actually could have been a blessing the way things worked out given serbia are possibly one of the weakest 2nd seeds and there are a few third seeds that I am glad we missed
I love Ireland games and look forward to them like no other. I'm a weird mix of excited and dreading it, optimistic yet expecting a hammering. Part of me says by law of averages we have to click soon and tonight we will get a goal or two. But the experience of Ireland games in reality is nearly always the same. Nothing clear cut created and less scored.
Just wish work would hurry the feck up so I can get this waiting over!
The WC is coming for the Republic, I love the attitude from the kids everywhere, they are the toppest feeling about WC.
Whats the story on the 11? is it realesed?
If they play all out attack, how is Kenny gonna use his masterplan strategy?
Stojkovic may play 3-3-1-3 it seems. Their tall striker may stay on the bench, but no confirmation yet.
Sorry it is a spanish thing, we use both question marks when asking, to open the interrogative and to end the question sentence, it is a gramatic thing, compañero!!
We all blame Castilla Y León and their monarchy. I got used to write dossiers for the U, with the ending question mark in spanish (castellano) only for the lady in office to remind me to use both, ...for me is simpler the english way, the closing question mark
regards
Performance wise I would rank them something like this (from best to worst):
1. Slovakia A (big game, easily the better side, some excellent chances and one sitter)
2. Finland A (thought we were really good here, again the better side)
3. Wales A (not quite as good as above but played quite well)
4. Bulgaria A (positive signs for his first game)
5. Wales H (probably should have nicked it with the Brady/Long chances)
6. England A (excellent first 20/25 but ultimately out of our depth)
7. Finland H (lacked imagination/urgency)
8. Bulgaria H (dire)
The upside-down question mark goes at the start of the sentence, not at the end. Because the point is to indicate, at the start, that a question is being asked (the syntax being otherwise the exact same as stating a fact)
Which is another hint that you're maybe not quite the native Spanish speaker you make yourself out to be...
I speak three languages; doesn't mean I start putting fadas on rs or exclamation marks at the start of the sentence.
But anyways...
Big game for young Travers.
Under these circunstances I would populate the midfield, with a young keeper I wouldnt play a back 3, but a back 4. If it was up to me I would play doherty next to clark.
------------------------Travers---------------------------
-----Coleman Doherty Clark Stevens------
-------------------O'Shea ------------
Browne------Cullen ------Hendrick Connolly
-------------Robinson--------------
My guess at the Ireland lineup :
---------------------Travers-----------------
---------Coleman--- Duffy-----Clark
Doherty---------------- -----------------Stevens
------Browne--------Hendrick--------Brady
--------Robinson-------------Connolly
O'Shea should probably start ahead of Duffy but I don't see Kenny dropping him. Cullen/Knight in with a shout at midfield too.
Despite it being suitable for us for the guts of the last 8 years, it sounds as if we're finally going to three at the back given the soundings of some respected journalists - not you Lennon - on social media, so I reckon there's two possible teams:
----------------Travers ------ ---------- - or ----------------Travers
----Coleman ---Duffy -- Clark ------- ----------- ---Coleman ---Duffy -- Stevens
-Doc----- Hendrick Cullen ----Stevens ------- ---Doc---- Hendrick - Cullen ---- McClean
----------------Brady -------- ------ ----------------------------Brady ------
---------Collins------Connolly* ------- ------------- -----Collins------Connolly*
*If Connolly is fit, he starts. He's included in the squad (Manning, Coventry, Parrot & Curtis miss out) so think he'll start.
If not, then I reckon Robinson starts instead.
There's not a hope Robbie Brady won't start - esp with Hourihane out, nor Hendrick. Clark is a touch and go call - it's just as possible Stevens slots in there with Coleman either side of Duffy - this would allow them to track Tadic and their other slightly withdrawn attacker.
It's quite possible thwt Cullen doesn't start, with Hendrick sitting and having Browne or Knight giving the legs and Brady the passing "guile". Entirely possible that Knight Browne and Brady all start with Hendrick sitting, but that would mean only having one out and out attacker - and in that scenario, it would surely mean that Collins or Robinson would start with Connolly held in reserve for Saturday. Given that Curtis and Manning is not in the squad it's a huge hint that both McClean and Connolly are fine.
I prefer team 1 over team 2, but Still not the ideal team for me. I wouldn't start Duffy, although there's less pressure on him to have the ball at his feet in this formation. Cullen will afford him the protection he needs if he starts, but that's hardly a given either.
I am not convinced by Travers when I have seen him play and would of picked Bazunu because he is playing more regularly.. Either way this has the makings of a hammering but you cant bet against any Irish side digging in and grabbing a draw. No crowd in Belgrade is a huge bonus as well.
I feel for Shane Duffy, he went to Celtic expecting a nice year of European football and lots of medals and his form has gone over a cliff. Hopefully he digs deep tonight to prove himself and puts himself back in the shop window.
You can see what Stephen Kenny wants to do with them playing football but sometimes in the last 10 minutes you just need to go long and direct to grab a goal and it plays to some of our strengths.
Its the first game of the campaign we can live in hope till kick off or reality kicks in ....
Gonna say that I'm against us playing 3-5-1 as suggested:
https://twitter.com/BarringtonJF/sta...520956934?s=20
Can people start using have instead of "of" where appropriate. It's getting annoying.