Gibraltar V Republic of Ireland - Saturday, 23rd March 2019 - Euro 2020 Qualifier

[shakermaker1982]

I think McGoldrick starts.

I hope Whelan doesn’t.

I think he will try to play Coleman and Doherty.

[tetsujin1979]

I don't think Whelan will play two games in three days, and when one of them is Gibraltar, that's the one to miss

[Kingdom]

Shane Long has dropped out. Aiden O'Brien comes in to the squad.

I actually think Long dropping out is a good thing, and I get no pleasure in saying that. A striker that cannot score is of no use to us, regardless of the Division they are in. This removes the issue of "having" to start him over everyone else because he plays for PL club Southampton.

I'd be inclined to play Collins with McGoldrick just off.

[TrapAPony]

Westwood

Coleman Duffy Egan Stevens

Doherty Arter Hendrick Brady

Maguire McGoldrick

[backstothewall]

I think he will try to play Coleman and Doherty.

It depends how he does it. Against Gibraltar the fullbacks are basically going to be wingers anyway. Playing one of them at full back and the other as a traditional winger could end up with them more or less standing next to one another a lot of the time.

[Diggs246]

Westwood

Coleman Duffy Egan Stevens

Doherty Arter Hendrick Brady

Maguire McGoldrick

I think you've hit the nail on the head with that team

[Park_Lane]

He was on fire for Rovers V Sligo the other night, probably the best I've seen in the league since Keith Faheys time in terms of being one step ahead of everything and everyone else on the pitch. We need creative players fasttracked, I'd be all for Crowley being involved too.

[Park_Lane]

I think you've hit the nail on the head with that team

Randolf has done nothing to be left out, aside from that I like it. Would like to see a big game from Jeff, he is well overdue one.

[Diggs246]

Randolf has done nothing to be left out, aside from that I like it. Would like to see a big game from Jeff, he is well overdue one.

Actually Brady is the one I'm not sure about. Randy has been fine for us, but not great. He was poor for goals home and away to wales.
but his club form is only ok atm. While Westwood is playing very well

[liamoo11]

Is it fair to play doherty in a position he has never played? It was a disaster for Christie and has always been a disaster as far back as Jeff Keana and Terry phelan playing in midfield against Holland in that 1995 playoff massacre. Doherty has played lots at left full why not pick him there ?

[Sullivinho]

Westwood

Coleman Duffy Egan Stevens

Doherty Arter Hendrick Brady

Maguire McGoldrick

Yep, that's very likely the one. Transporting myself into the McCarthy psyche, (wooooOOOOargh!) the only two I have any doubt about are Maguire and Hendrick. Captain eyebrows is in good form but hardly a goal machine lately and I'm not sure just how much he fancies the latter just yet, although surviving the provisional cut was step #1.

Cullen to get 10 minutes to see out the game against Gibraltar. To tighten things up and mind what we have. No hidden motives for calling upon the dual eligible West Ham man... :eagerness:

[Diggs246]

Is it fair to play doherty in a position he has never played? It was a disaster for Christie and has always been a disaster as far back as Jeff Keana and Terry phelan playing in midfield against Holland in that 1995 playoff massacre. Doherty has played lots at left full why not pick him there ?

We could play Coleman in the advanced role on the right

[Diggs246]

We could play Coleman in the advanced role on the right

Also christe is a sh*t player no matter where he plays

[backstothewall]

We could play Coleman in the advanced role on the right

With the best will in the world towards him Coleman's last few months with Everton have raised big questions about him having the legs to play at fullback never mind on the wing.

[Kingdom]

We could play Coleman in the advanced role on the right

Please no.
We've a lad playing in a defensive role, purely as a right-back, and a guy who is excelling in an attacking wing-back role. Why would we switch them around?

[geysir]

With the best will in the world towards him Coleman's last few months with Everton have raised big questions about him having the legs to play at fullback never mind on the wing.
I thought he was very good in Everton's last game against Chelsea, he had the legs and was involved, though I only saw the 2nd half.

[centre mid]

He was excellent in the Merseyside derby also, Everton were abysmal against Newcastle when he was missing. His early season form wasn't great but he's in good form at the moment.

[irishfan86]

Coleman may not be at the level he was before but he is still a tremendous right fullback. Under normal circumstances we'd be happy to have him back at maybe the 85% of what he was before and that would be that -- it's only really the emergence of Doherty that has us debating if Coleman is now droppable. Personally I believe there are multiple ways to include both of these exceptional players in our team and I hope Mick finds a way to do that.

[geysir]

This full back issue was flagged here some time ago. How do you fit in two of our two best players who play a similar role?
With 4 at the back, both players are good enough for the right. Seeing as we are light on the left, select the better one of the the two who can play on the left.

