You would have been a fan of Giles then Eirebhoy
He attempted the impossible, to turn us into a passing team, retaining possesion.
One of his best games as manager was against Argentina, imo one of the best passing games ever by an Ireland team. I´d say we were toe to toe until Maradonna took the stage.
Aye I guess I would have been so, despite the fact I don't rate him as a pundit.It's the main reason I was such a fan of Kerr's tbh.
Well said EB, I couldn't summarise it as well as you put it there but I alluded to this in the England v Croatia game. What we have seriouslly lacked away from home is this ability and its why we have lost or drawn when we should have won. We cant keep possession and it comes down to this.When I think of technical ability I think of purely a players ability with their feet. Nothing more. imo what British and Irish players lack is the movement, quick decision making, basic tactical awareness and intelligence. One touch football would usually be basic 10 yard passes. You don't need to be especially technically gifted to play that kind of pass. The brain is the most important thing. Ambrosino and Gattuso are not great technically but they can play very quick one touch football with Milan and Italy.
However, I am not so sure that this is something that we can just "learn" or change ( overnight ), I actually think its something from a young age that is a skill and is then refined and brought on as you get older. I think its too late for our current batch to "learn" this new skill, it needs to start from u10s up.
HaHa!Yep, and also the courage to make yourself available for that easy pass, having the confidence to look for the ball even if you're not in loads of space. I used to prentend I wanted the ball but never really did!me too that brought a smile to my face!! Though I did stop doing this and thats when I moved down a level and was made captain of the B team
On the first point, I think it does stem from a confidence thing that is nurtured from a young age, you dont see any of our players looking for the pass unless they have loads of space and then ye see the wingers or whoever else dilly dallying about hoping to get a throw or something. I assume though this is what a good coach can spot ( not just us ) and can actually help remedy it - somewhat re: my original point for the use of the word somewhat!
Last edited by paul_oshea; 08/02/2008 at 3:53 PM.
I'm a bloke,I'm an ocker
And I really love your knockers,I'm a labourer by day,
I **** up all me pay,Watching footy on TV,
Just feed me more VB,Just pour my beer,And get my smokes, And go away
Ultimately, it's about scoring more goals than the opposition. A goal from a 60-yard hoof means the same as a 40-pass, 4-yard tap in. You play to your strengths, and ours are work ethic and team spirit. If you prefer pretty football, look elsewhere.
I don't agree at all. Maybe with Hunt, Carsley, Morrison as first team players that'd be more our strength but not with Duff, McGeady, Reid, Keane, Ireland and hopefully Garvan. They're all classy players who wouldn't relish a battle.Originally Posted by mypost
Morrison classy are you having a laugh
Premiership managers don't seem to think so!!
Its amazing how average players who rarely performed well for Ireland
in the past, suddenly become 'classy' with the passage of time..
i dont think he was saying morrisson was classy at all....
I'm a bloke,I'm an ocker
And I really love your knockers,I'm a labourer by day,
I **** up all me pay,Watching footy on TV,
Just feed me more VB,Just pour my beer,And get my smokes, And go away
Aye I don't know how you read it like that Condex.
"You play to your strengths, and ours are work ethic and team spirit."
"I don't agree at all. Maybe with Hunt, Carsley, Morrison as first team players that'd be more our strength"
Just watching the match again. Duff wasn't as offside as first looked for McGeady's pass.
Just before the ball is struck
As soon as the ball is struck
Just After
3 seconds earlier he was alongside the 3 Brazilians with the only thing on his mind to outpace them.
I just pretty much watched McGeady all match tbh. Tracked back all the time. Very composed with the ball in defensive situations. His movement to receive the ball was excellent. Most of his passes were simple but Strachan really is turning him into a proper playmaker. Can't wait to see him at 28/29 but I guess I have to.
I'm becoming more and more convinced that 4-3-3 is what'll work best for us right now.
Kelly / J. O'Brien - Dunne - O'Shea - Kilbane
Reid - Reid - Hunt
McGeady - Keane - Duff
I deliberately avoided specifying which Reid as in principle each could do well in the middle or the right of that 3.
