Bulgaria : what is our best team if available?

[highlight100]

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]

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]

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

[Colbert Report]

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]

^^^^^^^
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]

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]

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

[noddy102]

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]

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]

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.

Finnan and S.Reid are out for this game.
According to this - http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11842_5108755,00.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]

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]

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

[noddy102]

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]

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.


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]

Hunt won't start at the expense of McGeady.

[Colbert Report]

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]

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_Report/0,,-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/forum/match-reports/751-sunderland-1-0-tottenham-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.

[tricky_colour]

Hunt won't start at the expense of McGeady.


You think Trap will drop one of his best performers?
I don't even know if Trap supports Celtic so you might be wrong.

[sligoman]

Seamie Coleman is a better right back than McShane.

[Colbert Report]

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

http://football.guardian.co.uk/Match_Report/0,,-75103,00.html


http://www.tottenhamhotspurs.tv/forum/match-reports/751-sunderland-1-0-tottenham-hotspur.html

Fair enough, I must be mistaken. I may be remembering Sunderland's first season in the Premiership, not this season when he was playing for Hull.

[irishfan86]

-------------Given---------
Foley---Dunne---O'Shea--Kilbane

McGeady---Whelan---Andrews--Hunt

--------Keane---Folan-----

Doyle is a better player than Folan, but Folan complements Keane better.

We need to get Foley or a fit Stephen Kelly at right back, and get McShane back on the bench as centre-half cover. He CANNOT play fullback, and O'Shea and Dunne are our best centre-halves, so he must go no further than the bench.

Hunt doesn't deserve to be dropped, and Duff isn't very effective on the right, so I'd go with McGeady there.

Still a huge Duff fan obviously but maybe just bringing him on for the last 30 minutes or so would be the best option, especially if he's not fully match fit depending on how he finishes the season fitness wise.

Still not convinced about central midfield, but there is no obvious alternative to Whelan-Andrews.

[danonion]

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.


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.

In fairness Eirebhoy Sir Phillip of Babb could have a MotM performance against Berbatov. Berbatov is brilliant at times but when he's in a stinky, sulky mood any centre half could look like they're doing the business.

And McShane was rubbish for the Koller goal. He's like a headless chicken at centre-half, he's a liabilty on the pitch and ought to be replaced.

And no being a headless chicken doesn't make him like Carles Puyol. Only similarity is their barber

[irishfan86]

I want McShane nowhere near the team, and certainly not at fullback danonion, but he wasn't at fault for the goal we conceded against the Czechs.

O'Shea is the principal one at fault for exposing McShane by turning his back to the free kick.

Once one on one with Koller, McShane did all he could do by pushing Koller out wide, and Henderson, who was in a poor position as well, didn't help our cause.

I would place most of the blame on O'Shea, some on Henderson, and little if any on McShane.

[eirebhoy]

In fairness Eirebhoy Sir Phillip of Babb could have a MotM performance against Berbatov. Berbatov is brilliant at times but when he's in a stinky, sulky mood any centre half could look like they're doing the business.
There's also Kevin Davies, Santa Cruz and Viduka that I remember McShane putting in top performances against. I like to make my excuses for McShane but from what I know he's been brilliant against these type of players. He was also brilliant in his last start for us at centre half against a completely different styled team in Colombia.

Again though, mention poor premiership centre halves and Titus Bramble is top of many people's lists. If people only looked passed the mistakes to see how good a player Bramble is.

Phil Babb was a very solid player beside a really good player. McShane is a very dominant player beside a really good player. I think he has more than made up for his errors so far for us at centre half with his performances.

[SkStu]

he was horrific against Serbia all night and cost us a goal.

McShane is a squad player - at best. A proven liability on the pitch.

[RogerMilla]

steven reid has a return date of june 09 up on physio room , hopefully he will be up for consideration, and no way should we be splitting up dunne and o'shea to accomodate mcshane, get a real full back into that right full position but not o'shea and not mcshane

[geysir]

That would be a June date return to training for S Reid, not ready for a first match in June. The playing season is over for him.

In Sofia there will be no place for the faint hearted in the team, McShane is not feint hearted. The nag I have with him is that he is usually there or thereabouts at the scene of the crime.

[danonion]

There's also Kevin Davies, Santa Cruz and Viduka that I remember McShane putting in top performances against. I like to make my excuses for McShane but from what I know he's been brilliant against these type of players. He was also brilliant in his last start for us at centre half against a completely different styled team in Colombia.

