Estonia V Ireland - Friday, 11th November 2011 - Euro 2012 Play Off 1st Leg

**DeLorean** · 20/10/2011, 1:20 PM

Originally Posted by OwlsFan

How long have you been following Ireland? We don't do those sort of things.

We don't usually get draws this favourable either. The one time we did, we went through pretty comfortably against Iran.

**Kingdom** · 20/10/2011, 6:10 PM

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

Trapattoni has an excellent record in competitive games against teams ranked below us

note - zero losses over both qualification series and 100% win ratio in the Euro 2012 qualifiers
I have faith that at the very least, the zero losses record will continue in the play offs

Nice one Tets. while excuses can be made for plenty of results, the two results against Montenegro in the last campaign wouldn't concern me in the long-run. The game we played in Podge was their second ever competitive international and they were well-fired up for it. A point given the circumstances was acceptable. The return fixture was played in the knowledge that we wouldn't be topping the group and were assured a play-off position, and with the backdrop of the last minute concession to Italy being one of the most deflating experiences I've had following Ireland, the bore-draw wasn't surprising either.

**DannyInvincible** · 24/10/2011, 5:19 PM

RT� secure play-off rights: http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2011/1024/ireland.html

**Noelys Guitar** · 25/10/2011, 1:16 AM

We are down to the bare bones up front. Lets hope nothing happens to Walters or Cox in the next few weeks. It is imperative we don't lose the away game. I've looked at the highlights of a most of Estonia's recent and they can be reasonably OK. I wouldn't like to come back to Dublin a goal down to them as they know how to get a lot of players behind the ball quickly and dig in. Their keeper looks fairly good. A score draw away would be very nice. Obviously winning would be best of all but it won't be easy. Especially without Doyle, Long and probably Keane out for the away match. Three very big players there to be missing. And nothing of note on the bench if Walters and Cox start.

**DannyInvincible** · 25/10/2011, 1:52 AM

Dan McDonnell tweeted earlier that Long hasn't given up hope on making the play-off.

**Kingdom** · 25/10/2011, 6:00 AM

Georgia away - Win
Georgia Home - win

Cyprus away - win
Cyprus home - win

Armenia away - win
Armenia home - win

Macedonia away - win
Macedonia home - win

Yes I am going there! I'm not taking the SuperGretna approach as everyone should give Estonia due credit for getting to the play-offs, and they deserve respect for doing it ahead of two teams that qualified for the World Cup but I don't care anymore, Estonia are there to be beaten home and away. They're by far the weakest team in the playoffs and if we'd drawn them in our group we would be targetting 6 points from them in a double header.
The above results have demonstrated that the team/manager get some good fortune along the way, but that's balanced out over a campaign, and you don't constantly beat the weaker teams through luck alone.
Even taking into account our striking "crisis", at present we still have to call upon Simon Cox who was MOM in the face of some heavy criticism for being picked in the first place, Johnny Walters who has been performing very effectively for a European qualified EPL team (and scoring too), Andy Keogh who is back scoring and playing well domestically, not to mention the black sheep Leon Best who has had a good start for a team riding high in the EPL. I mention Keogh because despite picking him wide right, prior to this campaign Trap had referenced him as a player who could deputise for Keane, the only like-for-like in the pool of players. Not agree with that personally, but he's said it.

It's not too bad. Yet...

Originally Posted by DannyInvincible

Dan McDonnell tweeted earlier that Long hasn't given up hope on making the play-off.

He'd be mad to push it, and risk doing further damage. I'd be greatly peeved if I was in his shoes, but I'd take my medicine and recuperate properly, due to the tackle he's a lucky boy it wasn't a lot worse. Is this his first big injury?

**pineapple stu** · 25/10/2011, 8:59 AM

Originally Posted by Noelys Guitar

We are down to the bare bones up front. Lets hope nothing happens to Walters or Cox in the next few weeks.

Who's been capped other than those two and the missing trio? Folan anyway. Hunt. Anyone else?

**tetsujin1979** · 25/10/2011, 9:06 AM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Who's been capped other than those two and the missing trio? Folan anyway. Hunt. Anyone else?

Best, Stokes, Scannell was on the bench once, and played in the B game, Murphy, Keogh, Elliott
errr....Connolly?

**Littlest Hobo** · 25/10/2011, 9:21 AM

with long, doyle and keane (supposedly!?) out of the first leg, trap has limited options up front. walters and keogh are the only options...

I hope he starts this team for both legs.

Given

O'Shea
Dunne
St Ledger
Ward

Mc Geady
Whelan
Andrews
Duff

Walters
Keogh (Doyle on home leg)

This will be good enough to win.

