Republic of Ireland V Luxembourg - Saturday, 27th March 2021 - World Cup Qualifier

[backstothewall]

International football can be strange. He's playing at a similar level to David Healy did for most of his career. He did OK for the north.

We're desperate for a striker, and the lad has got 2 goals from 7 caps. The chances he's had have mainly been short stints off the bench, and at the end of the day he's taken them.

[seanfhear]

International football can be strange. He's playing at a similar level to David Healy did for most of his career. He did OK for the north.

We're desperate for a striker, and the lad has got 2 goals from 7 caps. The chances he's had have mainly been short stints off the bench, and at the end of the day he's taken them.
Healy had a few great years with the North. We’d bite somebody’s arm off, for such a run = = Goes to show that it is possible though !

[BOOMSHAKALAKA]

International football can be strange. He's playing at a similar level to David Healy did for most of his career. He did OK for the north.

We're desperate for a striker, and the lad has got 2 goals from 7 caps. The chances he's had have mainly been short stints off the bench, and at the end of the day he's taken them.

He was given a starting position for 1 match I think, can't recall the opposition off hand but he was very poor in the game. We don't have many options up front but we have better than Collins.

[paul_oshea]

Some sense on a friday morning, thought that was usually left for sobering Mondays. I suppose if youre Kingdom there aren't too many sober reality days. : D

"Calling for Collins" does sound a little like a desperation call, but we are kind of desperate for goals, and I think its worth a try against Qatar, if not even lux to see if we can accommodate him in a two up front if we go 3-5-2 or even as the middle man in a 4-3-3. I haven't seen enough of him so I cant comment and as mentioned stats can be very misleading, especially if its goals:chances, but he has scored 2 goals for us, no one else is scoring, and no one else looks like scoring so its worth a shot, we can all judge better then. I mean our biggest problem at the moment is we have no one anticipating runs for the pull backs across the box, or for those line balls across the 6 yard box. Connolly is either too late or not there, and the midfield aren't getting in in time or are misjudging and going too early. You could put some of that down to communication and getting used to eachother and playing together, but with a proper fox in the box hed be getting on more of them - I'm not saying COllins is a fox, more of a gazelle maybe but we wont know unless we go!

[Stuttgart88]

I preferred Bazunu - on the basis of him playing week in-week out and how Crawford spoke so enthusiastically about him, however the goalie's union convinced me otherwise. As it happens, I thought he never looked right from the get go last night, possibly a back pass early on or a goal kick that he didn't really get in control of the situation.
However, it's not as much for his confidence, but the chemistry between staff and players. He wasn't awful, but I expected more of him, but to dump him now, for someone equally untested would be an unnecessary risk - in what should be a risk-free game. Much better to leave Travers in situ, and play Bazunu on Tues and see how he gets on.
Chances are Kelleher will go back to the top of the tree - it's possible we've seen the last of Randolph.
The GK union was me presumably?

Can I just say that praise from a U21 manager is no basis to be picking a 19 year old for the senior team? McCaffrey waxed lyrical about Randolph at that age and yet it took him years to get to the level needed.

I am very excited by Bazunu's potential but there's absolutely no counter-factual to prove that he'd have been better than Travers on the night.

Kelleher is probably going to top of the tree or at least ahead of the other youngsters.

Randolph makes dumb errors sometimes but I think he brings a presence and calm assurance to certain situations - corners and inswinging frees in particular - that the kids won't bring. I've seen Kelleher getting utterly lost under inswinging deliveries (more than once) for example and I think it's a real weakness. I'll stick my neck out here and say we may revert to this observation sometime!

I only made the Travers > Bazunu call because I think he's a bit ahead in his development, size and maturity and thought he was the safer pick. It was the less risky of two risky calls. I did say on another thread that each of the 3 younger keepers are exciting prospects but I'd be nervous about playing any of them in Belgrade.

I think we missed Randolph on Weds, badly.

[pineapple stu]

The GK union was me presumably?
Probably me as well I'd say.

I pretty much agree with everything you've put in that post.

[Exgrad]

Connolly out of game tomorrow. Another blow.

