Séamus Coleman (D Everton b.1988)

[DeLorean]

Next up is the great white hope, 3-5-2. This involves playing Coleman as a centre back to squeeze the two lads in. So under this system we can forget about Coleman's attacking abilities from right back as they will not be getting used. At that point you have to ask whether it is worth changing the entire system to fit in a player who would still be playing out of position and wouldn't be able to use the best elements of their game anyway. In any case what would be the justification for picking Coleman at centre back ahead of Egan, Clark or Duffy, all three are better centre backs than Coleman is? So again it doesn't work.

Good post. I would see more merit in this formation though overall. I think Coleman's best work these days is defensively, so it would be worth a try. On the right of a three he could pick up a player like Son in a similar way to what he did yesterday, and he's good enough on the ball to carry it out and find passes into midfield in the way SK would like. He did seem to do okay there on a couple of occasions for Everton last season too, by all accounts.

Added to that, it allows the rest of the back 'five' to play the system they're playing at club level, so it wouldn't be changing the entire system 'just' to get Coleman into the side.


Look, it's unfortunate that two of our best players play in the same position, but that's just what happens sometimes in international football. I have watched and listened to Scottish supporters and journalists spend the last two years coming up with all kinds of madcap alternative formations to get all their midfielders and left backs into their team at the same time. Finally last week Steve Clarke cracked and went for it. He played Scott McTominay at centre back. And it was a disaster. Funnily enough all the same supporters and journalists now want "players picked in their best positions or not picked at all" as though Clarke was mad to ever consider the idea.

I haven't seen much of Scotland myself but they seem to accommodate both Tierney & Robertson, which was a similar conundrum to our own. Robertson is generally moved forward to the left wing I think? I know Tierney was injured for a good while but how is this working out for them?


People really need to accept that and move on.

I think that's probably the bottom line for now anyway, just can't see Kenny moving away from 4-3-3 this early.

[Stuttgart88]

Tierney has done very well left CB in a 3 at Arsenal. It does help when Aubameyang is the guy who is your out ball of course. But Tierney and Coleman have similar attributes imho. Busy, good with ball at feet, good in tight spaces, mature, good decision making...

[Stuttgart88]

https://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/seamus-coleman-and-matt-doherty-the-perfect-fit-for-slovakia-playoff-39527573.htmlEamon Sweeney is becoming a ringer for Heston Blumenthal.

[paul_oshea]

cant agree. I couldn't see doherty offering any less than our other options in the right of a 3 man CM for example.
SC could play right of a back 3 with doherty as right wing back.

Agree with this, forgetting what he offers for wolves/spurs, he would be just as good as anything that is currently in our midfield on the right side

[paul_oshea]

Can you copy the full article?

i dont have a subscription, anyway its reinforced my point of having coleman in a defensive capacity for ireland even as a player sitting in front of the defense. Or just having doherty right midfield. Clearly doherty has learnt and adapted through his career anyway, as has coleman, both need to be playing, and certainly we can't afford to lose the defensive capability of Coleman. That was our weakest point over the two games. Bringing Coleman in, in whatever capacity(bar goalie maybe) will give us a bit more steel and anticipation there.

[Fixer82]

I think I'd still be picking Coleman ahead of Doherty if the both cannot be accommodated.
He is the captain and he is far more experienced at international level.
My preference would be to fit Coleman into a three man CB with Doherty as a WB

[Stuttgart88]

i dont have a subscription, anyway its reinforced my point of having coleman in a defensive capacity for ireland even as a player sitting in front of the defense. Or just having doherty right midfield. Clearly doherty has learnt and adapted through his career anyway, as has coleman, both need to be playing, and certainly we can't afford to lose the defensive capability of Coleman. That was our weakest point over the two games. Bringing Coleman in, in whatever capacity(bar goalie maybe) will give us a bit more steel and anticipation there.That's the nicest thing you've ever said about Randolph!

I'd like to think they can both be accomodated somehow but just saying one in defence the other in midfield isn't really enough. Or maybe it is, but I like to think of the consequences / likely outcomes. What role in what kind of midfield is the key question for me.

[Eirambler]

On the Tierney/Robertson thing, the current Scottish approach is to play Robertson at left back and Tierney inside him at left centre back. It gets both players on the pitch but they lose a lot of Tierney's attacking game as a result.

