Sounds like they are missing a few of their first choice as well.
We really dont know how to describe our players properly........they are missing the "Almighty Agvan is out with injury"
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Cue a lot of naysayers to start claiming Trap is lucky, ignoring our own trouble with injuries.
Speaking of naysayers, David Kelly really peed me off in The Indo this week calling FIFA's decision to relocate our game against Georgia 2 years ago "lilly livered". FFS, the Russian tanks were in control only weeks earlier. What was it, 3 weeks?
The article wasn't without its merits in places but there is so much self-loathing among the Irish it's amazing at times.
what exactly do you mean by "the irish" stutts.
People from Ireland (notwithstanding FIFA article 18.1(a)).
You know, all the people who felt we committed a criminal offence for playing in Germany not Tbilisi despite the Russian tanks, for being awarded a soft penalty at home to Georgia even though we had a good goal chalked off and a solid penalty appeal turned down. People who thought we should have been kicked out of world football when Italy had a guy sent off against us. People who are only happy when they're giving out. Irish people mainly. People like David Kelly.
I have a certain degree of sympathy for a guy like Kelly, a sporting generalist who has a mandate to write every single day. But I think there's a post-Dunphy legacy among hacks of picking on all the negatives so down the line they can say "told you so".
There was also a huge degree of self-loathing in Tom Humphries' miserable piece after we lost the home leg of the play-off. Just as contemptible is the "best fans in the world" nonsense from temporary fans when the sun is shining, but some balance shouldn't be too hard to find. There are positives and negatives about this team and the current management.
Stutts, as a journalist in training, I'll say editors as a rule are rarely attracted to balance...say something a little bit different or extreme to sell papers/get viewers.
It's all about getting a reaction, and simply stating the pros and cons of a situation isn't generally enough for most editors.
I actually quite like Daniel McDonnell's youthful enthusiasm and genuine empathy for Irish football.
team confirmed:
given, oshea, dunne, st ledger, kilbane, lawrence, whelan, green, mcgeady, keane, doyle
I'd have a slight concern, defensively, about our left (Kilbane & McGeady) but that team should be good enough to beat Armenia. Looking forward to seeing how Green and Whelan operate together competitively.
Its gonna be ahrd to see Ireland nicking the 3 points tomorrow, alot of players on the first XI havent had much playing time this year so far this season and when you factor in the heat you can see alot of lads struggling
It has to be said that managerial consistency has been a real hallmark of the Trap era. When you look at Capello during the World Cup when even the English players didn't know who would be playing from match to match, I think it is a sign of real strength from Trap. He has generated loyalty from the players but, when he feels its necessary, he will make the changes he wants (e.g. Lawrence overtaking Hunt and McGeady).
We might not always agree with his selections (Paul McShane) but he clearly knows what he wants and won't change things until he is absolutely sure that it is an improvement in the team.
To do a John Giles here - I don't buy that at all - they're professional footballers, not geriatrics. Yes a lot of our team aren't getting on the first team, but it's not like they're gonna drop like flies within five minutes of kick off. They'll hardly "struggle"
I am not saying they will "drop like flies" after 5 mins but when its gets to the 60/70 min mark and IF its still scoreless the likes of mcgeady, lawrence, keane and kilbane mighn't have it in the tank for a full 90
Barring starting Kilbane, I've no problems with that. I'd have Kelly or Foley at right full and O'Shea on the left.
I can live with that selection - just hoping to christ that Kilbane isn't targetted and that he has one of his more composed performances when in posession.
Huge game for Green and in the absence of Duff we'll be relying on McGeady to help alleviate any pressure upon us as much as provide an attacking threat.