[pineapple stu]

Not entirely surprising given he came off on Wednesday.

I'd be ok with Long starting though. Collins - though he scored on Wednesday of course - is probably a little bit more a gamble given his lack of game time at the top level

[NeverFeltBetter]

Connolly out of game tomorrow. Another blow.

You sort of figured it was more than just cramp with only an hour played.

[Stuttgart88]

We played Bulgaria at home as well under Kenny. We had beaten them comfortably under McCarthy with a trial team out. IIt was 1-1 with 10 mins to go. It was only comfortable in the end.

[Stuttgart88]

Connolly out of game tomorrow. Another blow.According to twitter "out" has been downgraded to "has his work cut out to make it". Parrott will be promoted to the squad if he's out.

[John83]

I see Luxembourg are 13/2 to win tomorrow. We were just slightly less unlikely at 11/2 to beat Serbia, just to put that in context.

[Razors left peg]

According to twitter "out" has been downgraded to "has his work cut out to make it". Parrott will be promoted to the squad if he's out.

Meanwhile hes posting videos from Brighton Seafront on his Instagram page. Hes either acting the ****** with the media or hes definitely out.

[Stuttgart88]

Meanwhile hes posting videos from Brighton Seafront on his Instagram page. Hes either acting the ****** with the media or hes definitely out.mind games :)

[Razors left peg]

Id imagine Parrott comes into squad to replace him and if Kenny is looking for someone with similar energy up front Long will start.

There more I think about it the more I think he should stick to similar line up as Wednesday. The main thing that has been missing from game to game with Kenny is consistency with all the withdrawals hes had to deal with, so a bit of continuity would be helpful.

[Kingdom]

The GK union was me presumably? You and the exotic fruit! Your arguments were on solid foundation.


Can I just say that praise from a U21 manager is no basis to be picking a 19 year old for the senior team? McCaffrey waxed lyrical about Randolph at that age and yet it took him years to get to the level needed.
Fully appreciate sentence 1 - sentence 2 we can come back to another time, it ties in with certain notions that we have as a footballing identity.


I am very excited by Bazunu's potential but there's absolutely no counter-factual to prove that he'd have been better than Travers on the night. Absolutely there isn't, I've agreed with you privately on this, may even have posted it elsewhere in this thread.


Randolph makes dumb errors sometimes but I think he brings a presence and calm assurance to certain situations - corners and inswinging frees in particular - that the kids won't bring. I've seen Kelleher getting utterly lost under inswinging deliveries (more than once) for example and I think it's a real weakness. I'll stick my neck out here and say we may revert to this observation sometime!

I've no doubt that we will. Listen we all work off gut feelings sometimes, and we all have our favourites and blind-spots - I'm particularly culpable here.


It was the less risky of two risky calls. This is the most important thing about the keeper. It was the choice with least risk attached. after that, it's in the lap of the gods.


I think we missed Randolph on Weds, badly.
That's a fair call. But I also think it's fair to say that this is a situation that we let develop time and again. We let players in situ without testing options until a crisis happens - and we are far too slow to make a decisive call on a player and it is something we do time and time and time again, lurching from one stop-gap to another. And it's something that the vast majority of people don't seem to understand about players coming through now due to development structures. Just listen to people like Liamoo, Eirambler and ElatedScum who know most of the promising players in our system. The only players that the vast majority don't know about - are the surprise players - those not identified early in the system, or those who maybe themselves aren't aware of their own eligibilty.

[Bielsa´s irish]

how's the 11 for tomorrow...despite Kerr and Giles heavy critics I would continue with 3 at the back,

[Razors left peg]

how's the 11 for tomorrow...despite Kerr and Giles heavy critics I would continue with 3 at the back,

Im sure we'll find out an hour before Kick off tomorrow as usual

[Kingdom]

how's the 11 for tomorrow...despite Kerr and Giles heavy critics I would continue with 3 at the back,

I hope he does.

