2021 UEFA European Under-21 Championships

Good squad. Can’t argue with the keepers or the defenders. I like Conor McCarthy and feel he’s unlucky to have never made a squad but can’t argue with the 4 CBs given their performance. Lee O’Connor, O’Shea and Masterson will start.

Midfield will obvious miss Molumby. I suspect that Knight will start in his place but could be Taylor or Mandriou. I’d say Ronan will start if match fit. Might end up playing Smallbone out wide.

There’s definitely logic to the thought that Obafemi will play out wide as they want a forward who holds up the ball. Otherwise, Farrugia and/or Elbouzedi. Farrugia did well against Dundalk and AC Milan I thought, although not sure the Rovers system gets the most out of him, I know they play very ultra wing backs but he’s still picking up the ball 20 yards deeper than I’d like...

Obviously Afolabi is also effective wide left but unless Obafemi is up top, I imagine he’ll start.

No harm them having a look at Kayode. I would have had either Grant or Cassidy but no problem with it...

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Originally Posted by tommy_c12000

Looks a bit light up front? What’s Farrugia playing like at the moment? Had heard he hasn’t been lighting things up for a while?

Ryan Cassidy and maybe Scully could have been considered. They’ll probably get their chance though as Obafemi is a high risk for pulling out. Both also playing a league higher than Kayode

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It is as though people are excited at the prospect of an Obafemi withdrawal.

Looking at that squad again - it's quite a young squad as well, even for Under 21 level. I think 10 of them will still be under 21 for the next campaign. It feels as though the likes of Lee O'Connor and Conor Coventry have been around the squad for ages but they'll both be eligible for Euro 2023, as will Obafemi. Bazunu would still be under 21 eligible for Euro 2025 (as would Troy Parrott).

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Originally Posted by Olé Olé

It is as though people are excited at the prospect of an Obafemi withdrawal.

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Odd comment. Not sure how you construed the excitement in my comment

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Originally Posted by Olé Olé

It is as though people are excited at the prospect of an Obafemi withdrawal.

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I think it's more concern or just an assumption after the last tweet. Also the fact he's now no longer cap tied to us.

No reason to doubt him yet though, we'll be optimistic!

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Originally Posted by ColourfulPeanut

I think it's more concern or just an assumption after the last tweet. Also the fact he's now no longer cap tied to us.

No reason to doubt him yet though, we'll be optimistic!

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That is my point. It's unfair. Similar points being made about Sotona.

Having Kayode in there is definitely a positive - hopefully it's a sign he's leaning towards playing for Ireland in the future

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Originally Posted by samhaydenjr

Having Kayode in there is definitely a positive - hopefully it's a sign he's leaning towards playing for Ireland in the future

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He has openly said he wants to play for Ireland. There is no leaning about it.

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Originally Posted by elatedscum

Good squad. Can’t argue with the keepers or the defenders. I like Conor McCarthy and feel he’s unlucky to have never made a squad but can’t argue with the 4 CBs given their performance. Lee O’Connor, O’Shea and Masterson will start.

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Masterson over Scales? Scales has been on great form and has been getting games week in, week out.

Doubt he'll change an experienced partnership, which is what O'Shea/Masterson is at this level. Collins, if he was fit, would also have been the form pick over Masterson, but again I think they'd have stuck with Conor.

Has Scales not been in and out of the Rovers first team? I'm sure he played a good few games for the seconds after the restart.

Yeah, fair enough. I think Scales has played in the last 4 or 5 league games but would need to check [Edit: started last 6 league games. He missed AC Milan but I think he was suspended after a red card in the previous round. O'Brien may well have started ahead of him anyway though.]

Conor McCarthy added to squad

Seen Conor Coventry shared a picture of u21 training with Obafemi. I would think that Obafemi turning up gets rid of any speculation of him switching allegiance

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Originally Posted by Razors left peg

Seen Conor Coventry shared a picture of u21 training with Obafemi. I would think that Obafemi turning up gets rid of any speculation of him switching allegiance

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Amen. The young lad has done nothing but be 100% since the beginning... he posted one ill advised tweet, and he’s not the only young irish player to have done so...

Italy are still due to play Iceland this friday at the indomitable fortress Vikingur stadium, despite their whole squad being held in Italy in quarantine, no training.
2 players had tested positive but with no symptoms.

Seeing as they have about a hundred thousand other players to choose from, they'll be able to fulfill the fixture.

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Originally Posted by elatedscum

Amen. The young lad has done nothing but be 100% since the beginning... he posted one ill advised tweet, and he’s not the only young irish player to have done so...

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It's not the players who are the problem most of the time, it's hysterical fans on twitter and internet forums, and dumbass journalists who can't resist adding "who could still play for X or Y under FIFA rules" whenever a dual-national starts doing well.

Iceland's game v Italy later today has been postponed. 2 staff and one player tested positive at the airport on arrival. Local rules mandate a 4 day quarantine for the whole group, instead they'll all return to Italy.
That doesn't mean Ireland's game v Italy will be postponed, different rules apply.

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Originally Posted by geysir

Iceland's game v Italy later today has been postponed. 2 staff and one player tested positive at the airport on arrival. Local rules mandate a 4 day quarantine for the whole group, instead they'll all return to Italy.
That doesn't mean Ireland's game v Italy will be postponed, different rules apply.

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Any word when it be play again geysir?

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Originally Posted by swinfordfc

Any word when it be play again geysir?

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Both teams have 2 games scheduled in the November window. As it stands now, all the Italian group are in quarantine, UEFA have been informed and they will make the decisions on what happens next.

I hope this result did not go unnoticed by the irish football world, Andorra 3 - 3 England.