Eunan O'Kane (M Leeds Utd (loaned to Luton Town) b.1990)

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Originally Posted by TheOneWhoKnocks

I think he's moved ahead of Arter in the pecking order as far as MON is concerned.

It was his most impressive performance to date.

Gleeson and Hayes acquitted themselves well too.

Funnily enough it was the unheralded players who impressed me most. I think it's a debut to forget for Egan, Hourihane and Horgan.

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1. Doubt it. One is a Leeds sub who didn't make it at Bournemouth. The other is a player who plays week in week out in the Premiership in the same position. Only one winner there. I like O'Kane though.
2. Gleeson has gone from being Birmingham captain to currently being dropped to the bench at club level. Lack of game time is not going to be good for him. Hayes is a good trier but ultimately not good enough. I would not like to think that we are somehow relying on him to change a game.
3. Egan and Hourihane I agree with. Horgan was bright enough and was the only one MON mentioned in the aftermatch press conference.

But what was his body language like?

Not sure what Horgan has to forget about his debut. He showed more in the small bit of the ball he got than the starting wingers did in twice the time.

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Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

Not sure what Horgan has to forget about his debut. He showed more in the small bit of the ball he got than the starting wingers did in twice the time.

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Horgan impressed when he came on and put some very dangerous crosses into the opposition's box. Martin O'Neill even singled him out for praise:

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Originally Posted by Martin O'Neill

We had a lot of the ball in the second half, I thought Horgan coming on did really fine in the time he was on the field. He caused a few problems and whipped in a couple of great balls and unfortunately we weren’t able to finish them off.

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Originally Posted by TrapAPony

1. Doubt it. One is a Leeds sub who didn't make it at Bournemouth. The other is a player who plays week in week out in the Premiership in the same position. Only one winner there. I like O'Kane though.
2. Gleeson has gone from being Birmingham captain to currently being dropped to the bench at club level. Lack of game time is not going to be good for him. Hayes is a good trier but ultimately not good enough. I would not like to think that we are somehow relying on him to change a game.
3. Egan and Hourihane I agree with. Horgan was bright enough and was the only one MON mentioned in the aftermatch press conference.

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Think you might be right. Arter will still be ahead of O'Kane in the pecking order, but O'Kane did his chances of further inclusion no harm at all. He was most impressive in his efforts to get on the ball and seek to hold possession for his team. He definitely has something to offer. I feel (strange at it may sound midway through what is an otherwise successful campaign) that we have reached a crossroads with some of our players / our style of play.

The style of play we employ at the current time is all too predictable. Granted we were missing our creativity in Wes, Robbie Brady and possibly James McCarthy, v Wales, but there are far too many in the current squad who know nothing else other than Plan A and Route 1. I find myself watching more Championship games on TV than Premier League, due to the concentration of our lads there. And its not difficult to see where the bad habits begin and end. With the exception of Newcastle and possibly Reading, it's all long ball football. Combine that with the lack of a forward who can hold up the ball and we're destined to struggle in our remaining fixture in the group.

@ mark12345

Obviously Arter would be ahead of O'Kane based on their respective club circumstances, but MON might look at O'Kane as a more dependable presence.

For all of Arter's qualities, he has only appeared in one competitive game for us.

I think O'Kane will have jumped the queue purely because MON will have got a look at him for over a week while Arter was go karting in Dubai.

I think MON will have taken a dim view of that. *see Keiren Westwood

MON has coached the team to be greater than the sum of its parts.

We struggled to put a team out for a game of tremendous importance.

Slim margins and that.

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Originally Posted by TheOneWhoKnocks

@ mark12345

Obviously Arter would be ahead of O'Kane based on their respective club circumstances, but MON might look at O'Kane as a more dependable presence.

For all of Arter's qualities, he has only appeared in one competitive game for us.

I think O'Kane will have jumped the queue purely because MON will have got a look at him for over a week while Arter was go karting in Dubai.

I think MON will have taken a dim view of that. *see Keiren Westwood

MON has coached the team to be greater than the sum of its parts.

We struggled to put a team out for a game of tremendous importance.

Slim margins and that.

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Martin definitely has coached this team to be greater than the sum of its parts and whats more, he clearly honors the pecking order (ie he doesn't like to let anyone jump ahead of the next guy in the pecking order - if it's your turn to get a game you'll get your turn). What you said about Arter going go karting - I sincerely hope that's not true (at least the way you are portraying it). I know he had an injury prior to the Wales game and they (Bournemouth) pulled him out having given him every opportunity to make it. Harry has shown enough commitment to the cause for me. I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt.

