Doesn't Armstrong usually play out wide?Quote:
Originally Posted by Razors left peg
I'd have Robinson over him any day of the week at the moment, even if he is a bit meh
Doesn't Armstrong usually play out wide?Quote:
Originally Posted by Razors left peg
I'd have Robinson over him any day of the week at the moment, even if he is a bit meh
The Armstrong choice seems to fit with HH's earlier talk of Ireland needing more intimidating physicality and presence on the pitch, no?
Plays CF for Bristol but can see Hallgrimsson using him as a RW if called up.Quote:
Originally Posted by pineapple stu
Confirmation that Vata and Abankwah are in the squad. Vata in particular is a big win as he is eligible for four countries who would all happily cap tie him at the first opportunity, so important that we do just that this month. Continues a long tradition of players from here in the west of Scotland playing for Ireland as well. Houghton, Slaven, Coyne, Coyle, McGeady, McCarthy, Johnston and now Vata that I can think of. (Edit: Charlie Gallagher in the 1960s as well, so Vata would/will be the ninth.)
I presume whichever twitter page it was that had got them panicking over in the asylum about Vata switching to Albania Under 21s had mixed up Vata and Zefi.
James has lived all over the country but I am claiming him as an Irish International from Longford when he gets capped :D
Still can't believe we never signed him
O'Leary, Coleman, McGuinness, Duffy, Scales, Manning, Molumby, Browne, Moran, Cannon, Robinson is a decent team of players who haven't made the squad and who I haven't yet heard are out injured. Decent depth now.
Kasey McAteer as well. And Omobamidele, Ogbene, Ebosele and Szmodics are all out injured.
HH capping his squad at 23 once again. I'd say the opportunity to cap-tie was the deciding factor in a few 50/50 calls - definitely Vata, probably Abankwah and possibly Dunne who is still eligible for the north.
Also am a fan of us just calling it the Ireland squad now. :)
Molumby jumps out there - I know our midfield hasn't been pulling up trees but have we really replaced him with better there? He's a regular for a side in the playoff spots. Thought he was suspended for this but can't find a mention online (I could very easily be confusing it with another suspension in fairness)Quote:
Originally Posted by Eirambler
Robinson can consider himself unlucky - don't think Armstrong has done much to warrant being selected ahead of him (texidub's comment on strength aside)
But overall it is what it is. I think every time I see these squads I get a feeling that it's young promising players who are at various stages of stagnation, and even being replaced by other thing promising players who'll ultimately also stagnate.
Would be confident enough of beating Bulgaria, who are on a huge slide. But it's five years since Kenny started blooding a new generation and I still don't feel we're any closer to being competitive in League B or a qualifying campaign.
James was born in Waterford, moved to Dublin, then onto Donegal, then to Longford and back to Dublin before moving abroad.
I don't think he can be claimed as a Longford man when there was quite a few moves in between him coming to Longford lol
He didn't even start out his youth football in Longford.
What does manning have to do to get selected?
He did go to school in Melview for about 5 years while playing for Melview and the Longford Kennedy cup team, and that's how he ended up being picked up by Cherry Orchard I imagine. There is a reason I said I'm claiming him, and not that he is from Longford :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Town Legend
Couldn't complain if Max O'Leary declined to turn up if he is included in a future squad. EFL Championship games this season: 37, 10 clean sheets, average goals/game conceded 1.08
Bazunu preferred; Belgian Pro League games : 5, clean sheets 0, average goals/game conceded 2.4.
Bazunu may in time turn out to be the better 'keeper, but what is the point of including him in this particular squad?
Decent squad, only complaint I'd have us Sykes ahead of Moran. Don't rate Sykes at all
I think the place where you live while you're at school, particularly secondary school, is probably where you feel the most affinity to, rather than where you are born or where you live later in life. So I wouldn't be surprised if Abankwah considered himself to be a Longford man.Quote:
Originally Posted by Acornvilla
I'd say in the last 3 seasons, he's probably played close to as many club games as the other trio combined, could probably have had a Randolph/Forde level career in another era.Quote:
Originally Posted by Demesne Lad
Interestingly I don't rate Moran at all at present, while he might eventually come good I think he's powderpuff and a waste of a squad place at this point in time. Given we're down Ogbene and Ebosele on the right hand side I can see the logic of including Sykes.Quote:
Originally Posted by Razors left peg
I suppose if he's behind O'Dowda and Brady, I could understand that. Probably not a huge difference between playing for a mid-table Championship side and an awful Southampton one.Quote:
Originally Posted by pateen
His international career is a bit of an enigma though, given he plays in an area we're regularly stuck for.
Good press conference from Hallgrimsson, his 6 minute run through of the squad at the start to save a load of questions was enlightening and is worth a watch back. He probably thought I can't be arsed listening the the usual questions from these idiots so I'll just do a quick run through.
In short Scales and Cannon are injured. O'Leary being given the camp off as his partner is due to give birth. Molumby is available for the second leg if needed. Coleman, Manning and Moran just not picked but probably next in line in their positions.
Says Finn is being watched but his club performances have been hit and miss. Seems to be a big fan of Vata. We are following up on some eligible players but he's not naming names at this stage.
The rest of the press conference was wasted with him responding to whatever is the latest nonsense Stephen Bradley has come out with.
