Team For Wednesday

[Razors left peg]

I think Lawrence could be moved into central midfield if we needed to change into a more of an attacking formation

[dynamo kerry]

I think Lawrence could be moved into central midfield if we needed to change into a more of an attacking formation

do you reckon? have you seen him play cm? I have no preconception of it so I can't judge it. I'll take guidance from somewho who claims knowledge.


I don't usually feel inclined to criticise but feel a little down that we didn't bring thru someone else (not sure who) in friendlies so they'd at least know the position.Or at least push miller/gibson for the spot.

[Razors left peg]

do you reckon? have you seen him play cm? I have no preconception of it so I can't judge it. I'll take guidance from somewho who claims knowledge.


I don't usually feel inclined to criticise but feel a little down that we didn't bring thru someone else (not sure who) in friendlies so they'd at least know the position.Or at least push miller/gibson for the spot.

Im only judging on his style of play to be honest. I just think he has the work rate and passing ability to be an option in there

[jay1]

we need Clinton morrison back, he always produced a few good goals.

[Stuttgart88]

Im only judging on his style of play to be honest. I just think he has the work rate and passing ability to be an option in thereI agree. He's not a winger, more of a direct wide midfilder, a bit in the Ljungberg mould. Ljungberg was well able to play centrally, albeit mainly in the last third.

[Metrostars]

I'm wondering if we might see Gibson at some point in the game. He can hit a powerful shot from distance.

[IsMiseSean]

Same back four
Id changed the midfield to Mcgeady andrews lawrence duff
Keane and doyle up front.

And NEVER bring on Leon Best again!!!

[drummerboy]

I think its a pity we haven't got Folan to throw in if we need a goal towards the end. He would surely ruffle the likes of Gallas when the ball in is the air.

[Emmet7]

Why the massive changes? We're only 1 nil down, not as if we have to score 8 goals, and being more adventurous would leave in a position to be ripped apart from get go. Go man for man against the attacking threat that the French have? Madness.

If anything this line up needs to be more defensive than the home one. If we can get some set pieces and deliver them a bit better then we'll be in the game. Change it later on if we need to.

I think we need to change the set up of the team from the off.

It takes time for players to get into a game. It's extremely difficult to expect Leon Best, Hunt, McGeady, or any sub to come on with 20 minutes to go and suddenly produce an opening, very difficult, and it's also too big a risk to bring them on late. Their first few touches are going to be poor and they are going to make mistakes the first few minutes they are on.

It probably takes any player 10 minutes to get a feel for a game. That would leave only 10 minutes to start creating chances, hardly enough time.

When Folan came on early in Bari, he settled extremely well into the game and by the end was probably the most comfortable Irish player on the field. That's where the real advantage of a sub is, and Trap was right to change things early in Bari when he saw plan A was failing.

I think starting again with the same starting line up as in Croker would be a mistake. That line up was setup to hold out for a 0-0 draw and possibly sneak something from our defenders at a setpiece. It wasn't set up to as an attacking team.

If we go to Paris, follow the same format, it's probable Anelka or Henry will score again in the second half, leaving us needing 2 goals.

We need to attack from the start.

Personally I think our best chance is to aim for a high scoring game and hope to come out on top, that means, 3-2, 4-3 or something like that. Throw caution to the wind, abandon the conservative mindset and attack with 3 forwards from the off.

[dan o d]

keep the same 11 as saturday. up untill 70 mins i thought it was our best performance under trap. it was only after anelkas goal that things began to unravel. when hunt and mcgeady game on we lost the plot. half the team wanted to sit back with paris in mind and avoid conceding a second which would have killed us, while the other half wer treatin the game as a once off match and bombing forward for the equaliser. duff played his best game for ireland for years, while mcgeady has been playing poorly for celtic this season and didnt have the confidence to take on sagna. id start with lawrence and possibly throw hunt in for him after 60 minutes and try win some freekicks. if we need a goal or two in the last 20 mins id throw best on for kilbane, switch o shea central to a 3 man defence and pump long balls up to best and doyle.

[twoenz]

When Folan came on early in Bari, he settled extremely well into the game and by the end was probably the most comfortable Irish player on the field. That's where the real advantage of a sub is, and Trap was right to change things early in Bari when he saw plan A was failing.


Personally I thought that after an hour of being on he looked pretty tired and was becoming less effective as the game wore on.

