Republic of Ireland V Norway - Wednesday, 17th November 2010 - Friendly

[Stuttgart88]

Mrs Stuttgart let me watch about 3 minutes of PNE versus Hull, while an incoming phone call interrupted her watching a SKY+ recording of Masterchef Australia. It looked like Sledge was limping and the commentatot was saying he was injured. Maybe a JOD / Dunne CB pairing with a new right back?

[AlaskaFox]

Clark and Dunne CB?

[ifk101]

Mrs Stuttgart let me watch about 3 minutes of PNE versus Hull, while an incoming phone call interrupted her watching a SKY+ recording of Masterchef Australia. It looked like Sledge was limping and the commentatot was saying he was injured. Maybe a JOD / Dunne CB pairing with a new right back?

I'm watching the game. He's playing right full. There's nothing wrong with him except a terrible attitude. Didn't bother his arse to track back for Hull's goal. Hull nearly got a second for the same reason. We'll see if he comes out for the second half.

Treacy's on the bench btw.

Edit: St Ledger has moved to left full. He also has a bandage around his leg now. :bigsmile:

[Charlie Darwin]

Clark and Dunne CB?
I think Dunne could probably do with a rest.

[ifk101]

St Ledger played better in the second half but totally at fault for Hull's second goal. Made a mess of a clearing header and was then knocked off the ball by Nick Barmby.

Treacy came on halfway through the second half. Looks a player but a bit raw around the edges. Decent right foot on him for a left footed player.

Kilbane played 60 mins for Hull.

[gastric]

St Ledger was carrying injury and was at fault for both goals. Interesting that Daniel Comolli was there possibly watching Ayala rather than Sean. Treacy didn't do much when he came on except get himself booked.
Back on thread, why the hell hasn't Trap called up Stokes? We need another option to Robbie, particularly if he is ever injured long term and Stokers rather than Long is the best option IMO.

[rebelmusic]

Aye i think it's alright to say "he knows what stokes can do" but he also needs to test these players. He knows 100% what Keane and Doyle can do so why play them? And although i wish it could be, i cant see trap putting Josh back to CB. He seems to start players completely regardless of their club form. Think about it, when Miller didn't even have a club he was getting starts and then when he found some of his old form with hibs he was dropped from the squad!

A sickening part of me believes green and kilbane will be starting for the rest of this campaign...which is frankly ludicrous.

[Cabs88]

stokes should be in the squad, form irish striker at the moment, it beggars belief why he isnt in the squad. Personally id much rather O'Shea centre back alongside dunne going forward with new fullbacks, 2 from kelly/cunningham/foley/ and in time perhaps coleman, but not yet. I think Houllier sees clark as a holding midefielder and he is getting game time there so perhaps there is where we'll see him in future for ireland. Traps reliance for two defensive midfielders would mean you might see the useless green still play as andrews only coming back to fitness and whelan not playing regularily. Yes Keane and Doyle are our first choice pairing, and rightly so, but its games like this friendly where we should be trying new things

[Crosby87]

stokes should be in the squad, form irish striker at the moment, it beggars belief why he isnt in the squad.

I'm tellin ya Trap is down on Stokes.

[Charlie Darwin]

Stokes has been asked to up his game this season against Rangers for Celtic and in the Europa League for Hibs and he didn't excel himself in either. He is a tremendous talent but at the moment the form strikers are Long, Doyle and Walters.

[Predator]

Aye i think it's alright to say "he knows what stokes can do" but he also needs to test these players. He knows 100% what Keane and Doyle can do so why play them?Keane is injured, but I'll take your point. I agree that new players should get chances in friendlies and new players will (Stuttgart88's point earlier in the thread). However, I think it is also important to have as much consistency as is possible at international level and this is part of the reason why I think Trap insists on playing what is the core of the team despite knowing what they have to offer.


Think about it, when Miller didn't even have a club he was getting starts and then when he found some of his old form with hibs he was dropped from the squad!Fair enough point. I don't deny that Trap has made some odd selections. However, Miller's inclusion came at the beginning of Trap's reign when there were very little other options for centre midfield and I think it's fair to say that Trapattoni has since come to know our playing pool a little better. I haven't seen much of Stokes play this season, but I'd guess that Long is ahead of him because of his solid performances against Slovakia and Russia, while Walters is playing at a higher level and Trap has not worked with him before. OK, Stokes is scoring for fun in the SPL, but so was Lukas Jutkiewicz last season and there was no mad clamour for that eligible player to be included in a squad.

There is still time before the game. Stokes could be included yet.

[SwanVsDalton]

I'd love Sammon to get a call-up, at least to acknowledge his form.

Fair play to him and all but he could score 300 goals and I still wouldn't support a call-up.

[AlaskaFox]

Fair play to him and all but he could score 300 goals and I still wouldn't support a call-up.

Why not? Care to back it up?

