Trap's Euro 2012 Players Ladder

I think to understand Trap's thinking with the midfield is like all other positions. He likes to have 2 like for like players. Green is the backup to Whelan, Gibson and McCarthy are the backups to Andrews. The only way McCarthy goes to Poland is if Gibson is injured.

I don't think he would have subbed off Andrews for Green. Andrews is the midfielder who is slightly more encourages to go forward.

McClean's only hope is if Fahey doesnt go as Fahey is conisidered as a backup winger (with the ability to go midfield). Trap tends to go with players with more versatility, at least as he sees it. It's a pity since McClean has played left back and as a striker for Derry but Trap hasnt seen this at Sunderland

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Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

How have our competitive outings been after poor home friendlies? I'm clinging to hope that there's a positive trend because that's about all I could take from last night!

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Lost 1-0 to Argentina in Oct 2010 then beat Armenia and Andorra the next month.

Lost 2-1 to Norway in Nov 2010, but then didn't have another competitive game until the next March, when we beat Macedonia 2-1 (beat Wales in the Carling Cup 3-0 in between).

Lost 3-2 to Uruguay March 2011, few days after the Macedonia game (that was the odd open game with a vitural second string due to injuries and withdrawals).

Drew 0-0 to Croatia last August. Drew 0-0 with Slovakia and Russia a month later.

Actually discounting the Carling Cup games, seems to me we haven't won a home friendly since Algeria in May 2010. No reason to discount the Carling Cup games in fairness, but they were a bit odd.

Also bear in mind we beat Italy 2-0 away last year too.

I can see the sense of much of what Trap has brought to the team, considering where we were and it's easy to see that in the results.
There is one major thing that doesn't make apparent sense to me, continually hoofing the ball and hoofing it to midgets. There is no apparent plan to play the ball out, when we're under pressure or when we're breaking out - like when O'Shea hoofs it into the general direction of Duff, or when we are not under any pressure - Shay and the back 4 lining up a hoof with the opposition all deep in defensive mode.
If we make a mistake in defence, I can imagine Trap will have it as an immediate priority to rectify that defect but there is no working program to rectify the compulsive hoof disorder.
I've heard Trap moan about our inability to hold onto possession but I see little evidence of any progress there, either with the players we have or bringing in players who can improve it.

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Originally Posted by geysir

I've heard Trap moan about our inability to hold onto possession but I see little evidence of any progress there, either with the players we have or bringing in players who can improve it.

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I think that's rich from Trap. The reason we cant keep possession is entirely down to his instructions / tactics. If full backs cannot get over the half way line and midfielders cannot get ahead of the foward players then are passing options are always going to be extremely limited and predicatable. Possession is about movement and options. Wherever the ball was on the pitch the othernight we always appeared to be outnumbered. His plan is about not conceeding goals at all costs, but for that very reason we will always conceed possession.

This friendly will have absolutely nothing to do with how we play in Euro. Absolutely nothing.

Couldn't disagree more. Trap clearly uses friendlies to further emphasise his playing style in players' minds. Sure he practically says as much every game.

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Originally Posted by Crosby87

This friendly will have absolutely nothing to do with how we play in Euro. Absolutely nothing.

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If Stuart Pearce was our manager I'd agree, but for this you're 100% wrong. Trap places even more importance on friendlies than Brian Kerr did.

I meant it won't have anything to do with how we play in Poland but i see your points.
It seems like when we play bad in a friendly we play good in the next competitive match and vice versa, like Stan Beating Sweden or whoever that was 4-0, then losing to Cyprus or whatever.
3+ plus months with more friendlies looming just make this one meaningless imo.

It's a moot point whether Trap took the friendly serious or not, the indelible impression is that he will neither change the way we play nor his pecking order criteria and that's the bone of the contentions. What the friendly is not an accurate indicator of, is how well we will play our game at the Finals.

If Trap does bring in (or is forced to bring) somebody from outside the present squad, the basic approach to the game stays the same and the selected player is valued based on his ability to fit in. There's no obvious player like Steven Reid available who could (in his prime) slot in and bring something more. Trap claims he can smell the unity in the squad and certainly the players are behind him 100%. That's not a bad place to start from.
Most of the players have improved their club form and/or club position in the last few years, at least we can say that Trap hasn't had a detrimental influence on them.

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Originally Posted by geysir

It's a moot point whether Trap took the friendly serious or not, the indelible impression is that he will neither change the way we play nor his pecking order criteria and that's the bone of the contentions. What the friendly is not an accurate indicator of, is how well we will play our game at the Finals.

If Trap does bring in (or is forced to bring) somebody from outside the present squad, the basic approach to the game stays the same and the selected player is valued based on his ability to fit in. There's no obvious player like Steven Reid available who could (in his prime) slot in and bring something more. Trap claims he can smell the unity in the squad and certainly the players are behind him 100%. That's not a bad place to start from.
Most of the players have improved their club form and/or club position in the last few years, at least we can say that Trap hasn't had a detrimental influence on them.

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This is exactly how I see it too.