[Uncle_Joe]

And NEVER bring on Leon Best again!!!
I havnt really seen enough of Leon to make my mind up about him, but there was one incident that p**sed me off on Saturday. In the last 10 minutes and France had repelled another long ball attack. The ball came out to someone, Andrews I think, who has a shot and Best from an offside position gives it a glancing header.

FFS, he should be busting a gut to get back onside as quickly as possible and not stick his head onto someones else shot when he is clearly 3 or 4 yards offside!!!

[liamo]

I think we need to change the set up of the team from the off.

It takes time for players to get into a game. It's extremely difficult to expect Leon Best, Hunt, McGeady, or any sub to come on with 20 minutes to go and suddenly produce an opening, very difficult, and it's also too big a risk to bring them on late. Their first few touches are going to be poor and they are going to make mistakes the first few minutes they are on.

It probably takes any player 10 minutes to get a feel for a game. That would leave only 10 minutes to start creating chances, hardly enough time.

When Folan came on early in Bari, he settled extremely well into the game and by the end was probably the most comfortable Irish player on the field. That's where the real advantage of a sub is, and Trap was right to change things early in Bari when he saw plan A was failing.

I think starting again with the same starting line up as in Croker would be a mistake. That line up was setup to hold out for a 0-0 draw and possibly sneak something from our defenders at a setpiece. It wasn't set up to as an attacking team.

If we go to Paris, follow the same format, it's probable Anelka or Henry will score again in the second half, leaving us needing 2 goals.

We need to attack from the start.

Personally I think our best chance is to aim for a high scoring game and hope to come out on top, that means, 3-2, 4-3 or something like that. Throw caution to the wind, abandon the conservative mindset and attack with 3 forwards from the off.
you need your head examined if you think ireland are capable of scoring 3 or 4 goals away to a team of the calibre of france,we have no option but to keep it tight and hope we can nick a goal.

[monsexile]

Personally I think our best chance is to aim for a high scoring game and hope to come out on top, that means, 3-2, 4-3 or something like that. Throw caution to the wind, abandon the conservative mindset and attack with 3 forwards from the off.
Think without two screening midfielders and a gung-ho approach we'd e torn apart. Shame Folan isn't available for the Plan B though. Unfortunately, our best option is to keep it tight and hope to nick one.

[Emmet7]

Think without two screening midfielders and a gung-ho approach we'd e torn apart. Shame Folan isn't available for the Plan B though. Unfortunately, our best option is to keep it tight and hope to nick one.

That was our plan in Dublin, but it was France who nicked one.

Hoping to nick one from a setpiece isn't going to work. The French have copped on not to give away any freekicks or corners for that matter.

In Paris, like in Dublin they will try to retain the ball most of the time and that will make it harder for us to gain enough possession to get into their half and get corners and freekicks.

[antrimgreen]

I havnt really seen enough of Leon to make my mind up about him, but there was one incident that p**sed me off on Saturday. In the last 10 minutes and France had repelled another long ball attack. The ball came out to someone, Andrews I think, who has a shot and Best from an offside position gives it a glancing header.

FFS, he should be busting a gut to get back onside as quickly as possible and not stick his head onto someones else shot when he is clearly 3 or 4 yards offside!!!

I have at this point, not to say he won't be good in time but not at this level now, i was raging when he came on to replace Doyle especially as Trap up until recently rarely made a sub :(

Leon is Best on the bench :D Come on you boys, get stuck in in their back garden!!!!! Have to stay positive or no point going to or watching the game!!! We are going to win believe :)

[lionelhutz]

Personally I think our best chance is to aim for a high scoring game and hope to come out on top, that means, 3-2, 4-3 or something like that. Throw caution to the wind, abandon the conservative mindset and attack with 3 forwards from the off.

You have to be utterly taking the ****

[Scram]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Emmet7 View Post

Personally I think our best chance is to aim for a high scoring game and hope to come out on top, that means, 3-2, 4-3 or something like that. Throw caution to the wind, abandon the conservative mindset and attack with 3 forwards from the off.


You have to be utterly taking the ****

He isn't, and it amazes me that so many people reply to his posts.

[Scram]

It is as simple as this.. We are going to play the exact same tactics and exact same team.. Try and force France to break through our wall of 11 players (which they eventually will again), while we try and sneak a goal from a set piece up the other end.

The same team, Yes, to begin with.

The same tactics, Yes, to begin with.

However, he will make the changes sooner, McGeady should come in for Lawrence on the right.

