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Charlie Darwin
09/09/2018, 1:06 PM
Didn't see a thread for this.

Ronan Curtis called up, Stephen Ward and Caoimhin Kelleher out: http://www.extratime.ie/articles/21666/former-derry-city-striker-ronan-curtis-called-up-to-the-irish-senior-squad/

Olé Olé
09/09/2018, 8:26 PM
Delighted to see Curtis called up. He's scoring. It might be League One and Under 21 levels that he's scoring at but he's scoring and it demonstrates a path to the senior squad. Also interesting to note that he's a homegrown player too. It will be interesting to see how two LOI alumni like him and Burke progress over the next couple of years.

zero
10/09/2018, 11:00 AM
Should we go back to the 3-5-2 approach in Poland? Or try to pack the midfield so we aren't overrun? Maybe something like this:

McDermott
Doherty Duffy Long Egan Stevens
Meyler Williams
Horgan
Burke/O'Brien

There's not much to choose between the front players. Robinson or Burke could slot in for Horgan behind the striker. I don't know much about Curtis or O'Brien but I'd suggest the paciest of the 3 should lead the line. I doubt Curtis will start in any case.

Rather than Egan, could we consider Coleman as part of a back 3 to afford Doherty the opportunity to play right wing back?

Diggs246
10/09/2018, 11:11 AM
I would go with
----- ---------Randy
Coleman --- Duffy --Long ---- Stevens

Matt Doh.---Williams ---Meyler ---- Horgan---
---------- Robinson-O'Brien

TrapAPony
10/09/2018, 12:44 PM
McDermott

Doherty Long Egan Stevens

Horgan Meyler Williams O'Dowda

Burke Robinson

Diggs246
10/09/2018, 12:50 PM
McDermott

Doherty Long Egan Stevens

Horgan Meyler Williams O'Dowda

Burke Robinson

Interesting that everyone so far is in agreement that Jeff should be dropped

zero
10/09/2018, 12:59 PM
Interesting that everyone so far is in agreement that Jeff should be dropped

There's only 3 of us so far ! It's more in the interest of rotation / trying something different. I think 2 defensive midfielders in Meyler and Williams makes sense. I thought it was a bit crazy playing essentially no DMs against Wales - not unlike the 2nd half of the Denmark game.

Fixer82
10/09/2018, 3:05 PM
Is Ward out of the squad?
I’d imagine he is after that interview anyway if he wasn’t already

zero
10/09/2018, 3:26 PM
Is Ward out of the squad?
I’d imagine he is after that interview anyway if he wasn’t already

Yep, out with a foot injury I think it was. Both the Blackburn lads seem to be out too, I can't remember why though?

Diggs246
10/09/2018, 3:34 PM
There's only 3 of us so far ! It's more in the interest of rotation / trying something different. I think 2 defensive midfielders in Meyler and Williams makes sense. I thought it was a bit crazy playing essentially no DMs against Wales - not unlike the 2nd half of the Denmark game.

I don't see anyone else kicking down the door to include Jeff. To be fair he is a good player, but he has been begging to be dropped for awhile now

jbyrne
10/09/2018, 4:33 PM
coleman ruled out with an ankle injury

Charlie Darwin
10/09/2018, 4:35 PM
coleman ruled out with an ankle injury
Luckily two of the three teams submitted so far have called for him to be dropped, so presumably he's no loss.

pineapple stu
10/09/2018, 7:52 PM
Hard to see how this is going to end well if Lewandowski is playing. It's all set up for a remarkable defensive performance and a draw. But recent results and performances don't really back that up unfortunately.

I think I'd take a respectable 3-1 now

geysir
11/09/2018, 12:21 AM
Doubtful, but I hope Lewandowski plays.

pineapple stu
11/09/2018, 7:31 AM
He's in the squad and it'd be his 100th cap. I'd say he'd be well up for it

Diggs246
11/09/2018, 3:27 PM
Watching on the laptop tognight, can anyone recommend a link/website?

Park_Lane
11/09/2018, 5:25 PM
Watching on the laptop tognight, can anyone recommend a link/website?

skorlive.com

Fixer82
11/09/2018, 6:56 PM
Who does Matt Doherty have to sleep with to get a start in an Ireland shirt?

