For me:
.……Randolph
Coleman Duffy Keogh/Long Doherty
O’Dowda Brady Browne McClean
..……McGoldrick
.…Long/Maguire
I’ll no doubt change my mind on this in 5 minutes
For me:
.……Randolph
Coleman Duffy Keogh/Long Doherty
O’Dowda Brady Browne McClean
..……McGoldrick
.…Long/Maguire
I’ll no doubt change my mind on this in 5 minutes
I would go with this team against Gibraltar
-------------Randy
Coleman Duffy Egan Stevens
Doherty McCarthy Browne Brady
----------McGoldrick
----------Michael Obafemi
Is McCarthy match-fit though?
Gibraltar is a pretty ideal fixture to build up some match fitness. Shame he didn't get a loan move in January though.
-------------Randy
------Egan Duffy Clark-------
Doherty McCarthy Browne Brady
----------McGoldrick
------Obafemi----Robinson----
or
-----------------------------Kieran O'Hara
----------Ryan Nolan - Brendan Hines-Ike - Cian Flanagan-------
Conor Coventry - Ryan Johansson - Caoimhin Fowler - Robin Walsh
--------------------------Dan Crowley
------Nathan Redmond----Paddy Bamford--------------------------
Well if he hadn't, it could have referred to a shock call-up for his brother Afolabi. And before you all accuse me of cultural ignorance, I am not referring to his Southampton team-mate - I know they are not related. Because Michael Obafemi, who plays alongside Jonathan Afolabi for Southampton and Ireland, has a footballer older brother called Afolabi Obafemi, although he was born in England and I don't know if he lived in Ireland for long enough to qualify. He plays for Barking: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afolabi_Obafemi
D’you want some milk of the poppy for that burn?....
Or
-------------------Randolph
Coleman Duffy Stevens
Doherty McCarthy Browne Brady
------------------McGoldrick
----------Maguire Obafemi
Only 3 defenders in an attack minded team, but surely Doherty and Browne's intervention could handle anything Gibraltar had to throw at our defence?
No place for Hendrick based on last few performances. Ditto Long. Probably a bit harsh on McLean, who should be the frist substitute on the list.
Ok so I'll go with a standard 4-4-2. I think we need to play two up front with wingers & full backs to create the chances. No need of 5 in midfield (3 central midfielders) as we should have more than enough in two central midfielders to handle them.
GK - Darren Randolph
DR - Seamus Coleman
CB - Shane Duffy
CB - Ciaran Clarke
DL - Enda Stevens
MR - Matt Doherty
MC - James McCarthy
MC - Alan Browne
ML - Robbie Brady
FW - Shane Long
FW - Séanie Maguire
Only the one player (slightly) out of position, Matt Doherty. I had to squeeze both himself and Coleman in there as one's bang on form and the other's the captain. James McCarthy gets in there to build up match sharpness and confidence. Alan Browne is in there for being in great form also, ahead of the likes of Arter, Hendrick, etc. Brady ahead of McClean for his set piece delivery and bit more creativity.
It's a cliche, and it's not true. There are easy games and this should be one of them. With that in mind i see this game as an opportunity to get a few young players over the hurdle of getting their first international camp and experiment with new systemsQuote:
There are no easy games in international football
I would like to see us try playing a 3-4-3 in the next 2 games. I think it's the system which best suits the players we have.
This would be something like...
------------- Kelleher ------------
--- Coleman O'Connor Duffy ---
Doherty Arter Johansson Brady
-- O'Dowda Connolly Obafemi --
Though the kids in the team could easily be Nolan, Masterson Idah, Parrott or Afolabi.
In terms of the message we are sending out though i feel it is important to play Obafemi and at least one who was born in Ireland. With all that has gone on recently I would be wanting to make it obvious that it's about developing a new generation of players and not just putting caps on players before some other country come knocking.
Rudolph
Coleman * Duffy * Egan * Stevens
Doherty * Arter * Browne * O'Dowda
McGoldrick
Obafemi
Surprised at the lack of O'Dowda in the lineups so far.
I can see Duffy running riot from set pieces vs Gibraltar. Will definitely be having a few bob on him scoring.
I'm aware that Obafemi has just the one senior goal to his name and may even miss out through injury, but after years of watching 'solid pros' scrapping to valiant away (and too often, home) draws, I have never been in more of a mind to see youth having its fling and maverick talents running wild.
