Republic of Ireland V Luxembourg - Saturday, 27th March 2021 - World Cup Qualifier

Do we need a new thread for Saturday btw?

I wouldn't change a huge amount; that was a new team that played well away to a decent side (albeit one who I felt never found an extra gear they're capable of) and actually scored. Though the mindset for Luxembourg at home is different to Serbia away you'd imagine.

The keeper issue has been discussed at length but I don't think Travers did a huge amount wrong - the lob aside - and it would be harsh to drop him for that. But same XI again? Will Connolly be fit or should we try batter Luxembourg a bit with Long?

I think the same team if available should start. I thought Collins did well when he came on and linked up well with others. He is a decent threat when kicking it long. Its not subtle but its effective to change things up at times. I thought Robinson played well. How are Luxembourg against crosses into the box/long balls versus passing through them ?

I would of picked Bazunu last night over Travers but its a marginal call.

Kenny has to pick a team and formation that achieves a win. Any win at this stage is important.

New thread for the Luxembourg qualifier. I'll spin a new one for the Qatar friendly off of this after the game on Saturday

I think it might be freshened up a bit, and I wouldn't be surprised to see a 4-3-3 again to facilitate a more attacking approach. Doherty probably missing out in such case, Coleman moving to conventional right full and Stevens left. Cullen has to start again if fit and would be hard to justify dropping Molumby or Browne but might be worth one change to get fresher legs in, Hendrick might be the favorite, but after his lack of impact the other night maybe Knight gets a chance. Connolly and Robinson to start again if fit, with Long or Collins to make up the third attacker, maybe Collins just for being the more natural goal scorer and conventional centre forward to get on the end of crosses.

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Originally Posted by passinginterest

with Long or Collins to make up the third attacker, maybe Collins just for being the more natural goal scorer and conventional centre forward to get on the end of crosses.

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i thought collins did well last night. held the ball up well and passed it on with effect. also on hand to stick in the 2nd goal.
gets unreasonable criticism and worthy of more game time imo

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Originally Posted by passinginterest

I think it might be freshened up a bit, and I wouldn't be surprised to see a 4-3-3 again to facilitate a more attacking approach. Doherty probably missing out in such case, Coleman moving to conventional right full and Stevens left. Cullen has to start again if fit and would be hard to justify dropping Molumby or Browne but might be worth one change to get fresher legs in, Hendrick might be the favorite, but after his lack of impact the other night maybe Knight gets a chance. Connolly and Robinson to start again if fit, with Long or Collins to make up the third attacker, maybe Collins just for being the more natural goal scorer and conventional centre forward to get on the end of crosses.

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My thoughts exactly, three at the back worked well last night but the tasks at hand are chalk and cheese. Knight for Doherty for me too, the latter just isn't playing well at the moment and agree we need a stronger focal point in attack, be it Long or Collins. Connolly works best from the left anyway, if he's fit enough to start again. And yes, very hard on either Molumby or Browne, so what you said! Maybe retain Browne as the bigger goal threat.

I'm going to watch the match again before commenting on the Serbia game, but one thing he's got to do, is come up with a settled side - on a footdot WA group I posted the changes he's made/been forced to make in midfield for every game so far - we need consistency now. So my suggestion is...to change midfield! the irony.

I was delighted he went with the 352 because it can be easily tweaked to morph into a few different formations (343/3331/3232) against the weaker sides which Luxembourg absolutely are. I'd be inclined to keep the back 5 as it is, but with Doherty and Stevens having much more licence to get forward and to be stationed here predominantly, with Cullen having the responsibility just in front of OShea.
What I thought we really lacked last night, is the same thing we've always lacked, that touch of guile that we need just behind the striker. I've got to be honest, I'd start Troy Parrot. Its totally irrational, but he has something that nobody else in our squad has in that regard.

One last thing - this match is absolutely must win for the squad, for the public, and for SK. But it's worth remembering, that no Irish manager has had to wait 9 competitive games before getting their first "banker" match.
Charlton had 6 games, but had the Iceland tournament under his belt; (Lux A)
Mick PI 1st game (LTN A)
Kerr 3rd (Alb H)
Stan 2nd (CY A - ha!~) or 4 (SNM H) depending on your perspective.
Trap 1st (GIA N) or 3 (CY H);
ONeill 2nd (GIB H) - again 1st game was away to GIA
Mick PII 1st (Gib A)
SK 9th (Lux H)
(phew, my argument was nearly blown completely out of the water by that error)

So maybe, just maybe, cut him some slack. In light of the above, I reserve the right to believe that accepting England as a friendly opponent is right up there with one of the most stupid decisions made by the FAI in a long time.



