Only one position was up for grabs... Lawrence or Hunt. I glad Lawrence is being given a chance in a big game, lets see what his made off.
One thing I dont understand is why the team is made public this early, surely this gives an advantage to the Italians?? Knowing Lawrence is starting on the right gives there LB a chance to do some research on him and get to know his strengths and weakness...
Why not wait to announce the team an hour before kick-off... Like pretty much every other nation do!
Probably because notwithstanding the inclusion of Lawrence, Ireland's teams have been fairly predictable. We're not losing anything by withholding the teamsheetOriginally Posted by JGKyne
Good move...i like!
I think we could have kept it close to our chest. Im not sure the Italians would have done much research on Lawrence, the clear assumption in my mind would have been that Hunt would have played. It benefits no one other than nosey fans like ourselvesand the media to announce the team this early........unless......another twist awaits us prior to kick off......
I thought you were off the drink Ronnie?
"No, I drink to help me mind my own business....can I get you one? (c) Ronnie Drew
Either way, I'm sure the world champions will have done their homework on any of hunt, mcgeady or lawrence starting either left or right for us - if they feel they need to...I think we could have kept it close to our chest. Im not sure the Italians would have done much research on Lawrence, the clear assumption in my mind would have been that Hunt would have played. It benefits no one other than nosey fans like ourselves
Havin a weekend away is quite frankly,lettin ur team mates down!
I suspect that there is method in this madness. Trapp should know the way these boys work (what with being one of them), and will likely be playing the old psyche-out game. Italy will be preparing for the way we play, and after a fashion forcing Italy to design their team around ours, rather than the other way around.
And then he'll fool everyone by playing Lawrence at left back and Killer on the wing, with O'Shea up front and Robbie Keane and Glen Whelan in central defence, and playing tango football like Argentina on their good days. And the Italians think they have the advantage...
That question was less stupid, though you asked it in a profoundly stupid way.
Help me, Arthur Murphy, you're my only hope!
Statement of confidence too though. Trap knows the Italian mindset. They are afraid of us.
8 posts into a Lawrence thread and not a mention of him "roasting" the full back or being good in the box.
Could someone do the honours, please?
Quoting years at random since 1975
Maybe someone should tell Reidy that Trap obviously prefers his players participating in the late night 'sessions' that Lawrence gets involved in! Won't be that much different really, he'll still be 'strumming' away into the small hours....
“I’d always play Pirlo but Trapatoni says his first concern is to avoid losing goals. The truth is that we didn’t know what we were doing out there" Gennaro Gattuso, June 2004.
It was roasting in Nicosia. T-shirts and shorts.
Without dwelling on the negative, but i'd fancy our chances better with Ireland, S Reid, A Reid and Duff. Ah well, (please don't start debate!)
If Bulgaria fail to win, we should know right before kick-off. If there was ever a reason (not that we should need one but ...) to go gun-hoe, then that would be it
strumming the plek
I'm a bloke,I'm an ocker
And I really love your knockers,I'm a labourer by day,
I **** up all me pay,Watching footy on TV,
Just feed me more VB,Just pour my beer,And get my smokes, And go away
lol brilliant
I don't think you'll get much argument that Ireland, Steven Reid and Duffer would walk on the team if fit and available.
There is a different thread for the Andy Reid scenario.
Dunno. Andy Reid has always been proud to fill his shirt for Ireland....
That question was less stupid, though you asked it in a profoundly stupid way.
Help me, Arthur Murphy, you're my only hope!
and then some
No pace, no fighting spirit. Expect him to get a schooling off Grosso. He has good technical ability and expert dead ball skills on his side though. Yet another bad call out of an ever increasingly stubborn Trappatoni
Oh for god sake. Our biggest weakness in this campaign has been from set pieces, which is a big pity when we have players like Dunne, O'Shea and Doyle who are very good in the air. Lawrence is excellent from set pieces, and lets be honest we wont create much against Italy so set pieces could decide the game. I hope you are not one of those people who use any stick to attack Trap. The time to decide if its a bad call is after the game. This is probably the biggest game of lawrences life, im sure he will geta fighting spirit from somewhere
He looked motivated against South Africa, and he's talked about playing for Ireland for a couple of years now. He'll need no motivation to up his game against Italy (easiest team talk of Trap's life I'd imagine in terms of motivating the players).
But the last sentence really gets me. Giving a competitive debut to a player is stubborn?
So if he named the same starting XI as we all predicted, he's stubborn, and if he gives a player a competitive debut he's stubborn?
Is the only way he'll be considered non-stubborn if he makes Andy Reid captain?
I was at university with Lawrence's first cousin; he doesn't consider himself Irish, any thoughts?
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