Ireland v Slovakia - Pre Match thread

[Scram]

Some of the comments here are a bit strange.
People complained about Douglas's inclusion as too negative at the weekend, and now they complain about replacing him with McGeady (an attacking, positive player)
Hunt has been proven as an impact sub, so why complain when he is kept on the bench - where he has been effective? From the midfield, the only player he could replace is Kilbane, and if he starts in the centre alongside Carsley there will be no place for Hunt in midfield.
Slovakia are a strong side organised side away from home, but they haven't won a competitive international against a side ranked higher than Cyprus, and before that Wales. Even in the Cyprus game, they were 1 down until the Cypriot goalkeeper was sent off.

AGREE with tets and am very optomistic about tomorrow UNLESS he starts Duff upfront. 4-3-2-1 with Doyle upfront and Duff out right, McGeady left with Ireland Carlsley Kilbane a strong midfield.

[danonion]

2-0 win for Ireland, the ball squirting off Dunne's head and long range from super Lee Carsley!:cool:

[Qwerty]

There is an obsession on this forum with the 'next big thing' as it were. Hunt is not the next big thing, he just is a shorter version of Kilbane, he has spirit and industry there is no doubt but he doesn't have much in the way of quality. I like the kid and hope he will do great for us but the expectations of him on the forum are over the top.

[Colbert Report]

Hunt's a good player, I like him, but he's not 17, so people here shouldn't think of him as the next big thing.

[macdermesser]

Was Stan already in the dressing room celebrating th "fantastic" win when Hunt came on.

How can anyone think that McGeady has played well all season Hunt is the obvious choice on the right or left whatever side the gaaafer flicks a coin to make the choice.

He has already been dropped by Strachan even after Maoloney left 2 months ago.

This is a slightly better team than Sat but can Stan really verify the inclusion of O Shea thumpin the ball to the opposition anytime he got near it.

We need physicality against Slovakia and Ireland, Duff, or McGeady are barely heavier than 6 stone.

Ireland may have scored 2 "crucial" goals but what else has he contributed??? I had hoped he wasn't going to be fit for that buffoon to select.

Stokes would have been a much better choice up beside a not fully fit Doyle, again physicality in him, what we need.

At least if he was able to pick the best team I would give Stan some slack but this is, for a second time in a row, is a joke.

A real team that would be able to win this match:
Given
Finnan Dunne McShane Harte
Hunt Kilbane Carsley Duff
Doyle Stokes

Harte ... in a real team ... right you are:rolleyes:

[macdermesser]

everyone is talking about McGeady, what about Kilbane, what has this guy done recently, sweet f.a.

apart from scoring the equaliser against the Czechs, important first goal against San Marino, putting the ball on a plate for Keane to score the second goal at Croke Park on Saturday, being the main aerial outlet when those long balls where stupidly being pinged in the welsh box and generally giving us all when he plays for us.

[macdermesser]

After seeing the team my fear is slowly being replaced with optimism and dare i say it, Excitement! A win tomorrow may not win over the media but it will give stan and the players time and breathing space before the two tough away games in september.

Have to agree with you Murpholini ... if the lads are up for it and the crowd get behind the team, there is no reason why we should not give these Slovaks a run for their money. A win would be massive .. would let us all enjoy the summer in any case!

[Wolfie]

A good start imperative. Actually a martyr to the oul Pre Match Tension today.

It's a must win game for the Solvaks as well - they'll have a steely resolve because they know they are gone if they lose.

Our defence will need a big performance because these lads won't pass up the sort of opportunity that Bellamy got last Saturday.

Doyle is going to need decent service and I'm hoping that McGeady really puts in the sort of performance that everyone has been waiting for. Its time for him to deliver on the potential tonight. An alternative creative outlet may actually take some of the burden off Duff as well.

Hopefully Stephen Ireland will have a bit more confidence to impose himself on the centre. He doesn't have the physical stature but his ability to slide a pass could also help create an opening.

They just have to go for it.

[NeilMcD]

For some reason I am quietly confident about tonights game. Not sure why though. I like the line up as it has a bit of balance to it.

