Ireland Squad named

[irishultra]

Goalkeepers
Shay Given (Newcastle United)
Dean Kiely (West Brom)

Defenders
Alex Bruce (Ipswich Town) :confused:
Damien Delaney (QPR)
Richard Dunne (Manchester City)
Steve Finnan (Liverpool)
Stephen Kelly (Birmingham City)
Kevin Kilbane (Wigan Athletic)
John O'Shea (Manchester United)
Paul McShane (Sunderland)

Midfielders
Joey O'Brien (Bolton Wanderers)
Stephen Hunt (Reading)
Aiden McGeady (Glasgow Celtic)
Liam Miller (Sunderland) :rolleyes:
Andy Reid (Sunderland)
Steven Reid (Blackburn Rovers)
Glenn Whelan (Stoke City)

Attackers
Kevin Doyle (Reading)
Robbie Keane (Liverpool)
Andy Keogh (Wolves) :rolleyes:
Shane Long (Reading)
Daryl Murphy (Sunderland)


No Damien Duff. Big blow in my view. He's not vital but important none the less. Why no Lawrence? Perhaps he doesn't want a call up?

Andy Keogh can't get a game for Wolves, so really somebody else should be in

And oh my Alex Bruce.

[bwagner]

With Duff out we had space for a premiership midfielder aka Liam Lawerence or even to give young Mc Carthy a bit of experience.,instead we get half injured Mc Shane who is finished at club level

[centre mid]

No real suprises,

[boovidge]

What's Shane Long still doing there?

[tetsujin1979]

No surprises at all, Hunt will start on the left

[boovidge]

Why no Lawrence? Perhaps he doesn't want a call up?

Didn't he publicly ask Trap to call him up on Soccer AM earlier this year? Maybe Trap doesn't know he's eligible. :confused:

[irishultra]

I would prefer to see A.Reid on the left....in that free role....zidane-esque.. haha

Please god we don't get injuries now.

[NeilMcD]

I would actually prefer Mc Geady on the left where he does his best stuff and have Reid on the right and S Reid and G Whelan as the central pair. Keane and Doyle are not so good in the air so getting around your full back and whipping in balls will not be the order of the day and I think that Mc Geady always plays better on the left and A Reid can come in on his left, on the right hand side and join up the play with S Reid and Keane and Doyle.

[irishultra]

Oh yeah. McGeady on the left....even more reason for Lawrence to be named.

[geysir]

I though McShane was seriously injured

[SkStu]

No surprises at all

no surprises indeed but in my mind thats a terribly disappointing and conservative squad.

[irishultra]

BTW lads, JOB should probably be in the midfield part.


I'll change it, so it looks like we didn't just call up a list of defenders.

[Razors left peg]

its gonna be very straight forward lads... Andy will start instead of Duffer in the only change to starting lineup, Im happy enough

[newbie]

there has to be some reason why Lawrence is not there. he was a top championship player last season and has scored in the prem this season (i know it was a pen but still...)

Given,
Finnan - Dunne - O Shea - Delaney
Mcgeady - S.Reid - Whelan - A.Reid
Keane - Doyle

that would be my team...with just Hunt and possibly Murphy the only "game changers" on the bench...

i think we will get the win as we are facing them on neutral ground.

[NeilMcD]

Would you not swap A Reid and Mc Geady. I think Mc Geady always does his best work on the left.

[colster]

there has to be some reason why Lawrence is not there. he was a top championship player last season and has scored in the prem this season (i know it was a pen but still...)

Given,
Finnan - Dunne - O Shea - Delaney
Mcgeady - S.Reid - Whelan - A.Reid
Keane - Doyle

that would be my team...with just Hunt and possibly Murphy the only "game changers" on the bench...

i think we will get the win as we are facing them on neutral ground.

I wonder would a midfield diamond work

Whelan
S.Reid A.Reid
MacGeady

Keane Doyle

[Razors left peg]

Would you not swap A Reid and Mc Geady. I think Mc Geady always does his best work on the left.

Duff and McGeady swopped wings at times against Norway, that'll prob happen again

[NeilMcD]

He is not going to change the system he has so we will have two central players and two players out wide, SO we know for sure it is goign to be S. Reid and G Whelan in the middle and Mc Geady on one wing. It is then up to Trap if he is going to play Hunt or A Reid on the other wing. It probably does Reid not harm that he has played out there last couple of times for Sunderland and done well too.

