not too many surprises that we could spring on them that would affect their selection really. in fact id say their attitude is to select a team they want and let us worry about their formation rather than the other way. it is Germany after allQuote:
Originally Posted by p2011
It wont make them change anything. THey are playing Ireland at the end of the day, they arent going to worry about someone like robbie keane playing in the MLS or shane long playing for some mid-table premiership team.Quote:
Originally Posted by p2011
FFS, it's only Germany we are playing, not Spain or Brazil.
They're dismal Euro 2012 failures, overhyped and beatable. We only tick 2 of those boxes.
Robbie gone too, none of our "big 4" on the pitch against probably the 2nd best team on the planet right now. I'd be fearful.
More here from RTÉ: http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/inter...germany-match/
He has to undergo treatment for an Achilles injury.
Quote:
Originally Posted by RTÉ
i'm a big robbie fan but he is not suited to playing up front on his own. may be a blessing in disguise in this case.Quote:
Originally Posted by Murfinator
maybe with all the injuries we have the patched up team might get similar great support from the crowd as per the czech republic match circumstances in 2006. those fans intent on turning up Friday to moan about the team and manager might actually now be sympathetic and actually get behind the team big-time
I think you may be right. Robbie is undroppable according to Trap so I think it will (hopefully) give Long a proper chance to prove his worth.Quote:
Originally Posted by jbyrne
Again though, Long can't do much if he's not getting any service
I hate to say it but Keane cannot play the lone striker role as JByrne says and we will be a better team and carry a greater threat if Long starts as the lone striker (which is not a given). In fact the injuries are forcing Trapatonni to make some of the changes that needed to be made.
Hearing Walters has got the nod with Cox on the wing. What didn't work against Kazakhstan is now going to work against the Germans? Bizarre if true.
Team looks like
Westwood
Kelly
O'Shea
O'Dea
Ward
Cox
Andrews
McCarthy
Fahey
McGeady
Walters
Looks like a B team
It's going to be a massacre
our b team and long cant get on it!!
i fear a twitter blast
Lads its going to be a nightmare
this is what Trap gets for not properly trying out the younger/fringe players and new formations
I really am pooing my nappy now
Anyone want to buy 42000 spare tickets...
what about those of us with zero expectations who are looking forward to see some of the best footballers in the world play and maybe see the legend that is Miroslav Klose play one last time! I can't be the only one, won't be moaning about the Irish performance, its an impossible situation. Anything beyond a hammering will be a bonus.Quote:
Originally Posted by jbyrne
Except we'd like to see these 'best footballers in the world' be given a bit of a game...
all of those players have had enough game time under trap.Quote:
Originally Posted by bwagner
given that the enforced absence of whelan and keane have led to a player, walters, who can actually play up front on his own and another player who has a bit of pace and passing ability, mccarthy, starting i am actually happier now than i was a week ago about this match. still a massive ask though
Who said he was? Tardelli spoke about the system being 4-3-3 rather than 4-5-1. And like I said before the two german centre backs who'll be playing are tall awkward lads who are dominant in the air. Long is a very poor player when he can't compete aerially, as is Walters. Keane being out will please the Germans, a tricky ground player is exactly what they didn't want with Hummels out.Quote:
Originally Posted by jbyrne
Has it not always been a characteristic of Trap's selection policy in relation to strikers that certain players are too similar to play beside eachother; namely, Keane and Long. If he starts Walters then that policy is gone out the window. Best of luck to Walters, but I don't fancy him as a lone striker either. He won't cause many problems to Germany. Long, on the other hand, is well capable of making a nuisance of himself and running the channels, being on the shoulder of the last defender.
We're going to be relying on O'Shea and Andrews for leadership, big time.