-----Coleman --- OShea ---- Clark------

--------------------Cullen------------------

Doherty --------- Browne -----------Stevens

------------ Parrott------ Connolly ----------

--------------------Collins-------------------

or

-----Coleman --- O'Shea ---- Stevens--

--------------------Cullen------------------

Doherty ---Browne ----Molumby ----Connolly

------------------- Parrott ------ ----------

--------------------Collins-------------------

Oh and Travers to start. Bazunu comes in for the Qatar game, and lets never speak of it again.

I don't buy into the logic that Travers needs to keep his place for his confidence. Massive error aside, he never looked comfortable last night. hesitant to come off his line, positioning all over the place and was clearly nervous. I empathise with him and have no doubt he's a decent keeper but I would drop him immediately for Bazunu. He got his chance and wasn't good enough, lets see what Bazunu can do.

I fully expect Kenny to stick with Travers though.

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Originally Posted by ColourfulPeanut

I don't buy into the logic that Travers needs to keep his place for his confidence. Massive error aside, he never looked comfortable last night. hesitant to come off his line, positioning all over the place and was clearly nervous. I empathise with him and have no doubt he's a decent keeper but I would drop him immediately for Bazunu. He got his chance and wasn't good enough, lets see what Bazunu can do.

I fully expect Kenny to stick with Travers though.

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No your right its ridiculous not to drop a guy because he is young, he was awful last night no presence, hesitant. sorry this is our country, Bazunu should start

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Originally Posted by Diggs246

No your right its ridiculous not to drop a guy because he is young, he was awful last night no presence, hesitant. sorry this is our country, Bazunu should start

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He wasn't awful. He was caught out for the lob, sure. There wasn't much he could do about the other two goals, and he pulled off a decent save in the first half.

There's no guarantee Bazunu is any better (otherwise he wouldn't be shipping two goals a game in the third tier, and we're back to that point again). Kenny will have a better idea though based on what he's seen in training.

I would certainly be giving all three keepers game time over the next two games though.

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Originally Posted by pineapple stu

He wasn't awful. He was caught out for the lob, sure. There wasn't much he could do about the other two goals, and he pulled off a decent save in the first half.

There's no guarantee Bazunu is any better (otherwise he wouldn't be shipping two goals a game in the third tier, and we're back to that point again). Kenny will have a better idea though based on what he's seen in training.

I would certainly be giving all three keepers game time over the next two games though.

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Putting aside the goal, his positioning in general was awful and he had zero authority in his box. he was just poor

Well we can go round and about on that - I think it's very harsh, and I don't think I'd be alone in that - but it still stands that there's no guarantee Bazunu is any better.

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Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Well we can go round and about on that - I think it's very harsh, and I don't think I'd be alone in that - but it still stands that there's no guarantee Bazunu is any better.

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"still stands that there's no guarantee Bazunu is any better"

True but we have imo the proof that travers isn't good enough or just not ready

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Originally Posted by Diggs246

"still stands that there's no guarantee Bazunu is any better"

True but we have imo the proof that travers isn't good enough or just not ready

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This 100% , Travers directly responsible for the second goal and could hardly have done worse given he let in 3 of the 4 shots on target.
He is bench warming every week at Bournemouth and should never have been put in.
Bazunu is playing every week, how much worse could he possibly have been ?? 4 goals out of 4 shots ?? i doubt it.
Kenny will probably stick with Travers as it is easier than admitting he was wrong...god help us against Lux they are better than people think

Gavin Bazunu has been playing senior football for two and a half years, including games with the biggest club side in Ireland at only 16. He's one of the youngest players getting regular football in English football at the moment. He's been called into the senior side for the first time, and people still can't spell his name correctly
If you can spell McLoughlin, Caoimhin, McClean, Ibrahimovic, Gnabry, Mbappe etc correctly without needing to google it, you can get Bazunu correct.

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Originally Posted by ColourfulPeanut

I don't buy into the logic that Travers needs to keep his place for his confidence. Massive error aside, he never looked comfortable last night. hesitant to come off his line, positioning all over the place and was clearly nervous. I empathise with him and have no doubt he's a decent keeper but I would drop him immediately for Bazunu. He got his chance and wasn't good enough, lets see what Bazunu can do.

I fully expect Kenny to stick with Travers though.

