Ireland v Germany & Poland

[Olé Olé]

Second Captains has two regular football podcasts a week.

Aye, but it won't be till this afternoon that the second one of the week is released. Not sure how much they'll focus on the match with such a short window for listeners prior the match.

[Olé Olé]

I fancy the following will be the side:
Given
Christie JOSH Wilson (hasn't been definitively ruled out, Keogh if he isn't fit) Brady
Hendrick McCarthy Gibson
Walters Hoolahan
Long

Meyler has been talking as if he's going to get a start but MON does seem to like Gibson and has preferred him in big matches in this campaign.

I can't see how Robbie will start. I think this is the game for Hoolahan to play beside Walters/Long as that pair interchange between being the front man. Who knows though, Murphy got the nod at home to the Scots and O'Neill might fancy him on his return from injury. Christ, maybe Kevin Doyle might return from the wilderness. He'd relish that and has popped up for some crucial goals in his international career.

Wilson hasn't been ruled out, has he? I'd be worried about Keogh facing Mueller. His pace and elusiveness would cause most centre-halves problems. I'd actually have fancied Clark against him more than all our other options. Pity.

That's the team I'm predicting but it won't be the team. There'll be surprises.

[DeLorean]

I think that will be the team, depending on how match fit Gibson has looked. If he starts Murphy ahead of Long this time I'm watching the Scots.

[Stuttgart88]

Kerr saying Murphy might be on LHS, Walters wide right, McCarthy, Meyler, Hendricks in the middle, Long up front.

That'd mean no Wessi in the starting XI. Gibson and McGeady on the bench.

I think I'd be ok with that. Solid, good balance of defensive and attacking capability. A lot would depend on Hendrick being able to get on the ball in their half. Christie and Brady getting forward.

Obviously defence is a worry, ageing goalie lacking game time and CB, Championship CB and RB. A LB prone to lapses, but with a great delivery.

Key decisions:
Brady LB or LM. LB for me.
Which 2 of Wes, Meyler and Hendrick? Not sure. Wes over Meyler probably.
I like the idea of Murphy and Walters wide, Long in middle.

Coybig.

[Kingdom]

Second Captains has two regular football podcasts a week.

Aye but they're a shower of clowns. Off the Ball is still on the ball.

[tetsujin1979]

Aye but they're a shower of clowns. Off the Ball is still on the ball.
Not even close mate, off the ball has gone down drastically since the lads left. I rarely listen to it anymore, apart from John Giles, and I podcast the crappy quiz.

[Real ale Madrid]

I must say I really enjoy both. A few years ago there was no sports talk on the radio bar the weekends - now we have off the ball and the second captains pods. Don't agree with everything and some characters I like more than others but its great to have them both on the go IMO.

[DeLorean]

I like the idea of Murphy and Walters wide, Long in middle.

Surely that would be a clear indication that we're just going to hoof the ball all night?

[tetsujin1979]

I'd go along with that, Walters on the right would protect Christie at right full and give him an out ball when in possession

[Straightstory]

Both Germany and Poland should beat us comfortably. So the big question is will Poland beat Scotland tonight? I'd say the Scots might just get a point, which would be enough for them.

[Kingdom]

Not even close mate, off the ball has gone down drastically since the lads left. I rarely listen to it anymore, apart from John Giles, and I podcast the crappy quiz.

Ugh. we'll agree to disagree so.

Ken Early though? Really. If ever an annoying picture fitted an annoying voice.....

[DeLorean]

The guy who does the buzzer quiz at the end of Second Captains is a bit annoying as well. I don't see/hear either very often though, only bits. Off The Ball seems good to me also but I wouldn't have been that familiar with it when the other guys were there.

[paul_oshea]

I think wessi is too small and weak for the germans, and dont harp on about that one italy game, he gets bullied far too often and i dont think he is suitable for starting in this game.

[BonnieShels]

Not even close mate, off the ball has gone down drastically since the lads left. I rarely listen to it anymore, apart from John Giles, and I podcast the crappy quiz.