I back some of your shouts there. The opposition being Gibraltar and us having a new manager means the slate is clean for Mick to pick on form, as opposed to having McClean and Christie in mind for most positions. I fancy O'Dowda, Doherty and Browne to start too as they are our form players. Egan, Stevens and McGoldrick are all doing well at club level too so they're in with a shout. I would like to see Seani Maguire start alongside Obafemi or instead of him, personally. Both are probably too small to play together. I think Seani needs plenty blooding at this level for us.
Obafemi or Maguire up top would at the very least have some fizz of excitement about it. I can't say the same about Long or even Walters at this stage. Murphy and Whelan out of retirement? Depressing talk. I pulled Arter from the much-of-a-muchness gallery we have to deal with in central midfield.
Fizz is a good word for those two. Real balls of energy that can get behind defences.
I concur on Arter. A fit and playing McCarthy would be preferable for me but I can't see him getting much game time this season for his club.
Randolph
Coleman Duffy Clark Stevens
Doherty Arter Hendrick Brady
O'Dowda
Maguire
I'm torn on this one, I've got to be honest, very torn. While "there's no such thing as a gimme in Int. football", this is the very definition of that.
I think there are certain players who absolutely must start:
John Egan; Shaun Williams; Enda Stevens; Matt Doherty, Alan Browne, Seanie Maguire.
As much as I think he's blown out of proportion, and hasn't been as good or as composed as people make out, there isn't a justification for not playing Shane Duffy. Randolph will start, but I just don't like him, and his use of the ball is ****ing atrocious. I'd love to see a bit of ambition and give the lad kelleher a spot.
We're going to have a lot of the ball, we're going to be on the front foot, and they're not going to create a whole lot. Chances are they'll have just the one up top. I like the 3 at the back idea, and Seamus playing right of the 3 gives us an outlet to bring the ball out from the back in the right manner.
In that regard, I'd pick these:
---------------------Gk----------------------
--------------------Duffy--------------------
------Coleman---------------Egan----------
Doherty---Browne---Williams-----Stevens
--------McGoldrick-------O'Dowda----------
-------------------Maguire-------------------
But I know that Robbie Brady, Jeff Hendrick, James McClean, Will Keane, Richard Keogh and probably Cyrus Christie are all going to start, despite being absolute gash on a consistent basis for Ireland for the guts of 18 months now.
I'd be wary of making wholesale changes here. It's a new manager with, presumably, a new style. We need the spine of the team out for this one so they can effectively get a competitive friendly under their belts. Throw in a youngster or two - certainly sub them on if the game is won with 20 to go - but I don't think it makes sense to play a B team
Understood pineapple, but really of that side, Browne, Stevens, and Maguire are the newbies. The rest are part and parcel of the set up now. to be fair, none of them are kids.
Shaun Williams and McGoldrick are mature players at this stage.
Well Williams and McGoldrick have 8 caps between them. Yes, they're mature in that they're past 30, but they're not regulars at national team level.
I'd pick a team on merit tbh. The first game for a new manager is too important I think
Obafemi confirmed as missing the rest of the season. Robinson unlikely to be available. So with that in mind....
------------------ Kelleher ----------------
--- Coleman O'Connor Duffy ---
Doherty Arter Johansson Brady
---- O'Dowda Connolly Curtis ----
Yeah, that's exactly the kind of stuff that I think we need to avoid. It doesn't aid us at all in getting to grips with a new manager.
Four not only uncapped players, but kids who have never played a club first team game for points even, make up the spine of the team ?
Under a manager here to qualify us purely and then step aside, away in a must win Euro qualifier (don't care V who)
Christ, they aren't even lads you could argue we need to cap tie.
Something more hallucinogenic ill wager.
Where have we ever seen the likes? How could anyone contemplate something so crazy?
Short memories.
It's Gibraltar. That side is easily good enough to put 9 past them. I'm suggesting this because we need to get some youth and pace into our side. We've looked utterly turgid since the Euros.