He's fairly stuck in central midfield though, due in no small part to the ridiculous exclusion on Andy Reid, e.g. we can't bring Hunt on for Keith Andrews because Hunt down the middle is a sure fire way to guarantee France chances as he gives up the ball almost 1 out of 2 times he has it.

If it comes down to desparation, the only option would be to stick Duff in the center and hunt on the left.

A late goal bringing it to extra time would be a dream and I would say that if this happened we would be favourite to progress (the French would be sh!tting it as they would feel they have blown it.

[Emmet7]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Emmet7 View Post

Personally I think our best chance is to aim for a high scoring game and hope to come out on top, that means, 3-2, 4-3 or something like that. Throw caution to the wind, abandon the conservative mindset and attack with 3 forwards from the off.



He isn't, and it amazes me that so many people reply to his posts.

Scram, I don't really care what you have to say...like the others you don't really understand football.

The front two partnership of Doyle and Keane is the least effective in international football today, am I the only one to see this.

Why is it I see things which are not working a mile off which other people on this site and pundits think is working well.

The Doyle-Keane partnership is not working well, it's been a complete and utter failure. It has not delivered one solid concrete scoring chance from open play in our 7 biggest games and they don't get much bigger or tougher than France in Paris.

Only incredibily poor managers of the kind who end their days as football pundits would persist with something that is clearly failing.

The French defenders are not useless like Cyprus, San Marino or Georgia. The French have Champions League defenders and dealt easily with us the last night. They gave away a minimum of setpieces and defended those comfortably. So how are we supposed to nick one from a setpiece when we won't get any? Cop yourself on man.

We have no option but to chase the game, not keep it tight and hope something falls our way. That's what we tried in Dublin, it failed and now the same people want us to try it again. It's amazing really.

[antrimgreen]

Go for it then Emmet then if you were the manager how would you approach the game v one of the great team's in the world considering our current squad, name your team and tactic's.

[Emmet7]

Go for it then Emmet then if you were the manager how would you approach the game v one of the great team's in the world considering our current squad, name your team and tactic's.

Same tactics as in Bari, Best and Doyle up front, Keane playing in the pocket behind.

Now your turn, tell us how you would break down the French defence?

[magnumpi]

Emmet your posts are almost always non-sensical rants, your football knowledge seems to stem from having played championship manager to a high level or having read many issues of 442 magazine.

"why am I the only one who sees this" - is a condemnation of the utter drivel you are writing, not the lament of a misunderstood football-punditry prophet.

you are entitled to your opinions, but don't be surprised/offended when people wholeheartedly disagree with you, or actually think you are taking the p*** when you post.

Personally, I find your posts bordering on the ridiculous. I respond only to this one, because I agree with Scram, and possibly because your last post irked me perhaps more than any other.

[ifk101]

Emmet7 don't bother posting again. I'm getting a youtube image of some German kid smashing his keyboard and screaming at his monitor from reading your last posts. Use the log out buttom and go out and get some fresh air like a good lad.

[Lionel Ritchie]

Scram, I don't really care what you have to say...like the others you don't really understand football.

The front two partnership of Doyle and Keane is the least effective in international football today, am I the only one to see this.

Why is it I see things which are not working a mile off which other idiots on this site and pundits think is working well.

Emmet I'm not a mod but if you go about calling people idiots or anything else on this site you'll get the door handy enough. If you want to call someones post idiotic fire away and then back up your assertion.

Incidently, I acknowledge your theory but don't agree with it or your conclusions. I suggest running a series of simulations. Start with Sensible Soccer on the auld mega drive and then work your way up through platforms to the current FIFA. I'm pretty certain that, your formation playing your tactics against any of the French teams of the last 15-20 years will consistently average out on the wrong end of a five nil dicking.

[Leeside Swagger]

Go for a high scoring game eh? Is it that easy? If we went for a high scoring game we would end up getting slaughtered. Best chance is to keep it tight and hope to nick it 0-1. If France score we are out, end of story.

Our style isnt pretty but we dont concede a lot of goals and are hard to beat, it would be madness to drastically change the tactics now.

[antrimgreen]

Same tactics as in Bari, Best and Doyle up front, Keane playing in the pocket behind.

Now your turn, tell us how you would break down the French defence?

I trust our manager to do what he thinks, he is the boss he has serious experience backed with an Irish hero Brady.

It's Leon Best you are talking about not George Best, as the last post in this thread says if we play a 433 or a 4-3-1-2 as you have suggested there is a very good chance we could get really embrassed. Support the team and support the management, i did complain about Stan but that was because he had no experience and somehow managed to land the job.

