QuoteI liked the look of the partnership of Whelan and Reid in Traps first couple of games and I would think thats his first choice pairing
If we do make the play-offs. What is the best 11 available to us? and what will Trappatoni pick?
Assumptions:
Stephen Ireland will not suddenly be turned from white trash in to a considerate Irishman and will NOT be having a change of heart.
Andy Reid will play blinders for Sunderland, score 3 goals but willl still NOT be considered by Trappatoni and Co.
Stephen Reid will be fit (possible?)
Stephen Finnan will be fit.
Everyone else will be fit.
Trappatoni may play the predicable 4-4-2 as follows:
.........................Given.................... .............
Finnan..........O'Shea..................Dunne..... ..........Kilbane
McGeady.........S. Reid.........K.Andrews..............Duff
.................Keane...........Doyle............ .................
???
Comments and questions?
Is this the best 11 available?
This team has not played together to my knowledge so Trappatoni may continue with Whelan Andrews even if S. Reid is fit.
A fit Finnan and Reid would be a huge plus but they have little match playing fitness. Can't see Trappatoni risking playing Finnan but we don't have great options.
Kilbane is VERY dodgy but it is probably too late for replacement and he is capable on any day of playing a blinder if he maintains 100% focus.
Still very predictable for any opposition and lacking fluidity. Trappatoni is not making the best use of Robbie Keane but this won't be addressed before the play-offs.
Is Trapatoni capable of making changes to allow for the opposition? No indicators of this to date.
It's pretty much proven that McGeady provides much more that S. Hunt. Would Trappatoni leave both out and play S. Reid, Andrew, Whelan, Duff ?! Unlikely and ps. S. Reid cannot play anywhere other than in the center IMO.
An injury to which one or two players would end our chances of qualifying?
Will the games with Italy and Montenegro provide an opportunity to find our best 11?
Last edited by Scram; 12/09/2009 at 1:11 PM.
I liked the look of the partnership of Whelan and Reid in Traps first couple of games and I would think thats his first choice pairing
Its really not that complicated!!!
Over the 2 games I really think we would need something of a secret weapon. Ireland has been so predictable over the years ( especially with kerr) id like to see the likes of Lawerence get a run out and Best .. this guy is a loose canon and other teams wouldnt have much knowledge on him.
If Finnan is fit, I'd be happy for Dunne and St. Ledger to stay together, and O'Shea to go to left-back. It probably won't happen, though, if Kilbane doesn't make any more calamitous errors against Italy or Montenegro. Like Razor, I believe Whelan will start alongside Reid. Hunt will probably keep his place over McGeady, definitely for the away leg. McGeady will need to deliver a good performance, and a goal/assist in one of the last two games if he's to get in ahead of Hunt. 27 caps, no goals, and very few assists; not a compelling statistic for an attacking midfielder, albeit one who seems very talented.
I've been impressed with Best... I think he'll be a good player for us in the future!
If S. Reid is fit, it would be more likely the midfield pairing would be Reid & Whelan, but i think Andrews offers more going forward
Given
Finnan-O'Shea-Dunne-Kilbane(yikes!)
Duff-S.Reid-Whelan-Hunt
Doyle-Keane
subs:
Westwood
McShane
S. Kelly
Fahey
McGeady
Andrews
Folan
For me
................................Given............. .....................
Finnan..........St. Ledger..........Dunne.............O'Shea
McGeady.........S. Reid.........G. Whelan..............Hunt
......................Keane...........Doyle....... ..................
Subs:
Ward
Westwood
Duff
Folan
Andrews
Lawrence
Kelly
Hunt ahead of Duff, are ya insane??Originally Posted by backtowalsall
Its really not that complicated!!!
Nope. I think Hunt offers more work and adds an extra bit of steel to the midfield.
Duff hasn't done it for me since he left Chelsea
He's been brilliant at the international level in my opinion. First name on the team sheet if fit.
You missed the match last saturday so because he chipped a sweet ball in for Keanes winner against Cyprus. I'm not being overly unkind to Hunt when I say I reckon he'd have run it out before he realised he'd missed the chance to cross it in 5 seconds and 20 yards back.
" I wish to God that someone would be able to block out the voices in my head for five minutes, the voices that scream, over and over again: "Why do they come to me to die?"
That was a classy delivery for Robbie alright.
I watched it all right. No doubt it was a great cross, but I was screaming at him to put it into the box, as i had been all night whilst he was messing about doing everything but putting a cross in.
But my main reason is that we have no real option apart from McGeady on the right, and i think a midfield with both McGeady and Duff is too lightweight, especially for the away leg.
Folan has to play alongside Doyle up front or we're going nowhere. Given the problems we have in getting out of our own way in the middle of the park, the big Hull City man is the outlet we need to punt long (I know it's not the best method but it's all we have for now).
I agree with the sentiment that Best should be included - he's a good looking player and I think he has a big part to play from the bench from here on out (he scored again yesterday).
I would go with (injuries allowing):
Given
Finnan Dunne O'Shea Hunt
Lawrence Andrews Duff
Keane
Doyle Folan
With Best and McGeady on the bench we have serious contributors to bring in late on.
I honestly cant find the words to disagree with you strong enough. He has been fantastic for us consistantly and is still indispensible, Hunt isnt half the player Duffer is
Its really not that complicated!!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by backtowalsall
Nope. I think Hunt offers more work and adds an extra bit of steel to the midfield.
Duff hasn't done it for me since he left Chelsea
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Anyone who thinks that Hunt offers more in ANY dept. than Duff needs to check their prescription!
ps, he scored a class winner for Fulham tonight (as well as being responsible for our last results!)
Duff was man-of- the- match for Fulham today, capped by a terrific goal. Went off injured at the end though, hope it's not serious.
I don't think Trap likes Finnan, maybe because he sees him as being too old?
He left him out of the Austraila squad even though hewas fit at the time and mentioned him in the same sentence as Lee Carsley. It was along the lines of "We don't forget about Carsley and Finnan"etc.
Anyway if Reid is fit I think he'll be the only change from the Cyprus match, replacing Andrews.
Hunt definitely deserves his place in front of McGeady based on club form so far this season. He's back to his best, and even though he was poor in Nicosia McGeady was worse when he came on.
San Marino are going to be a handful as the group goes on." - Steve Staunton reacts to performance against San Marino.
This just won't happen. I don't know why you rate Folan so highly - he's likely played his last Premiership match as Hull are keen to offload him to a Championship club on loan. I know what you're saying about long balls but we'd get killed with the midfield you're proposing. We need two strong wingers in order to give the full backs a passing outlet. We can't long ball it every time.
If everyone is fit, I'd go with
Given
Finnan Dunne Josh Kilbane
McGeady Whelan S. Reid Duff
Doyle Keane
But we should wait until we qualify for the play-offs first.Both Italy and Montenegro are capable of beating us.
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