Euro 2016 Play-Offs - November 13th and 16th

[backstothewall]

I think he has performed very well for us down through the years. He has deserved the caps he as won, but i just feel his legs are starting to go.

[DannyInvincible]

I think he has performed very well for us down through the years. He has deserved the caps he as won, but i just feel his legs are starting to go.

Glenn Whelan has legs?![/obligatory gag]

[Kingdom]

Bould aul' prediction there Kingdom. If I wasn't skint, I'd offer a wager. ;)

It's not necessarily about sitting back looking for a draw, it's about 22 players already accustomed to the nip and tuck of international football playing in a two-legged cup final with a highly emotive prize in line for whoever can hold their nerve.

I'd love it to be open, stretched and end-to-end - can't see it though.

Right SVD - what's the bet and what's the wager?

[Kingdom]

I feel vindicated after that Hungary result, albeit Norway are always Norway, that Hungary wouldn't be the easy draw that everyone expected them to be.

Surely they'll get tonked in Budapest now though!

[DeLorean]

What did you say about the Hungary game Kingdom?

[Kingdom]

Randolph, Coleman, Keogh, Brady, Hendrick, McCarthy, Whelan and Murphy are all nailed on I think, two from Clark/Wilson/Ward makes ten, so really it's only a case of who'll support Murphy up front.

I heard Stephen Hunt on Newstalk on the way to work. From his comments he seems to think Ward will start left back, to add a bit of height back there. He's very concerned about O'Shea being out, saying that Keogh and Clark have played plenty games but not at this level, so he obviously thinks it will be Clark over Wilson. He said Coleman and Ward are both good players but not good talkers, hence the major concern over JOSH's absence. It was put to him about Hoolahan starting to support Murphy and he seemed unsure, sighting the two game factor. He didn't suggest an alternative though. He didn't make a prediction either a such, even though he was asked for one, but he said 1-1 would be brilliant and suggested he'd be relatively satisfied with a 2-1 defeat.

Edit- Olé Olé's selection of Keane reminded me of another thing Hunt said, that I found interesting. When talking about Dzeko's impressive goal tally he mentioned that we could say the same about Robbie Keane but added "although obviously he's not going to be playing tonight, er... or maybe he will I don't know". Something to that effect.

Heard the same interview. He sounded like a fella who didn't really know a lot about Bosnia. He really didn't sound confident either.

[DeLorean]

Is there a general feeling that Keogh will start even if Ward does? That's definitely the feeling I'm getting but it scares me to be honest. If he goes with Ward, I think it should be Wilson & Clark.

[Olé Olé]

Had a look at Bosnia's record there. They seem to be on a good run of form at home in 2015 having beaten Wales 2-0 and Israel 3-1. However, Cyprus beat them in Zenica in September last year and Belgium held them to a draw (good Belgian side though). They look susceptible to a bad performance away from home- they've been beaten by Israel 3-0, Belgium 3-1 and scraped past Cyprus with a 3-2 win.

People are saying it will be an open game but if we're getting the 2015 Bosnia then that's the last thing I'd want. This is after persuading me that, with all the clichés unfortunately intended, we need to contain them away and bring them back to Dublin and nick a win...

[Olé Olé]

Is there a general feeling that Keogh will start even if Ward does? That's definitely the feeling I'm getting but it scares me to be honest. If he goes with Ward, I think it should be Wilson & Clark.

Very tough one that. Maybe the best way to contextualize it is on the basis of the Germany and Poland line-ups, ignoring right back:
Germany: Keogh, O'Shea, Ward
Poland: Keogh, O'Shea, Brady

Clark and Wilson missed both and Ward missed Poland. Now, Clark, Wilson and Ward are all back but O'Shea is out.

You could say that if Keogh and Ward are to start then Clark should add pace to that side of the defence but O'Shea isn't a speed merchant and O'Neill was willing to play that trio against the Germans, a superior side to Bosnia, and he has liked Wilson in the past.

In conclusion, it's pretty bloody impossible to tell who he'll pick back there, aside from Seamie.

[Closed Account]

Is there a general feeling that Keogh will start even if Ward does? That's definitely the feeling I'm getting but it scares me to be honest. If he goes with Ward, I think it should be Wilson & Clark.

Liam Brady suggested in his Mirror column that Wilson could play a midfield role, suggested Arter would get gametime too. Can't see it happening.

[DeLorean]

In conclusion, it's pretty bloody impossible to tell who he'll pick back there, aside from Seamie.

Yeah, it's impossible because Keogh, Clark and Wilson haven't been available at the same time yet, or at least any time recently. He did choose Keogh over Clark in Glasgow, but Clark wasn't getting a kick at Villa at the time. As recently as the Gibraltar/Georgia games Clark was included ahead of Keogh though and did well.

