The Cyprus game plan

[bwagner]

Ok fellas so we are getting real close to this game and I gota say I am a nervous wreck already.

What team you you guys send out ?

What is cyprus strongest 11 ?? do many play for the team thats in the champions league ?

3 points is not gona be easy do we really need them and can beat these guys I feel .

Your taughts....

[kingdomkerry]

If we cant beat cyprus well at home, we should lower our aspirations a bit.

[Noelys Guitar]

Looking for a 1-0. Full backs pushing up and creating plenty of chances for Doyle and Keane. Denying the Cypriots any clear cut chances and to stop them creating anything from midfield. I expect Dunne and O'Shea to win everything in the air this time. My only worry is McShane coming in for Finnan?. McShane is prone to at least one howler a game. And when his confidence starts ebbing he can't get forward/passing goes astray. But overall I expect Doyle and Keane to give their defense some real problems. Cyprus are a good team and I will be very happy with any type of win.

[Sligo Hornet]

Keep Possession and use Duff to gain ground. We have strikers who can score for fun then.

My only concern is if Steven Reid doesn't get his form or fitness back in time how are you going to keep the ball? If that happens I really hope he uses Andy Reid instead of Liam Miller.

I would prefer Andy Reid for Home games......his ability to pick out Robbies runs will give us the attacking threat needed

[bwagner]

I agree Sligo

My team would be

Given

Mc Shane Dunne O Shea Kilbane
Mc Geady A Reid Whelan Duff
Keane Doyle

I think Mc Shane will do well there and Mc Geady does track back now alot

[Cloggs]

I agree Sligo

My team would be

Given

Mc Shane Dunne O Shea Kilbane
Mc Geady A Reid Whelan Duff
Keane Doyle

I think Mc Shane will do well there and Mc Geady does track back now alot

i think the right hand side is a bit lightweight but that will more than likely be the team if finnan and steven reid are both out.is there a chance that finnan might be fit to play yet?

[richieos]

guys, seriously dont worry about this match. cyprus can be dangerous at home to teams who underestimate them, but they havent won a significant away game in a very long time, and their draw against us is considered one of their greatest ever results, and bear in mind that was under stan the man. seriously these guys dont travel well, and against an organised team like ireland they have no chance, my bet is on 3-0

[cavan_fan]

guys, seriously dont worry about this match. cyprus can be dangerous at home to teams who underestimate them, but they havent won a significant away game in a very long time, and their draw against us is considered one of their greatest ever results, and bear in mind that was under stan the man. seriously these guys dont travel well, and against an organised team like ireland they have no chance, my bet is on 3-0

This way for fate tempting man^^^^^^^

Anyway I think the days of 3-0 wins died the day we hired Trap, 1-0 all the way!

[Wangball]

How sweet would it be to hit them for 5????

[TheBoss]

What is cyprus strongest 11 ?? do many play for the team thats in the champions league ?


Cyprus usually play a 3-4-3 or 4-3-3 at Home, but away from Home, they really defensive more like 5-4-1, 4-5-1.

Most of their players play with Famagusta, APOEL and Omonia, and they have done really well in Europe as we know.

Full backs like to foward as do Wingers.
I would guess:

GK: Morfis or Georgallides
RB: Elia
CB: Christou
CB: Nicolaou
LB: Charalambous
RM: Aloneftis
CM: Charalambides
CM: Makrides
CM: Michail
LM: Okkas
ST: M Constantinou

[Fergie's Son]

Is it confirmed that Finnan is out? S. Reid would be a big blow.

My concern is in the midfield. We simply can't be dominated the way we were in the away match and, to some extent, at Croke Park. As has been mentioned earlier, we have strikers who can score and score well against Cyprus but we just need to dominate possession in the middle of the pitch.

[richieos]

This way for fate tempting man^^^^^^^

Anyway I think the days of 3-0 wins died the day we hired Trap, 1-0 all the way!

im actually a pessimistic person, i just really would be shocked if we didnt win well against cyprus. and just because trap is a defensive coach doesnt mean we'll always win 1-0 etc, look at his history, he won 4 and 5 nil regularly against poor teams with italy, i remember a 4 nil win over a very good wales team with an inzaghi hatrick

[irishultra]

ye being defensive doesnt mean we won't score goals. some teams are just good at scoring even if they arent that good while others are more conservative and tend to get about 17 a campaign.

