Ireland Formation

[finnpark]

Am I the only one that think Ireland should be playing with a 4-5-1 rather than a 4-4-1.

We simply do not have the midfield or strike force to be playing a 4-4-2. And if we have 1 or 2 injuries in midfield we dont have anyone to take it. We only ahve 2 strikers - Keane and Doyle.

Cant see how a 4-4-2 is best for Ireland. :confused:

[Fergie's Son]

Am I the only one that think Ireland should be playing with a 4-5-1 rather than a 4-4-1.



No, I think most of us would agree that it's better to play with 10 outfield players than 9 outfield players which is what we would have with your proposed 4-4-1.

[Irish_Praha]

We only ahve 2 strikers - Keane and Doyle.

Cant see how a 4-4-2 is best for Ireland. :confused:

2 strikers is all you need for 4-4-2, if one of them get's injured or is knackered and you don't trust a direct replacement by bringing on Elliott or Morrisson then we can revert to 4-5-1. However, we saw what happened as a result of changing to that formation against Israel at home. I say start with 4-4-2 because all the players are used to this system. If it's not working and we are getting overrun in MF then change to 4-5-1 but that can result in us sitting to deep and inviting them onto us.

[holidaysong]

Keane is wasted if he plays on his own up front. We need to make sure we give him a strike partner so he can be as good as he can.

[Closed Account 2]

I would go for 4-4-2 ahead of 4-5-1 - I think the latter is far too negative, and Robbie Keane tends to come back into midfield a lot, so if he was a lone striker I think our midfield would have no outlet.

[Over the post]

I'd go for 4-4-2, the German central defensive pairing is not going to be one with a lot of international experience and it's worth having a couple of strikers pulling them around. Plus, both Keane and Doyle are hard-working forwards and would be able to lend a hand providing pressure in midfield when necessary.

[Dr. Ogba]

Am I the only one that think Ireland should be playing with a 4-5-1 rather than a 4-4-1.

We simply do not have the midfield or strike force to be playing a 4-4-2. And if we have 1 or 2 injuries in midfield we dont have anyone to take it. We only ahve 2 strikers - Keane and Doyle.

Cant see how a 4-4-2 is best for Ireland. :confused:


yes you are! ;)

I'd sooner go with the 4-4-1-1 with Keane as the link between midfield and attack.... not quite as negative as the 4-5-1 which will only encourage the Germans to go at us...

[mjpcc]

yes you are! ;)

I'd sooner go with the 4-4-1-1 with Keane as the link between midfield and attack.... not quite as negative as the 4-5-1 which will only encourage the Germans to go at us...

That's what we will get anyway. I read somewhere Stan wanted 4 - 4 - 2 when we have possession with Robbie dropping back to make
a 4 - 5 -1 when they have possession.

This seems like a good strategy anyway as Robbie like to drop back to mid field and we might as well play to his strengths.

[Stuttgart88]

For the last few years our central mid has been so crap Robbie always comes deep for the ball anyway, often well into his own half. He likes to come deep for Spurs too, even when he's an outright forward, it's part of his natural game. It's a credit to him that he's added predatory goalscoring instincts to this aspect of his play.

I think Kevin Doyle is a clever enough & talented enough player to drop deep too & get his hands dirty in the engine room.

On the evidence of Chile & Holland Stan hasn't a rashers about tactics or shape. He played Kelly as part of a 3 man defence although he clearly doesn't have the physical attributes required. Likewise against Holland he played Kilbane and Elliott as hybrid forwards and McGeady as part of a 3 man midfield. McGeady just isn't strong enough for this role yet I'd contend that he, Andy Reid, Doyle & Duff could play the hybrid forward role that Robben & Van Persie played so well. A 3 man midfield needs strong physical players. Ironically, I reckon Kilbane could play this role but not the corner- foward role he played in the first half against Holland.

I was previously of the view that Morrison warranted his place ahead of Doyle, but I've changed my mind. I also think that Kavanagh just isn't good enough or just doesn't play well enough for Ireland. He's had a lot of chances to impress now and has failed to do take them.

I'm very worried about central midfield so we need a wild card option there. Another u-turn from me: I think McPhail has every chance of playing himself into contention this season though ideally Joey O'Brien will step up to the plate. An O'Brien / Steven Reid combo would me mobile & Robust but maybe lacking a creative spark.

4-4-2 for me. Just put the best players we have out there and tell them to play their hearts out. Now isn't the time to tell the likes of Elliott or McGeady to play where they're not used to, or not at their most comfortable.

[Stuttgart88]

In an interview after the Dutch game, Fraser Robertson from SKY asked Staunton if 12 days was enough time to get things right for Stuttgart. Staunton's response was that he only had 3 days as they were at their clubs for the other 9.

After the Chile game Sir Bobby Robson said that tactical change isn't beyond the intelligence of our players but that time is needed to get things right.

So, if they're to be consistent and harmonious, these comments suggest to me that we've no choice but to stick with what we know.

[Emmet]

I think 442 is our best bet simply because it is what the players will be most familiar with. I did think that Alan O'Brien's performance on the left against the Dutch was one of the very few positives to come out of that game ... perhaps that could allow Duffer to play in a more central role or perhaps even up front with Robbie?

[brine3]

We don't have Roy Keane anymore, if we play 4-4-2 against Germany then Ballack and Fringgs will crush our midfield.

[brine3]

I did think that Alan O'Brien's performance on the left against the Dutch was one of the very few positives to come out of that game ... perhaps that could allow Duffer to play in a more central role or perhaps even up front with Robbie?

Duffer's best position, where he can do damage, is on the left wing. We should play our best players in their best positions.

[geysir]

I agree about 442 formation with players in their most 'comfortable' positions. Overiding that though is that we can close down the Germans playing it out of their defence, that we can find ways to play it out of our defence without criminally conceeding midfield possesion, that we exude some confidence and shape in our 442 game.
The 2 games after this one are infinitly more vital as regards to getting points.

[Dr. Ogba]

yeah we have to keep it simple with none of this 4-3-3 messing around. To be honest I'm not a fan of that formation at the best of times but its blatently obvious that we don't have the players to make it work.
442 with Keano dropping deep...keep it tight, don't give them a second (expecially if they are playing with 2 inexperienced centre-halves - Doyle + Keane to keep at them) and I think we can get something out of this...