[Emmet7]

Emmet I'm not a mod but if you go about calling people idiots or anything else on this site you'll get the door handy enough. If you want to call someones post idiotic fire away and then back up your assertion.

Incidently, I acknowledge your theory but don't agree with it or your conclusions. I suggest running a series of simulations. Start with Sensible Soccer on the auld mega drive and then work your way up through platforms to the current FIFA. I'm pretty certain that, your formation playing your tactics against any of the French teams of the last 15-20 years will consistently average out on the wrong end of a five nil dicking.

That's fine...I can have a reasoned debate with anyone...It's usually others who start the insults and go on and on and on with the insults in every post, but nothing said to them....

Maybe I do go ott sometimes, but I've had to put up with name calling too. Gets a wee bit annoying at times.

[Emmet7]

Emmet I'm not a mod but if you go about calling people idiots or anything else on this site you'll get the door handy enough. If you want to call someones post idiotic fire away and then back up your assertion.

Incidently, I acknowledge your theory but don't agree with it or your conclusions. I suggest running a series of simulations. Start with Sensible Soccer on the auld mega drive and then work your way up through platforms to the current FIFA. I'm pretty certain that, your formation playing your tactics against any of the French teams of the last 15-20 years will consistently average out on the wrong end of a five nil dicking.

Is that your guess?

Yup it sure lead to a 5-0 drilling in Bari alright, whereas keeping it tight lead to what against the French in Dublin?

It's just madness to persist with a failed attacking formation.

[paul_oshea]

Emmet we love you really. Dont take offence.

But the post about going all out, think about it, you are like bertie living in his bowl looking out and all the bankers down in the wharf thinking everything is rosy, without having a clue about whats going on in the background. IF we go all out we will be seriouslly lacking defensively against a very offensive french team. Yes we will probably create more chances, does that mean we would actually take them? We had 5 very good chances and couldn't finish any of them. We would also concede a lot more chances, and would the french take them? You can be sure they would.

if we had the players to go all out and could pull it off then your post would make sense, well somewhat anyway, as we could score as much or more as we conceded, like that madrid team that went to united and won 5 - 3. Unfortunately though we are Ireland, we are not real madrid and dont contain any players of that calibre bar perhaps duff.

[Leeside Swagger]

Is that your guess?

Yup it sure lead to a 5-0 drilling in Bari alright, whereas keeping it tight lead to what against the French in Dublin?

It's just madness to persist with a failed attacking formation.

Ahem, 10 men.

[Emmet7]

My last post on this thread because clearly people are getting upset at having the attacking status quo of the Irish team questioned, a failed attacking status quo I might add that has delivered not a single goal nor worthwhile scorable chance against the 4 biggest opponents, Italy, Bulgaria, Montenego and France.

The most effective attacking system of the whole campaign was in Bari with Folan and Doyle up front and Keane following up. Everything else has not worked including the Doyle-Keane partnership. We persist with that, it's game over before it's began. I'd love it not to be the case, but we go with Keane-Doyle up front it will be the same as in Croker, and I will hate to be the one to tell everyone "I told you so".

[antrimgreen]

We only scored once in Bari and although we had a few more chances we only scored once v 10 men and a 1-1 draw against france is no use.

Each to their own i suppose, i just hope we play like our lives depend on it cause we will need to.

[paul_oshea]

Emmet are you welondinho in disguise?with a bit more time on his hands.

You have failed to respond to my point about what france would do to us. YOu are not responding to direct questions about the flip side of what you are suggesting. Its easy to go off meandering on about your point and saying you are upsetting ppl, the only time you are upsetting people is by not responding to direct questions, the flaws in your suggestions.

[Lionel Ritchie]

The most effective attacking system of the whole campaign was in Bari with Folan and Doyle up front and Keane following up . Folan is injured and Italy were down to ten men for the entire night.


Is that your guess?

Yup it sure lead to a 5-0 drilling in Bari alright, whereas keeping it tight lead to what against the French in Dublin?. ...a deflected goal off Sledges hole. If we'd won in similar circumstances we'd not hear the end of how poxy we are.

We're still in the tie ...and I don't agree with whoever said the tie is over if France score. If Wednesdays game climbs to 1-1 at any stage in any order it's France who are in the greater peril.

[mark12345]

Lads, it's fairly obvious from the many posts on this subject that all of us agree we don't have the players and are generally not good enough to compete with France.