[Crosby87]

I agree with the poster who said if we dont win, we would have to rethink our goals here...
I dont care what anyone says about how there are no minnows anymore, and how we lost in Cyprus, etc...BOTTOM LINE is if we can't beat Cyprus at home then there is no point to trying to get to the World Cup, it simply wont happen.
That being said I will be keeping my fingers crossed this week and next injury wise.

[tetsujin1979]

If Steven Reid is injured, Andy Reid might come in for him. Remember the home game under Kerr against Cyprus? We won 3-0, and Reid tore them apart. I won a few quid after backing him to score from outside the area as well! Duff won a penalty as well IIRC, and Keane converted it.

[Sligo Hornet]

If Steven Reid is injured, Andy Reid might come in for him. Remember the home game under Kerr against Cyprus? We won 3-0, and Reid tore them apart. I won a few quid after backing him to score from outside the area as well! Duff won a penalty as well IIRC, and Keane converted it.

As I mentioned elsewhere, I would prefer Andy to play in the Home games.....he gives us more attacking options, and that's what we should be doing especially early on against teams like Cyprus

[Reddladd]

We've performed well away from home and had our chances to beat Montenegro. I would think it will be more of the same against Cyprus however in front of a home crowd we should be able to put some of the chances away. I would expect to score at least twice against the Cypriots!

[gwhite]

Anyone got any idea when the squad's being announced?

[noddy102]

Anyone got any idea when the squad's being announced?

I'd imagine after this weekend.

[backstothewall]

I don't like the idea of Mcshane at right back (or anywhere)

Are Stephen Kelly and Joey O'Brien fit and available?

[Cloggs]

I don't like the idea of Mcshane at right back (or anywhere)

Are Stephen Kelly and Joey O'Brien fit and available?

yeah nobody has mentioned joey o'brien at all.surely when hes fit hes a much better option than mcshane at right full.he came on as a sub today in the game against west ham.

[irishultra]

well mcshane has played right back on the back of two victories for Hull against Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur of England.

My only concern would be what he offers from an attacking perspective, but judging by his elastico a couple of seasons ago he might offer more than people would think.

So what team do people want to line out if Kelly, Finnan, Steven Reid are injured.

[Irish_Praha]

well mcshane has played right back on the back of two victories for Hull against Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur of England.

My only concern would be what he offers from an attacking perspective, but judging by his elastico a couple of seasons ago he might offer more than people would think.

So what team do people want to line out if Kelly, Finnan, Steven Reid are injured.


There has been plenty of discussion as to who should partner S.Reid in our CMF as he has to be one of the first players on the team sheet.
I posed a question a few weeks ago about our best CMF pairing if S. Reid got injured but got no reply.

It will be interesting to see if Carsley is recalled to the squad. If so then I presume a pair from A. Reid, Whelan, Miller and Carsley will be chosen.
I wouldn't be happy at all with Miller in there and a CMF of Carsley-Whelan would IMO be too limited. So that leaves either Reid-Carsley or Reid-Whelan.
It would be a close call but I myself would go for Reid-Carsley because whelan can't be match fit but wouldn't complain too much if it was Reid-Whelan.

My team would be:

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

McShane-Dunne-O'Shea-Kilbane

Duff--A.Reid--Carsley--McGeady

--------Keane--Doyle-----

[bmorgan87]

The team will be this:

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

McShane-Dunne-O'Shea-Kilbane

Duff--Whelan--S.Reid--McGeady

--------Keane--Doyle-----

depending on fitness of Finnan of course, then mcshane would be dropped..
it is strange whelan has been 1 of our top players so far this campaign and hasnt got his place for STOKE!
if trappatoni sees something in him and has played him every minute of managing ireland how can the stoke city manager not see anything!?
i think if we start with the team above and then take andy reid and s.hunt on with about 20mins r so left to go (no latter) to run at their defence and tear them apart more if needed we would do good!

[irishultra]

I think Whelan is an average player but his style of play doesn't suit Stoke. He is not physical enough to be in their team, for us he works, cause he's just in there to keep things ticking over.


