3-5-2 is screaming out to be picked. Clark, Duffy, Egan, Stevens, Doherty, Whelan, Brady, Hendrick, McGoldrick, Connolly. I wouldn't complain with that.
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3-5-2 is screaming out to be picked. Clark, Duffy, Egan, Stevens, Doherty, Whelan, Brady, Hendrick, McGoldrick, Connolly. I wouldn't complain with that.
It does have a nice look to it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Olé Olé
I was actually thinking of that line-up, with McCarthy instead of Whelan, if he got enough time today and next week - McCarthy only got 12 minutes today, but Whelan was taken off in the first half of Hearts' League Cup tie with Rangers with a hamstring injury - so what would we do now for the holding midfielder spot? Alan Browne? Use McCarthy anyway?Quote:
Originally Posted by Olé Olé
I think the difficulty there is the right sided centre back needs to be comfortable on the ball and egan and Duffy play as the middle in a 3 with neither been particularly comfortable in the wide areas either in possession or out of possessionQuote:
Originally Posted by samhaydenjr
McCarthy replaced McArthur yesterday who looked like he was carrying a knock leaving the field. McCarthy might get a start next week and with a few more minutes in the legs against NZ should see him ready to go against Denmark.Quote:
Originally Posted by samhaydenjr
Surely Cullen is next in line after turning up consistently for very little point so far ?
Another goal for him today against Bournemouth.Really turned his season around.
First time scoring in consecutive games in his career
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ckAZUern-U
Bit scrappy but he did well to get there.
Stick him up front Mick!Quote:
Originally Posted by tetsujin1979
substituted late on today with a nasty looking ankle injury
Ciaran Clark out for the rest of the season. According to ClubCall.com "from the 14 league games he has played in, the Magpies have won six, drawn five and lost three – conceding 17 and scoring the same amount. In the 13 games without the centre-back, the Tynesiders have won two, drawn two and lost nine – conceding 24 goals and scoring just seven"
Things were going well for him . Tis a pity the way this injury has got him. Life of a professional footballer I suppose. Wish him all the best and a good recovery as soon as possible.Quote:
Originally Posted by Demesne Lad
Obafemi is lemon. . No comparisons really.Quote:
Originally Posted by tetsujin1979
I think Clark still has a lot to offer. Quite comfortable on the ball, would suit us if we were going three at the back. Actually think he's a better player than Egan. :eek:
I'm not the greatest judge I might add. I used to rate McShane highly in his early days. :worship:
Clarke and McShane share a flaw: they're both quite slow. Ireland playing more on the front foot may not suit him.
Clark slow??? Would easily put my money on him being our fastest centre half...
Not sure he's as slow as McShane? Definitely is a calmer player than McShane who always seemed to be scramblingQuote:
Originally Posted by John83
Disagree on Clark being slow. He’s a good athlete and good technically as well. Has struggled with injuries and has the odd mistake in him but he isn’t slow.
Once upon a time a Journalist ( I know not which one ) was going to race Mick McCarthy ( when he was playing obviously ) to see who was fastest and perhaps a wager.
I think Big Jack got wind of it and put a stop to it.
This is a story that was wafting about once upon a time. Perhaps some more learned colleagues on such matters could enlighten us more as to the veracity of the story ?
The42 has a few lines on it here. Hand was manager and actually set the race up:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.the...b2019/%3famp=1
Clark's no slouch. Not sure where the opposite view originates from.
Did Mick Pull something in the race ? Cheers for the info !Quote:
Originally Posted by irishfan86
It's definitely something I've read rather than observed, but maybe I'm confusing him with someone else.Quote:
Originally Posted by Trequartista20
We'll have an 11 of Centre backs yet.
Back in the day we would play an odd one in midfield. Admittedly they were high quality. Paul McGrath played in midfield for us as did Mark Lawrenson. Two class players. There must be other examples that I can’t think of offhand ! !Quote:
Originally Posted by paul_oshea
Dont forget the great Cyrus Christie, not a center half but a defender!Quote:
Originally Posted by seanfhear
I must have a good heart. I only remember the success's. I think it does go to show how football has moved on that it is unlikely that even two greats like Lawrenson and McGrath could do a job in midfield today ~ impossible to prove though !Quote:
Originally Posted by Razors left peg
There are still players who move between those lines. Fernandinho at Man City, Fabinho at Liverpool, Mascherano who played defence for Barcelona after a midfield role at Liverpool, even Declan Rice has dabbled in both roles. Hell, Keane moved to central defence towards the end at Man Utd. Usually it's a defensive midfielder who moves back rather than a defender stepping forward, but it happens.Quote:
Originally Posted by seanfhear
Clark's first season at Aston Villa was in midfield as well, wasn't it? Maybe he could have kicked on there.Quote:
Originally Posted by seanfhear
McGrath could still do that in today’s game. If you asked Virgil Van Dijk to play centre midfield, I think he’d be great... he’s a better centre half but he’s such a good footballer that he could easily convert...
As for centre backs who played other positions, Gary Doherty was a centre half who played centre forward, or maybe a centre forward who played centre back...
Joey O’Brien who’s a centre half now, play in centre midfield under Stan and really struggled. John O’Shea also played a few games there and plenty at left back before settling in the centre under Trap.
Am I right in saying Stan ended his career for Ireland playing centre half during the World Cup? That’s my memory. He definitely played some early games for ireland on the wing, with Irwin behind him...
To be fair, I don't think Joey would be a centre half in a back four for Rovers. He plays a similar role to Basham at Sheffield United, right side of a back three and overlaps the wing back.
And Stan did play CH in the 2002 World Cup. Was selected there ahead of Cunningham, Dunne and O'Shea, who didn't make the squad.
Dunne definitely made the squad but guess he never played. I have a ticket to Ireland against Spain signed by Quinner, Stan and Dunne.
The person who asked for me wanted the two retirees but Richie was sitting on the same row on the plane back home as Quinn and Stan, so he felt awkward saying “not you, Richie”. Thankfully Richie turned out to be a better defender than everyone realised at the time...
EDIT: Just re-read that: “and O’Shea, who didn’t make the squad”. Thought that was referring to everyone, not just O’Shea
Think he only played a couple of games in CM under Stan (when Jonathan Douglas was injured perhaps?) and did well in one and struggled in the following game but that was against Germany in Croke Park. A night where Andy Reid lit the place up with his range of passing and Robbie missed a golden opportunity at the end to win it with a header.Quote:
Originally Posted by elatedscum
Yeah, sorry, I probably should have put that in brackets to be clear. Glad you didn't miss out on a Richie autograph!Quote:
Originally Posted by elatedscum
Dunne and Andy O'Brien were the two CBs who saw no action in WC 2002
World class performance today. Played with panache!!
Played for himself and for that awful left back jamal lewis, great leadership so far