Two draws. (With Idah and Connolly failing to score).
This is our life now.
Two draws. (With Idah and Connolly failing to score).
This is our life now.
looks like Idah and knight might be outQuote:
Originally Posted by Straightstory
Idah and Knight emerge as doubts for Azerbaijan clash · The42
He's a loss, but in Doherty we have a direct replacement. There are losses we'd feel more keenly.Quote:
Originally Posted by Diggs246
Time for the boss man to get his first competitive win…
0-2 Irlanda baby
Idah definitely won't score then. 😁Quote:
Originally Posted by Diggs246
Assuming Idah and Knight are out, this could work okay:
Bazunu
Duffy, Egan, Omobamidele
Doherty Hendrick Cullen McClean/Stevens
McGrath
Connolly Robinson
If Idah is out I can see Keane getting a start. He'll want a target man on the pitch and someone who could convert chances from crosses.
No Keane or Knight in the 23.
Fairly quiet in here for a game day!
Knight is a bit of a surprise, unless he's injured?
No Keane is a way makes no sense. Why make a bit of a song and dance about a new forward option and then leave him out of the squad entirely?
I have literally no idea what to expect here. If I was offered a draw now, I think I might take it even though I know it's objectively a poor result. But there's the potential for worse here. And yet I don't think they were great under set pieces in Lansdowne and if we focus on that, we could well get a win as we do keep it tight at the back and they're almost as bad as us going forward.
0-0.
Yeah Knight and Idah were both doubts through illness but seems Idah has recovered enough to make the squad.
I am surprised that Keane isn't even in the match day squad, especially when Idah was a doubt for the game.
Like the last game he would have been a handy option in the second half when we were putting cross after cross into the box but had no one up front to convert one of them until Duffy went up late in the game.
I'd probably go with a 1-0 win for us. If we score first I think we could get a second but concede first again and it's gonna be a similar result as last time, a scrappy 1-1.
Forgot Knight had that fever alright; duh.
Thinking the same. General lack of interest around to be honestQuote:
Originally Posted by Supreme feet
I think we'll win. 1-0 or 2-1.
We're playing Azerbaijan. They are ranked 117 in the world. The excuse of not having the players doesn't work against opposition like this. We should win, I think we will win. 2-0.
BOOMSHAKALAKA!!!!
Based on his comments on Stevens and the front three, I think Gavin Cummiskey reckoned the following would be the team on Newstalk:
Bazunu
Omobamidele Egan Duffy
Doherty Hendrick Cullen Stevens
McGrath Robinson
Idah
I like that.
I think we should win. I'm just not so sure we will, especially having really struggled at home against them last month. And that would be (another) bad result.Quote:
Originally Posted by BOOMSHAKALAKA
Bit worried about this one tbh.
Christmas tree formation.Quote:
Originally Posted by Olé Olé
Venables would be proud
Narrow win I guess
Strange selection. No Stevens, McGrath or Connolly
He's gone with Horgan. I think that decision could cost him his job. I don't think he can break down a resolute defence.
Just so people know what we're talking about!
Bazunu
Doherty
Duffy
Egan
Cullen
Robinson
Idah
McClean
Hendrick
Horgan
Omobamidele
3-4-3 I assume. I just don't get the Horgan pick. He has been okay on the counter for us when games open up. He is not good enough to pick teams apart. McGrath has seemed far more inventive to me. I would have rathered Stevens too but McClean was good v Serbia. Worryingly, McClean seemed very frustrated with the options Horgan provided him against Serbia. On top of that, we don't shout goals with that front three.
Horgan and MaClean should never be selected. Believing that either of them is at this level is more than a blind spot it’s delusional.
I don't think any front three would really shout goals in fairness.
The bench is Kelleher, Travers, Stevens, Hourihane, Parrott, N Collins, Christie, Arter, McGrath, J Collins, Ogbene and Connolly.
Stevens and maybe McGrath are the obvious ones who could have started. Other than that, I don't see anyone really improving the starting line-up.
McGrath would be the one for me but I would take Ogbene or Connolly over Horgan if McGrath were out of the equation. I hope I'm wrong but I can see Horgan flailing here and coming up with nothing.Quote:
Originally Posted by pineapple stu
You don't think Aaron Connolly is a better player than Daryl Horgan?Quote:
Originally Posted by pineapple stu
I don't get the Horgan pick. I don't get the McClean pick. I don't get the 3-4-3 that may see us overrun in central midfield depending on what Azerbaijan are like. But then again I don't really get Kenny either.
That team and formation makes me feel like we're hoping for a bit of luck now, or just hoping that Azerbaijan are maybe, hopefully just as poor a team as their ranking and results suggests. But then that would then make our failure to beat them at home (and need for a late equaliser to nick a draw) even worse than it already looks.
Because he wanted to meet him, see how he fits in the system and then, probably, to try him in a friendly that we have next week. Before risking his head with a guy, he has only spoken on the phone withQuote:
Originally Posted by pineapple stu
If the manager has called up a player that he's only spoken to him on the phone (and he hasn't - he's been seen at Wigan games recently) then he should be moved on.Quote:
Originally Posted by Briuk
Honestly, no.Quote:
Originally Posted by Eirambler
Connolly has done little enough at club or country to suggest he really has an international future.
Horgan is limited too for sure, but I like attitude far more. That doesn't count for much I know, but he overachieves in the green whereas Connolly flatters to deceive. Horgan has even scored.
Ideally neither would be in the squad of course, but needs must
Quote:
Originally Posted by third policeman
Quote:
Originally Posted by Eirambler
Agree with this. We had massive central areas of the pitch in the middle and forward thirds with no orish players on them at home against these making us totally disjointed. Play 2 up top and 3 in central midfield leave tge spaces out wide not centrally for the wingbacks to move into
this seems a strange position to take. SK has been given an incredibly long leash behind integrating new players.
the team selection says two things to me : 1) he realises the gravity of the situation in that he needs a win.
2) he has bottled it by selecting lads he knows will give their all for him.
he may get away with it because Azerbaijan are clearly garbage and I suppose all will then be forgiven.
I'm confused by McGrath starting on the bench. He's good enough to start against Portugal and Serbia, but he's not good enough to start against Azerbaijan?
We played badly in his absence against Azerbaijan at home as well, after a good performance against Portugal
It's a product of the switch to 3-4-3. If we're only picking two central midfielders there isn't room for a McGrath type. Don't agree with it myself, but presumably that's the reasoning.Quote:
Originally Posted by tetsujin1979
Incidentally I agree with every word of this.Quote:
Originally Posted by liamoo11
And he can score a goal. And he can unlock a defence with a pass. He just feels like a far better option (and player) for this game than Horgan.Quote:
Originally Posted by tetsujin1979
Any sort of win will do nicely plese lads.
True, but we could play Cullen and McGrath in midfield, with Hendrick behind the front two, or Hourihane, or rotate Hendrick from midfield with either of those two in the support roleQuote:
Originally Posted by Eirambler
Positive start and a goal! Keep it up!!
High press causing them huge problems. Worry we’re a bit open to a counter though. Otherwise perfect start.
What a goal great stuff
What a goal.