Andy O'Brien v John O'Shea [Archive]

Scram

03/10/2007, 8:25 PM

Which would you have at center back :confused: !

The O'Brien Dunne combination worked well other than a couple of positioning errors by AOB but surely he's a better option than O'Shea who has been a disaster in the position.

backstothewall

03/10/2007, 9:09 PM

O'Brien every time. Would never have dropped him

inexile

03/10/2007, 9:35 PM

Stuttgart88

03/10/2007, 9:48 PM

I don't know if it's the same people, but there were 2 themes on this forum a couple of seasons ago: John O'Shea was a crap left back and Andy O'Brien was a crap centre back. Now everyone wants O'Shea at left back and O'Brien back at centre back.

O'Brien's 06/07 season was a write off. He actually played well enough in Stuttgart but was harshly penalised for the free that led to their goal. That said, he was clumsy and left himself open to the decision.

He was awful in Cyprus along with 5 or 6 others, including one of my favourites, Finnan. He was injured beforehand and not match fit. Bobby Robson thought McShane should have played but Stan overruled him.

However I think O'Brien has always done pretty well for us and deserves another chance in my opinion, but probably not against Germany. O'Shea has done ok at CB the last 2 times he played there for us and much as I'd like to see him off the team I think he's our best option at CB alongside Dunne.

eirebhoy

03/10/2007, 9:59 PM

O'Brien without a doubt. Himself and Cunningham had a superb partnership and he's had very few bad games.

NeilMcD

03/10/2007, 10:08 PM

They should be both in the squad and after seeing them both in training etc I would then make the decision with maybe O shea slightly ahead at the moment.

tetsujin1979

03/10/2007, 10:33 PM

Bobby Robson thought McShane should have played but Stan overruled him.
Other way around, Stand wanted to play McShane after seeing him in training, but Robson said to play O'Brien (remember he had O'Brien at Newcastle and probably trusted him aginst Cyprus), despite being in England because he was too ill to travel

tetsujin1979

03/10/2007, 10:38 PM

O'Brien without a doubt. Himself and Cunningham had a superb partnership and he's had very few bad games.
Cunningham was very much the organiser in that partnership. With Dunne having matured massively over the last 2 seasons, and now organising the Man City defence (just watch him order Richards, Corluka, Onuoha, etc around). It wouldn't be a big step up for him to do the same at international level.

DmanDmythDledge

03/10/2007, 10:38 PM

O'Shea over O'Brien at the moment but I'd prefer to see O'Brien CB and O'Shea LB to accomodate Finnan at RB.

Superhoops

03/10/2007, 10:47 PM

jos as much as im not a fan has performed quite well in his last 2 games at centre half for ireland against denmark and the czechs, whereas andy o brien was a disaster against cyprus and hasn't done anything except mainly sit on portsmouths bench and play a couple of games for bolton in the intervening period so id go with o'shea

Problem was that against the Czechs he was selected at Right Back but kept drifting into the centre. Maybe he thought he was playing at centre half :)

JOS only good game for Ireland in 40 starts was against Denmark, whereas AOB has had the odd howler, but was generally relaible for us.

NeilMcD

03/10/2007, 11:08 PM

he is talking about the czech home game when he played centre back

mrtndvn

03/10/2007, 11:13 PM

John o'shea is the worse excuse for a footballer I have ever seen in my life.

danonion

03/10/2007, 11:27 PM

O'Brien will be 32, 33 tops by the time WC 2010 rolls around, why alienate him? McShane is too small and not very good - his "pashun" and aggression have made a few fans think he has a football brain, I haven't seen evidence of it. We need more players in this position, Stan is just too stubborn.

Stuttgart88

04/10/2007, 9:49 AM

Other way aroundOoops, fair enough!

eirebhoy

04/10/2007, 10:38 AM

Cunningham was very much the organiser in that partnership. With Dunne having matured massively over the last 2 seasons, and now organising the Man City defence (just watch him order Richards, Corluka, Onuoha, etc around). It wouldn't be a big step up for him to do the same at international level.
Yeah I agree but O'Shea equally needs an organiser beside him.

as_i_say

04/10/2007, 12:46 PM

john o shea sh ite. at centerback, left back, right back, center mid, left mid.

i think he saved a robbie keane effort when in goals for man u but i'm pretty sure they put him in there because he is in fact, sh ite.

i'd go one more than the post above. he has never had a good game for us. good game for denmark? yeah suppose he hadnt the ball that much except for when he nearly headed it into his own net under pressure from his own shadow.

worst irish international to accumulate more than a few caps. EVER. OF ALL TIME.

dynamo kerry

04/10/2007, 2:10 PM

was anyone else at the game when o'shea made his debut

I was on the south terrace and in the last 2 minutes in a goalmout melee (against paraguy or croatia or someone) a skinny arm stuck out it's paw to stop a shot heading wide. who's arm?

well i'll tell you this.. it's not a skinny arm any longer.

o'brien please.

