Squad/Team v Russia/Slovakia

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Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

I wonder if he just got confused between Wilson and Coleman because surely there's no other reason for the latter's call-up.

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Not quite sure what you mean there. In my opinion, bringing Wilson into the squad means O'Shea will more than likely play full back, with Wilson as back up for the centre halves in the squad. Coleman's inclusion is as cover on the right for the injured Kelly.
Right now I think the pecking order is:
Left full: Kilbane - Cunningham
Centre half: Dunne - St Ledger - McShane - Wilson
Right Full: O'Shea - Foley - Coleman

With O'Shea providing cover for all positions, playing primarily on the right, the squad is reasonably well stocked in defence.

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Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

Right now I think the pecking order is:
Right Full: O'Shea - Foley - Coleman

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I hope you're right but I fear McShane is higher up the order for RB than you think

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Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

Not quite sure what you mean there. In my opinion, bringing Wilson into the squad means O'Shea will more than likely play full back, with Wilson as back up for the centre halves in the squad. Coleman's inclusion is as cover on the right for the injured Kelly.
Right now I think the pecking order is:
Left full: Kilbane - Cunningham
Centre half: Dunne - St Ledger - McShane - Wilson
Right Full: O'Shea - Foley - Coleman

With O'Shea providing cover for all positions, playing primarily on the right, the squad is reasonably well stocked in defence.

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God I'd hope he'd stick O'Shea in centre half ahead of Calamity McShane.
Was watching the Thiery Henry handball incident the other day again on youtube and McShane really is unforgivable for letting that ball bounce....

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Originally Posted by Fixer82

God I'd hope he'd stick O'Shea in centre half ahead of Calamity McShane.
Was watching the Thiery Henry handball incident the other day again on youtube and McShane really is unforgivable for letting that ball bounce....

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It's a balancing act between O'Shea is his best, and IMO natural, position at centre half, where Trapattoni played him until St Ledger joined the squad. Unfortunately, this weakens the full back slots, but O'Shea at full back with two of Dunne, St Ledger and McShane gives a stronger overall defence.
Personally I'd go with O'Shea - Dunne - St Ledger - Foley, but I don't know if this is the game to give Foley his competitive debut in.

Gutted about losing Duff. I'm a lot less confident about picking up points now. Duff wins us plenty of free kicks and we look more threatening at set pieces since the Trap came in so it's a big loss.

Given

O'Shea St Ledger Dunne Kilbane

Lawrence Green Whelan McGeady

Keane Doyle

That is our team folks.

Is 4-4-2 and our team too predictable?

Is Green good enough? If Wilson was used to the system the Trap swears by we could have started with him.

Will Keane and Given be sharp enough after wasting away on the bench for their respective clubs?

They're the crucial questions alright, plus will KK be good enough. Whelan might be a bit rusty.

The positives are that our wide players have been on good form. I think the players will be hungry and well up for it.

KK marking the quickest player in the russian league, gives me the willys.

If Green starts I don't see us winning. It'll be hard enough to beat the Russians without Duff and Andrews. We don't need to give them a man advantage by starting Green.

Who would you rather see start in Green's stead?

Despite reservations, we have to be practical and stick with Green for this round of games. I'd have preferred Andrews to play -but he's injured. No more to be said there.

We can have a lengthy debate as to who should be in there but many of the suggestions would be uncapped, inexperienced in Trapp's methods or exiled (self imposed or otherwise).

Green has the jersey right now - so lets get on with it.

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Originally Posted by Predator

Who would you rather see start in Green's stead?

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A footballer.

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Originally Posted by ifk101

A footballer.

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Harsh - but funny.

Any thoughts on Russia's potential tactics??

Would "All out Blitzkrieg from the first minute" sound a bit melodramatic??

Didn't Wilson start out at left back with Portsmouth? Trap may see him as the man to replace Kilbane. Cunningham won't get anywhere near the pitch.

As for Green, I know he was poor in the last 2 games but I think he can pull something out of the bag for this one. He must feel that this is his last chance to nail down a regular starting spot with Andrews only out through injury and Gibson and McCarthy knocking at the door aswell.

I'm disappointed he hasn't called Ward and McCarthy up given the fact that we have lost 4 players through injury and only called up 2 to replace them!

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Originally Posted by Wolfie

Any thoughts on Russia's potential tactics??

Would "All out Blitzkrieg from the first minute" sound a bit melodramatic??

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Bring it on -it's an excellent way to lose a football match. Blitzkrieg relies on excellent communications, well supported supply lines with back up second to none. If it goes even slightly off balance it falls through it's own @rse faster than a LIDL garden furniture set. If Russia try to chuck the kitchen sink -we'll take 'em.

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Originally Posted by Lenny82

Didn't Wilson start out at left back with Portsmouth? Trap may see him as the man to replace Kilbane. Cunningham won't get anywhere near the pitch.

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I don't think so, he may have played a few games at right full alright, but he came through the ranks as a defensive central midfielder, and can also play at centre half.

I think Lenny means his first couple of competitive games for Portsmouth were at left full, which is correct (UEFA Cup and Carling Cup I believe).

But you're right Tets when you say his position in the reserves/underage levels was defensive midfielder.

I was impressed with Wilson when I did see him play those games at left full, but it is difficult to judge UEFA Cup group stage matches and the Carling Cup....putting him at left full against Russia would perhaps be a needless gamble. I wouldn't be against him slotting in at right full and O'Shea moving to left full though.

This is one of the worst Irish squads I've seen in years. Robbie and Shay are not playing football,Whelan is just back from injury and the loss of Duff is terrible. To confound that the persistence with KK who is not playing much football in the 2nd division is astounding. How do you get dropped from a Trap team? Do you have to be Stephen or Andy Reid. I know we don't have strength in depth but surely even a lazy manager like Trap who picks lazy squads can see that Green,McShane,Andrews,KK,O'Dea,Sheridan and lots more are just poor players. I'd rather we blooded the next generation instead of leaving a situation like Jack left for Mick in 96.

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Originally Posted by ShamrockIreland

This is one of the worst Irish squads I've seen in years. Robbie and Shay are not playing football,Whelan is just back from injury and the loss of Duff is terrible. To confound that the persistence with KK who is not playing much football in the 2nd division is astounding. How do you get dropped from a Trap team? Do you have to be Stephen or Andy Reid. I know we don't have strength in depth but surely even a lazy manager like Trap who picks lazy squads can see that Green,McShane,Andrews,KK,O'Dea,Sheridan and lots more are just poor players. I'd rather we blooded the next generation instead of leaving a situation like Jack left for Mick in 96.

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He's blooded Sledge, Lawrence, Whelan, Andrews (who was immense in Paris), Fahey, Foley, Westwood, Keogh and now Coleman and Wilson. He's maintained a balance between thinking to the future and remaining competitive. With a few exceptions (McCarthy, A.Reid, maybe Ward) who else could he call up? This is a team for now, and we should be challenging for qualification. Trap's results to date have proved as much.

Not Trap's fault players like Keane and Whelan are only on the bench or injured, or that no left back is playing well at a high level. Ward has been clumsy at times so far this season and isn't making a compelling case, much as I'd like him to.

The squad / team is what it is. Any controversies are marginal in my opinion. And Swan is correct in observing the balance between experience and emerging talent. By and large we've got good players in many positions but since 2002 (for the first time in a few generations of Irish teams) we've lacked a really high quality CMer. The system is designed to make up for that.