Again though, mention poor premiership centre halves and Titus Bramble is top of many people's lists. If people only looked passed the mistakes to see how good a player Bramble is.

Phil Babb was a very solid player beside a really good player. McShane is a very dominant player beside a really good player. I think he has more than made up for his errors so far for us at centre half with his performances.

Neither Viduka (maybe at Boro or Leeds) nor Davies really convince me of much. Santa Cruz would be a feat but I don't remember any such performances (feel free to share a link)

Bramble is and was a different type of player than McShane. McShane always looks like he's on the verge of doing something really daft because he doesn't really have any positional sense and doesn't read the game at all.

Bramble was a pretty physically impressive and intelligent centre-half. He made stupid mistakes playing the ball out of defence or not taking the simple option when dealing with a loose ball. He has mostly cut that out from his game under Steve Bruce (stands to reason) and is generally considered by people who actually see him play for Wigan a quality player/

McShane doesn't have little problems you can fix, he's just not good enough.

[Stuttgart88]

If people overlooked my mistakes and general averageness and focused only on the rare occasion I played very well I'd have been held in much higher regard!

How can you say "look past Bramble's mistakes"? It's because he's error prone that he's not held in high regard. Sure he plays well sometimes.

Also, I agree that McShane wasn't to blame for Koller. O'Shea lost concentration. McShane failed to get a block but that happens for 90% of all goals, and Henderson reacted badly.

[eirebhoy]

Santa Cruz would be a feat but I don't remember any such performances (feel free to share a link)
tbh I'm only going on reports and internet forums at the time. It was a non-televised midweek game so got little coverage. He was chosen as motm on the premierleague fantasy football and the only shot Blackburn got on target in the 90 minutes was McCarthy's peno.


How can you say "look past Bramble's mistakes"? It's because he's error prone that he's not held in high regard. Sure he plays well sometimes.
McShane has partnered Dunne 8 or 9 times for Ireland and I think the Serbia goal was the only one he was at fault for in that time out of the 5 goals they've conceded. He's error prone but if he's going to be the cause of a goal in every 3 games then I think he'll certainly be making up for that with his all round dominance in that position.

I'd much rather than that Stephen McManus who hardly ever makes a serious mistake but can still concede 3 or 4.

[dr_peepee]

There's also Kevin Davies, Santa Cruz and Viduka that I remember McShane putting in top performances against. I like to make my excuses for McShane but from what I know he's been brilliant against these type of players. He was also brilliant in his last start for us at centre half against a completely different styled team in Colombia.

Again though, mention poor premiership centre halves and Titus Bramble is top of many people's lists. If people only looked passed the mistakes to see how good a player Bramble is.

Phil Babb was a very solid player beside a really good player. McShane is a very dominant player beside a really good player. I think he has more than made up for his errors so far for us at centre half with his performances.


I'm with you on this... Is there a possibility we could get a button that just says "Agreed" on the threads and the submitter will appear under the post. Much like the "Thanks" button.. Just a thought.

[Paddy Garcia]

he was horrific against Serbia all night and cost us a goal.

McShane is a squad player - at best. A proven liability on the pitch.

Correct - its why he cant get a game of football.

[Saint Tom]

-------------Given---------
Foley---Dunne---O'Shea--Kilbane

McGeady---Whelan---Andrews--Hunt

--------Keane---Folan-----

Doyle is a better player than Folan, but Folan complements Keane better.



forget about complementing keane - doyle is the hardest working player we have. i would nearly go as far to say he has been our best performer in the group. his work rate is tireless - exactly what we need away to bulgaria and his goal record in qualifiers is impressive in its own right.

as for talk of dropping hunt (not by irishfan 86) - did you see the match on wednesday? a constant thorn in the side, menancing runs at defenders and bar a great save from buffon would have scored one of the best best goals in memory in the first half. I have said it before and i'll say it again Mcgeady for all his getting into good positions and beating players cannot cross the ball. he has potential (if he moves from celtic) and could turn out to be valuable in the future - but it cant hide his present deficiencies.

[NeilMcD]

What about

Given

O Shea Mc Shane Dunne

Hunt Andrews Gibson Kilbane/Duff

Keane

Doyle Folan



Just a conversation piece.

[Saint Tom]

i would seriously agree with you Neil - thought we looked dangerous when we went for broke late on wednesday. will definitely provoke debate - cant see trap going for it though.

