Republic of Ireland v. Wales - Friday, 24th March 2017 - World Cup 2018 Qualifier

[MeathDrog]

All fair points. I'm not worried about who can step in. We have plenty of experience to choose from.

Losing out on Arter, Wes and Brady in particular hurts us creatively. Hendrick in particular will have to step up.

With a full squad to choose from I would put us slight favourites. As it stands now, with Wales desperate for a win, I have them slight favourites.

I predict a score draw which all things considered would be a good result.

[geysir]

Which is why I'm not blindly jumping to conclusions and casting aspersions over Arter's commitment.

Agreed.
Arter has been officially ruled out of the game because of an injury. It's standard procedure that an injured player remains with the club. If the club are moving en masse to Dubai, then he follows them and continues with his supervised rehab program. Any aspersion cast on Arter about this, is utter drivel.

[mark12345]

Ramsay was rank rotten for Arsenal v West Brom.

I thought he was excellent. Was at the center of everything positive for Arsenal. Always links the play very well.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

I thought he was excellent. Was at the center of everything positive for Arsenal. Always links the play very well.

Drivel in other words.

[mark12345]

McCarthy is a warrior for us really think he will play Friday which will be huge for us. Join him with Hendrick and Gibson behind mcgeady McLean and long. Gives you Walters and Murphy if we need to go long in last 15 mins. No wes is a kick in the teeth

Substitute Gibson for Hourihane or O'Kane and you've got quite a good looking attack (biggest fear is that Whelan will be included in the starting 11 - guaranteed not to win if that's the case).
Also a pity Liam Kelly doesn't have a year or two more under his belt. He's just the type of player we need in this team.

[mark12345]

Drivel in other words.

No, quite good actually. He's the one we've got to watch on Friday night

[liamoo11]

Substitute Gibson for Hourihane or O'Kane and you've got quite a good looking attack (biggest fear is that Whelan will be included in the starting 11 - guaranteed not to win if that's the case).
Also a pity Liam Kelly doesn't have a year or two more under his belt. He's just the type of player we need in this team.

I think Gibson gives you that incisive crisp passing to open things up for the pace of long McLean and mcgeady. O Kane is tidy and neat but doesn't have that passing quality and I can't see hourihane been given his first cap in such a big game

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Well there is no way Gibson and Whelan are playing in the same team and Whelan is probably going to be viewed as even more important than he already is due to the other personnel missing/potentially missing, so I just can't see Gibson featuring.

Walters is a lock and MON seems to like Murphy.

Can you imagine a team with Whelan, Gibson and Walters in it? They would run rings around us.

I think Gibson is getting back into the swing of things. Give him until the summer to see if he can remain injury free and keep an eye on his progress. I think the tempo and feel of this game isn't a good match for him.

I'm not terribly gone on O'Kane either from what I have seen of him.

I would be far more in tune with throwing Hourihane in TBH. I think he's a confident lad who won't shirk the occasion and has the right mix of ingenuity and bite.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

https://twitter.com/McDonnellDan/status/843559538230022144

Arter, Elliot, McShane, Clark, Kelly & McGoldrick out of Wales game. Pilkington, Gleeson, Gibson, Rooney, Doherty cut

Hoolahan and McCarthy are still fighting for an opportunity to participate on Friday.

[nigel-harps1954]

Dan McDonnell tweeting in the last few minutes:

"Arter, Elliot, McShane, Clark, Kelly & McGoldrick out of Wales game.

Pilkington, Gleeson, Gibson, Rooney, Doherty cut"

[SkStu]

Kelly? Injured?

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Kelly? Injured?

Hamstring injury.

[DeLorean]

Yes. McCarthy's attitude is a refreshing contrast to that of Arter's.

Maybe you should remind yourself that you used question McCarthy's commitment in an identical way as little as two or three years ago. Now you're using him as a shining example that others should aspire to emulate. Brilliant stuff!

[paul_oshea]

"I would imagine Glenn Whelan playing the role which closes any gaps for Bale. The players around him will provide him simple information to keep an eye on him, and the back four will be communicating 'left shoulder, right shoulder' whenever Bale moves. Whelan's spatial awareness will be vital to keep Wales and Bale away from our goal."

Intersting from Hunt, when a fellow player comes out with that, you have to take note really. Perhaps I've just completely misunderstood Whelan all these years.

It sounded like Skstu was questioning in the sense, who is kelly, not so much was he injured

[paul_oshea]

Substitute Gibson for Hourihane or O'Kane and you've got quite a good looking attack (biggest fear is that Whelan will be included in the starting 11 - guaranteed not to win if that's the case).
Also a pity Liam Kelly doesn't have a year or two more under his belt. He's just the type of player we need in this team.

I've never really rated Gibson, not that hot. Especially when he lost his hair.