Team V Cyprus

[jbyrne]

given
oshea
dunne
st ledger
kilbane
duff
whelan
andrews
hunt
keane
doyle

st ledger a slight doubt and will be replaced by kelly if he cant play i hear

[kingdomkerry]

McGeady?

[jbyrne]

McGeady?

from what i heard, not starting

[DeLorean]

from what i heard, not starting

I'd be a lot more confident with McGeady playing

[Razors left peg]

with the form McGeady has been in recently he has to start, Hunt has started well in the Premiership but McGeady showed against Arsenal in both games that he is top class

[DeLorean]

The more I think about it the more disgusted I am with that. If he puts that team out he's aiming not to lose and hoping to snatch a win. F**k sake just go for it, yes they've made improvements but they're still Cyprus. If we're not aiming to kill them kind of teams just forget about it. It may well work out fine with Hunt playing but that's not the point, McGeady is a far superior offensive player.

[Noelys Guitar]

If this is the team it is the right one. Hunt has shown in his last few games for Ireland that he deserves his place. I like McGeady but Hunt has just edged him on recent performances for Ireland.

[eirebhoy]

Hunt has been brilliant for Hull by all accounts. I don't agree that it's a defensive move. McGeady is a lot more likely to keep hold of possession than Hunt imo so I think Hunt is still in based on form for Ireland.

[Brendan 82]

Guess I'm the only one who thinks it should be Hunt AND McGeady in the starting 11.

[eirebhoy]

Guess I'm the only one who thinks it should be Hunt AND McGeady in the starting 11.
If we had Roy Keane in midfield maybe but Duff's experience and the confidence he gives his teammates when he's in the team is important more so than ever. He never lets us down.

[carloz]

Agree with starting Hunt, he will be in their faces a lot more and will quite simply **** off the Cyprus defense. He is there on merit now and has started the season brilliantly. Personally i would have started Folan ahead of Doyle. Has a lot more game time under his belt this season and with the pitch being so bad i think his height would have been a major plus. He caused the Italian defense lots of problems, and i can assure you they are mush more compossed in the air in defense than Cyprus are. Big game for Andrews. Hoping his physicality will make a big difference.

[mark12345]

Can't believe he's starting without Folan in the first eleven. After the way he showed in Italy I thought he'd be a definite starter (Folan and Doyle up front with Robbie feeding them from the middle). Hope we don't rue the decision.

Looks like Kilbane will have to score half a dozen ogs and let the fifth infantry past him on the left wing before he's dropped. Kilbane, Whelan - two weak links. Would have used Hunt at left back and brought in McGeady. Would have used Robbie in midfield for Whelan.

[centre mid]

I cant find anywhere that what is posted above is the starting team. Is there a link?

[carloz]

Would have used Hunt at left back and brought in McGeady. Would have used Robbie in midfield for Whelan.

Seriously!!!!!! Kilbane may be our weak link but playing Hunt there is just way to big a risk. You could count on one hand how many times he has played left back. Robbie will drop back to midfield plenty during the game, again starting him in midfield would just be pointless

[Murfinator]

Can't believe he's starting without Folan in the first eleven. After the way he showed in Italy I thought he'd be a definite starter (Folan and Doyle up front with Robbie feeding them from the middle). Hope we don't rue the decision.




I never really liked the idea of Keane playing in an attacking midfield position. I think he "can" play there but if I was the opposition that's exactly where I'd want Keane, as far away from the goal as possible. He's crafty and composed in the box, I think that's where he needs to be.

Folan is a good player and the way he's started the season has impressed me a lot but Doyle has always given sterling performances for us so I'd find it hard to leave him.

Nice problems for us to have though, regardless of our formation we'd be leaving a quality winger and striker playing first team at the highest level on the bench.

[EastTerracer]

I cant find anywhere that what is posted above is the starting team. Is there a link?

Irish Times report indicates that the team is as named above subject to St.Ledger's fitness test http://www.irishtimes.com/sports/soccer/2009/0904/1224253888629.html

[Mr A]

Hunt is in form and McGeady can't cross or shoot 99% of the time so fully agree with that call.

[Stuttgart88]

Can't believe he's starting without Folan in the first eleven. After the way he showed in Italy I thought he'd be a definite starter (Folan and Doyle up front with Robbie feeding them from the middle). That was never going to happen. Like in Italy Trap may make changes so we end up like that if we're chasing the game.

If SSL is fit then the only real choice is between Hunt & McGeady. Andrews is always ahead of Gibson in my opinion. Andrews was an outside chance to deputise at RB but I think it's OK if the likes of McGeady are an option from the bench. A year or two ago the bench was made up of unarguably inferior players to the starting XI. No harm to have options up your sleeve. McGeady, Gibson & Folan can all bring something from the bench, though it's hardly going to have any opposition losing sleep.

[tetsujin1979]

it was going to be a case of either/or for Hunt and McGeady
Starting with McGeady would have been more attacking, and I'm not sure if we can do that away from home
Starting with Hunt is slightly more defensive, but still getting forward

Hunt's going to tear the fullback hither and yon, so he'll be exhausted by the time McGeady comes on. I still reckon if he had come on 10 minutes earlier against Bulgaria, he could have setup a goal or scored himsel

[Stuttgart88]

Hunt's going to tear the fullback hither and yon, so he'll be exhausted by the time McGeady comes on. I still reckon if he had come on 10 minutes earlier against Bulgaria, he could have setup a goal or scored himsel
Good point.

