Team to play Israel

[thejollyrodger]

15/03/05

Israel to change formation to fit Irish style
By Liam Mackey
http://www.irishexaminer.com/pport/web/sport/Full_Story/did-sgQg3puwWIQCAsg7OWirIStPSk.asp

ISRAEL manager Avraham Grant has claimed it will be an unfamiliar Israel team that Brian Kerr’s Republic of Ireland will face on Saturday week.

Despite being joint top of World Cup qualification Group 4 along with Ireland and France, Grant believes he will have to change his side's formation, and of course some personnel, to counter Ireland.

Although Grant could well have been playing mind games ahead of the game, he insisted that Israel will switch from their traditional 5-3-2 formation to a 5-4-1 formation for the game in the belief that Ireland will attempt to man mark star player Yossi Benayoun.

He also claimed that Ireland's style is "a game based on long balls from the centre of the field".

Grant was speaking after an international get-together for the Israel-based members of his squad as Israel continue their build-up to one of the biggest international games in their history.

He will name his full squad for next week's clash later this week.

Thats all a bit cheeky. Long balls eh ? I havent seen that in 10 years. Hopefully the fellas will be well phyched up for these scummy israelis.

5 at the back ? WTF ? I think Kerr should go for the 4-2-3-1

[Donal81]

Thats all a bit cheeky. Long balls eh ? I havent seen that in 10 years. Hopefully the fellas will be well phyched up for these scummy israelis.

5 at the back ? WTF ? I think Kerr should go for the 4-2-3-1

Ireland definitely still have a long ball element to their game, I don't think he's a million miles away there.

[eirebhoy]

Ireland definitely still have a long ball element to their game, I don't think he's a million miles away there.
No more than anyone else. In fact less than most other countries. Given must have kicked the ball long 2 or 3 times max against Holland last year.

[Slash/ED]

Yeah in fact we can spend minutes on end now just passing the ball across the defence, to the mid field and back to the defence since Kerrs come in. Very few long balls under Kerr now, it simply wouldn't suit our current set of players for a start.

[Stuttgart88]

Kerr seems to be fully aware that ball retention is critical at this level. Long balls don't suit this objective. Getting the ball out wide early is our most potent angle of attack these days.

[tetsujin1979]

Look at the recent Champion's League games, keeping possession was more important to the european sides, knowing full well the english opposition would make a mistake at some point and they would use this to score, which Milan did in both games, the side we have at the moment is probably the best passing side we've had since '94, it only makes sense to use that. If we had a load of 6 foot plus strikers, we'd be playing more long balls.

[thejollyrodger]

Here, we have never played long ball except perhaps when were up against really physical sides who are throwing their weight around. To borrow a phrase, its horses for courses.

when we were playing czech, france, holland etc, it was all on the deck most of the time. Ireland seems to play its best football in small confined areas with 3 or 4 players invovled. I'd complain more about the flicks and faints than booting it long.

O Shea is the only person off hand who I can think boots it long into space. A 70 yard pass is ok as long as it reaches another player.

This israeli side might be hard to break down. Are they trying to hit teams on the break or something ? I hope its not a fustrating afternoon.

[KK77]

Going on present performances, the following lads should be picked.

Given
Carr
Cunningham
Dunne
O 'shea

Finnan
Keane
Kilbane
Duff

Keane
Morisson

Subs: Kenny, O'Brien,Reid, Elliott, Mc Geady


I think the above will be the time except i think he'll stick with O'Brien instead of Dunne. I think he'll defo play it cautiously for the first 45-60 mins then bring Reid on.

[onenilgameover]

_________________________Given


_________________Dunne________Cunningham

Carr_____________________________________________F innan



___________________Keane________Kilbane



Reid______________________________________________ Duff



____________________Keane


_______________________________Morrison

I would go with the above also. Lack of first team football rules a lot of the players out.


have to agree with the jolly roger on this one and i reckon thats what the line up will actuallyl be too.....I can't see him picking O'brien over Dunne when one has been playing far better than the other...

[ken foree]

1st ten mins. in paris ireland passed the ball very well, important to take some of the early sting out of the game like that. massive support certainly helped. it will be necessary to do this in israel as well obviously - strange but i'd *nearly* rather us not score too early as we did in switz.

[eirebhoy]

.I can't see him picking O'brien over Dunne when one has been playing far better than the other
There's no question about it, if O'Brien is fit and ready he'll partner Cunningham. O'Brien and Cunningham have started together in the following matches:
Brazil
Romania
Holland
Cyprus
Switzerland
France
Faroe Islands
Portugal

They have conceded just 1 goal in those 690 minutes together.

[Kingdom]

Given

Carr
O'Brien
Cunningham
O'Shea

Finnan
Keane
Kilbane
Duff

reid

Keane

Not necessarily the team I'd pick but its the team that I think that Kerr will pick. Regarding the duffer as the winger that he is, then we have three strikers in the squad compared to the usual 4 (forgetting any of the Doherty nonsense).
Has Clinton being starting for Birmingham recently?

[tetsujin1979]

Given

Carr
O'Brien
Cunningham
O'Shea

Finnan
Keane
Kilbane
Duff

reid

Keane

Not necessarily the team I'd pick but its the team that I think that Kerr will pick. Regarding the duffer as the winger that he is, then we have three strikers in the squad compared to the usual 4 (forgetting any of the Doherty nonsense).
Has Clinton being starting for Birmingham recently?

Nope, but I'd still have him in for Reid in your line up, it's going to get physical and the way Clinton played against Portugal showed he's up for a tussle to win the ball, Andy doesn't strike me as that type of player just yet.

[Kingdom]

As far as selection goes I would like CLinton to play but I'm not sure he will be picked.

[boysingreen]

I think we'll see, with a mix of club form and the fact that Kerr doesn't tinker much:

Given

Carr O'Brien Cunningham Finnan

Reid Keane Kilbane Duff

Morrison Keane

He's gotta put Finnan in for O'Shea. Reid seems to be in great form, think he's too dangerous (in a good way) for us to leave on the bench. Have a sense if Israel are preoccupied with Duff, Reid could do some real damage.

Really hope this is the side we see.