[colster]

He is not going to change the system he has so we will have two central players and two players out wide, SO we know for sure it is goign to be S. Reid and G Whelan in the middle and Mc Geady on one wing. It is then up to Trap if he is going to play Hunt or A Reid on the other wing. It probably does Reid not harm that he has played out there last couple of times for Sunderland and done well too.

I think a diamond could work. It would suit both mac geady and andy reid. McGeady could float and Andy Reid could dictate play from central midfield. It would also allow S.Reid to get forward more. If we had finnan and kilbane as fullbacks they would provide the width.

[NeilMcD]

But he is not going to play a diamond.

[DotTV]

Why are people surprised Lawrence isn't in? If he wasn't in for the friendly he wouldn't be in for this. If he keeps playing well he'l be noticed. All in good time.

[seanfhear]

Why are people surprised Lawrence isn't in? If he wasn't in for the friendly he wouldn't be in for this. If he keeps playing well he'l be noticed. All in good time.
It was a bit surprising that he was not in the friendly squad.

[Hibs4Ever]

Would have liked Rory Delap to get another chance

[Fergie's Son]

Why no Carlsley? Is he injured? We need a true ball winner for these sorts of matches.

[tetsujin1979]

But he is not going to play a diamond.
Agreed, if he was, then we would have seen it against Norway.

[musicinmouth]

I think it's terrible that Carsley isn't even in the squad... He's been playing really well...

[irishultra]

Mark Quigley should be in that team, as well as Jason Gavin. He's better than Alex Bruce.

[FarBeag]

There are a lot of players much better than Bruce.I can’t understand why McCarthy and St Ledger are not given a chance for instance? Liam Lawrence should also be given a chance and it’s unfair on Carlsey not to be there.Who advises Trap on these issues?

[NeilMcD]

Do you reckon that Lawrence is paying for his porntape.

[newbie]

Would you not swap A Reid and Mc Geady. I think Mc Geady always does his best work on the left.

i wasnt too pushed on what wing i put them on as i think they will change through the game...

[Razors left peg]

Mark Quigley should be in that team, as well as Jason Gavin. He's better than Alex Bruce.

Do you honestly believe that Jason Gavin is good enough to make the Ireland starting line up... not that I think Bruce is... but jesus come up with some better options... and where exactly does Mark Quigley fit into the team??????

[DmanDmythDledge]

He is not going to change the system he has so we will have two central players and two players out wide, SO we know for sure it is goign to be S. Reid and G Whelan in the middle and Mc Geady on one wing. It is then up to Trap if he is going to play Hunt or A Reid on the other wing. It probably does Reid not harm that he has played out there last couple of times for Sunderland and done well too.
I think he will go for Hunt- didn't he say recently (paraphrasing) that he wants two traditional wingers? Reid would have to play on the right and he would be cutting in a lot. He would slow the play down which is not what Trap seems to want from the wingers.


Why are people surprised Lawrence isn't in? If he wasn't in for the friendly he wouldn't be in for this. If he keeps playing well he'l be noticed. All in good time.
Mainly because we have lost a winger from the squad and replaced him with a centre back. I said this when the last squad was announced- it leaves us with a serious lack of options on the bench to change things if it's going wrong.

[danonion]

The initial optimism I had for this new management team has completely evaporated. The selection policy, it seems is no better than that of Steve Staunton.
For whatever reason, Ireland teams since McCarthy have had a really unjustifiable tendency to discard players seemingly without reason. This could perhaps be explained by an age bias.

Lee Carsley's omission to me is baffling. Yes he is 34, but yes he has just come off one of the best season's of his career in top flight football. For him not to be in the squad, to me, is a very poor management decision.

I think the over-30 watershed needs to stop being a criterion for selection. Picking players for potential, rather than current ability and performances, has never been a system employed by a genuinely successful international side. Age is just a number, look at Larsson, Thuram, The Kovacs, Aldridge, Cascarino, Houghton and McGrath who have all played or are playing international football deep into their thirties.

This cost is dearly in the last campaign. Against Cyprus, an 87 year old Breen (sorry, I read the Fiver) who was playing football would have been better than a 26 year old A. O'Brien who was benched during preseason and the campaign. In the same match an accomplished central midfielder, Matt Holland, regardless of age, would have been a better man in midfield than winger Kevin Kilbane playing alongside a 19 year old prodigy midfielder.

The point I am trying to make is we do not have a sufficient pool of players to make selections in any other way than their past performances in the Ireland shirt and their performances leading up to whatever matches are being played. Shane Long or Morrison??? Come on.....

