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I've been impressed by McGeady so far this season, we know he has skill and can use both feet equally well. He has the vision to pick out a pass and could provide Keane with the type of quality service he desperately needs. And defensively he wouldn't be a passenger as he has shown at Celtic this season when he doesn't have the ball he will get back and help out the full back and generally chase and close down very well.
My one concern with McGeady has been with his pace. Put it bluntly, he's slow. That said, very excited that he is getting his game with Celtic. Been a while since we've had an Irish star there!
Given seemed to have/get a problem with his back during the Ventspils V Newcastle game, he played the 90 mins I believe, so maybe he is missing the friendly as a precaution?
Regarding pace, Newcastles Alan O' Brien(?) is meant to be pretty pacey, I'd like to get a look at him in the friendly.
I'd rather go for the win...but that already seems out of the question :(Quote:
Originally Posted by tricky_colour
Why? That is, what does a win do for us? Kerr did real well in the friendlies for all the good it did for us.Quote:
Originally Posted by thew0rm2345
Wouldnt you rather see everyone going their hardest right before Germany, instead of seeing Dixon and Lee and O'Brien? If we beat the Dutch, we could be GermanyQuote:
Originally Posted by Fergie's Son
At least our young forwards seem in form. Murphy was Sunderland's best player yesterday & he and Elliott both scored. Clinton scored a great goal today against Leeds and by all accounts McGeady was superb yesterday.
Yeah...but Stan would rather have Dixon than him :mad:Quote:
Originally Posted by Stuttgart88
Well if he had 'frightening' pace he would already be world class!! I think he has adequate pace, it's hard to tell in the EPL games though. A player like McGeady ca make room for a pass or cross with skill not just pace. Sheedy did a great job for us and he was slower than Stapleton...Quote:
Originally Posted by Fergie's Son
Remaining Squad:
Keepers:
Paddy Kenny (Sheffield United)
Wayne Henderson (Brighton)
Centre Backs
Richard Dunne (Manchester City)
John O'Shea (Manchester United)
Fullbacks
Ian Harte (Levante)
Steve Finnan (Liverpool)
Stephen Carr (Newcastle United)
Stephen Kelly (Birmingham)
Central Midfield
Liam Miller (Manchester United)
Steven Reid (Blackburn Rovers)
Graham Kavanagh (Wigan)
Kevin Kilbane (Everton)
Jonathan Douglas (Leeds United)
Wide Midfield
Alan O'Brien (Newcastle United)
Aiden McGeady (Celtic)
Damien Duff (Newcastle United)
Forwards:
Kevin Doyle (Reading)
Clinton Morrison (Crystal Palace)
Stephen Elliott (Sunderland)
Daryl Murphy (Sunderland)
Bizarre Squad. 2 Fit Central defenders & 3 wingers (1 is an unproven kid). Remember Staunton cannot call in any U21 players as they in Greece. He must be going to play 4-3-3 such is the players left.
:confused:
Beating the Dutch is meaningless. I'd rather see Stan try to iron out some of the kinks than beating the dutch. We beat the Dutch under Kerr in Holland and it didn't help us.Quote:
Originally Posted by thew0rm2345
Paddy Kenny
Ian Harte
Richard Dunne
John O'Shea
Steve Finnan
Damien Duff
Steven Reid
Graham Kavanagh
Aiden McGeady
Clinton Morrison
Stephen Elliott
I hate to be a downer but boy this does not look good. We might do well not to be beaten soundly, 3 or 4-0. Scary that this is what the squad is down to.
His decisions get stranger by the minute. I wouldn't really consider O'Shea as a CB, although it appears that Stan sees him as so. Has he played there in pre-season?
3 strikers and a CB got injured and he calls up a Douglas, a midfielder, when we already have 8 midfielders in the squad :rolleyes:
He should have called up the Doc at least he his match fit and has had a full successfull season at CB, even if it is a level lower than the EPL.
It's such an important position that I think it's less risky to play someone from a lower level that plays in that position week-in-week-out, than to play someone like O'Shea or Kilbane there.
My team from the squad we have available would be -
--------------Kenny-------------
Finnan---O'Brien---O'Shea----Kilbane
McGeady-----Kav----Reid-----Duff
-----Morrisson---Elliott-----------
Morrisson is not fully fit yet becuase he missed a few pre-season games with a knee injury so he probably wouldn't last the whole game. Doyle is probably not match fit either as his season hasn't started yet. So I'd give them both a half and bring Murphy on for Elliott for the last 15 mins.
I'd bring Miller on for Kav early in the second half. The midfield might be a bit lightweight with both him and McGeady there but I'd give it a chance for 20 mins or so and then bring Carr on for McGeady for the final 20 mins to see do he and Finnan link up as well as they did last time.
I'd leave the defence as it is for the whole game - unless someone gets injured.
Kilbane as a left back? Is that what we're down to? I know everyone here thought he played well in that spot vs. Chile but I thought he got picked apart all game. Harte is crap defensively but surely he is a better option, he plays there week in week out in Spain. What's the deal with Harte anyway, is he coming back to England or what?
Bare bones indeed. Our defence even at full strength was weak so without Dunne I fear the worst. Why didn't he call up the lad from Leicester?!
..or Doherty or Butler.Quote:
Originally Posted by shakermaker1982
Or McShane, or even Coughlan....Quote:
Originally Posted by Paddy Garcia
I take it this means we'll be seeing John O'Shea at centre-half again??
Kenny
Finnan O'Brien O'Shea Harte/Kilbane
McGeady Reid Kav Duff
Elliott/Morrisson Doyle
Would like to see Elliott and Doyle up front from the start, see if they play well together. Nothing new to be learned from Morrisson.
If he decides to play either Harte or (please God,no) Kilbane at centre half I think we could be on the receiving end of a drubbing....
Is Dunne's injury serious? how does he rate for Germany??
dunne should be fit for Chelsea at the weekend, it's a slight knock on his knee, and he was removed from the squad as a preventative measure more than anything else.
Stephen Ireland missed a 2 game tour of China with his injury, and I'd be more worried about him missing the Germany game than Dunne
[QUOTE=Dr. Ogba;515240]If he decides to play either Harte or (please God,no) Kilbane at centre half I think we could be on the receiving end of a drubbing....
QUOTE]
I dont think Stan thinks he has only 2 Central Defenders. I think he would see himself playing Harte, Kilbane, Finnan(?) there as well as O'Shea and O'Brien.
In fact my tip for the starting lineup is
Kenny
Finnan O'Brien Harte
Carr Kilbane
Reid O'Shea
Duff
Morrison Doyle
Not that I agree but it does fit in with the squad
I think this will be the team
Kenny
Finnan O Brien O Shea Kilbane
Carr Reid Kavanagh Duff
Doyle Morrisson/Elliot