Ugh. we'll agree to disagree so.

Ken Early though? Really. If ever an annoying picture fitted an annoying voice.....

This, always this.

Cannot abide him. His absence has made OTB better. Woolly though, is a plonker. I do miss Murph.

[tetsujin1979]

Ugh. we'll agree to disagree so.

Ken Early though? Really. If ever an annoying picture fitted an annoying voice.....

I quite like Ken, although he's never looked comfortable on the TV show. He doesn't treat his listeners/readers like they're idiots.

Ken's actually married to my mate's older sister, although I've not spoken to her in years.

[DeLorean]

I'd go along with that, Walters on the right would protect Christie at right full and give him an out ball when in possession

That's an advantage for sure but I can't see where any creativity would come from. Hendrick can do it in flashes but with nowhere near the same consistency that Wes tries to do it. With Murphy wide as well we'd have no natural width whatsoever as I don't think it will be a night for our full backs bombing forward. We'd basically be totally reliant on long balls in the hope that Murphy, Walters and Long can win free kicks around the box. It might be the best tactic under the circumstances but it wouldn't be much different to the bulldozing approach against Scotland.

[OwlsFan]

d Poland should beat us comfortably. So the big question is will Poland beat Scotland tonight? I'd say the Scots might just get a point, which would be enough for them.
Caps Goals Club
GK Artur Boruc 20 February 1980 (age 35) 60 0 England Bournemouth
GK Łukasz Fabiański 18 April 1985 (age 30) 26 0 Wales Swansea City
GK Wojciech Szczęsny 18 April 1990 (age 25) 23 0 Italy Roma
GK Przemysław Tytoń 4 January 1987 (age 28) 13 0 Germany VfB Stuttgart
DF Jakub Wawrzyniak 7 July 1983 (age 32) 44 1 Poland Lechia Gdańsk
DF Łukasz Piszczek 3 June 1985 (age 30) 41 2 Germany Borussia Dortmund
DF Kamil Glik 3 February 1988 (age 27) 33 3 Italy Torino
DF Artur Jędrzejczyk 4 November 1987 (age 27) 15 2 Russia Krasnodar
DF Łukasz Szukała 26 May 1984 (age 31) 15 1 Turkey Osmanlıspor
DF Paweł Olkowski 13 February 1990 (age 25) 11 0 Germany 1. FC Köln
DF Michał Pazdan 21 September 1987 (age 28) 11 0 Poland Legia Warsaw
DF Thiago Cionek 21 April 1986 (age 29) 3 0 Italy Modena
MF Jakub Błaszczykowski 14 December 1985 (age 29) 72 15 Italy Fiorentina
MF Tomasz Jodłowiec 8 September 1985 (age 30) 38 0 Poland Legia Warsaw
MF Sebastian Mila 10 July 1982 (age 33) 37 8 Poland Lechia Gdańsk
MF Maciej Rybus 19 August 1989 (age 26) 37 2 Russia Terek Grozny
MF Sławomir Peszko 19 February 1985 (age 30) 33 2 Poland Lechia Gdańsk
MF Kamil Grosicki 8 June 1988 (age 27) 31 4 France Rennes
MF Grzegorz Krychowiak 29 January 1990 (age 25) 28 1 Spain Sevilla
MF Piotr Zieliński 20 May 1994 (age 21) 10 3 Italy Empoli
MF Krzysztof Mączyński 23 May 1987 (age 28) 10 1 Poland Wisła Kraków
MF Ariel Borysiuk 29 July 1991 (age 24) 10 0 Poland Lechia Gdańsk
MF Karol Linetty 2 February 1995 (age 20) 6 1 Poland Lech Poznań
MF Bartosz Kapustka 23 December 1996 (age 18) 1 1 Poland Cracovia
FW Robert Lewandowski (Captain) 21 August 1988 (age 27) 70 29 Germany Bayern Munich
FW Arkadiusz Milik 28 February 1994 (age 21) 19 9 Netherlands Ajax
FW Artur Sobiech 12 June 1990 (age 25) 11 2 Germany Hannover 96

I am not sure why you think Poland should beat us comfortably. Other than Lewandowski they don't have anyone I would be particularly worried about. Their goalies are nothing to write home about. Scotland got a draw there. We more than matched them at home, particularly in the second half. Let's not turn them in to world beaters.

