Republic of Ireland V Oman 3rd September 2014 & Georgia 7th September 2014

[liamoo11]

Real shame about Reid. I share TOWK's concern over the CB hierarchy.

Glad to see O'Brien and Pearce making the grade. 4 keepers looks odd.

I think the rest is pretty straightforward although I thought Gibson was unlikely to be brought over. Doyle is good enough for sure, but still lucky to make it.


Edit: why no Hendrick? Injury?


Did McClean come back for Wigan yet?

With no clark or mcshane are we looking at wilson as a definite centre half? I would like that. Then a toss up between o brien and ward for left full? Surprised OBrien has not retired given his knee tendonosis issues having the international breaks to rehab has been very good for him it seems for last few years.

Delighted gibson is in I would give him a half against oman and start him in the qualifier along with mccarthy and wes in a three

[DannyInvincible]

Real shame about Reid. I share TOWK's concern over the CB hierarchy.

I'd have liked another central defensive option in there. I'm surprised Keogh is ahead of Delaney in the pecking order.


Edit: why no Hendrick? Injury?

He has a suspected dislocated shoulder after an awkward fall against Ipswich today.


Did McClean come back for Wigan yet?

Don't think he has returned yet.

[liamoo11]

I'd have liked another central defensive option in there. I'm surprised Keogh is ahead of Delaney in the pecking order.



He has a suspected dislocated shoulder after an awkward fall against Ipswich today.



Don't think he has returned yet.

If mcclean is in the squad he must be fit yet as you say he has not even been on the bench even when they put a weak side out in league cup. Is he out of favour?Will he have new club on Monday?

I would have liked doherty in squad. We have no attacking right back to replace coleman and doherty has the makings of a decent one

[Supreme feet]

Hopefully Gibson, Brady and O'Brien get a chance to impress against Oman. The potential first eleven, with O'Shea and Wilson centre-back, Coleman and O'Brien at full-back, McCarthy and Gibson in midfield, Hoolahan at 10 behind Long/Keane, with McGeady and Brady on the wing, could be excellent. Especially when I think about the tactics deployed against Latvia and Italy, where we pressed high up the pitch, attacking and passing the ball with purpose and accuracy.

However, any more injuries in the back four between now and Tuesday week, and I'll be watching the Georgia match from behind the sofa.

[IsMiseSean]

I hope O'Brien makes it but I'm kinda expecting a withdrawal in the coming days...

[liamoo11]

I think this side gives us best chance of win in georgia.O brien makes us better defensively than ward. Gibson gives us ball retention and creativity that whelan does not. Pilks will let us keep possession which walters wont. Brady prob wood be a risk instead of pilks. Long to stretch them and have robbie to spring for 20 minutes if we need a goal when things have opened a bit.

Westwood
Coleman o shea wilson o brien

mcgeady mccarthy gibson pilkington

holohan

Long

[Olé Olé]

Hadn't factored O'Brien into my thinking for a starting side but he definitely deserves consideration. Couple this with the facts that O'Shea is our number one choice and Wilson has started all 3 of a decent Stoke side's games at centre-half (helped keep Man City scoreless today), then it makes sense to move Wilson in beside O'Shea and start O'Brien at left-back.

I'm disappointed Damien Delaney hasn't been given the opportunity to be part of this squad and make an appearance. Didn't Roy Keane bring him to Ipswich in 2009?

[Predator]

St Ledger should be in that squad
Is that a joke?

[DannyInvincible]

On past performances at least worth bringing him into the set up to see how he fares.

We will struggle if MON persists with his current squad selection.

Squad selections should not be based on distant past performances.

[Charlie Darwin]

Squad selections should not be based on distant past performances.
That's a Given :)

[DannyInvincible]

That's a Given :)

Ha, I've questioned the merits of Given's return seeing as he isn't getting any younger/more agile and is bench-warming at the minute, but I guess Roy has been seeing quite a lot of him at Villa of late, so the management have that to go on at least.