Assuming at least one Reid is injured (fairly certain) then options include Liam Lawrence and J. O'Brien for the RHM spot, Carsley or Delap for the CM spot). If either McGeady or Duff is injured or off form, Hunt could play left sided forward, allowing maybe Garvan or Stephen Quinn to play left sided midfield.
The front 3 is a bit like United's front 3 - good, clever attacking players who can improvise.
Jon Walters is even an option for the right sided forward as cover.
Advantages: numbers and bite in midfield, good ball users too. Mobility and direct running upfront. This shape and personnel will allow ius to take more control of a game and it allows us to have more of our good players on the pitch. It also doesn't place much pressure on inexperienced kids coming through, and if they're needed it'd be in a stronger shape where they'd fit in easier. Their time may come during the campaign anyway. The 4th game is over a year away.
Doyle and Morrison on the bench.
Would'nt agree with Reid Reid Hunt. If your playing Duff and McGeady(which i agree with) you need holding players. When does Hunt ever hold midfield. Id go for S Reid Carsley and Ireland any day
S.Reid's playing that role for Blackburn and Andy Reid is going to be holding midfield from now on imo. A natural deep lying player who'll instinctively take the ball from defense and distribute it.
I agree with Stutts. 4-4-2 isn't an option for me. I've gone off wingers. McGeady and Duff would be better if they're involved in play more for us than playing as out and out wingers. Duff is too influential for us to not have him drifting inside and linking up while that's McGeady's natural game too. Even Hunt is playing in the centre for Reading now.
just back from the game after a detour up north visiting the in-laws and I have to say it was dreadful (even for a friendly). McGeady and Duff had decent games but they were the only positives. 1 thing I hope we have learned from last Wednesday is that if we keep on playing McGeady on the left wing then we cannot have Kilbane behind him. The two of em just don't have any positional sense whatsoever when it comes to defending. Let's hope a proper LB like O'Halloran gets some exposure at the saints and then Villa give him a few games next season.
I was more excited watching Garvan the night before in the u21's, fingers crossed for this kid. Carsley/Miller and Potter are not going to take us anywhere.
"If God had meant football to be played in the air, he'd have put grass in the sky." Brian Clough.
You'll NEVER beat the Irish.......you'll just draw with us instead!!!
With 3 in midfield I don't think you need two "holding". Hunt is incisive and adds bite, Steven Reid is strong and can put his foot on the ball and also carry it well, Andy Reid can put his foot on the ball and pass it brilliantly. The thing with 3 in midfield is that if anyone is injured or suspended there are more combinations from our available players (including Carsley & Ireland) that work than in a 2 man CM with wingers.
--------Reid------Reid----------
---Duff----Ireland----McGeady---
------------Keane--------------
Thankfully if Trap gets the job we're likely to see a lineup like that.
why do you say that EB, im sure he hasn't a clue about any of the Irish players to be honest...there will be someone helping him out on that front.
I'm a bloke,I'm an ocker
And I really love your knockers,I'm a labourer by day,
I **** up all me pay,Watching footy on TV,
Just feed me more VB,Just pour my beer,And get my smokes, And go away
I'm just basing it on his previous teams. 4-2-3-1 is his system with a pacy striker and 3 attacking players supporting. Even with Italy he used Perotta as one of the 2 central midfielders and he's an attacking midfielder. He plays a defensive system but doesn't use overly defensive players.
Keane doesn't work as a lone striker, being proven at every club and at international level, so I don't expect to see that, and, there is no one there in the front 4 to get up for crosses, or are we looking at purely ground football, because if that's the case, McGeady and Duff's crosses will be wasted. I think you have to ahve someone liek Doyle upfront with Keane behind him .
It's worth a try though in that system. Unlike British football, Italian coaches don't ask the entire team to get back and defend leaving the striker isolated. He plays on the counter so there'll always be a couple of players supporting Keane.
I really think we need to start playing it on the ground a lot more. When everyone is fit we have a fair few players with good passing and vision so I think that playing it on the ground could work for us, and anyway we have barely any players who are effective in the air. If a team can stop the supply to Kilbane and Doyle then they stop pretty much all of our aerial attacks.
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