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Right Lads and Lasses, here's the team I would play on saturday with those players now available.
GK - Given
RB - Mc Shane
CB - Dunne
CB - O Shea
LB - Kilbane
RM - Mc Geady
CM - Carsley
CM - Reid
LM - Hunt
S - Keane
S - Doyle
Subs: Colgan, Kelly, Ireland, Gibson, Long
I think this team has enough quality to pick up 3 points.
Remembering the slovaks are missing skrtel, svento, vittek and jakubko...who all played against us in dublin. Bolton's Michalik will replace svento. :ball:
Ireland ahead of McGeady would be only change I'd make from that
Given
O'Shea
Dunne
McShane
Kelly
Ireland
Carsley
Reid
McGeady
Keane
Doyle
Have Ireland drift inside and have O'Shea overlap, other than that standard 4-4-2. I think we will win.
Surely Kelly before Kilbane at the back. McGeady v Ireland is a tough one. Maybe playing away from home Ireland might be the better option.
Given
O'Shea
Dunne
McShane
Kelly
Ireland
Carsley
Reid
Hunt
Keane
Doyle
I would go with this line up as well, definitely has enough quality to win this game given the slovak withdrawals, 2 nil methinks........;)Quote:
Originally Posted by DmanDmythDledge
Dont know tbh which two I would pick from Hunt,McGeady or Ireland.Leaning towards Hunt as an impact sub.I knew Vittek was out.Are the other lads they are missing big players for them?
I'd have Kelly before Kilbane and Hunt and Ireland before McGeady myself...
---------------Given-------------
O'Shea---Dunne--McShane---Kelly
McGeady--Carsley--Gibson--Hunt
----------Doyle---Keane--------
I'd like to have Gibson on there to just drive at the Slovaks, he has more ambition going forward than any of our other central midfielders.
Andy Reid wouldn't be a bad option either, and I'd say Stan will go that route, which I won't be upset with.
But if it was me, I'd love to just have Gibson driving at their defense.
My 2 cents:
.....................Given
Kelly.....McShane..Dunne..O'Shea
McGeady..Carsley..Reid.....Hunt
................Doyle..Keane..
dunno about the subs to be honest
I reckon pretty much everyone will pick Given, McShane, Dunne, Carsley, Doyle and Keane. The real questions are who plays in the full back berths, who partners Carsley in central midfield and who plays on the wings?
To be honest I think our tactics are more important than our lineup. I hope we play to win and don't just park the bus and hope to get a goal on a set piece / counter attack. We are our own worst enemy at times by inviting teams onto us..
Spot on. No slowmo build up stuff. Really try to get at their back four early. Keane and Doyle (and probably Hunt)should make it hard for their defense to dwell on the ball. Defend from the front.Quote:
Originally Posted by holidaysong
if you look at the lpayers who did well against the slovaks in dublin - duff was superb for the first 70 minutes, hunt scared the daylights out of them when he came on, long caused them all kinds of trouble when he chased and harried their central defenders. I think Staunton will use Andy reid in the mide with carsley, Robbie and McGeady will run them ragged down the channels. Our defence (whichever back 4 he picks) is mobile enough to deal with the slovak midfield and forwards. The slovaks are a big strong technical side, and I think our tricky players will have success against them. 2-0. My preferred line up: given, kelly, mcshane, dunne, o'shea, ireland (to start on the right) carsley, Reid, Hunt, doyle, keane. McGeady to come on around the hour mark. I think hunt gives a little more natural defensive cover for o'shea at left full for this game.
--------- Given ----------
Kelly Dunne McShane JOSH
-------- Carsley ---------
------ Reid Ireland -------
McGeady ----------- Hunt
---------- Keane --------
I think given Kelly's relative inexperience it's better to play him on his favoured right side. JOSH is equally bad on the left or right so it doesn't matter where he plays.
Defensively we look weak so I think it's a good idea to start with five across the middle to steady the ship so to speak. Doyle isn't in form atm and that's another reason for not starting with a 4-4-2 formation.
Keane can't play up front alone.
I think the big question is which 2 from McGeady, A Reid and Ireland. I don't think all three will start.
I think we need to start with Andy Reid...he's in good form and his ability to thread decisive balls to the front two will be crucial in helping us to put them under pressure early on .We simply must start with a high tempo ( unlike we did against the Danes! )Quote:
Originally Posted by dr_peepee
agree .. Reid has to start .. and we have to get the balance right in the middle between creativity and keeping possession .. as well as height and strength.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sligo Hornet
I think the starting lineup is going to be largely irrelevant to be honest. As already stated on this thread I also believe that this is all going to be about attitude and tactics. Staunton needs to get the strategy right and has a chance to prove that he is up to the job by organsing our players in such a way that we give it a real go for the 3 points.
Our big criticisms (as fans) of Kerr etc was that on the away games we were too negative. This is a chance for Stan to really show that he is up to being an international manager by showing some tactical nous. He has had plenty of time to plan for this match and I hope to see a big improvement on our previous away performances.
Im still confident that we can win this. The slovaks injuries are more critical than ours.
Our away record is appalling.We need our experienced players to show leadership.Andy Reid gives the air of being a confident man at the moment.In football terms he is not a young 'un anymore.Time to step forward and take things by the scruff of the neck Andy.
And if you do there'll be a PIE in it for you son!!:DQuote:
Originally Posted by cheifo
Last significant competitive win came against Scotland via Mark Lawrenson 20, yes 20 years ago and following the intervention of Gary McKay, look what that led to:)Quote:
Originally Posted by cheifo
To me it says how fantastic our supporters have been to travel to all of the many venues in the meantime. Well done to them. But realistically, 1 or 2 points is what is see the haul as being. Anything else, and the experts will be struggling to reinvent Stan as a footballing genius.