in the middle, plus it would allow McGeady to play on his favoured left hand side.




Because no matter how good he plays for Ireland (he was fantastic in both games just gone), he'll always be John O'Sh*t for me.

He was dodgy in both games! He gave the goal away v Georgia. Far from fantastic!!


..............Given.............

Finnan O'Shea Dunne Kilbane

........S. Reid..Carlsey......

Keane.... A Reid....... Duff/McGeady


..............Doyle..............

[Supreme feet]

---------------Murphy-----------------
O. Heary---Gavin----Gartland----Powell
Ryan------Fahey----Gamble----Brennan
-----------Crowe----Fenn-------------

Only joking. They'd still hammer San Marino, though.

Has to be the same team that Trap picked, only with Duff for Hunt. I've got the feeling that, in the event of injuries, the squad might be a little threadbare - our one injured player was badly missed in the last two games. I'd like to see Keith Treacy, Owen Garvan and maybe Darron Gibson progress in the next year or so, if only to stop us from relying on Hunt and Miller as back-up in midfield. We also badly need more cover in defence. Things look fine for now, but injuries, suspensions and loss of form will have a say in team selection, just as it did under Brian Kerr. We need more strength in depth all round.

[Colbert Report]

...................Given.......................... ..
Finnan.....Dunne........O'Shea.....Kilbane.
.............S.Reid.......Carsley...............
Ireland....................................Duff...
............Keane..........Doyle................

If Duff is unavailable swap in Hunt for the first half, replaced at half time by Andy Reid, whose natural position is left wing, not central midfield!
If Ireland is unavailable swap in McGeady
If Carsley is unavailable swap in Whelan

[noby]

Seen as 4-2-3-1 is the new black:

...................Given.......................... ..
Finnan.....Dunne........O'Shea.....Kilbane.
.............S.Reid.......Whelan...............
McGeady.........Keane..............Duff
.................Doyle........................

Andy Reid could be accommodated either as one of the centre midfield pairings or in Keane's roll. Murphy could play up top also.

[lionelhutz]

.........................given
finnan.....dunne............o'shea....kilbane
................whelan......s.reid
mcgeady.................................duff
.............doyle............keane

This will be the starting team vs Cyprus if all are fit. It's his tried and trusted - he's already stated he'll start Duff if fit so that's Hunt dropped to the bench.

[Colbert Report]

Surely Carsley would get the nod over Whelan. I read a piece on this here website where he said just that, but can't find it.

[Razors left peg]

...................Given.......................... ..
Finnan.....Dunne........O'Shea.....Kilbane.
.............S.Reid.......Carsley...............
Ireland....................................Duff...
............Keane..........Doyle................

If Duff is unavailable swap in Hunt for the first half, replaced at half time by Andy Reid, whose natural position is left wing, not central midfield!
If Ireland is unavailable swap in McGeady
If Carsley is unavailable swap in Whelan

surely that IF has been resolved for at least the foreseeable future

[Scram]

Seen as 4-2-3-1 is the new black:

...................Given.......................... ..
Finnan.....Dunne........O'Shea.....Kilbane.
.............S.Reid.......Whelan...............
McGeady.........Keane..............Duff
.................Doyle........................

Andy Reid could be accommodated either as one of the centre midfield pairings or in Keane's roll. Murphy could play up top also.

I've already posted a 4-2-3-1 above but it's not simply using the current Trappatoni team. Hunt is dropped. A. Reid is a sure thing to start and the only question is is McGeady is now providing as much as Duff in current form....oh and Carlsley is back in!

..............Given.............

Finnan O'Shea Dunne Kilbane

........S. Reid..Carlsey......

Keane.... A Reid....... Duff/McGeady


..............Doyle..............

[Irish_Praha]

In reference to Ireland's strongest line up there's been a lot of talk about who should partner S. Reid i.e. A. Reid or Whelan. Which indicates a general consensus that S. Reid should, when fit, be one of the first names on the team sheet. However, with S. Reid's injury problems it's probable that he is going to be unavailable for some of the qualifiers. Would A. Reid and Whelan also be an effective paring or should someone else be called in? For example a A. Reid-Carsley CMF pairing like against Germany at home. IMO a CMF of Whelan-Carsley would be way too conserative/limited.

[Seagull-4-life]

given
finnan o'shea dunne kilbane
mcgeady s. reid carsley a. reid
keane doyle

if ireland comes back he's in though

[Colbert Report]

given
finnan o'shea dunne kilbane
mcgeady s. reid carsley a. reid
keane doyle

if ireland comes back he's in though

substitute Duff in for Andy Reid and you've hit the jackpot. Totally agree with Carsley instead of Whelan and your Stephen Ireland comment.

[richieos]

seeing as finnan and stephen reid are injured, for the cyprus game i would have:

given


foley o'shea dunne kilbane

whelan

Mcgeady A. Reid Duff


keane doyle