[Stuttgart88]

Surely that would be a clear indication that we're just going to hoof the ball all night?
I think we'll resort to that regardless of who plays!

If Brady plays LB who else is candidate for a wide left role? McGeady won't start and rightly so. Wes, maybe, with license to cut in? Wes on the right, also cutting in?

I think Walters will start for same reason as Gelsenkirchen. Long must start in my opinion.

Thing is, one hasn't a rashers what O'Neill might do. Doyle could even get the nod upfront. I doubt I have ever been so unsure about who might start a game!

[DeLorean]

I think if Gibson and Hoolahan started ahead of Meyler and Murphy it would give it a totally different dynamic. There's going to be certain amount of hoofball either way, I agree, but playing Murphy when Walters and Long are already down to start is really setting our stall out in terms of the one dimensional approach we're going to take.

[Kingdom]

This, always this.

Cannot abide him. His absence has made OTB better. Woolly though, is a plonker. I do miss Murph.

Bonnie, In another country, with no GAA ties, I think we could have been friends.

Wooly, agreed is a plonker, but you can sense he knows he's plonker and is trying to change.

[zero]

0 goals in 9 for murphy this season - and he's quite slow. i'm be surprised to see him start but i suppose it would give a kind of balance with walters on the other side?

i think we might see

given
christie mcshane/keogh o'shea brady
gibson meyler mccarthy
walters long hendrick

i'd favour mcshane over keogh but MON seems to prefer the latter.

[DeLorean]

I like Wooly. I think because he's a bit of a messer he has a reputation for having opinions that are off the wall, no near pun intended. I find his views very sensible and pragmatic. A bit sad that we're discussing the cast of Off The Ball today though.

[IsMiseSean]

i'd favour mcshane over keogh but MON seems to prefer the latter.

I'd prefer to see McShane too. I think he's improved over the last couple of seasons. Gets unfair stick a lot of the time too.

By 9.30pm tonight this post might come back to haunt me!!

[Closed Account]

I'd prefer to see McShane too. I think he's improved over the last couple of seasons. Gets unfair stick a lot of the time too.

By 9.30pm tonight this post might come back to haunt me!!
Steven Reid agrees also http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/european-championships/steven-reid-paul-mcshane-will-not-let-ireland-down-hes-as-driven-as-roy-keane-31592418.html
Few other interesting observations by Reid in there.

I wouldn't mind McShane in there either but I don't see much difference between him and Keogh. The problem is that both players average at least one brain fart a match. You get away with this in the Championship but not against World Champions. Whoever starts needs to channel the Honey Monsters Iron Curtain performance. We might stand a chance then.

Pre match jitters beginning to kick in. If the lineup goes along the lines of Given; Christie, O'Shea, Keogh, Brady; McCarthy, Meyler; Walters, Hoolahan, Hendrick; Long then the highlighted players make me very nervous. Hard to imagine them keeping a clean sheet. But the green tinted optimist in me is always in hope.

[DeLorean]

I think there would be a better chance of McShane pulling a ridiculously good performance out of his arse. Keogh just isn't really cut out for dealing with this sort of opposition, at least McShane has shown at PL level that he can live with the best of them at times.

[Olé Olé]

Can't help but yearn for one of Damien Delaney's shackling jobs tonight, or most definitely on Sunday night against Lewandowski :(

[gustavo]

As some fella once said it's the hope that kills you

[DannyInvincible]

I have no idea what to predict for tonight really. I think we'll either hang on (desperately) for a 0-0 draw or could lose by a few if Germany get one. The defence/goalkeeping situation is most concerning.

[shakermaker1982]

Hopefully Shane Long starts....

