The Cyprus game plan

**bwagner** · 02/10/2008, 10:49 AM

Ok fellas so we are getting real close to this game and I gota say I am a nervous wreck already.

What team you you guys send out ?

What is cyprus strongest 11 ?? do many play for the team thats in the champions league ?

3 points is not gona be easy do we really need them and can beat these guys I feel .

Your taughts....

**kingdomkerry** · 02/10/2008, 11:29 AM

If we cant beat cyprus well at home, we should lower our aspirations a bit.

**Noelys Guitar** · 02/10/2008, 12:34 PM

Looking for a 1-0. Full backs pushing up and creating plenty of chances for Doyle and Keane. Denying the Cypriots any clear cut chances and to stop them creating anything from midfield. I expect Dunne and O'Shea to win everything in the air this time. My only worry is McShane coming in for Finnan?. McShane is prone to at least one howler a game. And when his confidence starts ebbing he can't get forward/passing goes astray. But overall I expect Doyle and Keane to give their defense some real problems. Cyprus are a good team and I will be very happy with any type of win.

**Sligo Hornet** · 02/10/2008, 2:23 PM

Originally Posted by Ciaran

Keep Possession and use Duff to gain ground. We have strikers who can score for fun then.

My only concern is if Steven Reid doesn't get his form or fitness back in time how are you going to keep the ball? If that happens I really hope he uses Andy Reid instead of Liam Miller.

I would prefer Andy Reid for Home games......his ability to pick out Robbies runs will give us the attacking threat needed

**bwagner** · 02/10/2008, 2:36 PM

I agree Sligo

My team would be

Given

Mc Shane Dunne O Shea Kilbane
Mc Geady A Reid Whelan Duff
Keane Doyle

I think Mc Shane will do well there and Mc Geady does track back now alot

**Cloggs** · 02/10/2008, 5:00 PM

Originally Posted by bwagner

I agree Sligo

My team would be

Given

Mc Shane Dunne O Shea Kilbane
Mc Geady A Reid Whelan Duff
Keane Doyle

I think Mc Shane will do well there and Mc Geady does track back now alot

i think the right hand side is a bit lightweight but that will more than likely be the team if finnan and steven reid are both out.is there a chance that finnan might be fit to play yet?

**richieos** · 02/10/2008, 6:08 PM

guys, seriously dont worry about this match. cyprus can be dangerous at home to teams who underestimate them, but they havent won a significant away game in a very long time, and their draw against us is considered one of their greatest ever results, and bear in mind that was under stan the man. seriously these guys dont travel well, and against an organised team like ireland they have no chance, my bet is on 3-0

**cavan_fan** · 02/10/2008, 6:31 PM

Originally Posted by richieos

guys, seriously dont worry about this match. cyprus can be dangerous at home to teams who underestimate them, but they havent won a significant away game in a very long time, and their draw against us is considered one of their greatest ever results, and bear in mind that was under stan the man. seriously these guys dont travel well, and against an organised team like ireland they have no chance, my bet is on 3-0

This way for fate tempting man^^^^^^^

Anyway I think the days of 3-0 wins died the day we hired Trap, 1-0 all the way!

**Wangball** · 02/10/2008, 6:45 PM

How sweet would it be to hit them for 5????

**TheBoss** · 02/10/2008, 7:07 PM

Originally Posted by bwagner

What is cyprus strongest 11 ?? do many play for the team thats in the champions league ?

Cyprus usually play a 3-4-3 or 4-3-3 at Home, but away from Home, they really defensive more like 5-4-1, 4-5-1.

Most of their players play with Famagusta, APOEL and Omonia, and they have done really well in Europe as we know.

Full backs like to foward as do Wingers.
I would guess:

GK: Morfis or Georgallides
RB: Elia
CB: Christou
CB: Nicolaou
LB: Charalambous
RM: Aloneftis
CM: Charalambides
CM: Makrides
CM: Michail
LM: Okkas
ST: M Constantinou

**Fergie's Son** · 02/10/2008, 7:33 PM

Is it confirmed that Finnan is out? S. Reid would be a big blow.

My concern is in the midfield. We simply can't be dominated the way we were in the away match and, to some extent, at Croke Park. As has been mentioned earlier, we have strikers who can score and score well against Cyprus but we just need to dominate possession in the middle of the pitch.

**richieos** · 02/10/2008, 10:18 PM

Originally Posted by cavan_fan

This way for fate tempting man^^^^^^^

Anyway I think the days of 3-0 wins died the day we hired Trap, 1-0 all the way!

im actually a pessimistic person, i just really would be shocked if we didnt win well against cyprus. and just because trap is a defensive coach doesnt mean we'll always win 1-0 etc, look at his history, he won 4 and 5 nil regularly against poor teams with italy, i remember a 4 nil win over a very good wales team with an inzaghi hatrick

**irishultra** · 02/10/2008, 11:03 PM

ye being defensive doesnt mean we won't score goals. some teams are just good at scoring even if they arent that good while others are more conservative and tend to get about 17 a campaign.

**Crosby87** · 03/10/2008, 12:21 AM

I agree with the poster who said if we dont win, we would have to rethink our goals here...
I dont care what anyone says about how there are no minnows anymore, and how we lost in Cyprus, etc...BOTTOM LINE is if we can't beat Cyprus at home then there is no point to trying to get to the World Cup, it simply wont happen.
That being said I will be keeping my fingers crossed this week and next injury wise.

**tetsujin1979** · 03/10/2008, 12:26 AM

If Steven Reid is injured, Andy Reid might come in for him. Remember the home game under Kerr against Cyprus? We won 3-0, and Reid tore them apart. I won a few quid after backing him to score from outside the area as well! Duff won a penalty as well IIRC, and Keane converted it.

**Sligo Hornet** · 03/10/2008, 6:32 AM

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

If Steven Reid is injured, Andy Reid might come in for him. Remember the home game under Kerr against Cyprus? We won 3-0, and Reid tore them apart. I won a few quid after backing him to score from outside the area as well! Duff won a penalty as well IIRC, and Keane converted it.

As I mentioned elsewhere, I would prefer Andy to play in the Home games.....he gives us more attacking options, and that's what we should be doing especially early on against teams like Cyprus

**Reddladd** · 03/10/2008, 8:17 AM

We've performed well away from home and had our chances to beat Montenegro. I would think it will be more of the same against Cyprus however in front of a home crowd we should be able to put some of the chances away. I would expect to score at least twice against the Cypriots!