Republic of Ireland Squad V Armenia 3/9, Andorra 7/9

[Duggie]

lets hope mcgeady and lawerence can get some balls into the box and hopefully robbie or kevin can pounce on 1 at least. im really nervous about this game now.

[geysir]

I personally lay the blame for Duff's withdrawal on the hands of those here who hooped and hollered when McShane got injured.

[greendeiseboy]

Barring starting Kilbane, I've no problems with that. I'd have Kelly or Foley at right full and O'Shea on the left.

+ 1 hopefully Kilbane wont be too exposed. Other than that decent enough team - should come away with the spoils.

[ifk101]

The following quote from Armenia's former caretaker manager worries me;

"... if they let Armenia dictate the pace of the game, then it could be a long night."

http://www.independent.ie/sport/socc...t-2321304.html

That's something we're not particularly good at - ie dictating the pace of games. I think we'll be doing well to get a win.

[Stuttgart88]

I personally lay the blame for Duff's withdrawal on the hands of those here who hooped and hollered when McShane got injured.

What about those of us who were quietly relieved, albeit with a tinge of guilt?

[ShelsNeil]

Not sure if anyone listens to it, but the below podcast this week has Richard Sadlier on and he basically says that if we don't qualify from this campaign then the whole Trap thing will have been a complete waste of time. Hard to disagree tbh.

http://backpagefootball.com/featured...age-episode-6/

[Sullivinho]

"... if they let Armenia dictate the pace of the game, then it could be a long night."

In fairness, if we let the 96th ranked team in the world dictate a game to us...then we may as well not bother turning up in Skopje, never mind Bratislava and Moscow.

[Duggie]

Not sure if anyone listens to it, but the below podcast this week has Richard Sadlier on and he basically says that if we don't qualify from this campaign then the whole Trap thing will have been a complete waste of time. Hard to disagree tbh.

http://backpagefootball.com/featured...age-episode-6/

if i can help it i try not to listen to him, hes a major pain.

[rebelmusic]

Gotta agree with Mr.Sullivan. We should be handing their asses to them. If we can't comfortably win this game it would be pretty disgraceful

[cestlavie]

Overall a pretty weak team/squad. McCarthy, Wilson and Ward should be in that squad, all premiership players. Bad sign when people are delighted that McShane is injured(thank god), and Kilbane still hanging around like a bad smell (we thank you kevin,probably a good lad, god knows how you got so many caps but time for you to be let out to pasture)that is not good omen for the future.

In saying that, If we can get something, will be happy days but we really need leadership and new ideas at the top. Trap is an auld man, no way he is going to get around and see prospective players in the near future.

[shakermaker1982]

Things I want to see tomorrow (besides a comfortable away victory):

McGeady to announce himself on the international stage. A goal or a couple of nice crosses for Keane/Doyle would do nicely.

Kilbane to have a solid 7 out of 10 performance.

If we go 1 up PLEASE keep playing. Pretend your 1 nil down if you have to. Nothing drives me more insane than when we go 1 goal up after 10 minutes and then play negative football until the opposition get an equalizer in the dying seconds.....



Ireland 2-1. Similiar type of performance when we played Cyprus away last time out.

[SwanVsDalton]

It'll be a typical Irish performance - storming start, goal, comfortable into the late stages before hare-brained defending and plenty of misplaced passes lead to a bum-clenchingly tight finish. But a 1-0 win. Would take that all day.

[geysir]

No at all, I'd be feeling very disgraced with those 3 points

[boovidge]

i'd take 1-0 in a heartbeat. very nervous about tomorrow-it has banana skin written all over it.

[Noelys Guitar]

Any type of a win will do tomorrow. Don't care how we play. Not in these type of games away from home. McGeady will be the key player tomorrow. We need him running at their defense and getting decent balls into the box. Better still McGeady scoring. Keep Armenia defending with their full backs staying in their own half.

[irishfan86]

Could be McGeady's coming out party, I have a good feeling about this.

[Fergie's Son]

I'd take any sort of win. Lawrence and McGeady both have something to prove and I think Green will boss the midfield or at least let them know he is there. Kilbane is professional enough to be able to handle most of what will come at it. My worry is that some unknown but skillful Armenian will pull the strings all night and tear us apart.

[irishultra]

while i feel this ireland team is very very weak and that trap is underperforming with squad selection we still are better on paper than armenia. obviously like football isnt played on paper and it will be tough but we should have enough to get 3 points, but we aren't that much better than them that its like a formality.

we have weak players thru the team who could get exposed(green, kilbane)

[danonion]

Armenia is a team of footballing never-will-bes. 4-0 Ireland, Kilbane to get on the scoresheet.

[Razors left peg]

Lads how did Armenia do in World Cup qualifying.Did they have any notable wins that might worry us or are we just nervous about this game because its a trip into the unknown?