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I think this sentence makes the most sense out of the last few posts, but realistically, if we only find a new partner for Andrews, we're ignoring the bigger problem — we are dreadful against any reasonably good team when we play a two man central midfield. If we're to make progress in the next campaign there needs to be room for Andrews, McCarthy and one more CM (whether it's Whelan, Gibson or someone else).Quote:
Originally Posted by jbyrne
Last 4 posts echo my feelings on the matter.
I think Andrews, McCarthy and Gibson together in a three would be my favoured way forward.
I would agree with something like that too but that would mean demoting Keane to the bench and striping him of his captaincy. He's probably still our best striker and has served us excellently over the years but sadly I think at this stage the benifits of using a 3 man CMF would outweight the loss of Keane. It should at least be tried anyway because we are slowly going nowhere with the current system.Quote:
Originally Posted by BonnieShels
Quote:
Originally Posted by Irish_Praha
I'd say we are going somewhere... backwards...
But if we changed to a 5 in the middle we have no choice but to drop Robbie.
I think at this stage Robbie should be looking to be resigning the captaincy cos it's what is holding us back.
Though Game one in a Fantasy Ireland 4-5-1 I would play him up top just for ****s and giggles.
I was discussing the merits of 3-5-2 the other night but I think I had a few beers on at that stage and the guys I were talking to just kept saying Sky Sports-esque banalities so I started to talk to girls instead.
Hoolahan. 33 premier league appearances last year, according to soccerbase. A bit more regular than 'in and out' of the team.Quote:
Originally Posted by jbyrne
I think he was 'in and out' in the sense that he would regularly be in the starting line-up one week and on the bench the next. I think that was a tactical consideration on Lambert's part though, playing one fewer creative player in games where they needed to be tight.
"no, no, no, the captain Morgan's and coke is the last defender..."Quote:
Originally Posted by BonnieShels
Ideal promo quote for foot.ie. Get it on bus shelters asap.Quote:
Originally Posted by BonnieShels
I hope you're not implying that there are girls on foot.ie. :confused:
No, no, no - the promo quote needs finessing, I was suggesting he quickly got off foot.ie.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr A
I thought Swan was implying that instead of a frustrated football man having to resort to the pits of social intercourse, he could instead log on to footie and meet like minds.
Today FM's 'Live after 5' programme had a recording of an interview with Keith Andrews on Saturday. Now I'd be fairly pro-Trap but listening to Andrews was kind of depressing. He basically said that if they could play the Germany game again tomorrow, there's every chance the result would be the same. He said that we have to accept that we're not going to beat the really top teams and once we're challenging for second spot in the group then everything is okay.
Whether he's right or wrong, I don't think I've ever heard such a defeatist attitude from an Irish player, and it obviously stems from Trap's comments in the wake of the Germany match. At least when Trap said it, you could attribute the bluntness to his broken English to some degree. In a week where Celtic had beaten Barcelona I think I found it extra hard to take, not to mention Sweden's result in Berlin since the Aviva massacre. I think it's particularly unhealthy as we still have to go to Cologne.
Surely staying positive should be a minimum requirement. Being realistic is one thing, like accepting you're not going to win every match. There's a big difference between that and accepting you simply can't beat the top teams. Andrews was on a chat show before the Euros, can't remember if it was the Late Late or Brendan O'Connor's, and he was asked how he expected us to do in the competition. That night he was full of optimism, saying they're under no illusions but the dream has to be to win it and that they can take inspiration from Greece, etc. I really don't understand how the ambition can go from that, to not even giving yourself a chance in a one-off game in a few short months, however turbulent they may have been.
That doesn't sound at all like Andrews. If he's given up hope then we all might as well just go home.
Yeah it's not like the overriding mood of the interview was negative or anything, I just don't think he would have made those kind of statements without Trap basically saying the same thing first. I think it's a really poor attitude and, like I say, I'd be generally more of a Trap defender. Anyway, I found it so ye can decide for yourselves.Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin
Keith Andrews Interview
Click on 'Listen Back' icon (Third icon from the right on top of the page)
Scroll down to 'Premier League Live'
Click on 'Part 4'
The interview begins bang on 25mins (and was actually live, not a recording as I suggested earlier)
I take your point Del, but I'm more concerned at how far we are behind Greece these days and considering Greece were hit by a German whirlwind at the Euros even though they played decent enough football.
That's a really fair point actually. Greece are a serious outfit these days (although they have benefited from some "nice" groups in recent times [Wc 2010 & playoff in particular]) but still took 4 & 6 points from Croatia and Israel last time out, and only for a post-Euro 2004 hangover where they only took 2 points from games against Albania, Ukraine and Turkey, they'd have qualified for 5 on the spin.Quote:
Originally Posted by geysir
Andrews is a clever guy. I can't listen to the Interview, but i wonder is it a case that he knows Trapattoni is going to stay loyal to 442 which meant we'd never compete with die Mannschaft as we'd constantly cede possession to them?
Do you mean you're more worried about the here and now (i.e. the game against Greece tomorrow)?Quote:
Originally Posted by geysir
Not the game itself but I'd be worried if the Greeks confirm their better status and we don't measure up to them.
Why is Andrews not in the starting line-up for the Greece match?
Because Whelan is playing instead.