The gist seemed to be that Trap has been working on this system the last 40 years, so by God, it'll work now.
Trap played a 3-5-2 with Fiorentina. Rui Costa in a free role, Batistuta up front with Balbo, Torricelli and Di Livio attacking full-backs, playing decent football. In fairness, if Trap thinks he has players of sufficient quality, he'll adapt the system accordingly.
Do you all still have Euro hangover or are you (relatively) psyched for this friendly?
I'm looking forward to (possibly) not conceding a rake of goals for a change. And to think a few months ago we were complaining about 0-0s!
I'm looking at this game with a far more critical eye than a normally would a friendly. Changes need to be made, not just in players but in tactics and I just doubt that I'm going to be satisfied. Whelan still being placed in midfield baffles me.
After thirty-five years watching this team I still get excited by every game (even the dreaded August friendly). The Euros were tough but we have to look forward.
World Cup qualification starts in four weeks - that means far more to me than the start of the English season, La Liga or the Champions League.
Agreed on giving it a more critical eye. As for Whelan, with all the withdrawals, there's no one else to play there at this stage. Only Green and O'Brien, and I'd actually trust both of them less in midfield than Whelan.
Speaking of which, does anyone remember the daft way Cox was positioned in the Spain game. It seemed we were trying a 4-4-1-1, with Cox kind of hovering between Robbie and the midfield, doing a lot of running and generally looking lost. The same happened with McCarthy in the Uruguay game. I genuinely hope that if we do try a 4-5-1/4-3-3 variant, it's with a bit more tactical nous. We shall see, I suppose.
I agree. And selling this nonsense as 4-5-1 is codology. Putting someone like Cox in the number 10 role (v Spain) or perhaps Walters or Long today v Serbia and then going afterwards "look, it didn't work!" is nonsense. Cox/Walters/whoever just isn't this type of player. And Trap just doesn't really pick no. 10s in his squads. The whole point of a fifth man in midfield is to add passing ability and give the other midfielders and defenders an extra out ball, to clog up the passing lanes when we don't have the ball and to hound someone like Pirlo, and then to add creativity going forward.
In our specific case, the aim would be to avoid the goalkeeper/defenders pumping the ball up long and giving possession right back to the opposition after about 5 seconds, which has been our undoing for the last 2+ years against good and mediocre teams alike. If Tardelli/Trap can't see this, then I despair of the present regime.
match on setanta ireland live 7.45
Trapattoni has used the same tactics and formation under his 4 years of management. Can you change an approach you have drilled into your players for four years, hold your hands up and say I was wrong with the approach, and expect to keep the trust, support and belief of your players?
Agree that the tactics Trapattoni has chosen to employ with us are a reflection of what he thinks of our players' individual qualities - he doesn't believe they can play ball at the top level.
Ideally Trapattoni should move aside now and let somebody else come in to handle the generation change and needed new direction.
I think we will do OK against Serbia. They never get our of second gear in any friendly I've ever seen them play. But it will only paper over the problems we are going to face against Kazackstan in a match that really matters. I'm not talking about a Cyprus 5-2 overrun type Stan shambles but a 1-1 draw against Kaz. We just about beat Armenia away 1-0 but that was after some very good recent results against France and Italy. We are going into the game against Kazackstan with Dunne missing, McShane possibly playing and loads of confusion surrounding the team. I can see Trapatonni settling for a point in Kazackstan.
Did anyone look up Kazakhstan's home results from the Euro qualifiers?
They only scored two goals, and they came in the same game against Azerbaijan. They're only other point at home was a 0-0 against Austria. In the other three games, they conceded 8 goals without reply.
Are we seriously at the point where missing Dunne, Given, and possibly St Ledger means we're not going to get a result there?
That just means they're overdue a 5-0 win.
According to James McClean's twitter account. He is playing CM tonight???
"great weather for the game! cant wait for tonights game! new position in centre mid! #decent ha #COYBIG #eireabu"
James McClean
McClean reckons he's playing CM tonight.
Quote:
Originally Posted by J McClean
Finally the giddiness arrives. COYBIG!!!