3 months ago I never imagined our side would be degraded to looking this weak on paper. It's the right formation and decently balanced but christ there's absolutely no experience anywhere across the pitch here. Don't think it's the good kind of youthful "nothing to fear" lack of experience either, it's filled with fragile players low in confidence. If we concede early its time to hide behind the couch because Germany aren't a side that'll let up.Quote:
Originally Posted by joe_denilson
I think Walters will do as good a job as possible as one striker. He is well able to hold the ball up and wait for others to arrive. i'd rather have Long on beside someone like Walters rather than on his own so maybe it's a wise move. Cox on the wing though.....he's a striker.
What wingers have we got on the bench?
If there was ever a game where the crowd were needed as a 12th man ....then this is it
Will be our of greatest results of the last 25 years if we can pull this off
Mschane what a donkey, or a blessing in disguise?
He cant play walters up top now, without anyone coming off him.
This will be a second string side now. Be interesting what Trap does, with limited options.
Shane Long's treatment under Trap is nothing short of a disgrace. It will be unforgivable if he doesn't start him tomorrow.
Walters will playQuote:
Originally Posted by dong
i wish he wouldnt, shane long is ten times the player. he has pace to burn is brilliant in the air and is a good finisher. walters has no real composure in front of goal. who is going to score for us if hes roughing up the defence. worst case scenario put long on the right wing, if cox plays we can forget it.Quote:
Originally Posted by TrapAPony
Long and Walters are the most suitable for the lone front man role. I would go with Long but there is a lot to be said for springing him off the bench for the last 30mins when the Germans are tired. Is Brady the next winger in line to come off the bench?Quote:
Originally Posted by TrapAPony
Walters will run until his testicles fall off and cause a real physical problem for the defence. When they're tired, Long can come on with fresh legs and tear them to pieces. That's how Johnny is used at Stoke, at least.
In before me! :)Quote:
Originally Posted by the bear
Johnny should provide good protection while also delivering maximum pleasureQuote:
Originally Posted by peadar1987
We're not going to score regardless of who plays up top. Unless Trap dramatically changes his tactics. Or the Germans all share a gene with McShane & Ward.
I wish Trap, at this stage, would throw caution to the wind and stick Coleman in at RB, McClean on the wing and Long up front. Three young, lively and exciting Premier League players. Instead, we'll get Kelly, Cox and Walters causing less problems for Germany and whose to say they'll be any better defensively? They probably are physically stronger than the younger players, but keeping up with the 5'11" Reus and 5'9" Götze is more of the problem than out-muscling them.
Long's goalscoring record (.276) is also superior to Walters' (.083). Where are the goals going to come from, even if Trap is thinking that Walters will be a better provider? After Keane, Long's 8 goals put him well ahead of Fahey, Andrews at Cox who have 3 each. Scoring goals may not be the most pressing issue, keeping the Germans out will be.
I do rate Walters, he's caused good sides problems in the past (Chelsea, for instance) but I'd much rather see Shane Long's pace being employed against the less-than-nimble Mertesacker.
I think Trap sees Long as a perfect impact sub, leave the battering ram on from the start - walters - to tire himself and the german defence out (if that really works in this day and age with the fitness level of professional footballers is another question), then bang bring Long on, running the channels slipping inside the 2 central defenders and causing a nuisance. Its not a flawed logic, but I think Walters is very limited with no one to play alongside him, we saw this out in kazakhstan.
McClean's injured.Quote:
Originally Posted by Olé Olé
I hope he starts Coleman at this point, seems he actually has a realistic chance of playing. Think the loss of Robbie will shade it in Kelly's favour (more experience).
Team announcement in about 10 minutes on RTÉ.ie and RTÉ News Now channel.
Bated breath all round.
Really?
I'd actually rather see Kelly take Ward's place at LB, as he's a better defender, and Coleman play RB.
i think Ward would be a better winger than LB. He's good going forward but can't defend very well
Some exciting footage of a door going on...Quote:
Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954
That RTÉ New Now channel has disappeared on me...
Starting XI v Germany - Westwood,
Coleman, O'Shea, O'Dea, Ward,
McCarthy, Andrews, Fahey,
McGeady, Walters, Cox