[Kingdom]

Some sense on a friday morning, thought that was usually left for sobering Mondays. I suppose if youre Kingdom there aren't too many sober reality days. : D

"Calling for Collins" does sound a little like a desperation call, but we are kind of desperate for goals, and I think its worth a try against Qatar, if not even lux to see if we can accommodate him in a two up front if we go 3-5-2 or even as the middle man in a 4-3-3. I haven't seen enough of him so I cant comment and as mentioned stats can be very misleading, especially if its goals:chances, but he has scored 2 goals for us, no one else is scoring, and no one else looks like scoring so its worth a shot, we can all judge better then. I mean our biggest problem at the moment is we have no one anticipating runs for the pull backs across the box, or for those line balls across the 6 yard box. Connolly is either too late or not there, and the midfield aren't getting in in time or are misjudging and going too early. You could put some of that down to communication and getting used to eachother and playing together, but with a proper fox in the box hed be getting on more of them - I'm not saying COllins is a fox, more of a gazelle maybe but we wont know unless we go!

Maybe it's the drink talking, but didn't Alan Browne score the other night?
And on his previous competitive game, had a great chance saved and another blocked when running beyond the striker?

[Snapshot]

It was a brave selection by Kenny but I'd drop Travers - he was responsible for two goals and never looked comfortable. I'd drop Molumby - disappointing and lacks discipline. Connolly is out, apparently - so he avoids being dropped. I'd prefer Bazunu, Knight and Long.

[Diggs246]

It was a brave selection by Kenny but I'd drop Travers - he was responsible for two goals and never looked comfortable. I'd drop Molumby - disappointing and lacks discipline. Connolly is out, apparently - so he avoids being dropped. I'd prefer Bazunu, Knight and Long.
Yep. Defo Baz and knight. You've right about molumby he is a lunatic need to play more football. I think cullen and knight in the middle could be quite exciting.. I would take an outrageous chance and play Robinson and parrott in attack

[BOOMSHAKALAKA]

It was 1-1 with 10 mins to go. It was only comfortable in the end.

That's true but we had a scratch team out. Not beating or scoring against Bulgaria at home can only go down as a very poor performance and result.

[liamoo11]

I hope he does.

It will be interesting wont it. If he does then it's a near total shift in philosophy for him and it raises the issue of why did he not play it in his experimental games at least at some point?

At home where we want to dominate the ball if he did keep 3 at the back might he use just one true centre half centrally like say Clark and complement Coleman on the right with stevens left allowing robbie Brady or manning to play left wing back and give us more footballers in that back 5? If only Masterson was fit my dreams might come true!

I'd switch out travers for bazuna. Bazuna just has a higher ceiling even though travers will likely have a very good professional career. There was alot of love for travers playing in the lower leagues in good old mens football while people slagged off kelleher as wasting his time in the liverpool set up and laughing at him picking up a champ league medal when he could have been at Weymouth learning the game.
I think wed night showed the folly of that talk. At least tw
ice before the first goal he was terribly slow to come for through balls and had to be bailed out by Coleman and o shea I think. Then on the first goal Ireland are trying to hold a high line(which I thought was a very encouraging aspect of our set up on wed) yet travers again held an awful deep starting position in relation to the line the defence was holding. It left a massive gap that allowed the simple flicked header to create the goal. Travers needed to close down that space with a higher starting position.

The second goal is a nightmare for him and something playing in the lower leagues is never going to help you with. Again nice high line for the defence , this time travers has a brave starting position on edge of box so if that ball gets flicked on centrally like the first goal he can come and sweep into the space behind our back line. But it doesnt go centrally it gets knocked wide. The pass that knocks it wide to mitrovic is telegraphed so plenty of time for travers to see where it's going in front of him and Clark angles back to stop mitrovic running directly at goal which again gives travers more time to readjust position. But travers for some reason waits and waits at the edge of his box before back peddling only after mitrovic gets his head up. Even then his foot work going backwards when mitrovic strikes the ball is really poor. Kelleher had a similar back peddling event against wolves where he was chipped from edge of box but showed great backwards footwork and awareness of his position in relation to his goal to make a fine save.