The defence is a worry but hopefully Germany are content with a draw tonight. Need a big game from McCarthy, the invisible act in a green shirt is starting to frustrate.

[DeLorean]

Germany will want to top the group. Anything other that maximum points tonight and that will be out of their own hands. I know qualification is what's most important but Germany being Germany won't want to be anything other than top dogs.

[Charlie Darwin]

Sun reporting Stephen Ward will start.

[DeLorean]

I'm all for releasing Brady to the wing but Ward hasn't seen game time since playing in Burnley's League Cup defeat to Port Vale on the 11th August. That's the only game time he's seen this season despite being in every squad.

[BonnieShels]

Daryl Murphy getting the nod according to Today FM

[Park_Lane]

Daryl Murphy getting the nod according to Today FM

Long balls from Given it is so.

[Closed Account]

Ireland XI: Given; Christie, Keogh, O Shea, Ward; McCarthy, Hendrick; Walters, Hoolahan, Brady; Murphy - not sure of formation yet

[dr_peepee]

Mother of Jayzus!!!

[writerbk1969]

Should really be a handy 2-0 for Germany. Lets hope Poland perform in Scotland

[shakermaker1982]

Murphy?

WTF?

[rebelmusic]

Cannot understand Murphy...and ward scares me

[Park_Lane]

Ireland XI: Given; Christie, Keogh, O Shea, Ward; McCarthy, Hendrick; Walters, Hoolahan, Brady; Murphy - not sure of formation yet

Worst team I've seen in a long time. Madness starting ward who has hardly kicked a ball all season, Murphy is rubbish, Given fat and not up to it anymore. Centre half's are both too slow. Please god I'm wrong but can see at least 3-0 Germany.

[SkStu]

That's it. I'm done with O'Neill. Absolute disaster of a team.

[IsMiseSean]

No pace whatsoever up top...

[DeLorean]

Roy Keane spoke about needing to be brave during the week, well that's a pretty gutless team selection for a start. He'll probably bring on Long around the same time he takes Hoolahan off when it's so obvious our best chance is if they're on the pitch together. The game could be long gone by then anyway. Come on Poland!

[SkStu]

Gutless is exactly the word.

[IsMiseSean]

I'm going to hold back on the criticism until after the result just in case... I like it on the fence!

[Metrostars]

All I can is wow. Murphy and Ward, WTF?

[tricky_colour]

Given;

Christie, Keogh, O Shea, Ward;
Walters McCarthy, Hendrick; , , Brady;
Murphy Hoolahan

OR maybe

Given;
Christie, Keogh, O Shea, Ward;Walters McCarthy, Hendrick; Brady; Hoolahan
Murphy

[tricky_colour]

Republic of Ireland



16 Given 15 Christie 22 Keogh 04 O'Shea 17 Ward 08 McCarthy 21 Hendrick 19 Brady 11 Hoolahan 18 Murphy 14 Walters

Substitutes



01 Forde 02 McShane 03 O'Kane 05 Pearce 06 McGoldrick 07 McGeady 09 Long 10 Keane 12 Meyler 13 Doyle 20 Gibson 23 Randolph


Germany



01 Neuer 06 Ginter 17 Boateng 05 Hummels 03 Hector 21 Gündogan 18 Kroos 13 Müller 08 Özil 11 Reus 19 Götze

Substitutes
02 Mustafi 04 Rudy 07 Schweinsteige r09 Schürrle 12 Leno 14 Can 15 Volland16 Bellarab i20 Kramer22 ter Stegen 23 Kruse

[SkStu]

Newsflash! Me and MON are gettin back together! Woohoooooooooooooooooo!!!

[Park_Lane]

Worst team I've seen in a long time. Madness starting ward who has hardly kicked a ball all season, Murphy is rubbish, Given fat and not up to it anymore. Centre half's are both too slow. Please god I'm wrong but can see at least 3-0 Germany.

I talk some b0110Cks

Saint Martin!!!! Plus Dunphy was right!!