I’ve seen him wearing gloves playing for Wolves so I’m surprised he’s even made the squad to be honest

pineapple stu
11/09/2018, 7:26 PM
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Dm1EyWuWwAA6Bki.jpg

Don't see a Polish team yet.

Fixer82
11/09/2018, 7:27 PM
Everyone talking about Ronan Curtis but how about Aiden O’Brien making his debut tonight. Fair play to him

pineapple stu
11/09/2018, 7:36 PM
Best of luck to him, for sure. He is struggling at Championship level though; not sure he's an immediate answer to our problems, but let's see.

Fixer82
11/09/2018, 7:42 PM
Best of luck to him, for sure. He is struggling at Championship level though; not sure he's an immediate answer to our problems, but let's see.

I’m sure he’s not but admire his attitude

Eminence Grise
11/09/2018, 7:48 PM
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Dm1EyWuWwAA6Bki.jpg

Don't see a Polish team yet.

Sadly, that's probably our best chance of getting a result.

shakermaker1982
11/09/2018, 7:58 PM
They are trying to play on the deck....

passinginterest
11/09/2018, 8:00 PM
Williams making a difference, can see him calling things and keeping Hendrick and O'Dowda in check. Apart from overplaying in a dangerous position and losing a man from a cross, it's been a largely positive start.

pineapple stu
11/09/2018, 8:16 PM
Markedly better in every respect than Thursday for sure.

Poland maybe starting to come into it now. (It may be just the recent pessimism that makes me think that rather than that they're just having a good spell)

passinginterest
11/09/2018, 8:19 PM
30 minute possession stat.... Wait for it... Poland 49% Ireland 51%. Welll blow me down with a feather.

passinginterest
11/09/2018, 8:21 PM
Should probably add that the Poles look like they're out for a Sunday stroll and are playing at a similar pace to the all priests over 75s.

pineapple stu
11/09/2018, 8:34 PM
It's encouragingly dull alright.

I can guess which side has an extra pair of gears

passinginterest
11/09/2018, 8:37 PM
Poles picked it up a little in the last 15 or 20 before half time, but apart from a few crosses never really looked like getting into too many dangerous positions. We haven't really had a clear cut chance either.

pineapple stu
11/09/2018, 8:40 PM
It's a good advert for the Nations League actually

zero
11/09/2018, 8:40 PM
it's game like this that prompted the introduction of the nations league. no intensity. we could win or lose this by a goal or two and learn very little either way.

positives... o'brien is trying to put himself about. robinson looks a little better than the other night. stevens has been busy.

negatives... christie has been caught in possession 3 or 4 times. looks a bit hungover. MON clearly doesn't rate premier league regular matt doherty.

Fixer82
11/09/2018, 8:43 PM
it's game like this that prompted the introduction of the nations league. no intensity. we could win or lose this by a goal or two and learn very little either way.

positives... o'brien is trying to put himself about. robinson looks a little better than the other night. stevens has been busy.

negatives... christie has been caught in possession 3 or 4 times. looks a bit hungover. MON clearly doesn't rate premier league regular matt doherty.

Williams a huge positive for me. An actual holding midfielder doing his job

liamoo11
11/09/2018, 8:47 PM
Attitude totally different. Randolph has thrown it out and passed It out more than in Last Ten games combined. Midfield including hendrick wanting It to feet from The centre halves .o brien holding up nicely fairly quick feet looking to link

passinginterest
11/09/2018, 8:47 PM
Agree on Christie, looks a liability. Hard to know what Doherty has to do. Plays as wing back in the premier league every week but not good enough for O'Neill?

passinginterest
11/09/2018, 8:57 PM
Two chances creatsd early in second half and third one we've scored!

pineapple stu
11/09/2018, 8:57 PM
Best of luck to him, for sure. He is struggling at Championship level though; not sure he's an immediate answer to our problems, but let's see.
Don't mind being wrong sometimes!

passinginterest
11/09/2018, 8:58 PM
Lovely goal too.

shakermaker1982
11/09/2018, 8:58 PM
Fantastic goal.

the 12 th man
11/09/2018, 9:03 PM
Poland look like they are in a hurry to level it here,might leave a few gaps at the back..

dynamo kerry
11/09/2018, 9:32 PM
Poland look like they are in a hurry to level it here,might leave a few gaps at the back..
Well.. they walked that in. Hopefully these players will learn the benefit of tracking ...

passinginterest
11/09/2018, 9:36 PM
Midfield looked noticably weaker after Williams went off, Meyler looked a bit sloppy straight away. With Hendrick off too and O'Dowda looking tired they were a bit exposed.

shakermaker1982
11/09/2018, 9:40 PM
Feel sorry for the lads. Starting 11 put a massive shift in. The number of subs used and personnel that came on in CM cost us. Really impressed with the back 3 and Stevens as the LWB. Starting trio in midfield were also good. I’m hoping MO’N rewards the team in the next fixture. Ward, Clark & Walters should not walk back into the team.