When we had similar dilemma with Carr and Finnan, I thought the way they were positioned on the same right side, diluted their effect. And many thought that Finnan not Carr was the better choice for RB.

[EAFC_rdfl]

Didn't Mick manage to fit Finnan and Gary Kelly into a world cup team. Both Coleman and Doherty will be part of his team

[tetsujin1979]

Gibraltar squad announced
1108662978835034113

[Diggs246]

I think the main question is who will partner Jeff in the Centre of Midfield ( Jeff himself only barely deserves to be there)

I would go with Arter as I think Hourihane isn't good enough?

[Diggs246]

I think the main question is who will partner Jeff in the Centre of Midfield ( Jeff himself only barely deserves to be there)

I would go with Arter as I think Hourihane isn't good enough?

Could it even be Whelo

[tetsujin1979]

think Whelan will only play against Georgia, Hourihane should be able for the midfield in Gibraltar

[paul_oshea]

Ya I think Whelan will be brought on if not started for the early second half of that game.

[geysir]

Didn't Mick manage to fit Finnan and Gary Kelly into a world cup team. Both Coleman and Doherty will be part of his team

I was just referencing one example. If you take the WC2002 team, Mick's first choice was to go with McAteer, and a half crocked McAteer at that, before Finnan at RM
I hope both are selected and seeing as we weak in the LB position,that one of them can slot in there.

[paul_oshea]

I'd be happy with the LB, but I think Stevens deserves his chance and lets get the best out of the two best players(1 on form 1 on consistency) we have in their best positions. If Stevens doesnt prove himself over the next two games then switch one of coleman or doherty in there.

[SkStu]

Would you not have a high flying Enda Stevens in there in his natural position before both of them?

[paul_oshea]

Are you talking to me?

[SkStu]

Geysir.

[paul_oshea]

Yes cos you agree with me and therefore I agree with you.

[geysir]

I don't know about Stevens, whereas Matt and Séamus are hot to trot, both class players.
Matt in particular seems to very happy and chilled out :)

[shakermaker1982]

Any chance he could go with wing backs for Georgia? Coleman as a right sided CB and then Doherty in his best position? It would be a waste to play that formation vs Gibraltar but it must be something he has considered.

[geysir]

Fadó Fadó you could come close to predicting a McCarthy team but he's only in the door now. I think he'll approach both games similarly

[samhaydenjr]

I'm surprised that there hasn't been much concern about the Georgia game, given the depletion of our squad. They have a decent squad who will take points off the other teams in the group (and possibly more). We need to get six points off them to put ourselves in a good position and it looks like we'll be fielding a semi-experimental team. Am I worrying too much?

[backstothewall]

Any chance he could go with wing backs for Georgia? Coleman as a right sided CB and then Doherty in his best position? It would be a waste to play that formation vs Gibraltar but it must be something he has considered.

I've been banging this drum for a while now. I think it would be a great system for us with the players we have and I believe MMcC used it at Ipswich. I think Coleman playing at centre back in a back 3 could be a revelation and it would free up Doherty and Brady to maraude into the opposition half as wingbacks. The option is there to play either a 5-3-2 or a 3-4-3 depending on the opposition.

Against Gibraltar there shouldn't really be any real defending to do. They are going to put 10 men behind the ball with 1 forward who they will be attempting to clear the ball to with little more ambition than him either winning a free kick or holding up the ball long enough let them get out and reform their lines.

As i said above I'd have thrown a lot more youth in for this one but within the limits of the squad Mick has picked I'd consider playing Coleman and Duffy at centre back for this (with one eye on Egan coming in against Georgia to make up a back 3). Once the game gets going the 2 full backs will probably end up playing as de facto wingers, with the wide men ending up coming inside as extra bodies in the penalty area. This team is a 4-4-4 on paper but in reality it will end up as a 2-4-4

------------- Randolph ------------
Doherty Coleman Duffy Stevens
Hourihane Hendrick Cullen O'Brien
-------- McGoldrick Hogan --------

Stevens deserves a chance at left back. I'd be playing Brady there against Georgia but there is no sense risking him against Gibraltar when Stevens is due an opportunity.

Hourihane on the right may seem an odd one at first glance. The thinking is that he has a great left foot and should get plenty of opportunity from that area to cut inside and put in-swinging crosses into the box or take on a shot. The thinking is exactly the same with O'Brien on the other side, with the obvious difference that O'Brien plays in that role for Millwall every week. Hourihane also offers a real danger from set pieces. Hendrick will probably end up floating around the edge of the area a lot of the time with Cullen offering a link between the centre backs and the more advanced players.

And up front McGoldrick and Hogan are playing and training together for Sheffield United. Why not take advantage of them hopefully having developed an understanding.