Joe - that's an interesting suggestion from Brady with regards Wilson playing in midfield, I think it would be overkill though with McCarthy and Whelan likely to start. Maybe he'll start all three of McCarthy, Whelan and Gibson though if he's going to go down that route, as Gibson would have more flexibility than Wilson in midfield terms.

[OwlsFan]

Do we still have some luck in us? Still can't get over Shane Long's absence. I'm being sentimental more than anything, of course.

http://blog.sbobet.com/will-luck-of-irish-inspire-class-2015/

I wouldn't get too hooked up on Long's absence. After all, how many games has he started for us over the past few campaigns? I'd worry more about missing Walters and O'Shea. No yellow cards please for Coleman or McCarthy.

[DeLorean]

Or Hoolahan! Long is a huge loss in the circumstances, we don't even have a decent sub option up front.

[Stuttgart88]

Doyle? Keane?

[DeLorean]

Unfortunately I don't think Keane will ever be a impact player from the bench. Your unwavering faith in Doyle is admirable but he hasn't done anything meaningful for us (or anybody else until very recently) in over two years. I'd be very surprised if we see him.

[Stuttgart88]

Well if a converted goalkeeper playing for Kilmarnock can score for Northern Ireland I have faith that Keane or Doyle might score for us.

If Jonathan Wilson is right and they are vulnerable in the air I have hope. Doyle hasn't forgotten how to jump :)

Arsenal v Spurs was funny last week. Spurs much the better side in open play, Arsenal should have scored 4 headers from set pieces and crosses.

[DeLorean]

Well if a converted goalkeeper playing for Kilmarnock can score for Northern Ireland I have faith that Keane or Doyle might score for us.

If Jonathan Wilson is right and they are vulnerable in the air I have hope. Doyle hasn't forgotten how to jump :)

Anybody can nick a goal, I was talking about decent sub options that you'd be confident would an impact on the game if introduced. I'd have very little faith in Keane, having seen him come on in that scenario. He's just pretty easy for decent defenders to deal with. Could he nick a goal?... of course, is it likely?... I don't think so. Doyle could actually be more of a handful, maybe win a free kick or two but, like I say, I doubt we'll be seeing him. Neither of them come close to Long anyway which is the point I was making when OF played down the significance of his absence.

[geysir]

I feel vindicated after that Hungary result, albeit Norway are always Norway, that Hungary wouldn't be the easy draw that everyone expected them to be.

Surely they'll get tonked in Budapest now though!
Norway are not always Norway, as in stodgy football terms
Norway play a different game since Drillo was retired, shot in the head, packed into a leaden sack and dumped into an icehole, they're not defensively minded. They couldn't break down Hungary, not very different from our attempts to break down teams who go a goal up. Bosnia are a more classy team than Hungary.

[DeLorean]

Don't think anybody thought Hungary would be easy, just the easiest we could have got. I've a feeling Slovenia will knock Ukraine out.

[backstothewall]

Randolph, Coleman Keogh Clark Ward, Hendrick Whelan(c) McCarthy Brady, Hoolahan, Murphy.

[Closed Account]

Happy with that

[geysir]

Don't think anybody thought Hungary would be easy, just the easiest we could have got. I've a feeling Slovenia will knock Ukraine out.
I think they have a good 50/50 chance, but isn't there usually only room for one outsider in these type of play offs, therefore let it be us.

[Charlie Darwin]

Norway are not always Norway, as in stodgy football terms
Norway play a different game since Drillo was retired, shot in the head, packed into a leaden sack and dumped into an icehole, they're not defensively minded. They couldn't break down Hungary, not very different from our attempts to break down teams who go a goal up. Bosnia are a more classy team than Hungary.
Having watched Norway attacking against Hungary, you'd wonder why they think an offensive mindset is the answer. Their hopes rest on a 16 year old who's never played for Real Madrid reaching his potential.

[geysir]

Having watched Norway attacking against Hungary, you'd wonder why they think an offensive mindset is the answer. Their hopes rest on a 16 year old who's never played for Real Madrid reaching his potential.
Norway had a dreadful 2014 WC qual campaign, in a group where they were 1st seeds (iirc). In a short space of time they ended that qual campaign on the floor in total disarray and tactically bankrupt. In those circumstances the voices that called for a change of approach were heard, which is a normal enough pendulum swing in football. If there were expectations, then probably they were of a kind that it can't get any worse.

[tetsujin1979]

Dzeko rumoured to be carrying a knock, but he trained tonight in Aviva Stadium: https://twitter.com/markmccadden/status/665977567216869376