**Supreme feet** · 25/10/2011, 9:22 AM

Originally Posted by Littlest Hobo

with long, doyle and keane (supposedly!?) out of the first leg, trap has limited options up front. walters and keogh are the only options...

I hope he starts this team for both legs.

Given

O'Shea
Dunne
St Ledger
Ward

Mc Geady
Whelan
Andrews
Duff

Walters
Keogh (Doyle on home leg)

This will be good enough to win.

No Cox?

**Littlest Hobo** · 25/10/2011, 9:31 AM

I hope he plays Keogh, but I know he'll play Cox.

**zero** · 25/10/2011, 10:26 AM

Originally Posted by Littlest Hobo

I hope he plays Keogh, but I know he'll play Cox.

i hope he plays cox.

really though, as others have indicated, we should have enough to beat the estonians no matter who plays up front.

**Stuttgart88** · 25/10/2011, 10:40 AM

I'm not sure we're down to the bare bones just yet. Walters & Cox need to stay fit.

I'm open to correction here but afair Keane has never done well for us when coming back from injury. He has always needed match time. That's a worry.

Doyle hasn't been himself in pretty much the whole campaign. His loss isn't as great as it might have been in the past, and he's back for the home game anyway.

Walters is on good form. I believe Crouch nicked a goal from him at Arsenal.

Cox has been impressive for us and is well up to deputising for Keane or Doyle.

Best is a no-brainer of a call up in these circumstances.

Keogh would be an outside bet - scored a beauty for Leeds last week. That's probably his quota used up now though! Trap rates him more than he deserves in my opinion.

Long may even be fit.

Stokes - not sure I'd trust him.

If there are further injuries we may be forced to change to 4-5-1 for the away leg, and most of us here would be quite happy with that.

**French Toasht** · 25/10/2011, 10:52 AM

Originally Posted by Noelys Guitar

We are down to the bare bones up front. Lets hope nothing happens to Walters or Cox in the next few weeks. It is imperative we don't lose the away game. I've looked at the highlights of a most of Estonia's recent and they can be reasonably OK. I wouldn't like to come back to Dublin a goal down to them as they know how to get a lot of players behind the ball quickly and dig in. Their keeper looks fairly good. A score draw away would be very nice. Obviously winning would be best of all but it won't be easy. Especially without Doyle, Long and probably Keane out for the away match. Three very big players there to be missing. And nothing of note on the bench if Walters and Cox start.

The story seems to be that Keane will be back, but if thats not the case, lets get Best and Pilkington called up into the squad, as back up for Walters and Cox. We also have Stokes and Connolly to call on, not ideal but then they are better than what Estonia have to offer at the same time,

**geysir** · 25/10/2011, 11:17 AM

I'd have my doubts over Trap's justification for having Keogh in the squad, however I don't think Trap would select him as one of the 4 strikers, if Robbie turns up.
Once upon a time, Keogh did enough in Trap's eyes to be a part of the squad, Trap wants a stable squad and he did okay in the friendly against Italy.

**tetsujin1979** · 25/10/2011, 12:25 PM

It's a strange state of affairs when "down to the bare bones" = "reduced to picking 2 from 3 Premier League regulars"

**geysir** · 25/10/2011, 1:14 PM

2 fit strikers available, is down to the bare bones, as you have not a decent option on the bench.
But Noely is either inadvertently overlooking Best's availability or thinks that Trap will continue to exclude him

**Stuttgart88** · 25/10/2011, 1:26 PM

OK, who's going to bet on Best being included? (my probabilities in brackets).

1. Yes, end of. Doyle is out for one game and we need the cover. (25%)

2. Yes, but only if one of Long & Keane isn't fit. (40%)

3. Yes, but only if both Long & Keane aren't fit. (25%)

4. No, not even if we only have 3 others fit. (10%)

**geysir** · 25/10/2011, 1:35 PM

I'll go for 2.

Another situation is Robbie indicates he will answer the call but hasn't proved his fitness. Trap may not take Robbie's word about his sharpness and have Best close by and available.

**jbyrne** · 25/10/2011, 2:12 PM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

OK, who's going to bet on Best being included? (my probabilities in brackets).

1. Yes, end of. Doyle is out for one game and we need the cover. (25%)

2. Yes, but only if one of Long & Keane isn't fit. (40%)

3. Yes, but only if both Long & Keane aren't fit. (25%)

4. No, not even if we only have 3 others fit. (10%)

he'll include best anyway I think. 2 games in 5 days with long, doyle and keane all possibly missing one / both legs. he will have no choice really