[liamoo11]

I'm surprised that there hasn't been much concern about the Georgia game, given the depletion of our squad. They have a decent squad who will take points off the other teams in the group (and possibly more). We need to get six points off them to put ourselves in a good position and it looks like we'll be fielding a semi-experimental team. Am I worrying too much?

Yeah I'm with u on this. There is a giddy atmosphere around who mick will play which would be great if these were 2 friendlies or Gibraltar and a friendly but I agree Georgia could really come for blood on tuesday

[irishfan86]

I’m with you boys dreading Georgia. I’m hoping we have a very comfortable Gibraltar outing and the optimism, good feeling vibes from that & new coaching era gives us an X factor so we can grind out a win in Georgia. Could easily see a loss though unfortunately—my biggest concern is midfield though Whelan’s return does ease my fears a touch. He is still a very good sitter.

[geysir]

First up is Gibraltar, I dread Gibraltar, an improved team playing at home for the first time.

[Fixer82]

Gibraltar is a warm-up for the tricky Georgia fixture.
I think whatever team he picks will be the team for Georgia.

Has Doherty ever played Left Back?

[irishfan86]

Doherty played regularly at left fullback during the 2015/16 season if I recall correctly, and for a good chunk of 2016/17 as well.

[sbgawa]

Speaking as a Rovers fan with an obvious bias, i would start Byrne against Gibraltar , we need someone who can pick a pass and or do something creative.
We've all been saying for ages their is zero creativity in the Irish set up and he provides that in spades

[ifk101]

We can put together a decent back four but we are lacking "presence" in the center of midfield to play just two there, we have no right midfielder/ winger and there're no obvious choices for the wide positions if we go 4-3-3. Gibraltar will give us a game and Georgia will be a battle. Sorry state of affairs when the probability of dropping points in two games with Gibraltar and Georgia is high.

I'd pick the following:
Not keen to play Whelan but there's a need for an anchor in midfield and Whelan is the only one in the squad that can play that anchor (and tbf if he plays like the 30mins against the North he'll make us better). If Arter brings a bit of bite to the midfield maybe Hendrick is free to get on the ball more and demonstrate he can actually play ball? Brady in the team for his crossing and dead-ball deliveries and Doherty on the right because he's on form and probably is the most suited to play that side. McGoldrick in the team ahead of Maguire. Need height up front and hoping McGoldrick has a bit more cuteness/ professional experience to bring to the team.

Randolph
Coleman Duffy Egan Stevens
Whelan
Doherty Hendrick Arter Brady
McGoldrick

[Kingdom]

Richard Keogh has a broken hand, but has been kept in the squad, thus delaying surgery. If McCarthy wasn't going to play him, he surely would have allowed him to leave the squad. I'd say he's nailed on to start now alongside duffy.

[Olé Olé]

I feel we really could do with getting Maguire and Egan into the team. I know Mick's tenure I'd short but I think these lads, along with Alan Browne, could do with the experience under their belt for this round of qualifiers.

I wouldn't be surprised to see a 4-4-2. A midfield of Doherty, Hendrick, Arter and Brady with McGoldrick and Maguire up front. It might not work against better opposition, though it can be a 4-2-3-1 quite quickly.

That said, it doesn't include Doherty and he really deserves to play. It just so happens 2 of our 3 best players (Duffy) are right backs.

[pineapple stu]

The Georgia game is a good point; I think it's important to go with the same team for both matches if possible. If there's too many changes, then Georgia becomes another first match for McCarthy. Experiment in Gibraltar if the game is won after an hour

[geysir]

Most every competent manager would start of with the strongest possible team v Gibraltar away.
As group fixtures go, these first two games are as good as we could have gotten for the team in their current state and with a new manager, the Georgia game should be a good barometer.

[Stuttgart88]

Westwood
Coleman-Duffy-Keogh (or Egan)-Stevens
Doherty-Arter*-Byrne-Brady
Maguire McGoldrick

I like the idea of Cullen coming in and grabbing the role by the scruff of the neck, but I don’t see it.

Hourihane is very close but his deep lying work was weak under MON. So was Hendrick’s. Both play best in the opponent’s half.

If Mick doesn’t pick Stevens I’ll defect to England.

[geysir]

In the WC 2018 qual, Andorra were the bottom ranked team, tailed off at the bottom of pot 6. On their plastic pitch, they lost 0-2 to Portugal, 1-2 to Switz, beat Hungary 2-1, drew with Faroes, lost 0-1 Latvia. Scoring 2 goals is more than a satisfactory performance against a minnow on their home ground and should be enough for us.

[backstothewall]

I'm confident Mick will work them out. The ghost of Liechtenstein haunts Ireland in these sorts of games but I remember Mick hooking David Connolly and putting on The Doc after 25 minutes against Andorra during in his last spell in charge when he realised how vulnerable they would be to getting the ball in to a big man in the box.