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I agree with you in your appraisal of him.
I preferred Bazunu - on the basis of him playing week in-week out and how Crawford spoke so enthusiastically about him, however the goalie's union convinced me otherwise. As it happens, I thought he never looked right from the get go last night, possibly a back pass early on or a goal kick that he didn't really get in control of the situation.
However, it's not as much for his confidence, but the chemistry between staff and players. He wasn't awful, but I expected more of him, but to dump him now, for someone equally untested would be an unnecessary risk - in what should be a risk-free game. Much better to leave Travers in situ, and play Bazunu on Tues and see how he gets on.
Chances are Kelleher will go back to the top of the tree - it's possible we've seen the last of Randolph.

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Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Well we can go round and about on that - I think it's very harsh, and I don't think I'd be alone in that - but it still stands that there's no guarantee Bazunu is any better.

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The reality is that none of us has really seen enough of any of them to judge. I said on the Serbia thread last week that all 3 excite me and fill me with fear in equal measure. I stand by that.

In defence of Travers last night I was looking at Tadic's corners and I thought they were brilliant. You could see Travers was desperate to come and claim one but each one was in that no man's land where it was neither the keeper's to claim, nor was it not the keeper's to claim. Tadic was playing mind games with him and won easily.

Dave Henderson tweeted last night that Travers was positioned for the overhit through ball. That may be so but as soon as Mitrovic got the ball I thought "sh1t" he's been given an easy target to hit.

If our choice of keeper is the deciding factor versus Luxembourg then we're goosed. I'd be inclined to keep him and play Bazunu against Qatar. But there's no time to be sentimental and I'm looking forward to seeing Bazunu play soon.

The only change I would make is to ensure that if Brady "has to" come on at any point that he's not put in a position that he sees his skills as vital to decapitating the first defender. Alternatively, drop him altogether.

I've been calling out for wingbacks but Doherty disappoints me every time he plays for Ireland. I've no idea how he did so well at Wolves. He doesn't seem to know how to play any position and just relies on getting played through here and there to have a little highlight to show for his time. No tackles, no showing for the ball or positive movement, no ability to pick out a pass, no real pace unless he gets a good run at it. He's a physical presence but that's about it. Contrasted to Stevens, who makes mistakes here and there but always shows for it and moves after he plays simple balls. He was also involved in our goal and adds a threat up top to his defensive solidity.

With that in mind I'd go back to 4 agains Lux. Coleman, OShea, Clark, Stevens. Cullen.

I'd bring in Collins for Doherty and play with a proper center forward for Connolly, Browne and Robinson to play off of. Collins knows the role and we have nothing better. He's done just fine when called upon and can hold it up and bring the other 3 in. McGoldrick would make should a big difference but.....ah well.

I'd personally never have gone with Travers but they took the risk on him being a bit rusty and it bit us. More senior keepers have been beaten by lobs like that so he will hopefully dust himself off and learn from it. Now they have to manage his confidence and play him again. Bazunu should get a chance in the friendly. If he does well, then he has a good case to start.

So

--------------Travers
Coleman, O'Shea, Clark, Stevens
---------Cullen----Molumby
Robinson --Browne ---Connolly
-------------Collins

Long deserves another sub appearance. Hendrick and Brady do not. Get Knight in and maybe call Parrot back...maybe.

Still think we lack someone to spread the play and mix up the passing a bit from midfield. Cullen doesn't seem to be able to play a long ball at all as much as I like what he offers. If Robbie Brady ever decides he wants to do more than set pieces he could do it but I won't hold my breath.

Calls for Duffy to play based on the idea he would have beaten Mitrovic to the header are odd to me. Duffy would have be sliced apart multiple times by Tadic long before he had a chance to make amends by winning that header. The lad probably needs a break from football and there's no shame in that.

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Originally Posted by Kingdom

One last thing - this match is absolutely must win for the squad, for the public, and for SK. But it's worth remembering, that no Irish manager has had to wait 10 competitive games before getting their first "banker" match.

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In fairness, Kenny had 2 matches against a dreadful Bulgaria. Beating Luxemburg is a must. The Serbia game was encouraging and we saw some good signs but we've lost again! A win will just ease the pressure from everyone and let us play freely. I have to say that I don't think Collins is up to it but I'll be delighted to be proved wrong. I think technically he is far off this level and Long still has far more to offer. I'd like to see Jason Knight get a run against Luxemburg. Think he can add some directness. I'd probably also make a change in goals but sticking with the same team is not a bad idea in my opinion.