[AlaskaFox]

In 'new' injury news, Ciaran Clark missed the game owing to a calf injury, and Houllier confirmed that Richard Dunne is struggling again with the knee problem that has ruled him out of previous matches.
From: http://www.astonvilla.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=7506408#ixzz15Bb92fwA

[Crosby87]

Honestly who cares about this friendly? It will be same old same old. It could be Stan as manager smoking up the opposition for 5 goals or whatever.
Best to hope for is; We are fairly non injured in the future of this campaign.
What does a game in Nov matter, with this manager?
Clark wont see the light of day if he is Playing like Pele or ineligible. He wouldnt play. Why do people think he might have played? Has anyone noticed anything about our 70 YO Mng? McCarthy hasnt played yet for FKS.

[boovidge]

He played against Brazil.

[Crosby87]

Right he did Boo! Exactly! I was waiting for that.

Call me stupid but talk to me when he gets blooded, and not in a useless freindly. See above.

If JMac was healthy you seem to be the chap that thinks he would be playing in this friendly.
Sorry, but there is no proof whatsoever that he would be.

[boovidge]

Wait so...Traps already played him in a friendly before but definitely wouldn't play him in this friendly? I don't understand. I do think Trap might have given him some time in the second half if he was fit, yes, based on the fact he's already done it before. You have as much proof that he wouldn't as I do that he would i.e bugger all.

[Crosby87]

It is just funny, reading back how you love CC.
I guess you can say you were "right there" if we ever make a WC with, of course, CC.
Boo had CC back in the day.
Amazing.

[tetsujin1979]

Right he did Boo! Exactly! I was waiting for that.

Call me stupid but talk to me when he gets blooded, and not in a useless freindly. See above.

If JMac was healthy you seem to be the chap that thinks he would be playing in this friendly.
Sorry, but there is no proof whatsoever that he would be.


It is just funny, reading back how you love CC.
I guess you can say you were "right there" if we ever make a WC with, of course, CC.
Boo had CC back in the day.
Amazing.
Given that second post, being called stupid is the least of your worries

[Charlie Darwin]

It is just funny, reading back how you love CC.
I guess you can say you were "right there" if we ever make a WC with, of course, CC.
Boo had CC back in the day.
Amazing.
Are you drunk?

[Stuttgart88]

Grow up Crosby.

[AlaskaFox]

Clark, Dunne, Kilbane all out:
http://greenscene.me/2010/11/villa-duo-clark-and-dunne-pull-out-of-ireland-squad/

[Predator]

Wasn't St. Ledger carrying an injury in the last Preston game? Is he fit? If not, it looks like it'll be O'Dea and O'Shea centre back.

[AlaskaFox]

Wasn't St. Ledger carrying an injury in the last Preston game? Is he fit? If not, it looks like it'll be O'Dea and O'Shea centre back.

Got injured at the start but stayed on. Someone mentioned it here I think.

[Charlie Darwin]

Glad Dunne is getting a rest. Wish Clark could get a run in his place but unfortunately not.

[Fixer82]

Dunne, Clark, Kilbane, Keane, Folan and McShane all pull out of original squad but Trap won't call anyone up.
Jesus the man is frustrating. Perfect chance to look at some of the peripheral players, even in training games, but he won't do it.
:penquin:

[SwanVsDalton]

Why not? Care to back it up?

I'm just a DCFC fan who saw him play for us and can't see how'd he ever be good enough. Good physical attributes but without the intelligence to really put them to use. It's a wholly subjective, and quite possibly unfair, opinion! Just how I feel!

In fairness, I was being just a tad glib. If he did at Championship level it would turn my head and maybe change my mind. I simply don't rate the SPL for judging potential call-up's, particularly for strikers.

[shakermaker1982]

I'd put the following out:

Westwood

Foley O'Shea St Ledger S Kelly

Coleman Wilson Fahey Duff

Doyle Long

I'd then try out 4-5-1/4-3-3 from HT

[SwanVsDalton]

Dunne, Clark, Kilbane, Keane, Folan and McShane all pull out of original squad but Trap won't call anyone up.
Jesus the man is frustrating. Perfect chance to look at some of the peripheral players, even in training games, but he won't do it.
:penquin:

Who should he call up?

With a bit of luck the team would've featured McCarthy, Clark, Walters, Cunningham, Long, Fahey and Coleman. Only injury has deprived us of those options, but the team on Wednesday will be vastly different. Surely that is looking at peripheral players?

I don't really see who else is banging down the door. And I don't support flooding the squad with people who arn't really in the frame just for the sake of it.

[Fixer82]

I think Murphy and Stokes have never really got a chance under Trap and (the latter most of all) are in good form

[drummerboy]

Given (Westwood ht)
Foley O’Shea O’Dea Cunningham
Coleman Wilson Gibson Duff
Walters Long

[SwanVsDalton]

I think Murphy and Stokes have never really got a chance under Trap and (the latter most of all) are in good form

Murphy isn't really in much form from what I've seen and heard. Stokes would be the only one making a case to be fair, but Trap doesn't seem to be a fan. And I would still rather look at Long and Walters getting good runs considering their form.

Either way the team and squad has a lot of new options. Should be interesting.

