Andy O' Brien ???

[ElSieteSecretos]

O Brien looks like he is playing good tonight.. does he feature on the irish side much?

[carnstien]

No but he is a good solid defender, he is certainly a better option at centre back than that disaster area Breen. He kept Henry quite as a mouse when Arsenal played Newcastle recently and he is still very young too, only 23 I think.

[ElSieteSecretos]

WEll he certainly looks like a great star for the future !! But 23 doesnt seem so young

[brendy_éire]

Just after watching the game. Thought he played well now.
Whack him on as a sub against Poland. Give the lad a chance.

[scouser]

O'Brien can be slightly hit and miss, prone to an odd error and sending off but for the most part solid if unconvincing at times. Tonight for example he let the ball take a bounce in front of him on 3 separate occasions instead of getting it clear at the first attempt. Better than Breen tho. Then again who isn't?

[ElSieteSecretos]

Better than Breen tho. Then again who isn't? :D :D HAHA

yeah, i think O brien should be given a chance in a friendly...its another option

[1MickCollins]

One positive about O'Brien is that he has been a first team regular first at Bradford and now Newcastle since he was 18, he has a lot of league experience. It looks like he has made one of the center-half spots his own at Newcastle beating out Titus Bramble.

[tricky_colour]

I saw and heard some of the match and he seemed to have a good
game, the bits I saw impressed me and the radio comentator praised
him sideway (O'Bien and Bramble seem to benefit from playing along
side Woodgate), I say Woodgate make a howler later, although he
did recover the situation to his credit.

He is a regular in the Newcastle side (4/5th in the Premiership),
plenty of experience in Europe (20+ games), surely first choice
alongside Cunningham?

Carr Cunningham O'Brien O'shea

[ElSieteSecretos]

He defintely should get a few matches with all these friendlies coming up

[finlma]

:D :D HAHA

yeah, i think O brien should be given a chance in a friendly...its another option

O'Brien has been given plenty of chances already and I think he will be first choice for Kerr come the qualifiers.

[drummerboy]

He played well last night. Solid, distribution was good, even if it was mostly to Shearers head. He was also very impressive against Brazil. I also think he will be first choice alongside Kenny come the qualifiers.

[NeilMcD]

yeah he was my man of the match against Brazil and I think a defence of

Carr, Cunningham, O Brien, and O Shea is solid and it is all firt teamers of teams in the premiership and teams that next season will be in the top half of teh league.


Add to that Keane, Duff, Miller and Andy Reid and

then Robbie Keane and Morrisson and we have players that should all be featuring in the top half of the premiership regularlyj and some in champions league and Europe too. So all is looking good and let the good times role

[tiktok]

he'd be my first choice to partner Cunningham, the point about European Club experience is well made.

if they're all fit,

Carr Cunningham O'Brien O'Shea

should be our starting back four (maybe Finnan could give Carr a push though)

[Plastic Paddy]

he'd be my first choice to partner Cunningham, the point about European Club experience is well made.

if they're all fit,

Carr Cunningham O'Brien O'Shea

should be our starting back four (maybe Finnan could give Carr a push though)

I still think Finnan could do a job at left-back instead of O'Sé. He's played there in the past for Fulham, has more of a defensive mind and can play with either foot. What then to do with JOS? Well, Cunningham's not getting any younger, and his time will come.

A moot point, I know, but I have nightmares when I think of JOS and Duff together on the left being caught too far forward...

:) PP

[Greenbod]

he'd be my first choice to partner Cunningham, the point about European Club experience is well made.

if they're all fit,

Carr Cunningham O'Brien O'Shea

should be our starting back four (maybe Finnan could give Carr a push though)

O'Shea has yet to have a good game for Ireland. He's been very weak for Man Utd. this season too. I'd prefer to see an in form player at left full. Kilbane springs to mind now that we've other options in midfield.

[Littlest Hobo]

I reckon O'Brien has done enough this season for the toons, to have earned himself a place in the centre alongside cunningham for the autumn qualifiers. He's done particularly well in the last few games, particularly last night against the big lad, Drogba....who may even get the nod for france!

[Beavis]

I still think Finnan could do a job at left-back instead of O'Sé. He's played there in the past for Fulham, has more of a defensive mind and can play with either foot. What then to do with JOS? Well, Cunningham's not getting any younger, and his time will come.

A moot point, I know, but I have nightmares when I think of JOS and Duff together on the left being caught too far forward...

:) PP

Exactly Finnan and Carr both need to be accomodated.Two quality full backs and as PP says J O' Shea's time will come...not sure if he's right at the mo