However, the big difference between Scotland and Ireland on this is that Scotland have no international quality centre backs at all, it's a huge problem position for them. So, even though you lose a lot of Tierney's attacking game, without it he's probably still a better centre back than the next best option (Grant Hanley or someone similar).

Whereas we have three good centre back options at least, and a few more developing nicely behind them. Coleman isn't a better centre back than any of those three (imo). So I don't think the Tierney Robertson example really fits with our Coleman Doherty situation.

[DeLorean]

Fair enough. I think Coleman could potentially give us a bit more in the RCB position of a three than some of those alternatives though, but it remains to be seen of course.

[zero]

I can't see us switching from 4-3-3 ahead of the Slovakia game. That's the system and formation the players worked on under Kenny and played in both matches.

If Coleman is playing at 80% plus of his best then we can't leave him out I would think, even if it means sacrificing some attacking purpose. So, assuming a 4-3-3 that means dropping Doherty or accomodating him elsewhere, i.e. right sided of the central three or right sided attacker in place of o'dowda. He could perhaps play the latter sitting further back to give us a bit more protection but it does seems to create imbalance in the team...

[Bielsa´s irish]

Doherty is very versatile. Coleman is a specialist as right back and a leader as it was shown the other day. Coleman is a better dribbler but Doherty has bettera accuracy and a finesse in his passing, it shows that Doherty played as central midfielder for ireland as a youngster. Doherty can score more goals but Coleman can dribble out opponents easily. Coleman is the better defender of both as it was shown yesterday.

Doherty should play in midfield alongside hendrick and jim mccarthy

[tetsujin1979]

His name is James. Nobody calls him Jim, anywhere, ever.

[Trequartista20]

Better that than 'Jimbo'.

[youngirish]

Taken off. Injured against Brighton.

[passinginterest]

Taken off. Injured against Brighton.

Tweaked a hamstring trying to track Connolly (who did really well to beat him and hold up the ball before putting in a really dangerous ball).

[seanfhear]

Taken off. Injured against Brighton.
Darn it !

[elatedscum]

Tweaked a hamstring trying to track Connolly (who did really well to beat him and hold up the ball before putting in a really dangerous ball).

Can’t really see him making it if it’s a hamstring. I guess Cyrus Christie is the only option. To be honest, after that at right back, I think Sean Gannon could be the next best right back we have - he’s been consistently among the 3 best players in the league for about 5 years and genuinely feel he’s been overlooked in terms of clubs abroad. Internationally, If he was playing in any other position apart from right back, I think he would have come under consideration but when you’re competing with Coleman and Doherty, it’s a non-starter. He was injured for the Dundalk game in the aviva anyway, so I guess he’d still be out...

Actually, Dara O’Shea just occurred to me as the most likely call up... don’t think I’ve ever seen him play right back personally, so not sure how he handles the position but I know he did it for WBA last season...

[Trequartista20]

Joe Rafferty's another option. A solid player who can cover both fullback positions though never really gets talked about in the context of Ireland. And Danny McNamara's playing regularly in the Scottish Premiership. Alan Browne can play at right back too.

But yes, I wouldn't be at all surprised to see O'Shea get the call.

[Charlie Darwin]

Can’t really see him making it if it’s a hamstring. I guess Cyrus Christie is the only option. To be honest, after that at right back, I think Sean Gannon could be the next best right back we have - he’s been consistently among the 3 best players in the league for about 5 years and genuinely feel he’s been overlooked in terms of clubs abroad.
Gannon is injured as well. He's had trials abroad afaik too - not sure why it hasn't worked out because I think he's good enough.

[elatedscum]

With Lenihan out as well, assuming Coleman is out, I guess it’ll be 2 from: O’Shea, Christie and Long (guessing Clark has a recurrence of an injury, as he didn’t make the squad against Newport or Burnley)

[Bielsa´s irish]

injured today lasted half an hour
carlitos hurry seamus

[seanfhear]

injured today lasted half an hour
carlitos hurry seamus
Scarface ?

[Fixer82]

injured today lasted half an hour
carlitos hurry seamus

He came off after half an hour

[seanfhear]

We missed him over the last 3 Games.

[Razors left peg]

injured today lasted half an hour
carlitos hurry seamus
Can't wait to hear the story of how in the northern reaches of Peru this is what everyone calls Coleman

[Trequartista20]

injured today lasted half an hour
carlitos hurry seamus

That's just his way.

