Irish Team to face Czechs Announced

[mackannovic]

As from the FAI website today:


Shay Given (Newcastle United);
John O'Shea (Manchester United), Paul McShane (Sunderland), Richard Dunne (Manchester City), Stephen Kelly (Birmingham City); Aiden McGeady (Celtic), Lee Carsley (Everton), Andy Reid (Charlton Athletic), Kevin Kilbane (Wigan Athletic);
Kevin Doyle (Reading), Robbie Keane (Tottenham Hotspur).

[carloz]

Pretty much as expected. Reid is put in because Ireland obviously cant play. If he could it would have been the same team. How ****ing stubborn is Stan, any man could see that O'Shea and Kelly were dreadful playing on their opposite to usual wings. It doesnt make yu look like a clown if you admit you were wrong and actually play them in their positions. What makes Stan think he knows more than Steve Bruce and Alex Ferguson in regard to these player. The Slovaks knew having Kelly out of position would make the guy very vulnerable and almost every attack went down his wing. If the Slovaks could punish this tactical **** up then surely a more capable side such as the Czechs will surely show up the stupidity of the move

[Ozymandias]

As from the FAI website today:


Shay Given (Newcastle United);
John O'Shea (Manchester United), Paul McShane (Sunderland), Richard Dunne (Manchester City), Stephen Kelly (Birmingham City); Aiden McGeady (Celtic), Lee Carsley (Everton), Andy Reid (Charlton Athletic), Kevin Kilbane (Wigan Athletic);
Kevin Doyle (Reading), Robbie Keane (Tottenham Hotspur).

just means stephen Hunt will go back to his premiership club refreshed after a nice two city break and play in the premiership against other Irish lads like miller who are refreshed after there week of relaxing around the house.

[paul_oshea]

carloz kelly plays at left back, what are ye on about?

in fairness happy enough with that, so long as he brings on hunt for mcgeady or kilbane in the last 20 mins if the same thing happens like slovakia. Its the best we can hope for given the circumstances.

Imagine though if duff had been playing against slovakia, he would def have created a few more chances and possibly drawn fouls at the end of the match. Ye know standing beside him he is not as small as ye think when ye see him on the pitch.

[cheifo]

Hopefully he will have the good sense to swap them over.If we are to win we need big games from McGeady and Reid.

[monutdfc]

How ****ing stubborn is Stan
Many of his selections remind me of Mick McCarthy's early days when he used to play Ian Harte at centre-back every game out of sheer stubborness

[cheifo]

carloz kelly plays at left back, what are ye on about?

in fairness happy enough with that, so long as he brings on hunt for mcgeady or kilbane in the last 20 mins if the same thing happens like slovakia. Its the best we can hope for given the circumstances.

Imagine though if duff had been playing against slovakia, he would def have created a few more chances and possibly drawn fouls at the end of the match. Ye know standing beside him he is not as small as ye think when ye see him on the pitch.

Kelly has filled in that position as cover for both club and country but he is most def a right back POS.

[paul_oshea]

Kelly has filled in that position as cover for both club and country but he most def a right bank POS.

Well he has been covering there for brum for ages!

Plus think of it this way:

a left side of

kelly and kilbane is definitely stronger than a right side of mcgeady and kelly.

[carloz]

carloz kelly plays at left back, what are ye on about?

I know he plays there a bit for Birmigham but the guy is a right back, its as obvious as anything. He just looked clumsy on the left IMO

[Noelys Guitar]

We better score 3 as the Czechs will at stages of the game overrun this midfield and score at least 2 goals. Mind you I'll settle for 2-3.

[mackannovic]

The whole Kelly debate makes ye wonder if Derek Geary should have been an option and does Stan know that Stephen Hunt is in the squad?

[fergalr]

The big worry for me in the selection is McGeady. Talented player but currently a huge liabilty for us - gives us nothing going forward and even less defensively. And the Denmark game does not count.

[Stuttgart88]

We'll get some chances and boy are we going to have to take them. We got chances with a makeshift team in Dublin but douglas should have beaten Cech and Robbie missed a straightforward header.

McGeady and Kelly are to obvious weak links and they'll need to do well. I really hope Andy Reid is on song too and a lot will depend on Carsley supplying him with good ball and doing the bulk of the donkey work. I'm glad Ireland isn't an option.

