Republic of Ireland V Wales - Monday, 8th February 2011 - Carling Nations Cup

[Junior]

I base my judgement on what I see from a player. Murphy looks poor in my opinion, though Stokes looks like he has it (skill, effort, a bit of dig and can score goals, still very young). Both are at the same club in the SPL - Does that make them both $hit? No it doesn't.

Walters, looks extremely ordinary. Would it be any different to sticking Gary Doherty up front for the last 30 minutes. Perhaps a little harsh, oh wait, he is playing in the EPL, of course its different.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Really. Some people on here know even less about the game than even Trapattoni.

[Bottle of Tonic]

Actually, Sammon scored only 2 goals in his first 2 seasons in the SPL (in 42 games). He suddenly hit goalscoring form for the first time in his career about 6 months ago, but you can hardly correlate that with his arrival in the SPL.



Are you being serious? Walters has scored a grand total of 3 Premiership goals in 23 games. Prior to that, he scored a total of 30 goals in 4 full seasons in the Championship. He was virtually ever present in the last 3 of those seasons, yet only got his goal tally into double figures once (when he scored 13 goals in 2007-2008).

Prior to that, he achieved nothing. When he was the same age as Stokes is now, he spent the season at Wrexham in the 4th tier of English football, and scored 5 goals in 38 games. And that was the best season of his career up until that point.

Walters is a journeyman, who has already most likely reached his peak. I have nothing against him, but if he is the future of our striking options we have very little to look forward to.

He'll probably score a hat trick tonight now though!:)

This wee exchange just illustrates how you can dress-up/present the stats in whatever way you see fit.
Personally I think its clear there is more long-term potential in Stokes, seeing as he is a penalty box goal-getter, as opposed to the more physical hold-up/flick-on merchants like Walters, Best, Folan etc that seem to be easier to get a hold of. That said I'm not a massive fan of Stokes but he has been giving me something to think about recently with his developing partnership with Hooper. They seem to be working on a very good understanding and Stokes' future with Ireland might hinge on him 'clicking' with Doyle or whoever he is partnered with. Playing the lone role, or getting shifted out wide he looks pretty rubbish.

[paul_oshea]

:confused: Haven't a clue who you're talking about.



http://www.faw.org.uk/teams/player/412

this guy with cardiff, ive seen him twice and read a few comments about him before, from what i heard he is a hot prospect. When i saw him he was very good particularly against england.

I hoped he was irish thats why i was enquiring about him. I thought i saw somewhere his grandfather was irish.

who do you email in the fai about possible players btw?

[paul_oshea]

Am I the only one looking forward to this game? I cant wait, its a shame that mccarthy couldn't be there in midfield along with clarke and coleman, but at least we now know taht with these two featuring it means we will more than likely see at least 1 of them against macedonia next month if both perform well.

BOT i think you are being slighly unfair on best, thats how we played him. He seems to have a decent eye for goal and finish if in the position.

[paul_oshea]

Really. Some people on here know even less about the game than even Trapattoni.

Now that is funny :D

[Noelys Guitar]

He's sticking with Whelan and either Green or Gibson (Fahey must be wondering what he did wrong). Not good. Whelan badly at fault (along with Given) for Russia's first goal in Dublin. Badly at fault for Slovakia's goal in Slovakia. The player has gone backwards from his initial good games under Trap. Green went off injured against Slovakia and we immediately looked a better team when Fahey came on for the rest of the first half of that game. Gibson requires too much time on the ball and disappears from games. Trap could have picked him ahead of Whelan and Green in previous but chose not to. The team to start against Macedonia is likely to be the one we see tonight with Keane replacing Walters and McGeady replacing Coleman. I don't believe that team is good enough to beat Macedonia. Not with that 2 from 3 in central midfield. They slow down the rest of the team.

[Charlie Darwin]

Fahey started against Slovakia - Gibson came on for Green and I don't agree that we looked better after.

