I think the team will be:
Given, McShane, Dunne, O'Shea, Kilbane, Mcgeady, Whelan, Andrews, Duff, Keane, Doyle.
although i would have hoped for foley instead of McShane. Id even prefer Kelly or Carr.
I honestly think we can win this game 1-0 or 2-1
I think the team will be:
Given, McShane, Dunne, O'Shea, Kilbane, Mcgeady, Whelan, Andrews, Duff, Keane, Doyle.
although i would have hoped for foley instead of McShane. Id even prefer Kelly or Carr.
I honestly think we can win this game 1-0 or 2-1
agree with everything you said on team lineup and prediction But i dont want to see carr play for ireland again.Originally Posted by richieos
Was a great player but not good enough now - he has retired from INTL football anyway- better for every1 he stays retired imo
Im going for Ireland to win 2-0
I think Bulgaria will be tough but I think they lack confidence at the moment and even with new manager I think Irerland will have too much in the tank for them
ireland 2-1 bulgaria
italy 0-0 ireland
i would be vey pleased if those two results were for real..
I really do think Italy are there for taking but im still very worried by our midfield..
I think we have enough for Bulgaria but i think draw is best we get against Italy.
4 points would be good job done
This is going to be an incredibly difficult week, I expect us to beat Bulgaria but we need to be at 100%. A drew would be a brilliant result in Bari, although I'd take the win there if you offered it to me. We cant afford to have any injury to a key player between now and April 2nd. I'd have liked Stephen Ireland to contact Trap and make himself available for the Bulgaria game but hey-ho. Cant wait for it actually..........
Im not even thinking about Italy honestly.
I think after the Georgia start they will come out better and take charge. Although giving up the early goal to Georgia seemed like a good thing ultimately. Sometimes that stuff can spurn you on.
Eire 4-2
Really don't want to see Andrews playing, but I've a terrible feeling he will.
Lads, I can only admire the optimism but it is to my great sadness that I cannot share it. I'm afraid I don't see Ireland as being anywhere near clinical enough to knock any more than 2 goals past any team in this group, and Bulgaria will be the technically strongest team we will have come up against: the first 'real' team we've faced, as Dunphy might put it.
I think this game has a score draw written all over it. The Bulgarians will have watched the Polish and Georgian games and will certainly come out on the offensive and try and unsettle us early on. How ready we will be for this, mentally and tactically, is anyone's guess. I don't for a minute think that Trap would neglect to impress the importance of standing firm from the off to his players, but the nerves generated by the event can dislodge even the best-taught of lessons. I think we will score, but I also think we will concede - at least once. It will just be that type of game. Plenty of talking points. Lots of chances - heart-in-mouth moments. Both teams know how important this is for the fate of their standing in the group.
I don't see us thrashing anybody these days, but I don't see anybody thrashing us either. Two goals are all that will be in it. The most optimistic prediction that I can allow myself in the circumstances is the following:
Ireland 2 Bulgaria 2
Italy 1 Ireland 1
Two points would be a decidedly positive return and a huge boost to our qualification hopes. Firstly, we stay unbeaten, which reinforces the team's morale and the belief in Trap's methods. Secondly, we maintain the distance between the Bulgars and ourselves (don't forget that they drew with Italy - a result we may have to equal if we are to stay abreast of them in this group. No mean feat, gentlemen.) - and if anything, drawing with Italy away is an even greater achievement than what the Bulgars managed at home in Sofia.
I am very keen to hear grounded, reasoned opinions from those who see us beating Bulgaria on Saturday week. Come kick-off I will be somewhere in the Cusack (having had to shell out an outrageous €85 for the privilege, but anyway...), roaring my head off, making innumerable deals with God to give us the lead and keep the Bulgarians scoreless, praying, hoping, wishing out loud... But now there is just about enough time, before the emotional fever of pre-match excitement properly kicks in, to cast some cool, rational reflection on our chances.
We face a technically gifted side who, if they have done their homework, will know that to shut down Ireland's wingers is to shut down Ireland. If they manage this, I don't know where the creativity is going to come from. We have been solid but unspectacular, and have shown the very encouraging knack of digging out results in unlikely and often unattractive situations. Bulgaria will call upon that ability, certainly, but Montenegro aside, they possess the best and most potent attack we will have faced yet. I'm not convinced that Bulgaria are strong enough to beat us at Croker, but equally I don't see why we have many grounds to expect ourselves to beat them either. We are a tight, well-organised outfit, not without its weaknesses. We have long struggled against technically proficient sides, big and small. Of late we have shown the organisation and grit not to get beaten by these teams. But beating them? In the words of Fox Mulder, 'I want to believe'. But I just don't see it happening. A draw at best, and a narrow defeat in Bari are my most painfully honest expectations of what will actually happen.
I welcome any and all comments that give reason for optimism, of course.
Lord, help my unbelief!
