i think its pretty obvious that the announcement is being made early because of stephen irelands return.
either that or the fai are just trying to build our hopes up :)
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i think its pretty obvious that the announcement is being made early because of stephen irelands return.
either that or the fai are just trying to build our hopes up :)
I didn't pick the motm in either of those games though would u believe!!! he was ok against Georgia but how Stephen Reid didn't get it is beyond me. As for Montenegro....not a chance for me. I think the Dubs are just a bit soft on him!!
By the way everybody seems to be praising him for forcing his way back into the Stoke team. Has he actually forced his way back in cos Diao was due to play against the Pool only he got injured in the warm up. What about the previous few games - were they on merit or was it due to injuries?
I play Carsley will be included in the squad and started in central midfield. I don't know where Ireland would fit in our team, unless we drop McGeady or Duff. Keane and Doyle are too good to leave on the bench.
people always go on about how trap likes to play two sitting defensive midfielders, thats not true. he likes to play one midfielder sitting, and one box to box midfielder eg. reid(box to box) whelan (sitting) or gibson (box to box) whelan (sitting). so this is where i think ireland could fit into the team, whelan or carsley could sit infront of the back four and i think ireland has the talent to change his game slightly to play the box to box role
Gibson certainly hasn't been playing a box to box role for us so far. He said that he did what Trap asked of him. The difference with S.Reid is he has the experience and confidence to know when it's ok to break forward. He did more than Trap asked imo.
As good as Ireland has been this season, one of the best players in the premiership, if you replaced him with someone like Gareth Barry in this seasons team I don't think Man City would be even close to the relegation zone. That's not a crititism of Ireland, I just think the team are lacking balance because he's still an attacking midfielder, not a central midfielder. I know he's getting back a lot and making tackles but I keep saying it, Tevez gets back in midfield a lot and makes tackles.
Hughes plays very attacking teams though so it'll be interesting to see the team he builds if given the chance.
I could see one or two surprises in this squad, i wouldnt be surprised to see Wilsons name appear in the squad list after his recent breakthrough to the Portsmouth team.
There's been questions of Ireland returning before almost every squad but he has so far announced his squad later than most international managers. He'll usually let players know if they're in contention for the squad about a couple of weeks before a game which is why some club websites often tell us of a player in the provisional squad before the squad is announced.
What I think the final squad will look like
Given
Kiely
Randolph/Westwood/Murphy
Kilbane
Ward
Dunne
O'Shea
Bruce
Foley
McShane
Finnan
Duff
Hoolahan
Andrews
Gibson
A. Reid
Whelan
McGeady
S. Hunt
Keane
Doyle
Long
N. Hunt
That's 2 players for every position in a 4-4-2 and an extra goalkeeper
Garvan, Delaney, Ireland, Paddy McCarthy, Nolan, Ledger, Sheridan, Scannell all possibilities to be called into a training squad
I don't see Jamie McCarthy getting a call up.
Stephen Kelly has 8 minutes of football last weekend, far too soon for him
Delap and Carsley to miss out
i cant see ward and hoolahan being included.
Would pretty much agree with that squad Tets, don't know bout Hoolahan though but hopefully there's a good chance of Ward and Foley being there.
Would love guys like Ledger Ireland and Garvan to be in there but I think we all know that aint gonna happen...
Rumours of Trapp coming to Deepdale this Sat, any news from across the water?
Perhaps he watched the Preston v Liverpool game and realised he was wrong to keep going with the same squad.
And that we do have some good players outside the squad who deserve a chance!
Where are the rumours coming from?
If he did turn up to watch the St Ledger in the flesh, that amounts to a significant step taken by our leader to call a player into the fold.
Given
Kiely
Murphy
Kilbane
Ward
Dunne
O'Shea
Bruce
Dempsey
McShane
Finnan
Duff
Andrews
Gibson
A. Reid
Whelan
McGeady
S. Hunt
Folan
Keane
Doyle
Long
N. Hunt
I expect the squad to be pretty much the same as it has been in the past, i.e. selecting Folan despite him not getting a game at Hull, overlooking St ledger, selecting Murphy despite him being in League 1. It wouldnt surprise me if he persists with Long over N. Hunt too. But who am i to complain when we are comfortably second in the group. Hand on heart i dont think Ireland will be back yet