[tetsujin1979]

A simple plan for Stan: http://www.football365.com/story/0,17033,8742_2021480,00.html
Good article

[Nailer77]

Not a bad articale, nice and simple and one of Stans definite failings is to over complicate things. There's been no consistency in his formations or selections and we've seen some odd setups, like McGeady playing on the right of a central midfield 3, or Stephen Kelly on the right of a back 3 (not fullback), then of course the setup of the last few games, you just don't know with Stan. For me he's picked more or less the right team for tonight but you just don't know if he'll line them up right.

[cavan_fan]

Hopefully for Kilbane. McGeady is our biggest prospect and as usuaul 1 or 2 bad games just like Robbie [our top scorer ever] gets slated

If he does this he will either have to :
Play Ireland and Carsley in CM with Duff up front, crap idea
Or Play Hunt in CM, also crap idea.

We're all prone to picking the 11 players we want to play but (expecially with ireland) we have to stick to formations. I stongly believe we should play 442 or 4411 (with Keane/A Reid behind a more physical striker). Therefore there can only be 2 wide players on the pitch at the same time and so only 2 from Duff/McGeady/Hunt.

I would bet on Hunt for McGeady on 65 mins at which point we'll all go, 'McGeady was playing?'

[bohsRap]

A simple plan for Stan: http://www.football365.com/story/0,17033,8742_2021480,00.html
Good article

Not great actually. I thought the whole idea of replacing Kerr with Staunton was that the training, analysis etc were dumbed down a little. Given the situation we're in a 3-5-1 formation isn't all that bad.

[tetsujin1979]

Not great actually. I thought the whole idea of replacing Kerr with Staunton was that the training, analysis etc were dumbed down a little. Given the situation we're in a 3-5-1 formation isn't all that bad.
Errr - 3-5-1??

[Over the post]

For some reason I am quietly confident about tonights game. Not sure why though. I like the line up as it has a bit of balance to it.

Me too. I can't really find fault with tonight's team (provided he plays the full backs on their usual sides). I wouldn't be that comfortable with Kilbane and maybe A Quinn could do a better job, but he hasn't that much international experience and is out of favour at his club so Killer looks like a logical choice.

One thing that does puzzle me is why Staunton showed Wales so much respect (switching full backs and selecting a more defensive midfield) but has chosen what looks like a more attack-minded side against the Slovaks.

Feeling ominously optimistic

[citizenerased]

Wait till you see, McGeady will get man of the match tonight, he was excellent against milan in the two legs, !!

[Noelys Guitar]

It is a huge risk to play both McGeady and Ireland from the start. I hope Carsley is good enough to cover for both players. I believe he is. And so we should be a bigger threat than we were on Saturday.

[eirebhoy]

There's no doubt they'll see Duff as our main threat and double mark him. McGeady will then have a little more space and if he's on form they'll have to look after him too. Then that leaves S.Ireland free and the Slovakian's don't know what to do. :D All sounds too easy. ;)

[bohsRap]

Errr - 3-5-1??

4-5-1

sorry typo, ya know what I mean.

[Scram]

A simple plan for Stan: http://www.football365.com/story/0,17033,8742_2021480,00.html
Good article

Exactly what I said after Saturday...well, what I said was " For fcuks sake, at least get the simple things right, you're trying too fcukin hard"...but I meant the same thing! (i.e. in terms of positioning, left is left right is right, wrong is wrong, but I would play a 4-3-2-1 foramtion)

[eirebhoy]

Slovakia news.

Latest news :

Slovak lineup according to Slovak journalist in Dublin :

Contofalsky - Singlar, Skrtel, Klimpl, Gresko - Borbely - Svento, Sapara, Zofcak - Vittek, Jakubko

IMo, this lineup fancy bet on Ireland -0.5

Singlar was very slow and not enough intense against Cyprus attack. Watch out right side of Slovak lineup as weaker one, Klimpl as CD is IMo not happiest solution as well. Michalek although he would play debut, would be against Ireland IMo better solution