Steven Reid is out by the way.

Some players might just suit international football better, steven reid might be an example of this.

[Cloggs]

There has been plenty of discussion as to who should partner S.Reid in our CMF as he has to be one of the first players on the team sheet.
I posed a question a few weeks ago about our best CMF pairing if S. Reid got injured but got no reply.

It will be interesting to see if Carsley is recalled to the squad. If so then I presume a pair from A. Reid, Whelan, Miller and Carsley will be chosen.
I wouldn't be happy at all with Miller in there and a CMF of Carsley-Whelan would IMO be too limited. So that leaves either Reid-Carsley or Reid-Whelan.
It would be a close call but I myself would go for Reid-Carsley because whelan can't be match fit but wouldn't complain too much if it was Reid-Whelan.

My team would be:

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

McShane-Dunne-O'Shea-Kilbane

Duff--A.Reid--Carsley--McGeady

--------Keane--Doyle-----

don't think that theres any chance that trap will drop whelan for the game against cyprus.i'd say that the only change from the team you're suggesting would be carsley out and whelan in.doubt if carsley will even make the squad as he doesn't seem to really figure in traps plans.

[richieos]

Squad Announced:


Given
Kiely
Joe Murphy

O'Brien
O'Shea
Dunne
McShane
Bruce
Kilbane
Delaney

Whelan
A.Reid
Miller
Mcgeady
Hunt
Duff

Keane
Keogh
Murphy
Long
Doyle

[Fergie's Son]

Well he didn't exactly reach out to strenghten the midfield now did he?

My team from that would be:

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

O'Brien---- Dunne ---- O'Shea ----- Kilbane

Mcgeady----A. Reid --- Whelan --- Duff

Keane----- Doyle

He may not pick A. Reid though so this may be all moot. I still say that we were overrun in the midfield in Cyprus.

[Duggie]

please tell me it wont be whealan and miller in midfield together. please. andy has to come in now. were at home so trap cant be overly concerned.

[Fergie's Son]

Miller seems to be a very strange choice. Has he not seen the tapes from our last two matches against Cyprus?

[carloz]

The physical aspect will be very important. They basicall bullied us physically home and away in the last campaign. It was like men versus boys. A lot of that will depend on Whealan and Miller(damn S. Reid is a big miss:() . But i think we will have enough class with Duff, McGeady and an on form Doyle to win.

[Noelys Guitar]

Trap has confirmed that the back four will be McShane, Dunne, O'Shea and Kilbane although whether McShane will start at full back or center half has apparently yet to be decided. Miller seems to have got the nod to replace S .Reid going by the latest report in the Herald.

But will Reid's absence come with any hope attached for namesake Andy? Hard to tell from Trapattoni's only relevant comment yesterday.

"We change the player but not the tactics because our team has good balance," he said before confirming that Liam Miller has declared himself fully fit. Miller was next in line if Steven Reid had pulled out of the game against Montenegro because of his knee injury, and he missed Sunderland's draw with Arsenal at the weekend because of a groin strain.

He now has a full week to recover if he needs it, and it would be a major surprise if he wasn't picked to start alongside Glenn Whelan.

Trapattoni also revealed that Kevin Kilbane, Richard Dunne, John O'Shea and Paul McShane would make up his back four though he has yet to settle on who will play where.

[Fergie's Son]

It's a strong back four in terms of physciality but we're lacking muscle in the middle. To be honest, I'd have Carlsley ahead of Miller if he isn't going to play A. Reid. A little concerned at the moment.

[Legendary Bear]

I dont think Trap will want very attacking full backs. He'll be relying on the wingmen and Doyle/Keane partnership to do the damage.

Is Kilbane still wearing the blinkers? Only one real slip up with them on last game. Predator blinkers anyone?

[richieos]

I dont think Trap will want very attacking full backs. He'll be relying on the wingmen and Doyle/Keane partnership to do the damage.

Is Kilbane still wearing the blinkers? Only one real slip up with them on last game. Predator blinkers anyone?

its an italian tradition to play with attacking full backs when you're at home and i think thats the only reason hes unsure whether mcshane would be better in the centre or not