If we invest minutes into these lads now at 17 or 18 their development will benefit tremendously. With any luck by 20 they will be in the team on merit and will hopefully be part of our team for a decade or more to come. Fairly symptomatic of the issues we have been having in recent years that experimenting by giving a debut to a 17 year old kid who seems to be very highly regarded at Bayern Munich is deemed "hallucinogenic", while experimenting by giving a 3rd cap to a 32 year old playing in the English 3rd tier with Millwall is deemed as an entirely sensible approach.
I don't think there's any need for that. To be fair, if you look at two of our neighbours (who we generally look-down upon), Wales and them upstairs, they never miss the opportunity to cap young talented players who are physically able. They do it for different reasons - resources mainly - but you'd have to say that they've done as well, if not better, than what we have done, so the policy hasn't effected them negatively.
Would Wales cap Kelleher, Johansson, Connolly and Curtis. Without missing a beat they absolutely would.
To be honest I think it's the type of thing we're too slow to do.
I'm curious to know how much work people think Kelleher or O'Connor would be likely to be called upon to perform in this game. I deliberately picked a young goalkeeper and centreback as part of the 4 rookies because we should be safe enough against Gibraltar if we somehow end up with me in goal, and if at some point we need someone to make a mad dash back to win a footrace against their one forward after it's been booted clear it would do no harm to have an 18 year old kid who can turn on the afterburners in a way that Keogh or Egan probably don't have the capacity to do these days.
I've not heard much beyond the potential they feel he has. As I said above given the opposition it seems very unlikely our goalkeeper will be called on to show off much of his abilities.
For me much of the benefit would be in them coming in to the squad and experiencing all the things that go with a senior international with qualifying points on the line. The training camp, and the day of the game. Being around the hotel and learning the names and faces of the support staff. Being on the bus to the stadium. Being issued with a kit. Standing for the anthems and being introduced to the First Minister of Gibraltar and all that stuff.
It means that if and when they are called upon to do it again against superior opposition none of that will be new to them.
Millwall are in the championship but that's irrelevant. Williams may feature as McCarthy seems to rate him, but regardless of who we start I don't see us winning 9-0. I also think for a first game we won't take too many chances... the same squad will be used for the Georgia game a few days later after all, so it will be largely familiar faces I expect.
Will Keane may feature I suppose - very hard to get excited about that. He's 26 and has scored 8 goals in his senior career.
Wales have qualified for one competition in over half a century and NI two. They are not a good barometer on how to do things. While i expect us to win relatively easily. Check Gibraltar recent results, they have clearly improved greatly. Connolly is injured. I'm not sure if O Connor has played a senior game of football. He has Duffy on the left side of the back there. Johannson is untested. He played recently for our u19s and was only ok. The goalkeeper question for the moment should only be Randy or Westwood. ( sorry about the coke gag, but his selection is nonsense)
Interview tonight on off the ball on the football show at 9pm Irish time with mick. The off the ball lads earlier were saying mick said In the interview that it will be Coleman or dockherty not both
It's all well and good to want to blood in new players in general, but we've just had a year of rebuilding and player experimentation and our squad from the Euros has to be built from that. The game against Gibraltar is one last chance to give some of the players who have emerged from that period with their reputations enhanced an extra competitive cap along others whose club form makes them serious options for the qualifiers. The following realistic options all have fewer than ten caps:
Doherty, Stevens, Cunningham, Egan, Hourihane, Williams, Browne, Robinson, Maguire, Hogan, O'Brien, McGoldrick and Curtis.
Plus O'Dowda is really starting to do well and an extra cap where he really has the opportunity to be central to the game would certainly help.
Plus it will be Mick's first game in charge and he will need to see how the actual team gels in advance of the crucial game at home to Georgia.
Plus three of our likely strikers (Robinson, Maguire and McGoldrick) have yet to break their international duck while the other (Long) is in desperate need of goals
Plus Dan Crowley, maybe, depending on paperwork
Plus James Collins, maybe, if Robinson doesn't make it back from injury in time.
Plus we only beat Georgia 4-0 when we last played them away. And since then, they have improved, notching up wins against Armenia, Latvia, Liechtenstein and Latvia along with draws against Liechtenstein and Estonia.
As regards the possibility of Kelleher playing, those defenders I mentioned would probably be better off getting experience playing in front of Randolph.
If one of our youngsters really starts to progress in the next few months, then the games against Bulgaria and New Zealand would be far more appropriate for seeing how one or two of them fare.