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Originally Posted by TheOneWhoKnocks

@ mark12345

Obviously Arter would be ahead of O'Kane based on their respective club circumstances, but MON might look at O'Kane as a more dependable presence.

For all of Arter's qualities, he has only appeared in one competitive game for us.

I think O'Kane will have jumped the queue purely because MON will have got a look at him for over a week while Arter was go karting in Dubai.

I think MON will have taken a dim view of that. *see Keiren Westwood

MON has coached the team to be greater than the sum of its parts.

We struggled to put a team out for a game of tremendous importance.

Slim margins and that.

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Point taken about O'Kane. He has bags more energy than Whelan, has a nose for the tackle, and I would start the Leeds man all day long instead of the Stoke man.

At the risk of being ridiculed, in the half hour cameo O'Kane had against Iceland I thought he was the first player in years to play like Roy Keane. Demanding the ball from those around him and delivering neat, crisp forward passes.

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Originally Posted by Fixer82

At the risk of being ridiculed, in the half hour cameo O'Kane had against Iceland I thought he was the first player in years to play like Roy Keane. Demanding the ball from those around him and delivering neat, crisp forward passes.

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O'Kane = Keane? That's ridiculous!

I’m just back from watching my son’s school on a footy trip to Spain. They played two different clubs on different days. They got spanked in every game, U9, 10 and 11. The Spanish kids weren’t better as individuals but were all much more cohesive. The key in each team was a central midfielder who’d receive the ball from every restart regardless of whether he was under any pressure. If he was under pressure he’d simply turn away from trouble or carry it a few yards into space, play a simple pass and move on. Teammates all took up simple consistent positions making his out ball simple all the time. Our lads flocked to the ball the whole time, never looking to find space.

We had a daily camp at Villareal CF. One day we were there Villareal U16s were playing Valencia U16s. No messing, I saw no players that would have been much better than you’d see at the same age in Ireland or UK. Again the key was a “go to” guy who’d do exactly what I said above. Take the ball from deep, find a bit of space, move it on, make himself available again. The build up play was far more patient than we tend to see. It wasn’t hugely effective mind you, a dull 0-0 with few chances!

In fairness, we were playing club teams and our lads only play football for the spring term with games teachers rather than proper coaches (in school anyway, most play for a weekend team) but still, it was very instructive as to how to play good football. We haven’t had a player to play that role since Keane. Gibson is the closest I think. If O’Kane can do it consistently it’d be a very positive addition.

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Originally Posted by Fixer82

At the risk of being ridiculed, in the half hour cameo O'Kane had against Iceland I thought he was the first player in years to play like Roy Keane. Demanding the ball from those around him and delivering neat, crisp forward passes.

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I don't think Roy Keane would be in and out of the Leeds team though. He was also let go by Bournemouth so I wouldn't place too much hopes on him. Whelan plays regularly in the EPL. It would be great of course if he developed in to such a player.

As regards Arter karting, he may have gone with the team but did he kart ? I would be surprised that someone nursing an injury would risk aggravating it karting.

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Originally Posted by OwlsFan

I don't think Roy Keane would be in and out of the Leeds team though. He was also let go by Bournemouth so I wouldn't place too much hopes on him.

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Yes but I mean the way he played. Other than Hoolahan we never seem to have midfielders looking for the ball.
The difference with O'Kane was he was sitting deeper and passed quickly forward whereas Hoolahan tries to create further up to pitch.
O'Kane has looked decent in his few cameos for Ireland. Maybe international football would suit him.

He impressed me on the rare occasions I saw him feature for Bournemouth too, including their game at Anfield last season. I was surprised he didn't feature more and borderline astonished he can't nail down his place at Leeds, even if they are going well.

O'Kane starts today for the first time in almost two months as Leeds look to get back into the playoff positions.

I'm afraid O'Kane is as anonymous as the rest of their midfield as Leeds are being dicked tender and raw by an unremarkable Norwich.

O'Kane has just made way with the score tied at 3-3.

As it stands the battle for sixth place will go to the wire.

Playoffs pretty much settled now.
Reading
Huddersfield
Sheffield Wed
Fulham

Reading from an Irish point of view I guess.

Yeah a 13 goal swing seems unlikely!

The drama is at the bottom... one from Birmingham, Forest or Blackburn to drop.

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Originally Posted by Lionel Ritchie

I'm afraid O'Kane is as anonymous as the rest of their midfield as Leeds are being dicked tender and raw by an unremarkable Norwich.

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Killing them with their bare hands :) perhaps ?