The third goal the defence has lost faith in travers so that high line is gone now and we are sat back on the edge of the area back to the bad old habits . The defending is poor on this one but travers footwork and movement again is real sluggish he doesnt get near what ends up been a very centrally placed header

Throughout the night his distribution was average certainly more old school keeper level than allison or kelleher level. Reminds me a bit of pickford I'd be more confident that he could smash a 50 yard ball into someone's chest that hit a 10 yard pass to someones feet in a positive break the lines manner so they are on the front foot not back peddling to get it

His positioning on corners leaving that massive space at the near post is obviously what Kenny wants to encourage the opposition to target that area which is fine but you have to have very fast feet to close that gap off which I'd be concerned about for him.

To me kelleher has shown in his liverpool and underage games he has developed the fundamentals s that travers just didnt show on Wednesday.

Cullen was good on wed , I thought molumby did fine not sure why he got so much criticism that's going to be what he is all action high tempo . I would like to see knight switch in for him tonight maybe brings bit more goal threat and bit more guile.

I'd be concerned tonight that our lack of a 10 will be an issue trying to create chances with a packed defence not giving us the space we had against Serbia on the break. Is Browne going to open up a packed defence? Mcgeady tailor made for this game or god forbid even a sub at hull like crowley has the skillset for tonight that we just dont have at a higher level. I'd be tempted to play parrott as the most advance player in a midfield 3 tonight if we are playing 5 at the back.

I would have long and Robinson as the 2 up top thought Robinson did well on wed . It gives us pace and a bit of guile in Robinson. Collins might encourage us to go back to long ball game plan

[BOOMSHAKALAKA]

Tonight's the night for the excuses to end and show that Kenny's way can be successful. We know that we don't have a brilliant squad but it's no worse than the squad McCarthy had. Results thus far have been bad but after an encouraging display against Serbia, we can now push on. I don't think it's a coincidence that tactics and performance have progressed with the addition of a highly rated coach like Barry. I expect to see further improvements the longer he is with the squad.

It's a must win tonight and I think we'll win 2-0. Time to get the Kenny era in motion!!! BOOMSHAKALAKA!!!!

[Stuttgart88]

Good post above by Liamo, Bazuna spelling apart. I'd worry if Omobamidile ever gets called up :)

I'm not too fussed over choice of keeper tonight though I'm itching to see Bazunu properly.

I wouldn't worry about Collins attracting the long ball game, I think we're moving beyond that these days. Long and Robinson sounds about right for me though.

People are being a bit harsh on Molumby. The kid can play, he just looked a bit off the pace on Weds. I wouldn't be disappointed if Knight started. Despite Doherty's latest uninspiring outing I'd keep him and I'd keep the back 3 too. I know Browne thinks of himself as a 10 but I prefer to see a 10 with more craft. But I think he's hard to drop and I think Brady is too hit and miss to trust. Parrott would be a brave call. So we keep Browne I think, either to replace Molumby or to stay in the same role he played on Weds.

Cullen is a nailed on starter, and possible on-field captain if Coleman is ever unavailable.

I think Luxembourg are a tidy unit. They drew in Paris and racked up a few points in the NL. I expect we'll see them more at ease with the ball at feet than we are actually, but I think if we play well we'll win. We will create a few good chances and it'll be down to whether we take them.

[Stuttgart88]

Just to answer the question of why only now are we playing 3 at the back, I'd say it's driven by Duffy's form at Celtic. Once Duffy isn't a certain starter the whole back 4 thing makes less sense. O'Shea had one delightful carry from defence in the second half on Wednesday. That's what Kenny wants from his CBs.

[Olé Olé]

Dan McDonnell speculating on a return to 4-3-3 in the Indo today. Highlights some comments from Kenny that could imply that the 3-5-2 was implemented based on Serbia's shape.

I'd personally like to see 3-5-2 maintained. It clearly gets the best out of the players we have and it keeps 3 in midfield. Win-win as far as I am concerned. We don't have the wide forwards or centre forward for 4-3-3. Simple as that.