[tommy_c12000]

Quick question. Why the hell have we 4 goalkeepers in a 27 man squad. Are things really that bad?

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Hadn't factored O'Brien into my thinking for a starting side but he definitely deserves consideration. Couple this with the facts that O'Shea is our number one choice and Wilson has started all 3 of a decent Stoke side's games at centre-half (helped keep Man City scoreless today), then it makes sense to move Wilson in beside O'Shea and start O'Brien at left-back.

I'm disappointed Damien Delaney hasn't been given the opportunity to be part of this squad and make an appearance. Didn't Roy Keane bring him to Ipswich in 2009?

Roy Keane had a pretty severe falling out with Damien several years ago and I wonder whether this is why Keogh is in the squad ahead of him; because he (Keogh) certainly doesn't deserve to be in the squad on merit. Delaney's performances against Germany and Turkey have been better than Keogh's performances against Serbia, Costa Rica and Portugal and he's playing in the Premier League. We rue the lack of players playing regular football and then we leave them out for Championship journeymen?

Alex Pearce looked decent against John O'Shea against Italy. I think he may be guilty by association because he played alongside Keogh in the Portugal game but with another defensive partner we probably wouldn't have conceded as many goals in that game.

Another reason I question Delaney (and McShane's) absence is because they are center backs by trade, unlike Keogh; and because Delaney can fill in at LB in the event of injuries. McShane also has vast experience playing CB and RB at this level of football.

I just hope Wilson and O'Shea don't get injured.

[Stuttgart88]

But hasn't Delaney featured 2 or 3 times under O'Neill? The falling out theory probably doesn't hold water in that context. Keane has fallen out with or had a pop at almost everyone.

I can see why McShane is omitted, simply because O'Neill has yet to get a look at home up close. Delaney and Clark both had a chance to stake a claim this summer, but injury affected chances and now both are on standby. I think Delaney was crocked anyway rather than just tired and needing a rest. Maybe O'Neill felt he could have made the trip? That's just as conspiracy theory-esque but I'm just putting it out there.

[Stuttgart88]

As usual someone who can't really be bothered to play for us is making ten times the headlines than the 27+ who do.

[Charlie Darwin]

Quick question. Why the hell have we 4 goalkeepers in a 27 man squad. Are things really that bad?
Not sure why they even need 2 considering Shay is guaranteed to play.

[the doc]

Roy Keane had a pretty severe falling out with Damien several years ago and I wonder whether this is why Keogh is in the squad ahead of him; because he (Keogh) certainly doesn't deserve to be in the squad on merit. Delaney's performances against Germany and Turkey have been better than Keogh's performances against Serbia, Costa Rica and Portugal and he's playing in the Premier League. We rue the lack of players playing regular football and then we leave them out for Championship journeymen?

Alex Pearce looked decent against John O'Shea against Italy. I think he may be guilty by association because he played alongside Keogh in the Portugal game but with another defensive partner we probably wouldn't have conceded as many goals in that game.

Another reason I question Delaney (and McShane's) absence is because they are center backs by trade, unlike Keogh; and because Delaney can fill in at LB in the event of injuries. McShane also has vast experience playing CB and RB at this level of football.

I just hope Wilson and O'Shea don't get injured.

This player, that player, conspiracy theories, falling outs?????

It will be all academic once our best CB gets back playing regularly.😜😜

You have to admit he's done consistently better for Ireland than any of the current names being banded about on here.

[DannyInvincible]

You have to admit he's done consistently better for Ireland than any of the current names being banded about on here.

The names being bandied about on here? As in the players selected in the squad by Martin O'Neill and those on the standby list? It's only natural they'd be discussed.

[IsMiseSean]

Is O'Brien capable of playing against Oman & Georgia given his fitness struggles?

[Olé Olé]

The names being bandied about on here? As in the players selected in the squad by Martin O'Neill and those on the standby list? It's only natural they'd be discussed.

Yeah, the ones with clubs.

