QuoteHe is on Soccer AM this morning.Asked Trappatoni to pick him!
Scored twice last night and appears to be playing te best football of his career at Stoke who are now one point clear at the top of the championship. I think he plays right midfield (dont quote me on it) but he is a serious option for us . He would give a balance to the team with duff or mc geady able to play on the left he can can score goals from that position as well surly along with Clinton must be pushing for a call up!!!!!!
He is on Soccer AM this morning.Asked Trappatoni to pick him!
I agree. I wrote this a few weeks ago in another thread but for the right wing we have potentially Miller, Duff, McGeady, the two Reids, Ireland and Lawrence. You could argue that the two Reids, Ireland and Miller look much more comfortable in CMF and should only be played on the right when we have no other options. Also one of Duff and McGeady should be played at LMF with Hunt as back-up. That leaves us with Lawrence competing with Duff or McGeady for RMF. El Trap will probably employ a different system than 4-4-2 without out and out wingers and I'm not sure where that would leave Lawrence but as Baz says he's in great form at the moment and IMO he deserves at least a place in the squad. I reckon he would inject some much-needed energy into the team.Originally Posted by irishbaz
He gave up the booze after his son was born last year. Looks a much more complete player now. Good dead ball delivery can score goals and no longer seems to drift out of games. Plus he is bigger than most of our players and uses his size to upset defenders.
I came in half drunk last night and saw his two goals on SSN. I wake up this morning and he's on Soccer AM! I really hope Stoke go up, a few Irish lads in the side and the more players we can get playing in the PL will be a big help down the line. A few of us on here wanted him in the squad for the Brazil game, good crosser of the ball and puts in some good balls from free kicks and crossers.
I think any Irish player has to prove himeself in a premier league before being worthy of a place on the team. But i dont see any harm in calling him in to the squad for serbia
12 goals and 15 assists this season!
That's not possible though, is it? If that was the sole criteria we used to pick players, we wouldn't be able to fill the bench most days. Liam seems to be playing excellent, why not call him up. He was never really given a shot at it before.
Definitely deserving of a squad place and possibly even a starter. He's a good player and bigger than most other options. I wonder if he'd be able to play central midfield. He seems a much better all round player than Kilbane for example but with similar physical attributes.
I actually think his teammate Rory Delap is also deserving of a squad place. He can play as a classic "holding" player (aagggh I said it), primarily defensive but giving and taking simple passes, and can cover at RB. Given his physique I've often thought he could play well as a CB.
hasn't lawrence already played in the EPL, and done OK too. I see no harm in the better Championship players filling squad places if their form and their role warrant it.
yes "squad places" not team places. If we are going to qualify for a WC we need all our players playing at the highest level. If Liam is good enough for the epl he will be playing there soon enough
Do we even have 11 players that have proven themselves at Premiership level though? The likes of Andy Reid, McShane, Long, Kelly, Miller, Murphy etc are all regular enough and we often don't have a choice but to start them. However, they aren't proven Premiership players and many will probably end up in the Championship.
Its all well and good saying we should be picking a matchday squad totally based on the Premiership but whats the point picking 5 left wingers who are based in the Premiership to the exclusion of 1 right winger from the Championship.
The challenge for Trapattoni will be to either pick a side using our best players and find a formation for them, or upsetting some of our best players by using the best formation for the team with some of the lesser known players.
If you were to pick an enlarged squad (one that potentially cover for the next year in case of injuries family bereavements etc., who would be in it (and I'm going to include recently retired players who are still capable)?
Go along the lines of :
4 keepers (Given,
10 defenders (Finnan, Dunne, A O'Brien, O'Shea, Kelly, O'Halloran, McShane, St Ledger, Foley, J O'Brien)
10 midfielders (A Reid, S Reid, McGeady, Duffman, Ireland, Kilbane, McCann, Garvan, Hunt, Miller)
6 attackers (Keane, Doyle, Morrison, Keogh, Murphy, Lee)
In the midfielders the decision has to be made very soon whether to employ a specialist wide right midfielder ( be it a toung player or a championship player or whatever) or to persist with a winger like Duff, Hunt or McGeady.
Last edited by Kingdom; 16/02/2008 at 2:06 PM.
Here they come! It’s the charge of the “Thanks” Brigade!
Yes he played for Sunderland the last time they were in the EPL and didn't set the world alight. Keane let him go last year.
He was arguably one of Sunderlands best players in what was a disaterous season. He was left go by Sunderland because of his off the field antics.
He seems to be on form alright. He'd be worth a call-up in my opinion.
LESS OF THE BULL NOW!
Was going to start his thread after seeing the goals but I got here a bit late!
Really well taken goals and he doesn't look like a lad that would lose his bottle.
DEFINITELY a player to consider upfront as an alternate to Doyle (noting that we will in all likelihood have 1 upfront only and I see Robbie as one of a forward front 2 midfielders.
Ahead of Morrison etc. from what I can see.
He's definitely added a lot of end product to his game this season, and let's face it we need to start scoring goals.
His set piece delivery is excellent as well, and this is another area we've been lacking in.
I'd like to see him given a chance at right mid, and if he impresses give it to him.
Definitely think he's got a role to play in this coming campaign though.
Forget it, not good enough..
He's a right sided midfielder though.. He done o.k in the premiership. There was talk of an everton bid when they went down, and he never really performed after that..... I though he acquited himself very well on Soccer AM. I chuckled though when he stopped short saying "My Country" when he was talking of representing.. "It would be a huge honour to represent...... the republic of Ireland"
I was impressed with his maturity when talking about Sunderland and Keano, given how he departed. Didn't seem to bare any grudge, knuckled down and seems to be performing very well for it.
Him and Walters are both staking a claim for a spot. Doubt it'll be both.
We have a vested interest now in Stoke going up with Whelan, Lawrence and Delap there.
Come on Watford (O'Toole), Stoke and Ipswich via the playoffs!!!!!!
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