532 does suit us.

passinginterest
11/09/2018, 9:42 PM
Positives for me; Egan, Stephens, Williams, O'Brien. All impressed, 3-5-2 definitely looked more solid, has to be worth a try in competitive fixtures.

liamoo11
11/09/2018, 9:43 PM
o dowda so much better when not forced to stick out on the wing and allowed freedom to go and influence the game and be a creative presence

Fixer82
11/09/2018, 9:44 PM
Keogh played very well throughout except for Polish goal.
When Egan committed himself, Keogh was too slow to cover the run of the goalscorer.

Great shifts from O’Brien, O’Dowda and Williams in particular.

backstothewall
11/09/2018, 10:23 PM
As a disclaimer I missed most of the game due to my 6 year old having an existential crisis triggered by being told it was bed time.

But from the comments above it sound like Williams played well. I'm sure it's been a proud week for him and his family, but I'm dubious about why he is getting this opportunity.

He's going to be 32 next month. If he had got this opportunity 10 years ago who knows how many caps he might have had by now, and how that might have helped his club career. It's too bad that the opportunity never came when it might have mattered, but this feels like making the same mistake all over again.

I'd sooner the chance have gone to Browne or Lenihan. Jack Byrne even. At their age they just have a lot more days ahead of them to build on the chance of being an international.

samhaydenjr
11/09/2018, 10:49 PM
As a disclaimer I missed most of the game due to my 6 year old having an existential crisis triggered by being told it was bed time.

But from the comments above it sound like Williams played well. I'm sure it's been a proud week for him and his family, but I'm dubious about why he is getting this opportunity.

He's going to be 32 next month. If he had got this opportunity 10 years ago who knows how many caps he might have had by now, and how that might have helped his club career. It's too bad that the opportunity never came when it might have mattered, but this feels like making the same mistake all over again.

I'd sooner the chance have gone to Browne or Lenihan. Jack Byrne even. At their age they just have a lot more days ahead of them to build on the chance of being an international.

I get what you're saying and my first reaction is probably also to think that there is too little time for Williams to make an impact. But when you consider that Wessi won about 2/3rds of his caps after turning 32 and Jon Walters scored the 7th of his 14 international goals within a month of his 32nd, there is a case to be made that Williams could influence the next two campaigns - it's just a matter of whether he can prove himself to be good enough.

That said, I do agree that Browne and Lenihan look like they're ready to step up and should be given the chance (I think Browne was injured this time out though), though Byrne has a long way to go yet

Diggs246
11/09/2018, 11:06 PM
Williams will be 33 by euro 2020, Wes was 34 in Euro 2016. If he is good enough he is in, end of story.

samhaydenjr
12/09/2018, 1:08 AM
Video of O'Brien's goal here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=66&v=tzKEA9WNVHY - lovely drop of the shoulder to beat his man and cross from O'Dowda and nice header from O'Brien who seemed to be really thrilled to score (it even looks like he might have shed a tear of joy) - with that attitude it'd be great if he could move his career up a level and give us another genuine option up front. Great to see that the players have reacted well to the pounding they got from Wales - remember this is a really inexperienced squad, with only 5 of the 17 who played tonight having more than a dozen caps. We're still waiting for McClean, Coleman, Brady, Long, Ward, Maguire and Browne to come back from injury. And hopefully Rice and Arter will return to the fold also. And for all the criticism directed at MON for being inflexible, he has taken the chance over the last few months to try out a new formation that is showing some promise and capped a bunch of young lads. So maybe the Nations League campaign won't be a catastrophe? Or maybe we should look at this whole period as an extended transitional period with a number of new caps and a couple of hammerings in store and forget about seeding and a back-door to the Euros, just get as many new lads settled before the qualifiers proper start.