If you think that, across the two games, Idah, Connolly, O'Dowda, McGoldrick, Long, and Robinson all got gametime up front, and as I said Maguire didn't see a minute, why was Obafemi not considered?
I'd have him ahead of O'Dowda and Maguire, and he had started ahead of Long for Southampton after the restart.
The "I didn't call him because he wasn't capped under McCarthy is a cop out too - we don't have enough premier league players that we have the luxury of ignoring one on a whim.
Kenny's attitude with Obafemi was bordering on the ridiculous. He had Parrott and Idah in the squad who had far less game time over the course of the season (Parrott barely got on the pitch). He then called Maguire up, a 26 year old who is miles off International standard at the moment.
His excuse that Obafemi had never played as a lone striker alone up front and that was the reason for not calling him up was also nonsense. Parrot had never played that role at any meaningful level either whilst Idah had very few minutes in that role as he was mainly brought on when Norwich were chasing the game and they often had Pukki or Drmic on the pitch.
Surely the training camp was an opportunity to start bedding these players into these unfamiliar roles. Duffy clearly has never learned to distribute the ball from the back at his club either so should he have been excluded from the squad also?
Anyway it backfired in a big way in my opinion. His attack over both games was toothless and if Kenny seriously believes that replacing O'Dowda with Obafemi in the second half against Bulgaria or in the starting lineup against Finland would have made it any worse then I worry for the next few years.
Last edited by youngirish; 19/09/2020 at 9:07 AM.
@tets, I'm not sure. All 6 of the players you reference are able to fill defined roles in Kenny's system. Maguire plays wide quite a lot for Preston too.
I would have called him up myself. But I'm not the manager. I'm leaning towards giving Kenny the benefit of the doubt but I definitely see merit in your points ,tets
Bamford is having a good game. Watchin' it on espn+ Argentina. He is a bright player, has football brain, but as fast as a snail. Very intelligent though, for that position, he has good movements, attacks the empty spaces cleverly, but doesnt have a bit of pace to make him better. For me is very similar to Hogan and Collins but playing under Bielsa in an attacking team makes Patrick a better footballer
An Anthony Driscoll-Glennon features on the bench for Burnley.
A quick google tells me he's a left-back from Bootle.
I wonder if he qualifies.
I see Cj Hamilton bagged both goals for Blackpool in a 2-0 win against Swindon yesterday.
Liam Delap is on the bench for City tonight against Wolves. Turned 17 in February.
Theres a few Man City youth players on the bench today which is good to see. Hopefully Joe Hodge has a route to 1st team there if he continues how he is going. There is a Thomas Doyle on the bench today, is there any Irish Connection there?
Liam Delap eligible though
https://kesslereffect.bandcamp.com/album/kepler - New music. It's not that bad.
This guy is highly rated at Spurs and has already been on the bench for them this season in the Premier League.
https://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/tea...dennis-cirkin/
Anybody know why he prefers to play for the old enemy even though he was born in Ireland? Are his parents English? If not then shame on them.
Both parents are Latvia and he represented them at U13 level according to this.
https://m.facebook.com/BalticFootbal...61461497395414
Peter Kioso is another Dublin born right back. He is starting tonight for Luton against United in the EFL cup.
According to this - https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2016/08/0...ungster-peter/ - he declared for the DR Congo.
But, it's the only article I can find, and I can't find any call up for him to the DR Congo team
He looks a good player anyway. I wouldn't be surprised to see him push on as a player. It is clear that he isn't the most polished player but he has a drive and all action industry that reminds me of Stephen Carr. Showed a willingness to tackle and get forward in equal measures and always looked to advance the play.
James Shea was in goal and made some nice saves but he is very small for a keeper, as I'm sure he's been told.
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