[Wexford Delboy]

kilbane is going to be targeted all night thats probably why trap has started hunt..if we had a better LB then we could play a more attacking mcgaedy..we seriously need a new LB soon

[weldoninhio]

kilbane is going to be targeted all night thats probably why trap has started hunt..if we had a better LB then we could play a more attacking mcgaedy..we seriously need a new LB soon


If Kilbane is targeted as a weak link and the majority of Cyprus' play is down this wing I predict Hunt to be sent off before the 70th minute for 2 headless, wreckless challenges.

[Wexford Delboy]

If Kilbane is targeted as a weak link and the majority of Cyprus' play is down this wing I predict Hunt to be sent off before the 70th minute for 2 headless, wreckless challenges.

bring back memories of czech game away from home

[danonion]

I don't see how McGeady is a more attacking choice than Hunt. Hunt is an effective if unconventional sort of winger. McGeady is ghastly for Ireland 98% of the time.

[tetsujin1979]

I don't see how McGeady is a more attacking choice than Hunt. Hunt is an effective if unconventional sort of winger. McGeady is ghastly for Ireland 98% of the time.

more than Hunt works more on the defensive side of things than McGeady being more attacking than Hunt

[northwestexile]

A bit off the topic but could anybody post a link to a website where I can watch the game tonight.
Cheers

[centre mid]

A bit off the topic but could anybody post a link to a website where I can watch the game tonight.
Cheers
Here! (http://www.myp2p.eu/broadcast.php?matchid=48009&part=sports)

[lankyboy26]

it's gonna be a very close game. ireland will definitely try to keep a clean sheet and hope for the best up front, we have no creativity (as usual), the strikers will have to work very hard. my prediction is a very dull game with it finishing 1-1. can't see ireland keeping a clean sheet, not with kilbane playing

[eirebhoy]

McGeady is ghastly for Ireland 98% of the time.
I'll swap the word ghastly for poor in my head as that's a strong word to be even debating. He's certainly not been poor since Trap took over...

In fact I'd say the Wales 2-2 game was the turn in McGeady's Ireland career. That was a good performance which was followed up by a very confident and another decent performance against Brazil. He's looked settled in since those games.

[Razors left peg]

I'll swap the word ghastly for poor in my head as that's a strong word to be even debating. He's certainly not been poor since Trap took over...

In fact I'd say the Wales 2-2 game was the turn in McGeady's Ireland career. That was a good performance which was followed up by a very confident and another decent performance against Brazil. He's looked settled in since those games.

yes but there will be people who have it so inbuilt in their brains that he is rubbish that they will seize on any small error to prove it to themselves that they are right. It happened with John O Shea too for years and its only in the last season that people are starting to admit that maybe hes not as crap as they thought all along.

[danonion]

yes but there will be people who have it so inbuilt in their brains that he is rubbish that they will seize on any small error to prove it to themselves that they are right. It happened with John O Shea too for years and its only in the last season that people are starting to admit that maybe hes not as crap as they thought all along.

Its not really congruent to the JOS situation ... McGeady really can't cross and can't shoot. So even though he has excellent technique and beat a man, he is not ready to deliver on the international stage because he is missing those two key elements of a winger.

And the 2% of the time where he has not been crap was his cross to Doyle against Georgia. That really was excellent.

[Stuttgart88]

I think McGeady is more comfortable coming inside than Hunt which we need because we don't have a front two that prosper at the end of crosses - even good ones :)

But Hunt has a certain nuisance value to him, coupled with a good (but erratic) delivery and a non-stop energy about him. Close call and one I'm not too fussed about to be honest. If Hunt still has the energy I can see Hunt & McGeady finishing the game with Duff being subbed.

[seanfhear]

I think McGeady is more comfortable coming inside than Hunt which we need because we don't have a front two that prosper at the end of crosses - even good ones :)

But Hunt has a certain nuisance value to him, coupled with a good (but erratic) delivery and a non-stop energy about him. Close call and one I'm not too fussed about to be honest. If Hunt still has the energy I can see Hunt & McGeady finishing the game with Duff being subbed.
That a possibility alright as I am not sure that Duffer has the full 90 minutes left in him any more.

[stiffler]

Im happy with that team to be honest, I can see Hunt playing a pivotal role tonight.

Hopefully we take the game to them from the off!!

[eirebhoy]

Its not really congruent to the JOS situation ... McGeady really can't cross and can't shoot. So even though he has excellent technique and beat a man, he is not ready to deliver on the international stage because he is missing those two key elements of a winger.

And the 2% of the time where he has not been crap was his cross to Doyle against Georgia. That really was excellent.
What about the chances he set up through passes and stuff? There's a lot more to it than crosses. A player of the talent to beat a player like McGeady shouldn't be crossing all the time. Even against Australia, Keane's 2 great chances were after simple McGeady passes to his feet. He has set up plenty of chances this campaign too.

[EastTerracer]

RTE are running a continuation of the panel's analysis on the RTE website. Bizarrely Dunpy has just dismissed the claims of Keith Fahey because "he's a full-back, Bill". Says it all really....

[Stuttgart88]

RTE are running a continuation of the panel's analysis on the RTE website. Bizarrely Dunpy has just dismissed the claims of Keith Fahey because "he's a full-back, Bill". Says it all really....Confused with Kevin Foley presumably.

Is Fahey a better player than Andy Reid? Just asking...

[Eirambler]

Confused with Kevin Foley presumably.



Ya, saw that. I actually doubt he knows who Keith Fahey is.

[seanfhear]

RTE are running a continuation of the panel's analysis on the RTE website. Bizarrely Dunpy has just dismissed the claims of Keith Fahey because "he's a full-back, Bill". Says it all really....
How drunk was Dunphy.