[Kingdom]

The initial optimism I had for this new management team has completely evaporated. The selection policy, it seems is no better than that of Steve Staunton.
For whatever reason, Ireland teams since McCarthy have had a really unjustifiable tendency to discard players seemingly without reason. This could perhaps be explained by an age bias.

Lee Carsley's omission to me is baffling. Yes he is 34, but yes he has just come off one of the best season's of his career in top flight football. For him not to be in the squad, to me, is a very poor management decision.

I think the over-30 watershed needs to stop being a criterion for selection. Picking players for potential, rather than current ability and performances, has never been a system employed by a genuinely successful international side. Age is just a number, look at Larsson, Thuram, The Kovacs, Aldridge, Cascarino, Houghton and McGrath who have all played or are playing international football deep into their thirties.

This cost is dearly in the last campaign. Against Cyprus, an 87 year old Breen (sorry, I read the Fiver) who was playing football would have been better than a 26 year old A. O'Brien who was benched during preseason and the campaign. In the same match an accomplished central midfielder, Matt Holland, regardless of age, would have been a better man in midfield than winger Kevin Kilbane playing alongside a 19 year old prodigy midfielder.

The point I am trying to make is we do not have a sufficient pool of players to make selections in any other way than their past performances in the Ireland shirt and their performances leading up to whatever matches are being played. Shane Long or Morrison??? Come on.....

I don't believe Carsley is capable of doing one of the two central midfield jobs that Trap wants. He was perfect for the one defensive/holding/witty-slogan position for Everton. Glenn for me is an improvement, his range of passing is better and while it may be only slightly, I think he's more mobile than Carsley.
Another thing would be continuity. Carlsey wouldn't be an option after this campaign. We have very fw players actually playing central midfield at a top level. If they don't get integrated now then it might never happen.
Any attempt to equate this management team to the previous one is quite funny. The last spa wasn't given the time because it was quite obvious he hadn't a clue. Trapper does have a clue and the change in our play is obvious to me already.
If only he could make Dunne and Given understand that its perfectly alright to play short passes to a collecting midfielder that earns less than them we'd be fine.

[the doc]

There are a lot of players much better than Bruce.I can’t understand why McCarthy and St Ledger are not given a chance for instance? Liam Lawrence should also be given a chance and it’s unfair on Carlsey not to be there.Who advises Trap on these issues?

DG!

Can someone please tell me how Bruce can be picked ahead of St Ledger?

And how McShane gets in after playing reserve team football is beyond belief!

Perhaps someone should ask DG? I'm beginning to think Traps his puppet

[the doc]

Why are people surprised Lawrence isn't in? If he wasn't in for the friendly he wouldn't be in for this. If he keeps playing well he'l be noticed. All in good time.

Weren't Lawence and St Ledger player of the year at their clubs after very good performances throughout the season.

What more do they have to do?

So the likes of Bruce and McShane can play badly and get picked but others have to wait, despite being better players and doing well at their clubs, no wonder Ireland continue to struggle.

[jbyrne]

some of the nonsense here is just baffling. how short are some peoples memories? to date trapp is undefeated and we look like we are getting a bit of shape and organisation back. no one will ever agree 100% with a managers squad but so far so good in my opinion. stauntons reign was a complete mess yet some on here are saying we are no better without him... give me a break!

[Cloggs]

not particularly optimistic ahead of next weeks game are we?!;)i think that we have a pretty good squad out but would agree with the players that most people would prefer not to be there-bruce and mcshane should be nowhere near the squad at the moment.i'd only make two changes from the team that played against norway with delaney coming in for kilbane and reid starting in place of duff (although i would prefer to see him playing in the middle)carsley without any doubt should be in the squad.whelan is far too lightweight and was dropped last weekend in favour of lawrence.still think that we've got anough quality to beat georgia though.

[tetsujin1979]

The initial optimism I had for this new management team has completely evaporated. The selection policy, it seems is no better than that of Steve Staunton.
I had a similar argument/conversation with a friend of mine recently. The squad against Norway had a very similar look to any squad under Staunton, and even under the latter days of Kerr's reign. He thought that there had been little or no progression since those days. Apart from the addition of Whelan, and the return of Reid, Duff and Given, this could have been any squad under Staunton.
I agreed that the personnel may not have changed, but the team itself has been altered dramatically since Trapattoni has taken over. Basic, simple things, like where to stand to receive a pass, keeping possession in central midfield and spreading the play to wingers were all in evidence in the first half against Norway.
I hope to see more of this in the next two games, and 2 positive results.