[tetsujin1979]

The draw in Paris was impressive, but Luxemburg lost their next game, away to Sweden, 8-0!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_FIFA_World_Cup_qualification_%E2%80%93_UEFA_G roup_A#Sweden_v_Luxembourg

[Fixer82]

Is Westwood injured? I’d be annoyed if he wasn’t and Travers was thrown in there at the deep end

[pineapple stu]

He declined the call-up as he was playing without training due to partial injury.

So not a great answer, but...

[Fixer82]

Right.
I thought I read him saying he’s always welcome a return to the international setup. Could’ve done with him

[DeLorean]

Yeah, he did, and Kenny confirmed that is still the position, he's just not ready for these games it seems.

[geysir]

I'm going for a win with a few inches to spare. The Serbia game has exposed holes but at the same time provided more crumbs for comfort, that game will have brought them forward in their preparations for this game, more so than Lux.

[passinginterest]

Hoping everything clicks and it’s a comprehensive 4-0 win. I’d probably take a scrappy 1-0 or 2-1 though. The win is vital now.

[BonnieShels]

Dan McDonnell speculating on a return to 4-3-3 in the Indo today. Highlights some comments from Kenny that could imply that the 3-5-2 was implemented based on Serbia's shape.

I'd personally like to see 3-5-2 maintained. It clearly gets the best out of the players we have and it keeps 3 in midfield. Win-win as far as I am concerned. We don't have the wide forwards or centre forward for 4-3-3. Simple as that.

Completely agree with this.

[Kingdom]

Yeah, he did, and Kenny confirmed that is still the position, he's just not ready for these games it seems.

60pc fit I heard

[DeLorean]

That's what SK said yeah, in fairness Wednesday would never have wanted/allowed him to travel in those circumstances. Unfortunately the problem is that there's nearly always something when it comes to Westwood and international duty.

[seanfhear]

60pc fit I heard
If he did play in that condition and let himself and Ireland down then that would probably be the end of his Irish career. If this is true, Westwood probably did the right thing in staying at home.

[Olé Olé]

My team would be
Bazunu
Doherty Coleman O'Shea Clark Stevens
Cullen Knight Browne
Collins Robinson

Would gladly see Parrott or Long up top and no issues with Molumby midfield, just keen for Knight to get a good run. Likewise, I wouldn't have an issue with Travers in goal.

I would not like to see 4-3-3 though.

[lofty9]

Is Westwood injured? I’d be annoyed if he wasn’t and Travers was thrown in there at the deep end


Yes, he was named in the SW lineup a couple of matches ago, but got injured in the warm up.

[tetsujin1979]

Bazunu, Knight, and Collins to start according to David Sneyd
1375858406528012288

[elroy]

Basing, Knight, and Collins to start according to take Sneyd
1375858406528012288

Bazunu
Coleman O’Shea Clark
Doherty Stevens
Cullen Knight
Browne
Robinson Collins

That would mean the above I think?

Although he had a poor game, it does feel very harsh on Travers. Either way, the GK remained a big risk.

I would’ve preferred Long over Collins, though perhaps Long might be more of an impact as a sub in last 20 mins etc.

[pineapple stu]

Basing, Knight, and Collins to start according to take Sneyd
Is it really too much to ask you to learn to spell the guy's name...? ;)

[Fixer82]

Is it really too much to ask you to learn to spell the guy's name...? ;)

I’m sure it was an autocorrect error.

[pineapple stu]

Confirmed now. Travers, Molumby and Connolly drop out.

Let's see how this goes. This is a genuine banana skin and will tell a lot about where we stand...

[Olé Olé]

My team would be
Bazunu
Doherty Coleman O'Shea Clark Stevens
Cullen Knight Browne
Collins Robinson

Would gladly see Parrott or Long up top and no issues with Molumby midfield, just keen for Knight to get a good run. Likewise, I wouldn't have an issue with Travers in goal.

I would not like to see 4-3-3 though.
Very proud of this...

[sbgawa]

Great to see Bazunu get in and Rovers get an extra fee off manchester city according to extra.ie

[Diggs246]

Is it really too much to ask you to learn to spell the guy's name...? ;)

Excellent!

[pineapple stu]

Any money for Rovers in this?