Team for June 4th

I know it's early and we will probably get to see a few of the fringe players against China so there's a chance that some in my suggested starting 11 for the next competitive game might play sh!te tomorrow :D .

Anyway considering Keane and Carr are out who would you have in the starting 11 and what 6 (is it 5 or 6?) subs should be on the bench?

-------------Given--------------

Finnan--O'Brien--Cunningham--O'Shea

Reid--Kavanagh--Holland--Duff---

--------Morrison----Keane------------

Subs: Kenny, Dunne, Kilbane, S. Reid, McGeady, Elliott

OK no replacement for RB if Finnan get injured but O'Shea can move to RB and Kilbane can fill in at LB, which is where I would prefer to see him rather than CMF.

I’d rather not play Holland but if we play a Kilbane Kavanagh CMF partnership again I think it restricts Kavanagh a lot because his natural game is attacking but with Kilbane beside him he will be expected to play the holding role. TBH I have no faith in Kilbane's ability to attack, just look at his brutal goals-to-games ratio. He was good against France because he was there to breakdown the attacks from their so-called superior MF but IMO he didn't offer much going forward in that game or in any of the games against the lesser teams where we should be under less pressure to defend.

Our set-pieces were nothing short of a disaster on Saturday. That's because none of our 4 natural free kick takers were on the pitch at the time (the two Reids, Kavanagh and Harte) S. Reid hasn't done enough to be in the starting 11 and Harte's free taking ability is far outweighed by his faults (too slow and can't defend)
Not having a recognised threat from free kicks in a decent position is a major loss to any team. At least with Kavanagh and A. Reid on board we should have a few more ideas or have more confidence of tacking a crack from distance.

--------------Given-----------------
Finnan----Dunne----Cunningham----O'Shea
Reid----Kavanagh----Kilbane----Duffer
--------------Keane-----------------
------------Morrison-----------------

Given
Kelly Dunne Cunningham Harte(resting O'Shea for France :rolleyes: )
McGeady Quinn Kilbane
S.Reid Duff
Keane

Subs: Kenny, O'Shea, 'turn your back' O'Brien, Holland, Moro and maybe Connolly and Reid

Peyton

Morris Daish Grimes Phelan

Mcateer Dunphy O'brien Galvin

Slaven Doherty

Kenny

Finnan Dunne O'Brien O'Shea

McGeady Kavanagh Kilbane Reid

Elliott Morrison

Subs:- Given Maybury Cunningham Robbie Keane Duff

Given

Finnan - O'Brien - Cunningham - O'Shea

Kelly - Kavanagh - Reid

Keane - Morisson - Duff

Actually on Saturday nights performance
--------Kelly (Bohs)----------
Heary(Shels) Gray(Drogs) Ferguson(LTFC)Dillon(LTFC)
Ryan(Bohs) Hunt(Bohs) Byrne(Shels) Doyle (Cork)
-----O'Flynn(Cork) Byrne (Shels)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Flea

Given
Kelly Dunne Cunningham Harte(resting O'Shea for France :rolleyes: )
McGeady Quinn Kilbane
S.Reid Duff
Keane

Subs: Kenny, O'Shea, 'turn your back' O'Brien, Holland, Moro and maybe Connolly and Reid

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Jesus Christ! :eek: Do you expect us to have the ball for the 90 minutes? We'd be murdered with that team against almost anyone.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by johnmac

Kenny

Finnan Dunne O'Brien O'Shea

McGeady Kavanagh Kilbane Reid

Elliott Morrison

Subs:- Given Maybury Cunningham Robbie Keane Duff

---

JohnMac, you cant be serious about dropping Cunningham and Given? They have been our most consistent players for the last two years and they along with Duff were our best players on Saturday.

I am not averse giving Richard Dunne a go, but if anywhere if should be at Left Back. Unlike O'Shea, he knows how to defend and with his deceptive pace he should be able to play there with no problem.