Completely irrational argument which shouldn't be entertained. I feel for St. Ledger but he can't come close to consideration until he gets a very prolonged period of regular club football at a minimum of Championship level. That could take a while and he's no spring chicken.

[ArdeeBhoy]

A lot of rumours doing the rounds on social media over the weekend, Given will 'definitely' play in Georgia. If true, seriously unhappy;all the signs point to a draw at best.

[Roberto]

I don't know why McLean is named as he is injured and hasn't played for Wigan yet this season. Team news ahead of their game last Saturday read as follows:

Wigan Athletic Team News:
'Ben Watson, Chris McCann and James McClean are all out long term, no word on Shaun Maloney after the Scotland international missed the past two games through illness'

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Why was Stephen Kelly named in the original squad when he last started a league game on New Years Day and is out with a long-term injury? You could question a lot of the decisions Martin and Roy are making.

There is no reason why players like Rob Kiernan, Tommie Hoban, Eunan O'Kane and Matt Doherty shouldn't be given squad places other than laziness, complacency and an unwillingness to take the time to take a closer look at them.

Instead they focus their energies on clandestine meetings with football agents on behalf of mysterious English players.

You know the old hat. When things start going wrong they will start blaming their own inadequacies on lack of players coming through and speak of the need to take more advantage of the eligibility rules; when it has already been proven time and time again that it is a frustrating waste of time.

FFS Poland have a 30 year old Steaua Bucharest player with 6 caps, a 28 year old Serie B journeyman with 1 cap and another unknown 27 year old based in China filling out their squad.

The world isn't going to end if we take a shot on some younger players playing a better level and stop persevering with dead weight like Kelly, Cox and several others.

[zero]

The world isn't going to end if we take a shot on some younger players playing a better level and stop persevering with dead weight like Kelly, Cox and several others.

i tend to agree - they offer nothing to the squad. if we are facing into a qualifier looking at the likes of those starting we are in terrible trouble. surely matt doherty is more worthy of a call up than kelly?

it does seem o'neill/roy have been taking a very relaxed approach to things so far. this had better change come sunday.

[Stuttgart88]

...especially in a squad of 27. It does sound as if there's a bit of preparing excuses to fail and MON's reputation management going on. But while I agree with you, it's an age-old habit here of getting het up about marginal decisions regarding the fringe places. Our qualification hopes don't depend on the likes of those four being included in this week's squad.

I have to say I don't share AB's view that Given's selection signals tough times and a draw at best. I think too much can be read into Given. Whilst I'm currently favouring Westwood on basis of form and age (being related to sharpness) he hasn't played international football for a while and the last thing we want next week is a keeper being nervous. His time will come, probably sooner rather than later. Given will just fit in seamlessly, unfussed by the job and will be no worse than the other two in doing the nuts and bolts of goalkeeping. He will bring some "presence" to the position. His reluctance to take high balls has always been a weakness and this is my concern.

Elsewhere, the real rub is whether he picks our good enterprising players and has the team pressing, always being busy. As yet O'Neill hasn't really had these guys all available together yet so we don't have any indication as to what he's thinking. Wednesday ought to tell us that.

There are two ways of interpreting Given's likely start.

It could be that O'Neill is just making a bold, shortish term decision to bring some authority to a defence that has made silly errors in 5 of the last 6 friendlies (I'm exempting Italy) and lacked authority.

Alternatively, it could just be an indication that he's being unimaginative across the board and we'll get same old, same old.

I'm hoping it's the former, but am not betting on it. I think McCarthy did a better job of using his first 6 or 7 friendlies than O'Neill has so far.

[ArdeeBhoy]

More likely the latter, knowing our recent 'thinking'. And Weds a limited reflection on Sunday IMO.