History has an awful lot to teach us. Anyone remember when we used compete with France in WC and ENC qualifiers back in the 70's and 80's. We were all blood and thunder back then with the likes of Michael Robinson, Mickey Walsh etc. We did manage to beat them twice in Dublin, but France went on to World Cup semi-finals, Euro Nations winners success and generally reaped what they sewed through good sensible constructive football.

Meanwhile we were back home watching on telly and planning for next season when we were going to 'get stuck in' 'graft' 'work hard' and 'put them under pressure'.

It's 25 years on and although we tend to want to do a bit more constructively with the ball, we are still playing the same old way, (look at the long balls on Saturday that were played up to Keane and Duff who were surrounded by groups of defenders).

Keane and Duff are the only players born in Ireland in the present team who can actually hold the ball, take on a player, and make something happen in the opposition half (spare the comments on Duff being this or that for Newcastle - the point is he has shown genuine quality during his career).

We need to start looking at our coaching system. Where are the next Keane or Duff coming from? What are our coaches teaching our kids. What is your kid being taught by his coach?I was part of the Shelbourne and Home Farm teams back in the 80's. It was all 'up and at them' football, and as far as I can see nothing much has changed (moved abroad and came up against different styles which really opened my eyes). I do concede that the FAI have put a brave new plan in place, but is it showing any signs in the right direction?

While we did well in bringing in a foreign manager we need to do two things (a) bring in some foreign coaches, preferably from S. America to start teaching our kids the finer points of ball retention, technical skills (b) we need to begin club partnerships - like Man United's with Standard Liege - so we can send our kids to continental clubs, ie. places other than England where technical football is a dirty word. Admittedly item (b) may take some time to get off the ground.

Countries like Holland, Turkey, Switzerland (with their newly crowned U-17 world champions) and indeed France, have changed failed systems and reaped the rewards.

If we don't change now, we'll be cursing more Irish losses to countries like France in another 25 years.

[Kingdom]

Schoolboy football needs to change. CHerry Orchard, Belvedere, Stella Maris, Joey's, Lourdes, harvesting the best of Dublin and the countryside and not having a proper Senior side to integrate these players into is a bloody shambles.

The sooner the League of Ireland, and specifically the Dublin clubs start making inroads into schoolboy soccer, and forcing the "academies" to upgrade the better. At least then the majority of our young footballing talent can stay in this country rather than being washed up across the water at 20. The very best will always go.

[third policeman]

Keane and Duff are the only players born in Ireland in the present team who can actually hold the ball, take on a player, and make something happen in the opposition half .


You could add Reid, Doyle and dare I say Stephen Ireland to that list not to mention the Scot's born McGeady. Fact is that we do have a core of technically gifted attacking midfield / forward players who could play in a different way under a different coach. I thought we were embarassing on Saturday. I watched the NI v Serbia game and there is no doubt that NI played more football than we did. Not even under Charlton have we played such depressing, ugly and utilitarian football as we do under Trapp. You cannot even take refuge in the "well it works" argument. We came second in a very poor group and struggled to grind out against the likes of Georgia and Montenegro. I fear we will lose on Wednesday by two or more goals, and it will only be France's desire to conserve energy and effort that will save us from worse humiliation. Sorry to be negative but we have been shockingly limited in this campaign and please spare me the comparisons with Stan. If you want a valid comparison, remember how we played under Mick with a similar quality squad.

[Wolfie]

Not even under Charlton have we played such depressing, ugly and utilitarian football as we do under Trapp. You cannot even take refuge in the "well it works" argument. We came second in a very poor group and struggled to grind out against the likes of Georgia and Montenegro. I fear we will lose on Wednesday by two or more goals, and it will only be France's desire to conserve energy and effort that will save us from worse humiliation. Sorry to be negative but we have been shockingly limited in this campaign and please spare me the comparisons with Stan. If you want a valid comparison, remember how we played under Mick with a similar quality squad.

I wouldn't despair to that extent, thirdpoliceman.

Trapp inherited a basket case of an International Team. We can't lose sight of the fact that the Ireland Team was in a pitiful state - moral, leadership, guidance, organisation was completely lacking.

I feared we had plummetted so low that we would never retain a semblance of where we had been in the past.

We have to view this campaign as the resurrection. Not the finished article but something we will hopefully be building upon with subtle variations in tactics appearing the more we develop. This change may be slow and may not happen as rapidly as we all want, but this is work in progress.