[sligoman]

With the team like that, we'll lose by 2 goals I think.

[tetsujin1979]

Pretty much what I expected, although not the team I would have gone for. The biggest surprise is it was announced a day early

[as_i_say]

Actually our finishing lately has been superb if you consider the last 2 games. Thats the only positive i can see in that team-i mean why on earth are kelly and oshea playing on the wrong sides CAN ANYONE EXPLAIN THIS??????????

Feel sorry for hunt but i think kilbane did well for us on wednesday. Hes got to make the right subs this time though.

[paul_oshea]

Thats the only positive i can see in that team-i mean why on earth are kelly and oshea playing on the wrong sides CAN ANYONE EXPLAIN THIS??????????

To compensate for a terribly weak and inexperienced right side of mcgeady and kelly. NOt that oshea i spose has really any experience, or at least learns from it anyhow.

[Stuttgart88]

why on earth are kelly and oshea playing on the wrong sides CAN ANYONE EXPLAIN THIS??????????
With McGeady RHM, a RHS of McGeady and Kelly would be suspect.

Kilbane's defensive strengths can compensate for Kelly being out of position.

I'd prefer if we had an alternative to O'Shea but we don't.

Maybe McGeady will play well, he needs to. Reid is very good at involving Keane but in Denmark Reid also did well to involve McGeady, including for the second goal.

Personally I'd have played Hunt LHM and Kilbane LB.

[pete]

Shocking decision to persist with Kelly & McGreedy.

Kilbane should have gone to left back with Hunt in front of him.

There are plenty of forwards in the squad but almost no defenders or midfielders. :rolleyes:

[as_i_say]

Amazing how many people here see the obvious in dropping kelly and having Kev left back and hunt left mid. Only time will tell. Maybe stan knows something we dont!

[Noelys Guitar]

The inclusion of Reid is good news. McGeady is an in and out player but when he is good he is very good. So heres hoping he is due a stormer. Carsley did not play well on Saturday but maybe with Reid next to him he can play his own game of win ball play short. Given has a another full game under his belt. And Stan is sending out a team to score goals. I am now on the optimism pills until tomorrow night!

[cavan_fan]

Was worried by Carsley's quote today that the important thing is that we dont get beaten. A draw is very unlikely ot be of use to us. It would probably mean us having to beat Germany and hope they beat the Czechs, seems very negative

[Stuttgart88]

Colster posted this in advance of the Slovakia game:

Anyone think, with the amount of defensive injuries, that he might play 3 at the back?

Given

O'Shea Dunne McShane

McGeady Ireland Carsley Reid Hunt

Doyle Keane

I'm not advocating this by any means - it's way too late to go tinkering with the sahpe. However, is there anyone not in agreement with any of the following:

1) Our full backs don't inspire confidence and at least one is out of position anyway.
2) We have no natural left back in the squad or even close to it.
3) O'Shea is a better centre back than full back
4) Getting a grip on midfield is a problem.
5) We have good playmaker types but they're lightweight
6) We have good but defensively suspect wide players
7) Our front two are fine
8) Robbie has no choice but to come deep as he never gets good supply, maybe only when Andy Reid plays.

If the above points are true then maybe Colster's XI or a variation of it makes sense?

If you don't have good full backs, don't play any
If midfield gets overrun, bring in another man.

I think Stan and our players wouldn't have a clue, but experienced club managers would.

[Wolfie]

Huge game for McGeady - Time to deliver.

McGeady and Reid's presence in the starting eleven may be mutually beneficial. Reid had a lot of time and space but a good example would be the nicely flighted ball to McGeady for the lead up to 2nd goal against Danes. A good start by one may encourage the other to get on the ball.

Robbie Keane and Reid are nearer the same wavelength on the team than most.

I thought Kilbane won a lot of headed ball on Saturday that neither Keane nor Doyle anticipated him winning. Hopefully they have that put right for tomorrow night.

[pete]

If McGreedy did not play for a certain club he would not be in the team.

It may be easy to waltz past SPL players when you dominate possession but at the top level you actually need to look up & pass the ball from time to time. :mad:

Kilbane is the only option for left back as Kelly was abysmal in Slovakia. :(

[paul_oshea]

McGeady and Reid's presence in the starting eleven may be mutually beneficial. Reid had a lot of time and space but a good example would be the nicely flighted ball to McGeady for the lead up to 2nd goal against Danes. A good start by one may encourage the other to get on the ball.