[Noelys Guitar]

Trap will pick this team to start against Bulgaria injuries permitting
Given
O'Shea McShane Dunne Kilbane
McGeady/Hunt Andrews Gibson Duff/Hunt
Doyle Keane

[geysir]

forget about complementing keane - doyle is the hardest working player we have. i would nearly go as far to say he has been our best performer in the group. his work rate is tireless - exactly what we need away to bulgaria and his goal record in qualifiers is impressive in its own right.
I don't know who expends the most energy in a game.
Over the 2 games, from a fitness point point of view, Robbie was at his peak.
Doyle looked off his pace in the 2nd half in Italy, for whatever reason - fitness?
The hungry look with absolute concentration on Keane's face as the he struck his goal when he should have been gasping for air, said it all.
I think irishfan 86's point was if you are going to play Folan and one of Keane or Doyle, then Keane would be the choice. A horse for that course.

as for talk of dropping hunt (not by irishfan 86) - did you see the match on wednesday? a constant thorn in the side, menancing runs at defenders and bar a great save from buffon would have scored one of the best best goals in memory in the first half. I have said it before and i'll say it again Mcgeady for all his getting into good positions and beating players cannot cross the ball. he has potential (if he moves from celtic) and could turn out to be valuable in the future - but it cant hide his present deficiencies
Do you think that Hunt can repeat that performance in the next game?

We don't need 2 wingers in Sofia unless one of them want to do the 'Keane role'.

[Saint Tom]

I don't know who expends the most energy in a game.
Over the 2 games, from a fitness point point of view, Robbie was at his peak.
Doyle looked off his pace in the 2nd half in Italy, for whatever reason - fitness?
The hungry look with absolute concentration on Keane's face as the he struck his goal when he should have been gasping for air, said it all.
I think irishfan 86's point was if you are going to play Folan and one of Keane or Doyle, then Keane would be the choice. A horse for that course.

Do you think that Hunt can repeat that performance in the next game?

We don't need 2 wingers in Sofia unless one of them want to do the 'Keane role'.


certainly do think he can - he is very dangerous went let loose

[Stuttgart88]

We don't need 2 wingers in Sofia unless one of them want to do the 'Keane role'.
I agree. Who would you pick though?

Interesting to hear mention of "horses for courses". I look forward to the day where we start with a team with a particular job in mind, with game changing options on the bench. If this means one or more of McGeady, Duff, Hunt or even Doyle starting from the bench so be it.

In my opinion a fresh Doyle would have buried that late chance against Bulgaria but the Doyle who covered every blade of grass with no support from midfield could only manage a tired jump & header.

[NeilMcD]

Is Kevin Doyle our new John Aldridge.

[Scram]

Best team if available is: Barcelona

[geysir]

I agree. Who would you pick though?
Féck knows Stutts, whatever would work on the day for us :)
The big pressure is on the Bulgarians to win.
It's easier for us to get a player in front of midfield when the opposition are down to 10 men:)
Have Hunt rampaging around at LM and Duff dropping in front of midfield?
If Trap does not rate Foley, then O'Shea at RB - McShane at CM.
Outright ban on hoofballs until Folan comes on.

[Lenny82]

Just to move away from team selections for the moment, has anybody looked into the best way of getting to Sofia for the game? AerLingus fly direct but times and days don't really suit. Closest major cities are Bucharest and Istanbul and get a train from there but I'd rather fly to main land Europe and catch a connecting flight to Sofia. If anybody has looked into this perhaps you can let me know. Cheers.

[lionelhutz]

Just to move away from team selections for the moment, has anybody looked into the best way of getting to Sofia for the game? AerLingus fly direct but times and days don't really suit. Closest major cities are Bucharest and Istanbul and get a train from there but I'd rather fly to main land Europe and catch a connecting flight to Sofia. If anybody has looked into this perhaps you can let me know. Cheers.

Have a look in the fans forum section in the Bulgaria away thread and there's a number of options you can check out.

I'm flying Shannon to Heathrow (cause im from limerick) on the Thursday evening, Heathrow to Sofia on Friday morning and the same route return on Sunday. Costing about €340 for the flight.

Got the Shannon Heathrow flight through Aer Lingus and the Heathrow Sofia flight with British Airways. You could also try wizzair.com who have flights from Britain to Sofia

[lionelhutz]

Regarding our best team to select of whats available, I'd pick;

Given
Foley Dunne O'Shea Kilbane
Duff Andrews A.Reid McGeady
Doyle Keane


But I think Trap will pick;

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