That's why Trapp has requested to prolong his involvement with the squad. I'm sure he feels this is a job only half done.

[Fixer82]

The most effective attacking system of the whole campaign was in Bari with Folan and Doyle up front and Keane following up. Everything else has not worked including the Doyle-Keane partnership. We persist with that, it's game over before it's began. I'd love it not to be the case, but we go with Keane-Doyle up front it will be the same as in Croker, and I will hate to be the one to tell everyone "I told you so".


I must agree as miuch as I like Keane and Doyle individually they've never struck up a partnership at all. The system worked very well against Italy with keane sitting behind the two strikers. Then again we were playing against 10 men and had that luxury.
Somehow though I don't think Best is as threatening as Folan....

Andy Reid anyone? :)

[seanfhear]

I must agree as miuch as I like Keane and Doyle individually they've never struck up a partnership at all. The system worked very well against Italy with keane sitting behind the two strikers. Then again we were playing against 10 men and had that luxury.
Somehow though I don't think Best is as threatening as Folan....

Andy Reid anyone? :) We could have done with Folan for this match. He would cause this French backline a lot of anxiety for the last 25 minutes if we needed a goal:cool:

[dan o d]

lads if we need acouple of goals in the last 20 mins id take off lawrence for hunt and throw best on for kilbane and switch to a 3 -4-3 and just pump up the long balls

[thepiedpiper]

Same starting lineup anyway according to TV3.

[keenanboy]

Can't see him making a single change until maybe its too late.
I hate to say it but I keep having this vision of us taking an early lead only for it to be wiped out late in the game with no time left to come back.

I predict a 1-1 draw, lots of pride, lost of passion, effort etc, but no World Cup. God I'm sick of moral victories!

Hope I'm wrong

[weldoninhio]

Emmet are you welondinho in disguise?with a bit more time on his hands.
QUOTE]


I might dislike Irelands style of play and our current manager, but i try not to contradict myself.


[QUOTE=Emmet7;1274484]

Trap however has never had to rely on being a studio pundit to earn his crust, such is the high demand he has been in. He has spent his whole career at the coalface and standing on the side line making real decisions, not fantascising in a studio.

Trap comes in and imposes strict discipline and now we have the same Dunphy outraged that a player has become a victim of that strict discipline, although must suspect it's because Reid doesn't fit into Trap's football plans. So what do we want? Do we want a return to the shambles of old with no discipline or cohesion. Or do we want discipline and cohesion?

The Doyle-Keane partnership is not working well, it's been a complete and utter failure. It has not delivered one solid concrete scoring chance from open play in our 7 biggest games and they don't get much bigger or tougher than France in Paris.

Only incredibily poor managers of the kind who end their days as football pundits would persist with something that is clearly failing




You also have numerous posts stating that Ireland with A. Reid would be overrun in midfield etc. How do you plan to facilitate Keane in the pocket, with Best and Doyle up front and still have a defensive midfield?? Or maybe i'm just not seeing something since i'm not you and henceforth know nothing about football

[SkStu]

only just recovered from my despondency on Saturday to post here.

We were terrible, unlucky to concede the goal for sure, but generally we were awful.

If people believe that this is the best way that 22 irish players can play the game then i do despair. We give the ball away with terrible passing from midfield and we create next to nothing from open play.

I live in hope and i wish this team and manager the best but only because im an Irishman and an Irish fan and would love to see us at SA but playing the way we have been with this long ball, by pass midfield crap we really do not deserve to be there.

Won 4, drew 6 and lost the second most important one. We have a tiny chance of progressing.

[Predator]

With our current squad, I'll say we should go for the same starting lineup as Saturday. I honestly think we were disciplined and dangerous in the first half (unless I was suffering from dizziness in Hogan Upper?). The reason I'd keep Lawrence in ahead of McGeady is because he appears to be reliable. He's a good passer and covers well enough defensively, not to mention his dead-ball delivery is pretty good. McGeady hasn't been impressing me at all recently. I'd definitely have him feature though, as long as he keeps the ball, runs at men as the opposition tires and gets his shots on target!

[Paddy Garcia]

Best & Hunt were woeful when they came on - we need some alternative options than these two on the bench anyway.

[geysir]

And in other games, at least Hunt has made a serious impact.
There are a lot of circumstances which can affect a sub making an impact.

[irishfan86]

A lot of people have said he was useless, but they forget the impact he made when he came on against Italy.

Hunt has his limitations, but let's not judge him on a 10 minute cameo- he can be very effective in certain situations.