Ya I am thinking so too, mcgeady got into a lot of space in teh first half in slovakia, but never got the ball in time, and then when he did he was limited, but on the few occassion when he got it in space and got a run at the defence he did quite well.


Robbie Keane and Reid are nearer the same wavelength on the team than most.

I have been saying this for ages, and keane must have read my posts as he came out and said it on the paper that they have a good understanding. A good through ball is nothing without a good runner and a good run is nothing without a true ball. If one lacks the other, then it can make one or the other look stupid, but if on the same wavelenght then this is unlikely to happen.

On kilbane, thats about the only thing he did win!!!

Stuts, not the time to be messing about and I dont have enough confidence in the defence to do that, even with a 5 man midfield, saying that though a 5 man midfield would give us more presense in the midfield and more time to supply balls to the forward etc.

[Ozymandias]

What I am at pains to understand or even comprehend is that staunton stated in the papers that even if Stephen Ireland didn't return to Ireland he was going to make changes as the pitch in slovakia was very heavy and energy sapping....then he names his team and the onlly change is reid for Ireland.....

I believe he should not comment anymore because he is clueless and doesn't even know what he is saying or why he is saying it.

god help us lads if we have to go into another campaign with him at the helm....it is so serious it is funny

[drinkfeckarse]

The whole Kelly debate makes ye wonder if Derek Geary should have been an option and does Stan know that Stephen Hunt is in the squad?


No point in swapping one everage player for another.

[DeNiro]

What is he at? Steve 'I'm going to make a few changes' Staunton. He's intent on running it into the ground.

[mackannovic]

No point in swapping one everage player for another.

One experienced average player for another.

[Billsthoughts]

I cant see the team that played against slovakia(with the reid/ireland switch) beating the czech republic to be honest. apart from his goal doyle seemed way off form. Carsley seemed to kick the ball around aimlessly. Stephen Kelly seemed to be beaten a hell of a lot. John O Shea is not aggressive enough. Kilbane seems to lack a footballing brain. he loses possesion way too much. Mageady wasnt good enough for international football on sat nite so I dont know how he suddenly is now. doesnt seem to be any realisation on the part of the manager that anything went wrong in brataslava. regardless of who you would or wouldnt play a team that failed to perform for large chunks of the game against slovakia is not going to get you a win in Prague.

[razor]

I don't think anyone would have argued with that team in advance of last Saturdays game.
I think it was the changes that cost us in Slovakia.
Hopefully McGeady will have gotten the required kick up the h*le after last Saturday and will perform on the night.
Hunt & Long in that order need to be the first subs on.

[sligoman]

Stan has no imagination whatsoever. No cop on, tactically clueless, I think he's actually clueless in reality too judging by his interviews. There was clearly better line-up options than that but he's so thick he just can't see it. He's ruining this nation's footballers and it ****es me off to think this idiot is in charge for years yet:mad:.

[Stuttgart88]

Billsthoughts, regarding Carsley, as you point out yourself Stephen Ireland brings nothing apart from his goals. I can only hope that Andy Reid fulfils a CM's responsibilities better and is always on hand to take an easy pass from Carsley once Carsley fulfils his primary role.

Robbie Keane thrives on Reid's presence and there were signs in Denmark that McGeady benefited from Reid's presence too.

This is what I'm clinging to anyway.

I was drinking during the game but don't recall Kelly being particularly poor. I don't remember him being good either though.

[drinkfeckarse]

One experienced average player for another.


Neither have a lot of international experiance which is a whole different ball game.

[mackannovic]

Neither have a lot of international experiance which is a whole different ball game.

Well we've tried Kelly a few times now and it's just not working whats wrong with giving Geary a shot.

[tetsujin1979]

Well we've tried Kelly a few times now and it's just not working whats wrong with giving Geary a shot.
probably nothing, but if he can't get into the squad when in the Premiership, why should he get in when he's in the Championship?

[Stuttgart88]

Looking at the team, does anyone think Stan may be thinking of putting KK in the middle with Reid and McGeady playing wide, swapping sides through the game?