Most of our players are scratching round at the bottom end of the EPL, when they get a game, or lower. What makes you think they can "play ball at top level" whatever that means? Three of the goals we gave away in Poland were attempts to play ball. England, every player of whom would get in to our team ahead of the current crop, tried to "play ball" in Poland and couldn't retain possession for more than a minute before the hoof up field.
"New direction" - you mean away from a play off and qualification?
Although pretty much a lone voice it would appear now, I think we should stick to what we do best in the qualifiers and try to be difficult to beat. Change of personnel yes in the form of McCarthy, McLean (assuming he continues to make progress) etc
Trap's systems UP TO NOW how worked away from home (two campaigns unbeaten). At home I do believe he needs to reappraise it.
He has lost the trust of a majority of the fans (press have had the knives out for ages) I believe and two bad results in the first two qualifiers and he'll be a dead man walking (I suppose he is already at his age) a bit like Mick Mc. I don't believe whatever new manager we get will do any better but only time will tell on that one.
Now on to Serbia and let's see what that brings.
Put umm under pressure. As my signature says....
No, I deliberately didn't include the League of Ireland because I've been supporting Shamrock Rovers just as long as the Ireland team and it is the only thing that comes close to international football for me (in terms of passion and interest).
....surprised you there, didn't I?
It might be interesting this evening, though I have an amount of trepidation ready to burst out. I suspect Tardelli has been teasing the press a bit.
There's a couple of fresh faces, McCarthy and McClean, who won't be carrying the burden of Euro 2012 and who will be keen to establish themselves in the first team.
At least tonight, McCarthy should be in the role he plays for Wigan. This is an important friendly.
Unfortunately for Gibson, his never-ending injury record will surely rule him out of the first team in the qualifiers, just as it has done previously.
I think Gibson has deliberately taken this decision by the way. He was (rightly in my opinion) extremely disappointed with Trap after the Euros and this could be his way of distancing himself from the squad or at least not busting his balls for friendlies while Trap remains inexplicably in charge. Nothing to back my post up, just a hunch.
He is definately injured though. I agree he won't be taking any bullets for Trap though any time soon.
Any player with any fitness doubt is not going to play a friendly days before the season starts. Hence our and pretty much every other sides depleted squads.
Do you think Moyes would say, "Gibbo, come off after 19 mins today and then don't play in our final pre-season game and also pull out of the Ireland squad". Gibson's only played 45, 76 and 19 mins this pre-season which is hardly ideal from Moyes' point of view.
Predictions Lads??
Im going going for a 1-1 myself.
Basing that on nothing more than we have somewhat new blood in the team who will be out to prove something rather than anything tactically that trap will do
1-0 to Serbia.
We will play okay but not okay enough.
Yet another hammering one could suggest. Don't expect very much from this game.
Any Setanta streams for the game? All I can find is this Serbian stream: http://www.belovedsport.com/channel-2.php
Looking forward to kick-off and seeing how Trap sets us out. McCarthy and McClean starting excites me and I'm a fan of the giving the Walters-Long partnership another try-out.
Edit: Found a Setanta stream: http://www.vipbox.tv/watch/66577/1/s...am-online.html
@FAIreland posted on Twitter a few minutes ago:
Quote:
News just in: After an assessment on his leg this evening, it has been decided that Simon Cox will start in place of Shane Long.
Quote:
So the team is as follows: Westwood, McShane, O'Dea, O'Shea, Kelly, Whelan, McCarthy, McGeady, McClean, Walters, Cox
what time is kick off lads?
7:45 Irish time.
Notice the names on the back of the jerseys. Is this a thing now?
McGeady's on the left and Cox is on the right. McClean is in the centre with McCarthy and Whelan behind him. Walters is on his own up front.
That sounds like another trap veiled attempt at appeasing to play a 4-51, play with the players capable of it in the wrong positions and then have a told you so afterwards like uruguay.
WHy not play mcgeady in there, where he has excelled for us before and mcclean out left like he does at sunderland?
Any streams lads?
Some nice passing there.
Its lovely to see a midfielder with their hands in the air calling for the ball. So refreshing and simple yet we've never got to see it for years!!