[tetsujin1979]

Coleman on the bench this evening against Arsenal
1340333645555482625

[elatedscum]

Watching the Everton / West Ham game. Coleman very good, looking one of Everton’s best players - but on the recovery runs, he really looks like he’s lost 2 yards of pace. Maybe it’s a lack of fitness due to the recent injuries or maybe it’s paranoia about re-injuring the hamstring for a 3rd time or whatever it would be and he’s only running at 60%. Or else those hamstring injuries have really sapped the pace from him - which is a bit worrying

[Bielsa´s irish]

Best Everton player by a mile today, played very well but their players seem very tired, had a chance to score but opted for a low pass instead of shooting in his one on one vs the magpies keeper.

Clark and Hendrick played well for them as well, Hendrick was playing as a holding midfielder with Shelvey pulling the strings

[RiffRaff]

[QUOTE=Bielsa´s irish;2064696]Best Everton player by a mile today, played very well but their players seem very tired, had a chance to score but opted for a low pass instead of shooting in his one on one vs the magpies keeper.

Have to disagree on Coleman, I thought he was very poor yesterday.

[irishfan86]

I thought it was a mostly steady game for Coleman, punctuated by a couple of important defensive interventions. There is no universe where he was the best Everton player on the pitch.

Had a bad giveaway late in the game which went unpunished. You could argue he was partially culpable on the second Newcastle goal by going into the box when the corner was taken — usually he is last man back but his team was chasing an equalizer and I’m probably being harsh.

Bottom line — positive and negative moments in the match but I wouldn’t suggest he was decisive in terms of the outcome either way.

[Bielsa´s irish]

Carlito's way!! Seamus as a midfielder today. Very good option

[seanfhear]

Philip Lahm.


Carlito's way!! Seamus as a midfielder today. Very good option

[RiffRaff]

Played really well in midfield tonight. Doherty on the other hand had a very quiet game and was taken off

[SkStu]

He’s so effective coming inside and it worked even better up the pitch. Excellent appearance this evening.

[irishfan86]

Where in midfield was Coleman playing. Wide right? Centrally?

[Trequartista20]

Seems to be playing on the right side of midfield today for Everton in the derby, looking after Robertson.

Could he play there for us?

[Bielsa´s irish]

Yes, but Kenny must change formation.

[tetsujin1979]

1363165920047300611

[Trequartista20]

You think three at the back is way forward? Where does Doherty fit in?

[Colbert Report]

Seems like he's been displaced by Mason Holgate at right-back for Everton, as he's on the bench again today and hasn't played since the 2-0 win over Liverpool on February 20. He has one more year on his deal and turns 33 this October.
.

[Bielsa´s irish]

Seems like he's been displaced by Mason Holgate at right-back for Everton, as he's on the bench again today and hasn't played since the 2-0 win over Liverpool on February 20. He has one more year on his deal and turns 33 this October.
.

Carlos fault

at home vs the relegation pack a tragedy for Everton toons, today and fulham

[elatedscum]

Seems like he's been displaced by Mason Holgate at right-back for Everton, as he's on the bench again today and hasn't played since the 2-0 win over Liverpool on February 20. He has one more year on his deal and turns 33 this October.
.

He got injured during the Liverpool game. Just returning this weekend. He was man of the match against Liverpool. Wasn’t he?

[Colbert Report]

He wasn't man of the match yesterday, he came on near the end and made some horrible passes.

[DeLorean]

Forgivable. One thing Doherty's move to Spurs has proved (to me) is that Coleman is a far superior right back, Doherty isn't even a good one really. It shouldn't be the dilemma it was, but if Doc can be accommodated elsewhere that might work.

[Colbert Report]

Why not just play him in front of Coleman in a right hand sided midfield role? If we insist with this 4-3-3 nonsense, play him as the right winger.

[Fixer82]

Why not just play him in front of Coleman in a right hand sided midfield role? If we insist with this 4-3-3 nonsense, play him as the right winger.

McCarthy tried that in Gibraltar and it didn't work and he just abandoned it

[Diggs246]

McCarthy tried that in Gibraltar and it didn't work and he just abandoned it
But that was a mistake by McCarthy. Nothing worked that day everyone was awful ( bar randy)

[irishfan86]

Yeah I really hate that it was abandoned after one match. There are matches where playing two natural defenders on one side makes sense, and when we're the team expected to dominate, it's not the game to do it.

I can also understand McCarthy's perspective to a degree in that in international football you have so few opportunities to actually persist with an experiment that doesn't work initially.

[Bielsa´s irish]

motm performance so far. Such a joy!