I think he'll make two changes. I'd be disappointed if he does the Trap thing and keeps the same 11 for Italian game.
Team does need fresh personnel. A lot of the players look off the pace.
I think he'll make two changes. I'd be disappointed if he does the Trap thing and keeps the same 11 for Italian game.
Team does need fresh personnel. A lot of the players look off the pace.
According to my calculations if we beat Italy we need two of the following to happen.
Group A: Romania & Albania draw or Albania win.
Group B: England beat Slovakia. Whoever finishes 3rd can only have 3 points then.
Group C: Germany beat the north.
Group D: Czechs & Turkey draw or Turkey win.
Group F: Too many scenarios but the most likely Portugal beat Hungary & Iceland Austria draw.
WARNING: I'm probably wrong....
Usually I'd agree, but I have a feeling this time there will be more change. We don't look like winning games and now that's what we have to do. Plus after what the other O'Neill did with NI on Thursday...could be more sweeping than we think.Quote:
Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954
Personally I'd have McCarthy, Clark and Ward out for Murphy, Duffy and McClean. I'm no fan of Murphy but I just think we need a lump up front to help make our limited possession count. And with Walters out, that means Daryl.
I don't think Clark had that bad a game but his fubar for the third goal is easily a droppable offence so that makes that one simple. McCarthy shouldn't survive the abject nonsense he's serving up here. He's bang out of form and I hope he comes back in the future, but time is up.
I don't think it'll happen, but I'd take a serious look at playing Christie as well.
100%.
Daryl because we're lumping it forward and beds Long to be running on to flick ons and knock downs, not doing them.
Anyone but McCarthy because he's off form - he's a good player but he's off form.
And I'd be taking a punt on Christie too, Coleman's not performing either.
Tournament football, all or nothing, we have to go for it. Back to the diamond and go out on our shield at the very least.
Back to the diamond against italy. Same team as Sweden except Ward in for McCarthy and Brady in to midfield, Duffy in for Clark, and Murphy in for Walters if Big Jon doesn't make it
It is going to be tough, we need a results and Italy do not.
Lads, seriously, the 3-5-2 will never happen. Meyler and maybe Clark are the only players in the squad with experience playing it, and Meyler's nowhere near the team.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stuttgart88
Was at the game yesterday. I didn't think it was a peno at the time and I was quite close to it. Although I think if it had happened outside the box we may have gotten a free.
But regardless, we were very much outclassed. The Belgians glided past our lads all day. We hoofed it up to Long who was totally on his own all day.
Brady, Whelan and McGeady (when he came on) I thought did well. Hendrick had a shocker. Don't see how he took Wes off and left Hendrick on.
Unfortunately Belgium waited for the Ireland game to finally click.
if its a free offence outside the box then the same offence is a pen in the box. a pen for me. it was clearly a high and dangerous footQuote:
Originally Posted by Fixer82
Yes I think it was a pen. The ref made a mistake.Quote:
Originally Posted by jbyrne
Clarke also made a mistake on the 3rd goal. O'Neil maybe made a mistake with his squad selection, line up, subs and tactics. Long made numerous mistakes failing to hold up the ball, as did every player that played poor balls up to him instead of trying to create good possession. Hendrick made a mistake kicking the ball at the other ball.
Ultimately it was the cumulation of our own mistakes that cost us more than the refs mistake.
Also it is futile to focus on the refs decision as that is outside our control but we can work on our own performance and tactics.
McCarthy's clearly not fit and Coleman's fitness is very questionable, definitely they shouldn't be playing.
Anyway it's just shifting deck chairs on the Titanic stuff to focus on players and personnel changes The team are good enough to perform better but have not been prepared well and not even prepared well to implement a crude game plan. The management have been a crock and (heir apparent) Keane in particular should not be let within a country mile of the top job.
Eg, Long all isolated and getting battered, Wes playing off the loose scraps too far up the field whilst the ball could not played out of own half. The efforts to play the ball out against a bit of was pressing was embarrassing. The delusion that was fed was that we had played well v Sweden and only played poorly after going ahead. All I saw was a rolling shambles of a team v Sweden that was bound to be a shambles after going ahead. And this is to continue into the next qualification campaign?
Italy were fearful and cautious v Sweden a team who were totally incapable of troubling Buffon. Italy would have settled for the draw, probably thinking us to be the easy 3 pointer.
Michael O Neill made radical changes to personel and it paid off.
There seems to be too many of our players carrying injuries/ or off form.
How about Christie in at full back and Coleman in front of him.......I am clutching at Straws......Its blatantly obvious that McCarthy/Clark need a rest .
Long needs some help and McClean has some pace and manoeuvrability . When McClean runs himself into the ground bring on Robbie for his last Hurrah.
How about we bring out Trapattoni to the Match and make such a big fuss out of him that the Italians go all sentimental................... Also all the Irish fans should eat only Italian Ice-cream ,Wine ,Food and sing only Italian opera.....If all this things are done Religiously......then along with continuous on our knees exaltation to whichever is the most powerful god them maybe we have a chance.
That's pretty much what it comes down to. B and C would seem to be the best options.Quote:
Originally Posted by IsMiseSean
A win and a draw has been enough to see teams through as one of the best 3rd placed teams in the last 3 World Cups with this 24 team format and the last 3 Copa Americas with the same format only for half the number of teams.
If 4 3rd placed teams are on at least 4 points before we kick-off v Italy, it will be mission impossible.
Jeez, come on England!!
I think Wes came off with Weds in mind.
Everything hinged on middle of pitch for me. Whelan not the problem, McCarthy is. Geysir rates him, I've never warmed to him to be honest. Not enough "moral courage" (Giles), too shy (Trap, Kajagoogoo).
A fair bit of truth in Geysir's post above but I wouldn't think Coleman should definitely be dropped.
Sweden was good in parts but the chances we created were better than the play that preceded them.
But the crude game plan yesterday was deliberate and I'm back to thinking something from the top down makes our midfielders unable / unwilling to do what they need to do. It started with Jack, a fear of losing the ball.
Can nobody carry the ball 10 metres through the middle?
For me it's 'can nobody go beyond the passer into an attacking space to offer an option? Carrying the ball out of defence/in our own half was tough yesterday because the Belgians pushed up in a high line. Their midfield say just inside our half as a matter of course. But if they're pushing up, there's space beyond them. It would've taken Coleman/Ward/McCarthy/Hendrick to break past the halfway line and give an option.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stuttgart88
As you say, a fear of losing the ball and leaving us short at the back. Bad news is the second half proved it's not an imaginary fear either.
I'd agree with that. I was saying all week I feared realistically Belgium could win 3-0.Quote:
Originally Posted by TrapAPony
Difficult to beat Italy any time. Can only hope their guaranteed group winners spot will see them rest players ahead of Round of 16. They'll be taking on Group D runners-up, most likely Croatia or Czech Republic.
Buffon, Chiellini, Eder, De Rossi and Bonucci are all on yellows so I could see Conte resting them.Quote:
Originally Posted by legendz
As Swan said, MoN should do what the other MoN did and make a bunch of changes for the non performers e.g. Coleman, McCarthy, Clark at the bare minimum all should be "rested".
We played really well against Italy at Craven Cottage. Same approach needed.
And we played well enough in Gdansk, in some respects anyway.
McCarthy and Clark should definitely be "rested". One of the mistakes 4 years ago was not “resting" underperforming players. Many will disagree with me but I have to say it, a Mick McCarthy managed Ireland would have done far better yesterday.Quote:
Originally Posted by Metrostars