[drummerboy]

As pointed out on other threads in recent days, you're judging Stokes on "failures" when he was a teenager. He's still only 22, and has been in great form for the past year and a half. Yes, only in the SPL, but as I mentioned in response to someone else making that point, Robbie Keane has also pretty much only scored in the SPL in the last two years. Does that mean Robbie is somehow sh1t? No.

Regarding Stokes being dropped on Sunday, you're correct he was left out. It seems that twice in a row at Ibrox Lennon has opted to play with just 1 up front, and Stokes has been omitted. I think it's clear that's a tactical decision rather than a reflection on Stokes' ability or form though.

I find it absolutely bizarre that Jon Walters is starting and Stokes isn't in the squad. I think it's becoming clear that Stokes is another player who Trap just doesn't like. That may well be down to his reputation for having an attitude problem, but again that seems to have mainly been an issue when he was a teenager. I think it's a real shame, as Stokes has the potential to be a class act. Jon Walters is already 27 and has had a very nondescript career, so I can't say he strikes me as a great prospect for the future.

Going on your reckoning, Adam Rooney, Richie Foran and Conor Salmon should also be in the panel. Anyway in my opinion Stokes isn't much better than any of them; though his ego is a lot bigger.

[paul_oshea]

Fahey started against Slovakia - Gibson came on for Green and I don't agree that we looked better after.

I actually thought that green got stuck in far more than fahey in those first 27 minutes. he might have lost the ball, but he won it far more too. He was trying to get involved making tackles etc.

[Noelys Guitar]

Wales are going to play 4-3-3. Andrew Crofts (Norwich), Andy King (Leicester) and David Vaughan (Blackpool) will be the midfield three. Speed's first game in charge no experience. He will have a look at our midfield and choose to play around it. I'm saying this before the game not after the game. We are just too slow in midfield and opposition teams have kopped onto the fact. If we persist with the long ball to Doyle because the central midfielders can't get on the ball then we are heading for a disaster against Macedonia. It negates what Coleman and Clark might bring to the team. We need something different in central midfield and pronto.

[Duggie]

if only cunningham hadnt broke his leg, played him at left back and tried clarke in central midfield. ifs i know.

[paul_oshea]

that if is a nested-if. If only mccarthy had come over, then there would be no other ifs, and he could have played there.

[Duggie]

that if is a nested-if. If only mccarthy had come over, then there would be no other ifs, and he could have played there.

true, a mccarthy/clarke midfield would have been a nice experiment with cunningham left back and coleman right midfield.

[SkStu]

Does tonights result mean anything to anyone? What if we get our asses handed to us by a Wales team that will be keen to impress their new manager and a new manager that will be keen to get one over on Il Duce.

I wouldnt be surprised if Wales made things very uncomfortable for us tonight.

[Duggie]

im glad bellamy and bale arent there tonight thats for sure anyway.

[paul_oshea]

Does tonights result mean anything to anyone? What if we get our asses handed to us by a Wales team that will be keen to impress their new manager and a new manager that will be keen to get one over on Il Duce.

I wouldnt be surprised if Wales made things very uncomfortable for us tonight.

There is not much interest in the game, but there will be in the result*

*if what you state above occurs.

[irishfan86]

The game itself doesn't appeal much, but getting to see how Coleman and Clark fit in should excite any Ireland fan.

[geysir]

Is Trap waiting for the Wales midfield to be selected before he chooses between Green or Gibson?
I can´t think of any other reason unless one of them is preferred and has a knock to recover from.

[paul_oshea]

He is donkey tailing. He started with one, then best of 3, now its just endless and tardelli has got involved.

[geysir]

I like Tardelli to be involved.

[theworm2345]

When Ireland haven't played in 3 months, any match is exciting for me.

[AlaskaFox]

true, a mccarthy/clarke midfield would have been a nice experiment with cunningham left back and coleman right midfield.

Clark isn't a midfielder. As a Villa fan, I've watched most of their games (in full) this season, and he's in no way a midfielder. Much better in defence. His positioning isn't good enough in central midfield.