Leaving Given and Cunningham out for what now is a must win game, no way!

would love to see more of dunne/cunningham and i imagine we will against china. have this nagging feeling that the late israel strike woulda been bread and butter for a hard-charging dunne to close down late in a game

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ken foree

would love to see more of dunne/cunningham and i imagine we will against china. have this nagging feeling that the late israel strike woulda been bread and butter for a hard-charging dunne to close down late in a game

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Like he did at Stamford Bridge. Fair point.
I thought O'Brien & Cunningham were one of the positives from Saturday though.

For me:

Given

Finnan-Cunningham-O'Brien (though I'd be perfectly happy with Dunne)-O'Shea

Reid- Kav-Kilbane-Duffer

Keane & Morrison

I'd persist with Kilbane as I think he'd be better on a bigger pitch. We also need some height & a bit of pace - something neither Kav or Holland has. He & Kav have done well together a few times. Holland just never inspires me though I suspect he's one of these players his team mates appreciate being there doing the simple things. Kav has a great range of passing and in theory is good at set-pieces (but they were brutal at home to Cyprus and in the Brazil friendly).

I'd be interested to see how this'd work though:

Holland-Kav-Kilbane
Reid-Keane-Duffer

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Superhoops

JohnMac, you cant be serious about dropping Cunningham and Given? They have been our most consistent players for the last two years and they along with Duff were our best players on Saturday.

I am not averse giving Richard Dunne a go, but if anywhere if should be at Left Back. Unlike O'Shea, he knows how to defend and with his deceptive pace he should be able to play there with no problem.

Leaving Given and Cunningham out for what now is a must win game, no way!

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I've only ever seen Dunne play left full once - away to Greece in Don Givens' one game in charge. . He got MOTM for playing out of position in that game, and , err, that's it. It was without doubt the worst game of football I've ever seen in my life. Also notable for Richie Partridge sitting on the bench, and Glen Crowe starting up front with the Doc

Superhoops

You don't seriously think I would consider dropping Given, Cunningham,Duff, Robbie and Roy Keane. the latter Ihave left out as others have done because he is suspended for the home game v Israel.

I consider the above 4 our key players,but I think it is sensible to use a friendly against China to give other players an opportunity. I hope we will not have to do without Given, Cunningham, Duff etc in any of our future qualifiers, but if we have then the players I have selected will benefit from getting a decent crack in tonight's game.

Like Kerr, I do not want to lose any game we play, but I would much rather lose every friendly, but get some benefit from it, than lose any one of our remaining WC qualifiers.

The only selection I have made which might be considered premature, is that of McGeady. I just happen to think that if,- when- we get to Germany, He will be one of our key players, and I think the time is right to give him a full game.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by like a badger

Peyton

Morris Daish Grimes Phelan

Mcateer Dunphy O'brien Galvin

Slaven Doherty

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Arrrgh..the briggan, the braggan, the noggin and the fermot...go on yeah good thing :p
Bernie will bang in the winner from 40 yards :D

Finnan in for Carr at right back and keep the same outfit that beat cyprus 3-0.

Dunne might get a look in if he's on form tonight and keeps em out at Man City.

Given
Finnan Cunningham O'Brien O'Shea
Reid Kavanagh Kilbane Duff
Keane Morrisson

Bring on Mc Geady if were in need of a winner.

To

Superhoops and others

My sincere apologies. I was picking a team for tonight's match and everyone else a team to play the next qualifier against Israel!!!

How could I mistake the Thread Header - "Team for June 4th" with "Team for March 20" - or whatever today's date is, I just don't know. All I can say is that I am approaching 70, and suffer these 'Senior Moments'.

Oh dear - it's March 29th today!

