Can't wait!
http://img.rasset.ie/000661ca-642.jpg
http://pogmogoal.com/wp-content/uplo...n_1585147a.jpg
It looks like Wilson is out, but Whelan will be fit.
Who will play left-back? O'Shea can play there, and McShane played there a lot at Hull last year. Stephen Kelly can play there too, and I'm not sure if Ward is in the squad - too lazy to check. I'm assuming he is. Darren O'Dea is also a candidate. Walcott could have a field day, having carte blanche to shoot in aimless balls all evening. :)
1-1 I'd say.
Perhaps? I've nothing much against the English as a people, but as a sporting nation... Their rugby team especially seems to be an awful pack of scrotes!
It's not just Irish people though, my Dad, born and raised in England, to English parents, still wants English teams to lose just as much as I do. Except the cricket team, he likes them!
Not necessarily - it was neutral in its intent. More for info. Having said that, I think Trap might be less prepared to give Hoolahan an outing if Whelan wasn't there to do what Trap seems to appreciate.
Which is what stutts exactly? Walk around in a circle in a 10 metre radius halfway between the edge of the centre circle and the 18 yard line, passing the ball backwards?
I actually see what Noely is getting at to be honest. I'm sure as much as anything else, FIFA needs them in the top 10!
I think that's what Trap appreciates. I was careful not to say it's what I appreciate!
I think England have been more or less top ten, although more vulnerable than most of the big countries to being ambushed by a temporarily strong team from Europe, and quite reliable in being unable to get past a good team in the knockout rounds.
The latest rumour on YBIG is the FA were having a moment's silence for that squaddie who was murdered last week. Can't see that ending well...or helping the general atmosphere if true.
Is anyone still annoyed at the Austria result? I feel if we draw or beat england i will be even more angry at that result.
I'll always be annoyed by Austria. I reckon we'll go behind early to England and they'll all start laughing and get complacent before we take charge of the game in the second half and come away with yet another famous draw.
Minutes' silence are very rarely observed any more at football matches, it's more likely to be a minute's applause, in which case people who disagree, or don't want to support it can do so by staying quiet and not disturbing people who do. Much better in my opinion.
The only half arsed argument I could think of to exclude them from the top 10 would be:
They have only gone beyond the quarter finals of the European Championship once. Therefore they have only been in the top 8 in Europe generally over the last 20 years. Arguments could be made for Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Holland, Greece, Portugal and the Czechs all ranking higher (although possibly not on a consistent basis over the 20 years). Just say this leaves England ranking as No.8 of the Europeans. Now throw Brazil and Argentina into the mix and they might possibly drop to 11th.
I'd find it very difficult to justify ranking Greece and the Czechs higher over the period though really and possibly Argentina as well.
Yeah, totally agreed Peadar.
http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/inter...letters-today/Quote:
Originally Posted by RTE
[QUOTE=Stuttgart88;1688307 I reckon we'll go behind early to England and they'll all start laughing and get complacent before we take charge of the game in the second half and come away with yet another famous draw.[/QUOTE]
I think the English lads might not be as focused on the game with Brazil game in Rio coming next.... On Brazil-Eng, that John Barnes 1984 dribble must be the most overrated goal ever!
Suppose it was more the fact that it was Brazil than anything.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0jdsPZmOWM
Not a patch on this :) ....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tarFsaOEzbw
When it comes to England at the Finals, I expect them to go out, so I'm not that stressed about them not losing.
Somehow they have maintained a long term consistency to keep them seeded for qualification draws and high in the general rankings. Nevertheless, I wouldn't regard them as in the world's top 10 now and not since Sven's time. They didn't qualify for Euro 2008, were well beaten after the group stage in the last 2 finals and didn't impress (with a top 10 quality) in those Finals' group games. I wouldn't be that surprised if Montenegro get a result at Wembley.
Even if we do get a good result in this game, it will probably happen by doing something we don't do in the competitive games and it's not likely to lead to any change in the approach to the important autumn qualifiers.
Must be some hangover :-) come on we are all waiting!!!
team announced: https://twitter.com/FAIreland/status...99223076347905
Quote:
Trap's starting XI for #EngIrl tomorrow:
Forde, Coleman, O'Shea, St Ledger, Kelly, Walters, McCarthy, Whelan, McGeady, Keane, Long #COYBIG
Classic Trap.
But looks like England are going 4-4-2 as well. Two stalwarts of the 4-4-2 game.
But yes, definitely classic trap. We learn nothing, but at least against England where its a bit more important about getting a draw or a win. We can only hope that he changes it for the Georgia game, but I very much doubt it.
Feckin Glenn Whelan :mad:
Not the worst team he could have picked. Maybe I would have gone for Brady or McClean instead of Walters on the wing, and Gibson instead of Whelan, but personnel-wise, not too bad. Now let's just hope he lets them play football!
At least we now know that when fit Keane is ahead of Sammon. And McGeady is ahead of McClean too. I expect similar to Stockholm, with Keane playing between the two lines. At least we'll be familiar with all of them. Long needs to keep his head.
To be fair would expect RMK, or just about any other Keane who's eligible, to be ahead of Sammon.
Without revisiting the 'debate' about whether notable absentees, Best, Folan or half the LOI should be ahead of that donkey.
The FA are giving us an Irish dancing show before the big game kicks off....ffs
Bar Whelan it's probably the best team we can put out given the circumstances.
England's pace is gonna be a problem...Walcott could have a field day out there. Need to keep it nice & tight for the first 45 so that the English fans get on there back a bit. If their tails are up at Wembley with an early goal it could be 4-0
Piece I did on how the 1995 violence could have been prevented. Chatted to Les Ferdinand about his recollections of the game:
http://www.goal.com/en-ie/news/3942/...t?ICID=HP_TS_3
6 out of the last 13 games have finished 1-1 which makes available odds of 9-1 look pretty good, indeed I just stuck £1 on just because of that.
But those results were over 20 years ago and no doubt Ireland were higher ranked (fifa ranking don't go back that far, last listed ranking is 6th!! in 1993.
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/f...p-8634968.html
Roy Hodgson called us one of the home nations.
That's it. IT'S ON!!!! :mad: