cant see us giving a goal away, just hope we can get one ourselves. Will go for a 1-0 and would be happy!
Im gona go 1-0 to Ireland
Bulgaria to draw 1-1
Italy to win 1-0 or mybe get held to a draw hopefully
"when the seagulls follow the trawler,
it is because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea" Ooh Ahh
cant see us giving a goal away, just hope we can get one ourselves. Will go for a 1-0 and would be happy!
Decent* blog on the issue from 11-a-side.com. However, given that Reid played wide for Sunderland recently, it does pose the question whether he could have been considered a replacement for Duff. He & Duff occupied the flanks in Reid's early caps under Kerr.
* do Sunderland have european qualification ambitions?
In Trap we trust
By Shane Breslin
Some might frown on Andy Reid’s absence from the Republic of Ireland side for Saturday’s World Cup kick-off against Georgia, but the decision at least reflects a level of thinking about midfield protocol which was sorely lacking from the previous regime.
By his own admission, Reid is in the form of his life. At 26 and occasional captain of a club with aspirations of European qualification, he can put forward convincing claims for inclusion in the Ireland side.
That he is not, that his preferred place in the centre of midfield goes instead to Glenn Whelan, a player who has seen last than an hour of top flight action in his entire career, might seem incongruous but, as a case of formulating a viable system, Giovanni Trapattoni’s decision must be applauded.
While it may be stretching it to suggest that Reid is a dispensable luxury, there is little room for argument that his presence requires a degree of accommodation.
When Sunderland’s holding midfielders Dean Whitehead and Teemu Tainio were both unavailable for last weekend’s meeting with Manchester City, Reid was shuffled wide. It was clear that Roy Keane thought it imprudent to select him at the centre of an orthodox 4-4-2, so it should be no real surprise that Trapattoni concurs.
With his namesake kicking his heels on the bench, much will be expected of Steven Reid. There were convincing signs in Oslo last month that he is ready to take on the mantle of driving force in the Ireland side, a role which has not been filled since Roy Keane circa 2001.
Whelan, too, must live up to his billing as chief water-carrier. Nothing extravagant will be expected of someone who has seen a raft of summer arrivals demote him to bit-part player at Stoke. His task will be to deny the Georgians midfield fluency and find any green shirt with a simple pass.
Presumably, Whelan’s form in Trap’s three games to date has seen the new regime move forward without Lee Carsley, and it will be testament to his rate of progress if Carsley’s absence from the start of a qualification campaign is not mourned again come Saturday night.
Damien Duff’s injury problems give a chance to the waspish Stephen Hunt, who has added a dangerous dead-ball delivery to his trademark frenzied energy. Aiden McGeady will also need to step up to the plate and produce some of the creativity in a green shirt he routinely manages in hoops.
The satisfying thing is that, should an hour or more pass without any breakthrough, Trapattoni has options. Andy Reid apart, Daryl Murphy has started the season quite well at Sunderland, where he looks a better prospect on the left wing than up front, while Andy Keogh has already made an impact under the Italian’s guidance.
Midfield was the sector which contributed most to Steve Staunton’s travails. He used seven different players in central midfield in his first five games in charge, which saw four successive defeats and 11 goals conceded.
Trap, in stark contrast, has clearly defined ideas and already Ireland have looked sturdier as a result. We might ponder on the absence of arguably Ireland’s most talented playmaker, but for now and hopefully a couple of years to come, we must trust in Trap.
4-1 to Ireland, having a 5euro bet on it
1 nil to us in a poor game
2:1 and a nervous and frantic finish.
Quite confident of a 2-0 win reminiscent of the Charlton era scorelines! Can't see us conceding one.
Here they come! It’s the charge of the “Thanks” Brigade!
Go for a 2-0 win for us.
Montenegro to win v Bulgaria
Italy to draw
Definitely feel draw is most likely result, probably 0 0, maybe 1 1
A 2-0 win for us;
I think we'll be shaky at first, the Georgians will come out all guns blazing with a point (as it were) to prove, of this I am sure. We'll weather the storm & nick a goal against the run of play. After that the game will fizzle out as a spectacle & a second will come deep into the second half.
I have spoken!
i agree with this, but i think we'll take an unconvincing 1 goal win, 1-0 or 2-1.Originally Posted by Ciaran
It's just a job. Grass grows, birds fly, waves pound the sand. I beat people up.
Muhammad Ali
I am hoping that Trappatoni is trying to build a team and this may explain why Andy Reid is not in his starting 11 away from home at least.
We only have to look at how england are always playing gerard and lampard in the same team with disastrous results to realise that sometimes your supposed best 11 players do not make the best team.
I think Trappatoni is also determined to stop us giving up late/soft goals which has been a problem for us in recent times(not surprising but most losing teams have this problem)
I hope Andy Reid is patient and waits for his chance which may come due to injury or he may be played in home games.Sometimes teams evolve or just by plain old fashioned luck a system that suits the players available falls into place(managers dont tell you that though)
We first and foremost have to make ourselves hard to beat against the Italy`s of this world.Actually its not a bad tactic against any team.
Anyway here`s hoping for the best and lets be patient and support the team whole heartedly.
2-1 Ireland. Doyle and Keane to score for Ireland.
There will be goals in this game for Ireland. The Georgian keeper is dodgy and with Hunt putting in the set-pieces, we could get some joy in that department (thinking of Doyle and Kilbane getting a few headers). Georgia have a young team, and if we get an early goal and pass the ball like we did in Norway, they could get frustrated. We could win with a few goals to spare.
However, if the players are still carrying any self-doubt over from the Staunton era (as we fans seem to be), it could be a long evening. I'll say 2-1 to us, a repeat of 2003.
Carlsberg dont do football results...but if they did......
Trap says we will play 'beutiful' and that 'managers are all liars, and we are going for 6 points'
I agree. It will be close, but i think we will win.
As i said in another thread they will come at us like nothing we have ever seen before. Imagine it was the weekend after the British invaded and occupied the rest of Ulster. How would you feel pulling on the green shirt??? this will be about a lot more than a football match for them, but the boys in green will know that.
What i expect most is a classic game of football.
Did anyone see when they scored against Wales??? Jesus...talk about emotion, and that was just a friendly.
when do we ever have any breathing space!!
1-0 at best, with a couple of clearances off the line in the last 10 mins
1-1 With a late, disastrous goal from some Georgian who's own family has never heard of him on a deflection. (And ten beers for me thereafter.)
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