There are enough good inclusions to stop me moaning about any omissions. Taylor, O'Brien, Armstrong, Abankwah, Vata and Dunne are all welcome inclusions.
Armstrong's ability to disrupt is up there with Festy's, obviously from a different position.
I hear O'Leary's wife is expecting a baby v soon explaining his omission because that stood out for me. No way Bazunu deserves a call up over him.
McGuinness and Omobamidele are both injured I think. Scales both injured and suspended.
Cannon and McAteer's omissions don't upset me.
Is Molumby suspended? Otherwise harsh.
(Edit: written before / during Eirambler's post was published)
Thats a very harsh assessment of Moran. He's playing in Championship every week (although not yesterday) and he hasn't been shown up to be too lightweight. He's eager for the ball and we don't have enough players that are.Quote:
Originally Posted by Eirambler
Most Stoke fans would disagree I'd say. They see him as being more a part of their problems this season than a solution. He has plenty of time on his side, it's a shame he's just a few months overage for the next Under 21 campaign, otherwise that would be the best place for him for now.Quote:
Originally Posted by Razors left peg
Great news regarding Vata.Quote:
Originally Posted by Eirambler
His situation is interesting in the context of the names Eirambler references.
Slaven - Irish grandfather
Houghton - Irish father
Coyne - ???
McCarthy - Irish maternal grandfather referenced as his inspiration to play for us but paternal Irish surname
Johnton - Irish grandfather
McGeady - Irish paternal grandparents
Now, Vata - Irish grandmother
Plenty of lads in Scotland happy to play for us on the basis of one grandparent. I think the Celtic connection helps.
Yes, no coincidence that it's always lads in the west of Scotland that play for us. There isn't the same connection elsewhere in the country. Here in the southside of Glasgow the Irish community is relatively small and quite intertwined still, particularly through the catholic school system. Even as a blow-in myself, albeit married to a local from the Glasgow Irish community, I would have fairly close links to more than one of the players on that list.
I've watched probably 6 or 7 Stoke games this season and any internet warrior that's blaming Moran for anything hasn't as clue about footballQuote:
Originally Posted by Eirambler
Honestly he's not that good. Tidy on the ball but offers nothing off it. We're more in need midfielders who can do a bit of both, even if they're a shade off Premier League quality. Plenty of time for him to develop though.
Still feels experimental/ “getting to know you” for games we need to win. Some odd selections there imo. Not arguing against the merit of including Dunne and Abankwah, but why drop McGuinness who played the full 90 mins in the last game? Seems like a squad that could do with the experience of Browne and Robinson, rather than having a look at players like Armstrong – again these are games we need to win. Vata’s inclusion must surely be to tie him to us as don’t think he has done enough to merit inclusion. Understand he had an injury that slowed him down but hasn’t played many minutes since becoming available again. Not that I’d include him either, but think Aidomo Emakhu is as good an option as Vata if not better. Think Moran can feel aggrieved.
McGuinness has been in poor form lately. Personally I'd have had Robinson in there. But then I'd also have picked about 26 players, not 23. So maybe the same squad, but with Manning, Molumby and Robinson added in.
Is the 23 man squad thing a cost saving exercise by the FAI?
in the press conference, Halgrimsson mentioned that O'Leary and his partner are expecting a child very soon and he was omitted because of this.Quote:
Originally Posted by Demesne Lad
Sykes offers us way more than Moran in terms of utility. And he has had a good season - last time i checked the fans love him but hes not chalking up the same level of G/A stats that he had been before. Moran would be behind Azaz (fair) and HH might also see Parrott as a stopgap in that position. I am fine with the call.Quote:
Originally Posted by Razors left peg
I've just never seen Sykes have a standout game ever. Anytime I've watched a game he's playing you'd forget he's on the pitch. I'm just not sure what he offers in the squad. Even if we leave Moran aside I'd rather add Finn or Phillips for something different in physicality. I don't see what Sykes adds to the squad that's not covered by other, better players.Quote:
Originally Posted by SkStu
Edit: it is a minor complaint about the squad. We are talking about players who probably won't play anyway. I like the squad overall
Can he play full-back in a pinch ?Quote:
Originally Posted by Razors left peg
Maybe in a pinch... I'm not sure about on the pitch though!Quote:
Originally Posted by seanfhear
Sykes is a wide right midfielder these days, so he's not really competing with Finn, Phillips or Moran for a squad place. He's in as a replacement for the injured Ebosele and also because Ogbene is injured. If he's not in the squad there is no other obvious wide right option other than to play someone out of position. It's possible that he may start against Bulgaria for this reason.
Is Vata not the replacement for the wide player missing?Quote:
Originally Posted by Eirambler
They're both in for injured wingers. Unless McAteer is fit, in which case they've been selected ahead of him.
Well Sykes is listed in midfield and not with the other 2 wingers listed in the forwards, so it's not a big leap to say he's there instead of Molumby
Vata is a left winger. So he's in for Szmodics and ahead of McAteer.Quote:
Originally Posted by Razors left peg
So who's the Molumby replacement in the midfield?Quote:
Originally Posted by Eirambler
Maybe everyone moves across one like the infinity hotel !Quote:
Originally Posted by Razors left peg