[zero]

I'm hoping it's the former, but am not betting on it. I think McCarthy did a better job of using his first 6 or 7 friendlies than O'Neill has so far.

i would agree. i would say the same of trap. his first squad contained 7 uncapped players, including whelan , who for all his detractors started out well for us and gave us consistency in the middle of the park alongside andrews (who might also be a trap call up? i dont recall if stan played him).

if o'neill really felt we needed new recruits, why is that yet to be sorted out? shouldn't they be in and around the squad for the start of a campaign rather than being drafted in, be it in october or otherwise, at the expense of someone else?

it just seems a bit half hearted. o'neill/keane are there 10 months now and have had 7 games to look at the current squad. failure to win in georgia and there will be rumblings of discontent already.

[Stuttgart88]

Andrews made his debut at home to Poland under Trap, at least a few months into his tenure.

I suppose it's not O'Neill's fault that Reid and Hendrick are unavailable and that Reid has been unavailable to him for several games. O'Briens inclusion is welcome.

[tetsujin1979]

Joey O'Brien returning to west ham to have treatment in his ongoing knee issue. No word yet on a replacement.

[ArdeeBhoy]

What a surprise, why do they even bother...

[zero]

how many squads is it he has pulled out of now? strange behaviour. you would think he would just retire from international football at this stage.

[Stuttgart88]

He came in for a lot of ridicule for not playing in the summer friendlies and for having the nerve to get married, citing his ongoing injury which requires regular treatment. I think Joey was simply terrified of being on the receiving end of another online rollicking, which is why he turned up.

It does indeed seem that the guy has a chronic problem, which is a real shame for both him and us.

With no replacement called up it'd appear that Wilson is being seen as dispensable at CB and is Ward's deputy left back. This elevates Keogh a fraction closer to getting on the pitch and makes the Delaney and McShane omissions look odder, as both can cover at full back too. I know Brady can nominally play left back but I doubt that's in management's thoughts, nor should it be really.

I'd call up Lenihan myself now that he has made the transition from amateur local league player to the best league in the world.

[ArdeeBhoy]

If that's true, then MO'N may be as blinkered as some of his predecessors;Ward is a walking liability IMO. Even McShane is miles better.

[Charlie Darwin]

He came in for a lot of ridicule for not playing in the summer friendlies and for having the nerve to get married, citing his ongoing injury which requires regular treatment.
I have nothing against marriage in theory, but an ongoing injury doesn't strike me as the best reason to get hitched.

[paul_oshea]

If that's true, then MO'N may be as blinkered as some of his predecessors;Ward is a walking liability IMO. Even McShane is miles better.

For continuity it doesnt make sense alright, but I think Mon might be taking the approach that for now its ok. Ward as bad as he is should not be found wanting or exposed as much against Georgia. I am really disappointed about O'Brien.

[Stuttgart88]

Unless Wilson is moved to LB, it's hard to argue that Ward, for all his flaws, isn't our best left back or at least it's not surprising that MON thinks he is. Delaney and McShane are hardly LB thoroughbreds, even though both could do it. I'd like to see Delaney there at some stage but maybe he doesn't have the athleticism to get up and down.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Should be Coleman, O'Shea, Delaney, Wilson across the back with McShane/Duffy/Clark/Kelly/Pearce as cover. Plus IF fit, St.Ledger & O'Brien.

The likes of Ward & Keogh are a disaster waiting to happen and inspire minimal confidence IMO. And really should be avoided at all costs.

[ifk101]

Wilson has looked more accomplished at CB than LB and MON seems to favour him at CB. Not convinced by Ward at LB but as said above, he is the best option for that position with Wilson at CB. LB has been a problem position for years and this looks like continuing for the time being.

[Bungle]

The squad confirms everything that I feared and predicted from MON when he got the job - it is very unimanagative. It is clear that we aren't producing the youngsters that we used to, but there are still guys out there like Matt Doherty who should be in the squad and play tomorrow against Oman. We would get more from seeing Ian Lawlor play Oman than Shay coming back into the squad. Being involved with their country can give the likes of Doherty and Lawlor the boost that their career needs. Mick's tenure in the first few years was a real breath of fresh air in this regard and alot of those lads really kicked on from the experience like Shay Given. People will rightly mention that we don't have time to experiment with our seeding for 2018 currently being so poor, but it could be argued that now more than ever is the time to blood the likes of Doherty, at least in friendlies.