GIVEN

FINNAN - CUNNINGHAM - O'BRIEN - HARTE

REID - KAVANAGH - KILBANE - DUFF

MORRISON - ROBBIE


I'd play Harte ahead of O'Shea anyday
Both the same defensivly, but at least Harte can pass the ball

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SAINTS4EVER

GIVEN

FINNAN - CUNNINGHAM - O'BRIEN - HARTE

REID - KAVANAGH - KILBANE - DUFF

MORRISON - ROBBIE


I'd play Harte ahead of O'Shea anyday
Both the same defensivly, but at least Harte can pass the ball

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Shame its not like American Football.
We could bring Harte on for free kicks and corners and then take him off.
Stephen McPhail also
Blatter - sort it out.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SAINTS4EVER

GIVEN

FINNAN - CUNNINGHAM - O'BRIEN - HARTE

REID - KAVANAGH - KILBANE - DUFF

MORRISON - ROBBIE


I'd play Harte ahead of O'Shea anyday
Both the same defensivly, but at least Harte can pass the ball

---

Agree with the rest, but harto :confused: Hows he doin in Spain :confused:

Kilbane and Roy Keane are out due to the bookings arent they ?


---------------GIVEN

FINNAN - CUNNINGHAM - O'BRIEN - O'SHEA

--------------KAVANAGH

-McGEADY*------------------DUFF

---------------A.REID*

----------MORRISON - ROBBIE


SOME SUBS
Kenny, Dunne, Doc, S.Reid, Harte, Holland, Elliott

The keeper, defenders and strikeforce pretty much pick themselves. The only hard call is Dunne and he is first choice back up IMO. The only tricky call is midfield. I think the above would give us a great attacking emphasis, which we will need as the Israelis should be there for the taking at LR, and its time for revenge from Saturday. In terms of the bench - I'd like to see Harte given a chance as he seems to be improving with Levante in Valencia, similarly Steven Reid has being playing well of late. I think both deserve a place in the squad, esp. as we now have two vacancies for this game in midfield.

I'm not sure about McGeady on the right of midfield, ideally he'll play there tonight to give us a chance to see how he might do. If not I'd drop the diamond and have a flat 4 in midfield, putting A.Reid on the right, Duff on the left and Kav and S.Reid in the center, and McGeady on the bench.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by cfdh_edmundo

Kilbane and Roy Keane are out due to the bookings arent they ?

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No, Saturday was only Kilbane's 1st booking.

I am just so glad that most of the people posting here are not in charge of the Irish team, so of the teams picked are mad, they are not sure who is suspended what day the game is on etc. How can anybody form any sort of argument against the managers teams when they dont know who is suspended for what matches etc. George Hamilton was at it the other night too saying that certain players were suspended for the game in dublin despite the fact that Israels next match is tomorrow night. Carr and Roy Keane are suspended,

I will bet serious amounts of money that the only call Kerr will have to make provided there is no injuries is between Holland and Kavanagh. Andy Reid will play and so will Steven Finnan. The centre backs will be the same and John O shea will be at left back with Keane and Morrisson up front. It was like before the away game loads of people had mad teams up too. In the end the choice was Reid or Finnan just like in Paris. Kerr is not one for wholesale changes.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by NeilMcD

Kerr is not one for wholesale changes.

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Agreed, the last time he made drastic changes in the squad was the first Swiss away game - 'nuff said

Does Harte have any chance of being called up for these qualifiers?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by eirebhoy

Jesus Christ! :eek: Do you expect us to have the ball for the 90 minutes? We'd be murdered with that team against almost anyone.

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We were murdered anyways :D

Given
Finnan Cunningham O'Brien O'Shea
A.Reid Kavanagh Kilbane Duff
Keane Morrison

As for Harte, he should at least be in the squad ahead of Maybury :confused:

I think Kerr will go with the following : -


--------------Given-----------------
-------Cunningham-O'Brien----------
Finnan------------------------O'Shea
---------Kavanagh-Kilbane-----------
A.Reid---------Keane------------Duff
-------------Morrison---------------

Im happy enough. I think the team picks itself.

It should be enough for us to scrape a 1-0 win but looking at that display tonight it hardly inspires confidence. We are dodgy at the back and are really lacking in the final third. There isnt any real leaders on the pitch and only 1 proper attacking player.

I hope we dont pick up injuries :eek: