Squad announced for Czechs and Cyprus

Draft Holland in for one of the injured (Andy Reid) and play him in midfield with Stephen Reid. He's made himself available in an emergency and if the alternative is to play O'Shea in midfield then the next few matches are emergencies.

http://www.eleven-a-side.com/acrosst...p?newsid=24599

That quote proves to me beyond all doubt that Staunton's a mongo. What makes him think we'll have a better chance of qualifying for anything in 2 years with some of our best players already coming into the twilight years of their careers? He's an international manager not a club manager. The build for the future statement is ludicrous.
I'm all for sacking him if we don't get at least 4 points from the next two games and starting again.

I'd rather play 4-3-3 or 4-5-1 than have Kilbane and O'Shea as the central pairing.


A Reid Kavanagh and S Reid as a 3 man midfield with Duff and MacGeady on the wings would get my vote. Will it happen? Will it balls because Kilbane and O'Shea must have some gossip on old Stan because he is infatuated with em!!!

I just knew Staunton would come out with the 2010 chestnut as I have already mentioned. Elliot is out for another 4 weeks at least. No Carsley who is playing at the top of his game and could at least offer something different even as a sub. Other posts have already mentioned the very strange Andy Reid non-selection for Germany game (when fit) and now inclusion when injured? I have a real fear about this upcoming Cyprus game. I would expect this current group of players to win 2-0. With Stan at the helm I'm not so sure.

Dropping who? Doyle or Robbie?

4-2-3-1 makes sense to me:

--Kav---Reid
Doyle--McGeady--Duff
----Robbie----

I agree with the premise that our central midfield is so weak that adding an extra body in there is a very viable solution. Even against Cyprus.

For McGeady you could have Miller, but an attacking trio of Duff, Doyle & Robbie is essential, and a creative advanced midfield player. Kav & reid ought to provide the foundation. I'd have Carsley in there but obviously Stan wouldn't. Our full backs can cover any gaps.

agree that carsley deserves a spot (if available). very solid so far this season. no approach to dean kiely I take it?. Is harte still hurt? mcgeady has to start against cyprus. O'shea is going to start no matter what - whatever about staunton, but how the fook does alex ferguson keep picking him at man utd? With duff out, i think its morrison and doyle up to with robbie behind them 4-3-3. we need a good 2-3 goal victory to set us up for czech game.

Duff wont be out will he. It was just a dead leg and he is expected back for the Uefa Cup game.

Staunton is going to play the exact team he started with against Germany (with Kenny replacing Given) barring injuries. No McGeady and definetely no Kavanagh ( Stan will not bring on Kav even as a sub) in starting line-up. Duff will probably be substituted at some stage and O'Brien brought on for his "pace"! And I am not jesting here. Watch what happens.

If he starts with O'Shea & Kilbane in CM I'll be steaming livid.

If he does that, he should be sacked and I am not a knee jerk(phrase of the week) person.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Noelys Guitar

Staunton is going to play the exact team he started with against Germany (with Kenny replacing Given) barring injuries. No McGeady and definetely no Kavanagh ( Stan will not bring on Kav even as a sub) in starting line-up. Duff will probably be substituted at some stage and O'Brien brought on for his "pace"! And I am not jesting here. Watch what happens.

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I think that will happen as well. Kilbane and O'Shea will be clueless when it comes to picking up Rosicky's runs and it will be Holland all over again if we are not careful.


I'm not the biggest fan of Kav but I'd have him in with the two Reid's and two very attacking wingers. If he isn't 100% sure on MacGeady then get Doyle to play on the right hand side.

---------Keane
Duff ----------------- Doyle/MacGeady


A Reid ----Kav------S Reid

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Noelys Guitar

Staunton is going to play the exact team he started with against Germany (with Kenny replacing Given) barring injuries. No McGeady and definetely no Kavanagh ( Stan will not bring on Kav even as a sub) in starting line-up. Duff will probably be substituted at some stage and O'Brien brought on for his "pace"! And I am not jesting here. Watch what happens.

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Spot on, Stan thinks we did well in Germany and they were 'lucky' to win.

Disappointed not to see McCarthy, McPhail or Carsley in there although with so many injured players named, they might be called up as others drop out.

Still, hardly inspiring stuff.

Harte made himself available for selection although he only returned to training with Levante last week. They're planning to name him in the squad to play Zaragoza next weekend.

very very scary business

Sad fact but we no longer have a strong 11. Theres not a lot Stan can do about that but he could at least pick the strongest he has available. We have about 6 players that you could class as consistant premiership performers. The rest will generally make up numbers. Apart from the absence of Given and the ommision of Carsley, (give or take a few arguments), this is our strongest side.

Based on that, this would be my team ( ) denote selected if available


GK - Kenny (Given)
LB - Stephen Carr
RB - Steve Finnan
CH - Richard Dunne
CH - Paul McShane
LM - Damien Duff
CM - Stephen Reid
CM - Graham Kavanagh (Lee Carsley)
RM - Aiden McGeady
F - Kevin Doyle
F - Robbie Keane
R1 - Wayne Henderson
R2 - John O Shea
R3 - Andy O Brien
R4 - Stephen Ireland
R5 - Clinton Morrison
R6 - Andy Ried

We have to stop thinking that we are better than we are and start playing ugly again. We need to start kicking people and the likes of O Shea and Kilbane are either too lethargic, too exposed or too headless to get away with it at this level. Lets play ugly, get physical and get me in the box for balls from out wide.

Carsley said he would like to return but not keen on sitting on the bench, With an attitude like that he can feck off.

The continued inclusion of Alan O'Brien continues to baffle me.

:rolleyes:

Ahh sure he's quick Pete

Quote:

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Originally Posted by drinkfeckarse

Ahh sure he's quick Pete

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Hes quick too. call him up!

Carsley would be an excellent addition to the team but since he retired and few years ago and wont come back unless he is in the starting XI, he is not going to be coming back.

Watched Mc Phail yesterday and I thought he looked good, very good, granted he got alot of time on the ball but still he should be in on current form.

If he plays 4-5-1, I personally would pick Doyle up front, he is the form striker, he is scoring goals in the PL. Morrison is starting to come back into form for Palace over the past few weeks and scored at the weekend. Lee seems to be finding form as well. Robbie Keane was very poor on sat and I would put him on the bench in Cyprus to wake him up. He has not been up to scratch so far this season except for Sheffield Utd at home according to a few spurs I was talking to on sat.

All in all, I am very worried looking at the squad. 6 points from these 2 games is a must if we want to get 2nd.

Can someone please explain why so many people have McGeady in their team??? I have watched him play on a number of occassions and taking the opposition into account can see no reason why he should be in our first.

Lads thats not what Carsley said. I posted the interview with Carsley here somewhere else. Anyway Carsley gave up international football to look after his mentally handicapped child. He felt he did not have the time or motivation to give to international football and to be away from his child at the vital early stage for him and his wife.

He has been willing to come back into the fold for a while now. What he did say was that in every squad there are 11 people who start and 5 subs and then there are about 6 or 7 others who are no where near the team. He said these slots are better off going to the young players than someone like him. However he is willing to come back if he is playing or in with a chance of playing i.e. on the bench etc.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by reder

Robbie Keane was very poor on sat and I would put him on the bench in Cyprus to wake him up.

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I'd pick him myself, but that's neither here nor there. The fact is that, like Beckham for England, his form is almost irrelevant. As captain he can hardly be dropped.

Yesterday's Observer had a fan rant that absolutely slated Robbie on Saturday, 3/10 and laziness was cited. Can't comment on whether it's fair but he seems a fair bit off the form he showed from Christmas onwrads last season.

He was not that bad but he was not great either. Thing is with Berbatov he looks great and with Defoe on Saturday he did not look great.