Last edited by TerryPhelan; 19/03/2009 at 11:18 PM.
Who would you prefer, from the available players?
Well, my reasons for thinking that Ireland stand a good chance of winning are:
1. I believe that Montengro are a stronger side than Bulgaria man for man, and also seem to have much better team spirit, and weve already drawn with them away from home.
2. I believe that man for man, bulgarias first 11 doesnt compare to Irelands, and yes i have done my homework. Take out Berbatov (who i believe is heavily overrated) and Petrov, and they have a very very average side. They struggle greatly in defence, and their new manager Stoilov has resorted to calling up three 32 year old players, who are relatively inexperienced at international level for their age, which seems to me to be an act of desperation. I think the manager will know that he has to focus on shutting down our wingers, but with the quality of defenders bulgaria have at their disposal, i think they will struggle greatly to do this.
3. I believe that Georgia have a better back 5 than bulgaria, and we have managed to score 4 times in 2 games against them.
4. People point to our central midfield, but other than Stiliyan Petrov, they have little or nothing in central midfield, and their main creative force Martin Petrov is missing.
5. Cyprus and Georgia both played 5 in midfield against us when we struggled, but Stoilov prefers to play with an open 4-3-3 formation, which in my opinion plays right into Irelands hands, and i think Traps tactics perfectly counter this.
I'm definatley not saying its a sure thing, but i think we have a great chance of beating them at Croke Park. Apologies for the drawn out post!
The Bulgarian game will depend on the influence of their new manage, if they are interested it will be a long hard night, but regardless I think the worst we will do is draw 1-1 but I hope we can grab a second goal to win.
Sadley we will be out of gas in Italy and despite the fact this is still a poor Italian team I thik they will win 0ne or two nil with both goals comming late in the second half.
Ever the optimist I will be at both matchs believing Ireland will win.
agree with this and good to see such a well thought out and balanced post here. I have a feeling that 2 possibly 3 points from this set of fixtures is about right. If we get 3, it will be the Bulgarian game.
I am naturally pessimistic regarding Ireland football these days though so here's hoping...
(PS - good to see that Terry Phelan can take some time out from scampering down the left wing to post on foot.ie)
I like high energy football. A little bit rock and roll. Many finishes instead of waiting for the perfect one.
what he said
Was he crazy!! Yeah , in a very special way , an Irishman.
I slept, and dreamed that life was Beauty;
I woke, and found that life was Duty.
i am clambering on board here , i believe montenegro are just as good as bulgaria too , also the two midfielders from the bundesliga chankov and the other fella are not up to much at all. bulgaria are second seeds but i believe we are the better team and will win , petrov a huge loss for them , new manager will need a while to make a difference...
Was he crazy!! Yeah , in a very special way , an Irishman.
I slept, and dreamed that life was Beauty;
I woke, and found that life was Duty.
ireland 2-1 bulgaria doyle,duff
ireland 0-0 italy
Usually not the most positive but i think if we get 3 points out of these two games we have to be happy. That obviously is a win over Bulgaria, at that rate it almost guarantees us the play off spot.
I really feel though that the next two games and the Italian game in particular is where having a strong tactical manager in charge will really show its worth.
I dont think we will lose to Bulgaria and with the likes of Martin Petrov likely to be absent we have a chance of sneaking a win. We are not going to win well by any means and it will be a nervy night. I need to do a bit more research on them but I think our defence should be strong enough to keep them out. The question is whether our midfield and attack will be able to do the damage. It is vital we dont give anyway anything silly. If you were in the Bulgarian camp, you wouldve identified our weaknesses in centre midfield, right back and our poor starts of late as been areas of opportunity.
Although getting a result in Italy is going to be a difficult task, I think this is the type of game where Trap can excel. It will be a defensive performance from Ireland where we aim to nick a goal from a set piece or on the break. This I believe is the scenario when Trap's system is strongest. IMO the system is at its weakest when forced to chase a game because we dont really have to players to do so, although we did manage to turn the Georgia game around (just about)
I agree with that.
Would not be suprised if we got a result against italy cause its a game like this that the tactics we employ are most effective.
really enjoyed reading Terry Phelans post there. Well thought out and would agree with it more or less. i've said before i don't agree we'll beat bulgaria, but i think 2 points from these two matches would be a great result.
However, if we did beat Bulgaria, i think we are more likely to go and get the draw in Italy. The pressure would be off, and the atmosphere brilliant as all the fans won't be nervous about getting enough points as we'd already have got more than we thought we would.
Anyway, great post, great to see people thinking/worrying about this as much as others!!
On the basis that its less likely to happen if I write it down.
Ireland 1 Bulgaria 2
Italy 2 Ireland 0
I am not confident on the basis of performances against Serbia, Columbia, Cyprus, Poland and Georgia at home that our midfield or back four (especially if it contains McShane and Kilbane) is good enough to get results in these games. I sincerely hope I am wrong, but I have bad feelings.
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