[youngirish]

We still look 2-3 good players short of having an overall decent team. We need a good holding midfield player (Whelan is not up to it imo). A good central defender to sit alongside Dunne (O'Shea can be backup) and a good left back (perhaps Hunt could be tried as he's started the season there for Reading).

[lionelhutz]

I agree that he's not going to change the formation - he's not going to play one he hasn't tested with this team.

He'll stick with two wingers. This is why I worry that he'll play Hunt instead of A. Reid. I'd love to see A. Reid longside S. Reid in CM but since I know that's not going to happen in the near future, I'd accept playing him left side. He's a much more intelligent footballer than Hunt and he's as good a crosser if not better.

But the main reason I'd have him ahead of Hunt is he'd be able to thread balls through to Keane and Doyle from the left. Hunt is unable to do this. Reid's vision is exceptional and he has the talent to make the most of this vision, he's essential to our team.

[geysir]

It's a big gamble leaving Carsley out. Even if he hasn't played under Trap he could sleepwalk into that formation. Two years ago Stan thought we had enough in midfield without Carsley.
Maybe Trap will be fully vindicated plunging on Whelan with O'Brien for back up.
There is no room to make up later from a bad start. Less than 4 points will leave us at the starting gate.

[irishultra]

I actually think Hunt's crossing would be better than Reid's. If we had a real predator up front he would be perfect, but Andy suits Trap's passing game brilliantly. I think he knows what Hunt is best at, coming on if the match is tight.

[back of the net]

duff is not a big loss imo


andy reid on the left???? eh dont you have to be fit to play that position??

he belongs in the hole in behind the striker in the centre imo

[NeilMcD]

Did you not watch him against Spurs or against Forest when he played on the left for Sunderland. This idea that he is not fit is rubbish. It has been proved to have been incorrect and I saw it with my own eyes last year in Prague when he matched Rosicky time and time again for runs.

[back of the net]

Did you not watch him against Spurs or against Forest when he played on the left for Sunderland. This idea that he is not fit is rubbish. It has been proved to have been incorrect and I saw it with my own eyes last year in Prague when he matched Rosicky time and time again for runs.

the fitness comment was sarcasm - poor attempt i grant you (-;

i was in prague last year neill and many more ireland games and tbh i did not think he was anywhere near fit when i saw him

i think andy reid is a quality player - but i think he is better utilised in the centre rather than the wing

[NeilMcD]

Well he played centre mid that night and I was debating with a friend for a long time about the merits or Reid and he was strong in the view that he was not fit enough. Anyway after the game he came up to me and he had been convinced. There were loads of times last year that Reid matched the Czech players and tracked them all the way. He played in the centre that night and he was able to track back time and time again.

[Noelys Guitar]

Reid has the ability to pick out Keane's runs into the box or beyond the last defender almost with his eyes closed. That should not be overlooked by Trap. Against a very good footballing Forest team on Wednesday night Reid ran the show for 120 mins. With a hostile crowd giving him stick throughout the match. Miller on the other hand was rubbish. And yet according to Trap's alleged comments Miller is ahead of Reid in the centrl midfield pecking order. I expect to see Hunt replacing Duff which again to me is the wrong option. Andy Reid needs to play in both upcoming games for us to win. Either replacing Whelan or Duff.

[Wolfie]

Reid has the ability to pick out Keane's runs into the box or beyond the last defender almost with his eyes closed. That should not be overlooked by Trap. Against a very good footballing Forest team on Wednesday night Reid ran the show for 120 mins. With a hostile crowd giving him stick throughout the match. Miller on the other hand was rubbish. And yet according to Trap's alleged comments Miller is ahead of Reid in the centrl midfield pecking order. I expect to see Hunt replacing Duff which again to me is the wrong option. Andy Reid needs to play in both upcoming games for us to win. Either replacing Whelan or Duff.

Agree - Keane and A.Reid are certainly on the same wavelength from an attacking perspective. What best illustrates this for me is Keane's goal against Israel - just before the implosion. Great vision and execution from Reid to pick him out.

Will the neutral standing of the game affect our tactics and mindset for the game? Given the circumstances - Georgia could have a right go at this game. I've a feeling we're going to need to be very well organised for this lot.

[BigBird]

Fairly poor Irish squad all round I reckon. How many of the squad are even playing with decent premiership sides? And why so many similar defenders? Hopefully the starting 11 will be able to get past a tough Georgian side!:cool: