Back 4 for Georgia

Well fellas, suggestions now for our back four to start the next competitive fixture against Georgia. John O'Shea looked competent tonight. That's probably no major shock to anybody. He should have been given an opportunity to start before.

Generally I would like to see defenders play internationally in their preferred club positions. But in our case I would make an exception due to our lack of a quality defensive left full. I would also like to see players who play regularly with good quality sides getting the nod.

My choice would be (excepting injuries or serious dips in form)

Carr O'Brien O'Shea Finnan

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Originally posted by The Money Man
My choice would be (excepting injuries or serious dips in form)

Carr O'Brien O'Shea Finnan

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There's just a few small problems with that line out:
1. Kenny Cunningham is the team captain- he's guaranteed to get his game,
2. Finnan is right-sided, though this is something that can probably be ignored, and
3. Having seen Andy O'Briens European Cup performances he just isn't good enough to mix it at international level.

Murphy Out Now!!!

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Originally posted by Shed End John


There's just a few small problems with that line out:
1. Kenny Cunningham is the team captain- he's guaranteed to get his game,

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I thought Kenny Cunningham was Mick McCarthy's team captain. Now that Mick has gone I'm sure any new manager would reserve the right to select his own captain. I would suggest that it probably wont be Cunningham.

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Originally posted by The Money Man


I thought Kenny Cunningham was Mick McCarthy's team captain. Now that Mick has gone I'm sure any new manager would reserve the right to select his own captain.

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I know he was, but, he'll hardly be striped of the captaincy only a few weeks after getting it. Besides, the last thing the players need is more instability, which picking a new captain would create.
I'm not saying he's the right man for the job, he clearly isn't but, IMO this is something better sorted another time.

Murphy Out Now!!!

Sure wont RK be the captain again for the next match:D ;)

Btw my back 4 is Carr O'Shea O'Brien Finnan as well.

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Originally posted by Real ale Madrid
Sure wont RK be the captain again for the next match:D ;)

Btw my back 4 is Carr O'Shea O'Brien Finnan as well.

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Well, if RK comes back I reckon it's odds on he'll be captain, rightly or wrongly, anyone else would only be a figurehead with Keane on the pitch.
Assuming no BIG losses of form or confidence, this is the back 4 I reckon could do a job:
Carr, O'Shea, Breen and Finnan.

Murphy Out Now!!!

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Originally posted by Shed End John


I'm not saying he's the right man for the job, he clearly isn't but, IMO this is something better sorted another time.

Murphy Out Now!!!

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You're not suggesting that the new man should make patently poor selection decisions in the interests of stability. The only way stability will be brought back to the set up is when a reasonably regular first eleven, led by the right man, put a few wins under the belt and get us back on track.

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Originally posted by The Money Man


You're not suggesting that the new man should make patently poor selection decisions in the interests of stability.

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Absolutely not, never in a million years. I'm just saying that the Irish teams boat has been rocked enough this past 7 months or so and it shouldn't be needlessly rocked in the future.

Murphy Out Now!!!

O'Brien is not good enough for international football at the moment - at least not as first choice...

Cunningham has been a good leader in the past + IMO Breen is not that bad & people overstate his faults..

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Originally posted by pete


Cunningham has been a good leader in the past + IMO Breen is not that bad & people overstate his faults..

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I'm not trying to run either of the guys down. Breen had a very solid World Cup and Cunningham has been an impressive servant in the past.

BUT that does not disguise the fact that we were shambolic defensively against Russia and Switzerland. Breen and Cunningham were the men on duty both days.

O'Brien is no world class defender, but he is better than Cunningham and Breen, Cunningham was terrible against Russia, and Breen is no good. People say he had a good world cup, but he was at fault for the goal against Spain for letting an attacking player run across him and head the ball which is really a schoolboy error. That goal put us out in the end. He sometimes makes up for in endevour what he lacks in skill, but he makes too many mistakes.

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Originally posted by pete
O'Brien is not good enough for international football at the moment - at least not as first choice...

Cunningham has been a good leader in the past + IMO Breen is not that bad & people overstate his faults..

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Thank you. Thought I'd get rightly roasted for saying some of that, but, it appears I'm not the only one who can see the wood from the trees.
Questions remain however about Cunningham. Ever hear the stockmarket warning 'Past performance is not a guide to future returns'.

Murphy Out Now!!!

Andy O'Brien is no genius. But the fact is that he plays at a higher level week in week out with a better club than either Cunningham or Breen. I would always feel more secure in entrusting an international job to a player who plays regularly against the best players in Europe.

O'Brien plays in the Premiership, but, so does Breen........same difference. You're very mistaken about the Premiers**t if you think the best players in Europe ply their trade there. The best players in Europe are playing where they've always played Spain and Italy.

Murphy Out Now!!!

In fairness I think the Money Man was saying how O'Brien was playing in the Chamions league. Breen is not up to that standard.

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Originally posted by Real ale Madrid
In fairness I think the Money Man was saying how O'Brien was playing in the Chamions league. Breen is not up to that standard.

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Well from what I've seen of the Magpies in Europe this season, neither is O'Brien.

Murphy Out Now!!!

Did the Magpies not reach the second round? Against the odds.

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Originally posted by Real ale Madrid
Did the Magpies not reach the second round? Against the odds.

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Maybe, but, I wouldn't rank them above 14th of the 16 teams in the second round. They're out of their depth and will be shown up BIG time. It also didn't hide O'Briens below par performances.

Murphy Out Now!!!

Ok, you are probably better informed as I only saw Newcastle once that was against Feyenoord, Still think he is infinitely better tha Breen.

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Originally posted by Shed End John


also didn't hide O'Briens below par performances.

Murphy Out Now!!!

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O'Brien was maybe partially at fault for Feyenoord's goal at Newcastle but I don't remember him doing an awful lot else wrong in the first phase. Obviously Shed End you can put me right with a litany of other mistakes he made because you seem to remember the six games with crystal clarity.