[Supreme feet]

I think the prospect of seeing new full-backs is the only potentially exciting thing about this game. Foley at right-back and Coleman further up would be ideal. Cunningham should slot in at LB - not expecting miracles from him just yet, but it'll be good for him to get more experience. It'll be a good scrap for the wide midfield places with Duff, Hunt, McGeady and Lawrence - as well as Coleman - in competition. Long and Doyle will probably get the nod up front.

That leaves central midfield, and not one of our possible combinations - two of Whelan, Green, Wilson and Gibson - would fill me with any confidence. Whelan needs a more senior player in there alongside him - a la Steven Reid and Andrews in the last campaign. Put him alongside a less experienced player, and he looks lost. That's why I wouldn't have much faith in him for the future; he doesn't seem capable of guiding the younger lads. Any time he's played alongside Gibson, it's been a disaster. As risky as it seems, I'd like Trap to scrap the current midfield and just throw McCarthy and Meyler in for the Wales game, and keep them there for good, with Wilson and perhaps Andrews as back-up.

[jbyrne]

That leaves central midfield, and not one of our possible combinations - two of Whelan, Green, Wilson and Gibson - would fill me with any confidence.

i think there are serious doubts over green and gibson...

http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2010/1115/trapattonig_ireland.html

would love to see fahey get a chance in there

[Supreme feet]

It would be interesting to see Fahey. If he had a good game, it'd be hard for Trap to leave him out again; he definitely offers more than any of the others in terms of passing and link-up play. Just thinking about the Pats-Hertha game, I don't think any of our current midfielders could run a game or show the passing range that Fahey did that evening.

Still, there's always the possibility of him being over-run by a big, powerful 5-man Norwegian midfield. But that will probably happen regardless of who Trap puts in.

[AlaskaFox]

Trap called someone up - Joe Murphy in place of Keiren Westwood
http://greenscene.me/2010/11/trapattoni-to-hand-walters-and-coleman-debuts/

[Colbert Report]

Darron Gibson is definitely out, his daughter is ill in hospital, I hope everything is alright.

[Charlie Darwin]

Dunne, Clark, Kilbane, Keane, Folan and McShane all pull out of original squad but Trap won't call anyone up.
Jesus the man is frustrating. Perfect chance to look at some of the peripheral players, even in training games, but he won't do it.
:penquin:
Still leaves 19 men though, doesn't it? Still 2 in every position as far as I can tell.

[IsMiseSean]

I really want to see Foley and Coleman start on the right side. I think that could be a good combination

[TrapAPony]

I really want to see Foley and Coleman start on the right side. I think that could be a good combination

I want to see this :

Given

Foley O'Shea Kelly Cunningham

Coleman Wilson Fahey Duff

Doyle Long

[SwanVsDalton]

I want to see this :

Given

Foley O'Shea Kelly Cunningham

Coleman Wilson Fahey Duff

Doyle Long

Has Kelly ever played CB?

[Closed Account]

I want to see this :

Given

Foley O'Shea Kelly Cunningham

Coleman Wilson Fahey Duff

Doyle Long
I like the cut of your jib. Thats what I'd like to see too.

[Colbert Report]

Stephen Kelly at CB? You must be joking. Don't you all remember his debut under Trap? He let the ball bounce and we conceded a goal early on to someone. He looked very out of place.

In fairness, he's played all of Fulham's last two matches, away to Chelsea and away to Newcastle. Might be worth another look in light of all the injuries we have, but certainly not at centre back.

[Sullivinho]

I really want to see Foley and Coleman start on the right side. I think that could be a good combination

Ditto. Definitely a combo that would pique my interest. Not to mention the fact I think Foley should be picking up regular caps anyway.

[Sullivinho]

Stephen Kelly at CB? You must be joking. Don't you all remember his debut under Trap? He let the ball bounce and we conceded a goal early on to someone. He looked very out of place.

In fairness, he's played all of Fulham's last two matches, away to Chelsea and away to Newcastle. Might be worth another look in light of all the injuries we have, but certainly not at centre back.

Home to Georgia wasn't it? Played right back I think and made a bad mistake early on. Wouldn't fancy him at CB at all.

[Colbert Report]

Home to Georgia wasn't it? Played right back I think and made a bad mistake early on. Wouldn't fancy him at CB at all.

He was definitely playing right back and yes I believe it was home to Georgia. I remember O'Shea had let the ball bounce and then Kelly failed to deal with it. I think the ball bounced again and that was that. I remember not being very impressed.

[Fixer82]

Paddy Kenny could've been called up for Westwood. By all accounts he's been on fire since he came back from suspension.

Yeah that game Kelly made the mistake was georgia at home when we won with a Robbie Keane penalty which was never ever a peno!
Though I believe Keith Andrews scored a perfectly fine goal that was disallowed

[TrapAPony]

I know Kelly doesn't normally play there but it's a friendly, not a competitive international match, plus we have alot of injuries. Time to try something different. One could put Wilson centrehalf and Whelan in the middle I suppose.

[geysir]

It would make experimentation in other areas a bit easier if St Ledger is fit to partner O'Shea.