[Stuttgart88]

Don't really agree. They've got time. O'Neill needs to put something close to our first XI on the pitch together prior to Georgia. The summer friendlies were more notable for who didn't play than for who did. At least 60 minutes of the Oman game should be a dress rehearsal for Georgia in my opinion.

[Charlie Darwin]

I don't get why Lawlor is ever brought up. Apart from being a break glass in case of emergency addition to the Manchester City squad, and training with the national side once, he's still somebody who is yet to play a game of senior football in his life. He might turn out to be a great player but what is the case for calling him up over all the other goalkeepers?

[tetsujin1979]

he's probably better off against Germany for the U21s than being a squad player for the Oman game anyway.

[ifk101]

Coleman is still finding his feet at senior level imo. Better to give him the game time than looking too far into the future with Matt Doherty.

[tetsujin1979]

Gibson to start tomorrow night: https://twitter.com/3_News/status/506791824997224449/photo/1

@D_Gibson4 (https://twitter.com/D_gibson4) will START tomorrow for @FAIreland (https://twitter.com/FAIreland), confirms MO'N. It's been a long road back. #3BENCHGUY (https://twitter.com/hashtag/3BENCHGUY?src=hash)

[DeLorean]

FFS Poland have a 30 year old Steaua Bucharest player with 6 caps, a 28 year old Serie B journeyman with 1 cap and another unknown 27 year old based in China filling out their squad.

Are you saying this is a good thing or a bad thing (for Poland)?

[zero]

some encouraging words from gibson:


Gibson described the news that he is set to start against Oman as “a big opportunity,” and said that his long spell on the sidelines recovering from last year’s knee injury had left him with a great deal of time to reflect on his relative lack of progress at this level.
“It made me realise that I’m not getting any younger,” said the 26 year-old. “That it’s now or never. I need to push on and play more games.”

[geysir]

That's an interesting choice. I hope he's fit enough for the challenge and makes it on to the team for Georgia.

I didn't think we could afford Gibson's match day insurance premium.

[Charlie Darwin]

I can't imagine he has two games in four days in him. Hopefully McCarthy's injury clears up by the weekend.

[zero]

I can't imagine he has two games in four days in him. Hopefully McCarthy's injury clears up by the weekend.

yeah agreed. he'll play an hour tomorrow i expect and whelan / mccarthy will start in georgia. if mccarthy doesn't recover though, i guess meyler is next in line?

i expect he'll be ok, hopefully.

starting to feel a bit excited now, almost in spite of myself. a new campaign, new management. while i've expressed concerns about the build up, the old green tinted optimism is starting to kick in.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

He came in for a lot of ridicule for not playing in the summer friendlies and for having the nerve to get married, citing his ongoing injury which requires regular treatment. I think Joey was simply terrified of being on the receiving end of another online rollicking, which is why he turned up.

It does indeed seem that the guy has a chronic problem, which is a real shame for both him and us.

With no replacement called up it'd appear that Wilson is being seen as dispensable at CB and is Ward's deputy left back. This elevates Keogh a fraction closer to getting on the pitch and makes the Delaney and McShane omissions look odder, as both can cover at full back too. I know Brady can nominally play left back but I doubt that's in management's thoughts, nor should it be really.

I'd call up Lenihan myself now that he has made the transition from amateur local league player to the best league in the world.

Actually, the problem was that he was selecting an International window to get married.

I really can not see us even finishing third with Ward and Keogh in our back line. The margins are so slim at this level and they are both liabilities. Any time the defence is under pressure Keogh looks nervous. Ward is too impulsive. They would make some double team. I can't envision Keogh having the same reactions as Dunne, St Ledger or O'Shea in a situation where Ward gives the ball to the opposition under any sort of pressure.

We can laugh at the doc all we want but St Ledger is dependable. We are surely going to end up missing him.