Stuttgart88

04/10/2007, 2:18 PM

Croatia at home. Conceding a last minute equaliser in a 2-2 draw I think. He started as he meant to go on.

RogerMilla

04/10/2007, 2:23 PM

o'shea ahead of O'brien any day of the week.

tetsujin1979

04/10/2007, 2:28 PM

didn't Roy Keane still try to convince Mick McCarthy to take O'Shea to Japan/South Korea, despite giving away the penalty?

Sligo Hornet

04/10/2007, 2:34 PM

Not the greatest of choices....a bit like being asked which do you prefer..."Hanging or the Electric Chair"?:(

Morbo

04/10/2007, 4:53 PM

I'll take the chair aka O'Brien

backstothewall

04/10/2007, 6:29 PM

O'Brien will be 32, 33 tops by the time WC 2010 rolls around, why alienate him?

Agree 100%. Back four for 2010 will hopefully be

Finnan O Brien Dunne O'Halloran

McShane is too small and not very good

Agree again. He will take over from Finnan at RB, where his height is no obsticle.

tetsujin1979

04/10/2007, 6:57 PM

Agree again. He will take over from Finnan at RB, where his height is no obsticle.

He doesn't have the pace for a full back, at centre half that's isn't as much a problem

backstothewall

04/10/2007, 7:13 PM

a slow full back has more chance than a short centre back. Gary Neville isn't the quickest for example.

Youths4Ever

04/10/2007, 7:29 PM

personally neither but if had to pick one would be O'Shea and would still like to know why Darren O' Dea at Celtic is not even being considered.

tetsujin1979

04/10/2007, 8:49 PM

personally neither but if had to pick one would be O'Shea and would still like to know why Darren O' Dea at Celtic is not even being considered.
Considered for Ireland or considered for Celtic? He's only come off the bench once for Celtic all season. Also, he's captaining the U-21s
Whatever about O'Shea's many, many, many failings, he is at least playing for United.

irishfan86

05/10/2007, 2:15 AM

The main issue here is not "who do we start," it's that both of them should be in the squad.

O'Brien not being in the squad considering our suspension situation is a joke.

danonion

05/10/2007, 2:55 AM

If some Irish born lad was on the bench for Bolton at centre-half he would pick them in an instant

carloz

06/10/2007, 11:14 AM

The main issue here is not "who do we start," it's that both of them should be in the squad.

O'Brien not being in the squad considering our suspension situation is a joke.

Be honest though, has there been a time where you havent been mystified by Stans squad. Some of his decisions are just puzzling really. Alan O'Brien anybody

Scram

06/10/2007, 2:04 PM

O'Shea Injured

"United suffered two more injuries in the first half when Nemanja Vidic and John O'Shea had to go off, two substitutions that disrupted the champions' impressive early rhythm. " :D

Stephen Hunt at center back, Stan? (ps. Stan, he was sent off in the last game....note to self: check eligibility)

NeilMcD

06/10/2007, 3:00 PM

Its a dead leg for O Shea and some say he has had one of those in the last four years, along with a dead brain. I would say he will be fine for next Saturday.

pete

06/10/2007, 3:27 PM

Impossible to understand Stauntons decisions. Picks 2 centre backs for Germany game. Kilbane as back up is presume...?

Scram

06/10/2007, 8:13 PM

Its a dead leg for O Shea and some say he has had one of those in the last four years, along with a dead brain. I would say he will be fine for next Saturday.

dead brain :D

fine for next Saturday :mad:

as_i_say

08/10/2007, 12:46 PM

Scram

09/10/2007, 12:25 PM

no surprise united started to play when he went off. maybe someone could deaden his other leg and make sure he's out for saturday.

He's back in :( If Ferguson thought he was any use, he would not let him play (see. "Roy Keane").

Surely if he is good enough for the Man U bench, he is good enough for the Ireland bench. When will we have a manager with the ba!!s to drop aplyer even if he is in the Man U squad. O'Shea is one of our worst performing players ever.

Closed Account 2

10/10/2007, 1:08 AM

O'Brien anyday.

I'd sooner have Shergar in the team than O'Shea... he'd probably be more mobile and get caught out of position less.

onceahoop

10/10/2007, 6:57 AM

O'Brien anyday.

I'd sooner have Shergar in the team than O'Shea... he'd probably be more mobile and get caught out of position less.

O'Briens out of the squad with a kidney infection.