[SwanVsDalton]

Does tonights result mean anything to anyone? What if we get our asses handed to us by a Wales team that will be keen to impress their new manager and a new manager that will be keen to get one over on Il Duce.

I wouldnt be surprised if Wales made things very uncomfortable for us tonight.

It's a hiding to nothing. If we turn them over four nil, it's just cos it's Wales...

Far more interested in seeing Coleman, Clark, Wilson et al.

[fionnsci]

Any links to watch this online?

[BonnieShels]

In poxy work til 9. I'm putting my faith in Ye.

[Charlie Darwin]

Any links to watch this online?
http://www.myp2p.eu/broadcast.php?matchid=105019&part=sports

Download Sopcast or Veetle to improve your chances of finding a good one.

[Noelys Guitar]

Despite my reservations about our manager really looking forward to this match.

[AlaskaFox]

Any links to watch this online?

Text commentary here too:
http://greenscene.me/2011/02/stream-ireland-v-wales-carling-cup-live-text-commentary/

[Sullivinho]

Gibson starting ahead of Green apparently.

[theworm2345]

Six subs can be used.

[gilberto_eire]

Stadium is seriously empty

[rebelmusic]

Only Duffer singing the national Anthem (Given pretending to) :(

[gilberto_eire]

If the stadium was in any other county you would get more people then this.

The Dubs and surrounding counties citizens are awful supporters considering how low the crowds have been the past year(and the high population of the area).
If i just had to pay the cost of a ticket I'd be there every game, must more costs involved travelling from Munster or Connacht.

[cavan_fan]

Im sure this is just brain fade but who is Kelly on the bench?

edit: Doh of course its Stephen kelly, the minute I posted.....

[AlaskaFox]

Stephen.

[tricky_colour]

Matthew - used to do Going for Gold

[SkStu]

Matthew - used to do Going for Gold

that was Henry.

I really, really wanted to be on going for gold.

[paul_oshea]

Haha Matthew was the going for molestation one.

[jebus]

glad to see the people of Ireland boycotting this game as a show of solidarity with Limerick FC over the Barcelona fiasco

[BonnieShels]

that was Henry.

I really, really wanted to be on going for gold.

The time is right...

Both of them were on game for a laugh.

[paul_oshea]

We are horribly boring to watch

[SkStu]

the heat is on, the time is right, its time for you, for you to play the game...
i just particularly love waving at cameras.

[AlaskaFox]

Much more interesting game than this one.

[Maroon 7]

This game might make me switch over to Michael Martin v Eamon Gilmore on TV3. It's that bad.

[irishultra]

entertaining stuff..trapattoni ur such a lej man

[Charlie Darwin]

If the stadium was in any other county you would get more people then this.

The Dubs and surrounding counties citizens are awful supporters considering how low the crowds have been the past year(and the high population of the area).
If i just had to pay the cost of a ticket I'd be there every game, must more costs involved travelling from Munster or Connacht.
Yep - two full houses in Thomond a couple of years back.

Coleman and Clark have both looked good so far, although Coleman does seem a bit over-eager to play the ball into the box instead of waiting for more options. The luckiest man in Ireland has also gotten away with his usual penalty-box indiscretion too.

[irishultra]

who does coleman remind me off? a bit like SWP when he was good at man city first time round...not exactly skillful but fast and enthusiastic

*not based on this game just in general

[shakermaker1982]

I've got no leave left so couldn't make the game. I'm glad I didn't fork out 200 plus to go over now! Duffer our only threat.

[Noelys Guitar]

Poor fare again. Whelan offering nothing and Gibson not much better. Doyle and Duff (our best players)having to come back to pick up the ball due to lack of service. Whelan is way off the pace should not be anywhere near the starting 11. And Wales have cut through the center way too easily a couple or times. Given one terrible kick out and still dropping the ball when making saves. Great to see Duff back and he has been badly missed.