Ireland squad vs Holland

[shakermaker1982]

O'Shea has to grow some balls tonight and make some strong tackles, lead the line and use his experience. We need a big game from him, another timid display from the Man Utd man and we'll be overun. Stan has to play Kavanagh and S Reid together in the centre. Miller should only start if he puts him on the right and MacGeady on the left.

[bmozza]

I think it'd be easy enough to play Kilbane and Reid together, they should be well able to figure out if one makes a run forward than the other one holds. You don't always have to have one CM holding all the time and the other pushing on all the time. I think they're both better footballers than Kavanagh, who I think tends the give the ball away far too much when wearing the green shirt, so I'd go with them. I'd go with McGeady because he's our best attacking midfielder at the moment (due to Duff being injured) and Miller because he's our only attacking midfielder left after that, although I do think he's a good player and I think Kerr proved that if you play a very defensive minded team you just end up defending the whole game, and unfortunately we're definately not good enough at the back for that. Against Sweden he also played Doyle on the left and Elliot up front, and them two kept rotating which worked well.....maybe he'll try that again?

[shakermaker1982]

I reckon he'll go with Kilbane at LB.

[Qwerty]

Playing Carr or Finnan on RHM in a home game, a friendly home game is a nothing move - I have yet to be convinced by Finnan in that position. Miller/McGeady on the right, or Mcgeady/Kilbane/Douglas on the left.

[eirebhoy]

I think it'd be easy enough to play Kilbane and Reid together, they should be well able to figure out if one makes a run forward than the other one holds. You don't always have to have one CM holding all the time and the other pushing on all the time. I think they're both better footballers than Kavanagh, who I think tends the give the ball away far too much when wearing the green shirt, so I'd go with them.

I don't think Kilbane has ever in his professional career played the holding role and if I'm honest I'd probably have most of today's starting lineup in that position over him. Reid sometimes holds midfield but he's much better when he has the freedom to get up and down. Kilbane is pretty much in there to harass the opposition and not give them a second on the ball. He was excellent against the Czechs man marking Nedved. He's no passer though.

imo Kavanagh is a better holding midfielder than Reid and Reid is certainly a better supporting midfielder than Kilbane. That "one get forward while the other one holds" things doesn't work in my opinion (with the exception a few cases). England have been trying it for 2 years and their midfield was a shambles. Obviously the holding midfielder can get forward every now and again. Frings and Ballack have an excellent partnership. Frings is in there to hold but if he does get forward Ballack has the sense to drift back. Kilbane is nowhere near that league though.

That's just my opinion but I feel every team has to play a holding midfielder these days. Every team does play a holding midfielder with the exception of England (that might change though). If Reid and Kilbane was playing Reid would be stuck in that role and I'd prefer him to be in his best position as he's suddenly one of our best players.

[geysir]

The omens are not good now for Keane and Dunne returning for the German game. If so then O'Shea at centre half and Kav at midfield may well be a feature for the next game.

[NeilMcD]

RELAND (Probable) : Kenny (Sheff Utd); Carr (Newcastle Utd), O'Brien (Portsmouth), O'Shea (Man Utd), Kilbane (Everton); Finnan (Liverpool), S Reid (Blackburn R), Kavanagh (Wigan Ath), McGeady (Celtic); Doyle (Reading), Morrison (Crystal Pal).

[RogerMilla]

i agree with neil except i think elliot could get the nod ahead of clinto as clinto is not 100% fit

[tetsujin1979]

i agree with neil except i think elliot could get the nod ahead of clinto as clinto is not 100% fit

No point leaving CLinton on the bench if he's not 100%, at least if he starts, Staunton can take him off, if he comes off the bench and fades, it's a wasted substitution

[RogerMilla]

surely he's not that unfit!!!

[NeilMcD]

Yeah I think he will start with him as he needs the games and Elliot has been playing regularly I reckon as you say he will start with Clinton but you never know its a 50/50 call really.

[Billsthoughts]

RELAND (Probable) : Kenny (Sheff Utd); Carr (Newcastle Utd), O'Brien (Portsmouth), O'Shea (Man Utd), Kilbane (Everton); Finnan (Liverpool), S Reid (Blackburn R), Kavanagh (Wigan Ath), McGeady (Celtic); Doyle (Reading), Morrison (Crystal Pal).

did you just not copy and paste this from the indo breaking news????????

[DmanDmythDledge]

Yeah I think he will start with him as he needs the games and Elliot has been playing regularly I reckon as you say he will start with Clinton but you never know its a 50/50 call really.

Why would Staunton care if he needs games to get fit. It's up to his club to do that. If he's not fit he doesn't start.

[Irish_Praha]

Why would Staunton care if he needs games to get fit. It's up to his club to do that. If he's not fit he doesn't start.

Because the German game is only 2 weeks away!

[Irish_Praha]

So, with all the injuries here would be my starting 11 now:

-----------------Kenny-----------------

Carr----O'Brien---O'Shea---Finnan

McGeady----Kav----Reid----Kilbane

-------------Elliott----Morrisson--------


Doyle on for Morrisson at half time and Murphy on for Elliott with 15 mins to go.

We would have no direct replacements for LB or RB on the bench, apart from Kelly who I don't rate. So a bit of shuffel would be needed if we still want to experiment a bit. Take McGeady off after 60 mins or so (unless he's having a stormer) Move Carr to RMF, move Finnan to RB and Kilbane to LB and bring on Alan O'Brien to play at LMF (seems he's in the squad we should throw him in there and see if he sinks or swims).

Then bring on Miller in the last 15-20 mins for Kav.
So, the team at the the end of the game would be.

----------------------Kenny---------------------

Finnan----O'Brien-----O'Shea-----Kilbane

Carr-----Miller-----Reid-----Alan O'Brien

-----------Doyle-----Murphy------------

[cavan_fan]

Starting line up is as expected

Rep of Ireland: Kenny, Carr, Andrew O'Brien, O'Shea, Kilbane, Finnan, Reid, Kavanagh, McGeady, Morrison, Elliott.
Subs: Douglas, Miller, Kelly, Henderson, Alan O'Brien, Murphy, Doyle.

Am I the only one looking forward to this. Albeit we are missing our best players, there is a chance for some new guys.

[Qwerty]

Just you and Mick Byrne.

[Gareth]

FAI updates still dont have the goal or am I missing it onscreen?

[sligoman]

FAI updates still dont have the goal or am I missing it onscreen?

It's there for me:

"8:12 PM: It was no surprise when Netherlands went in front after 24 minutes after their new international, the 23 years old Klaas Jan Huntelaar had the ball in the Irish net only to be whistled back for offside. The incident occurred when Robben raced in behind Carr onto a superb pass from Van Der Vaart and his shot from 12 yards was brilliantly parried by goalkeeper Paddy Kenny. Kenny was left helpless when the rebound fell for Huntelaar to turn it into the net but the referee's whistle cut short their celebrations. The whistle merely delayed the inetivable, however, for in less than a minute Netherlands were back to take a goal that stood. A corner from the right wing by Van Persie was met by the flying Huntelaar for a header that fairly flew into the roof of the Irish net."

[strangeirish]

2-0 now