[drinkfeckarse]

Well we've tried Kelly a few times now and it's just not working whats wrong with giving Geary a shot.

Nothing in essence but we all know that Geary is average at best so what's the point? No point in trying something for the sake of it.

[mackannovic]

probably nothing, but if he can't get into the squad when in the Premiership, why should he get in when he's in the Championship?

Last I checked we aren't blessed with an abundance of players to chose from. Why not call up those with premiership experience and see how they get on. If it doesn't work out it doesn't work out but there's no reasoning behind ignoring these players, unless as Geary suggested Stan doesn't even know about him.

[drinkfeckarse]

Looking at the team, does anyone think Stan may be thinking of putting KK in the middle with Reid and McGeady playing wide, swapping sides through the game?


You can't rule it out. We all now know that Reid does his best work through the middle so by that logic Stan will think he's Ryan Giggs and tell him to stick wide and take players on.

[paul_oshea]

Looking at the team, does anyone think Stan may be thinking of putting KK in the middle with Reid and McGeady playing wide, swapping sides through the game?

Stop it, now stuts.

[Billsthoughts]

Billsthoughts, regarding Carsley, as you point out yourself Stephen Ireland brings nothing apart from his goals. I can only hope that Andy Reid fulfils a CM's responsibilities better and is always on hand to take an easy pass from Carsley once Carsley fulfils his primary role.

Robbie Keane thrives on Reid's presence and there were signs in Denmark that McGeady benefited from Reid's presence too.

This is what I'm clinging to anyway.

I was drinking during the game but don't recall Kelly being particularly poor. I don't remember him being good either though.

as I said leaving aside who you would or wouldnt pick...on the basis of last saturdays performance this team wont beat czechs. Carsley kept hoofing the ball upfield to nobody in particular on saturday. stephen kelly(who I liked against the czechs at lansdowne.) was brutal on sat. you wont beat footballing teams if you keep giving them the ball back. FACT!

[mackannovic]

Nothing in essence but we all know that Geary is average at best so what's the point? No point in trying something for the sake of it.


It's hardly just for the sake of it.
So how to you suggest we advance to being a better team?? Just leave it as it is and hope that these things work themselves out??

[Stuttgart88]

yeah, but cause & effect. Carsley hoofed the ball beacuse Ireland wasn't anywhere to be seen and Reid is less likely to give the ball away.

That's the theory. In practise I expect the Czechs to monopolise possession but we'll score from Doyle knocking in the rebound after Robbie fails to beat Cech in a 1-on-1. We'll then retreat and they'll hit the post 8 times and we'll hold out for a famous victory that will see Stan getting a contract extension.

[mackannovic]

Looking at the team, does anyone think Stan may be thinking of putting KK in the middle with Reid and McGeady playing wide, swapping sides through the game?

Please God no. Andy Reid on the right of midfield v Switzerland October 2005 has to be one of the worst performances I've ever seen from any Irish player.

[paul_oshea]

maybe he wasnt picked for saturday because he went on a session on the sauce ( leading up to the game )? Of the ketchup kind that is

[antrimgreen]

Thought McGeady was brutal on Saturday, don't think he should start on Wednesday. IMO

[drinkfeckarse]

It's hardly just for the sake of it.
So how to you suggest we advance to being a better team?? Just leave it as it is and hope that these things work themselves out??

Swapping a player who doesn't look to be up to it for a player who quite clearly isn't up to it is definately for the sake of it.

I'd rather try someone from the U/21's or below than put in a player that will never be better than an average Championship player. If Geary was 21 I'd say yes but he's not, he's about 27 and will not improve much if at all.

Kelly, while being poor for us, is young enough to get better and if not there are other young lads out there who will young enough to advance and get better.

[irishbaz]

Lads I have stopped myself posting since the Ireland match for a number of reasons firstly that everyone would be calling for Stan’s head and secondly because i was suicidal. The showing was nothing more than awful and the subs well dreadful I could not believe my eyes or ears. Even my wife who knows nothing about football and is from Mauritius said and I quote why has he not taken the bald fellow off he’s **** coupled with Mc Geady and O shea. The selection this time is poor and shows stans inability to manage or even learn from his mistakes that’s what’s so frustrating a first division player taken on in an important international match and decent championship players overlooked embarrassing and down right disgraceful