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

[Kingdom]

By the time the quals for WC2014 start we'll have :

Given @ 36
Duff @ 33+
Kilbane @ 35+
Dunne @ 33
Josh @ 32+
Keano @ 32

so for the majority of them this represents the last chance for the bulk of our first choice XI to play in a major finals tournament. I'd imagine that will add greater emphasis to the task at hand

[Stuttgart88]

Yep, and anyway the season is so long these days the few weeks off in June hardly takes the edge off their fitness and a decent pre-season is all that it takes to get them back in peak condition again. I'd say these guys are rarely too far off peak condition.

I reckon we'll win this. Montenegro were better (OK, we drew!), Cyprus were better.

[Straightstory]

Why do people say stuff like this? We're coming off the back of a campaign where we went through undefeated in a group that could certainly be described as tricky, outplayed France in Paris and hammered two world cup teams in build up friendlies.

The team is settled, the lads know their role and the system, we've lost nobody through retirement either.
On paper perhaps a weak squad but the team is one of the strongest we've had in the past decade.

It speaks volume of where the team is now and where they were when at the start of the last Euro campaign Stan spoke about "being a banana skin for the opposition" and "building for the future" and other nonsense, this campaign Killer has come out and said anything less than 6 points from these two fixtures is a failure, Keane has said the past failure will spur them on to qualification, they have belief now, they're far mentally tougher than they used to be.

We couldn't overcome the worst French and Italian teams in living memory. Our away form has always been poor. Can't see us getting much out of tonight.

[boovidge]

France didn't even make the 1990 or 1994 world cup. Those are in living memory, right?

[SwanVsDalton]

We couldn't overcome the worst French and Italian teams in living memory. Our away form has always been poor. Can't see us getting much out of tonight.

France and Italy were both better against us than in the WC. And even at their worst, possessed far more quality than us. It's not really a reason for half-empty pessimism.

[IsMiseSean]

just checked: in their last competitive home fixture they lost to spain 2:1.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armenia...otable_matches

I was looking at that too, some good results for so called minnows....

[TheBoss]

1 Shay Given
2 Sean St Ledger
3 Kevin Kilbane
4 John O'Shea
5 Richard Dunne
6 Glenn Whelan
7 Liam Lawrence
8 Paul Green
9 Kevin Doyle
10 Robbie Keane (C)
11 Aiden McGeady

Subs:
16 Keiren Westwood
12 Keith Fahey
13 Stephen Kelly
14 Darron Gibson
15 Greg Cunningham
17 Andrew Keogh
18 Cillian Sheridan

[Murfinator]

By the time the quals for WC2014 start we'll have :

Given @ 36
Duff @ 33+
Kilbane @ 35+
Dunne @ 33
Josh @ 32+
Keano @ 32

so for the majority of them this represents the last chance for the bulk of our first choice XI to play in a major finals tournament. I'd imagine that will add greater emphasis to the task at hand

Oh get real, Keane, Duff, JOS, Dunne at 32/33 and Given for a goalkeeper at 36 does not represent being too old. Thats the kind of silly thing the english media and public do in believing everyone should be retired once they turn 30 regardless of any sort of form or fitness they might be on. Dunne, Given and Duff had one of the finest seasons of their career last year and JOS has had one major injury in his entire career, if you think they'll be retiring out of inability, fitness or lack of desire get a reality check, they'll all be there for that campaign.

[paul_oshea]

is the boss saying st ledger is in teh full back position?!

[paul_oshea]

very short on cover for the centre half position.

[EAFC_rdfl]

is the boss saying st ledger is in teh full back position?!

sledge always wears number 2

[elroy]

Here we go lads, we've been waiting for this since the night in Paris. The rollercoaster starts all over again. We dont win many away but please god we win tonight. Lets be confident, clean sheet anyways and i think we'll get two. 2-0 to Ireland. Lets hope we continue our good record of scoring early.

[Murfinator]

Would love to know what the value is having two captains read out some inaudible scribble from a scrawl of paper.

[Crosby87]

So what is the starting lineup for Tuesday lads? Paul Green has to be on the bench right?
Does McG get the start or has Trap tired of his lack of production?

[Sullivinho]

Everyone seems to be fit. I reckon we might be unchanged.

[Charlie Darwin]

O'Dea and McShane passed fit but Duff ruled out.

http://www.irishtimes.com/sports/soc...278269111.html

[zinedineontour]

So what is the starting lineup for Tuesday lads? Paul Green has to be on the bench right?
Does McG get the start or has Trap tired of his lack of production?

Would start Green again thought he came into the game in the second half and did alright after poor first half. Deserves another chance and andorra should be the kind of game where he will get his confidence and develop into the side.

[Charlie Darwin]

In the short-term, Green probably needs another game to get used to international football, but if the Andorrans park the bus, as I expect they will, the match seems ideally suited for Gibson.

[Charlie Darwin]

Whelan might not play to ensure he isn't banned for the Russia match:

Midfielder Glenn Whelan – who was booked in the 1-0 win in Armenia – could be replaced by Darron Gibson.
Another booking would rule him out of next month’s home clash with group *favourites Russia.


Ireland No.2 Marco Tardelli said: “For us it could be dangerous because Whelan is on a yellow card.”

http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news...cle572171.html

[Sullivinho]

We should be able to handle Andorra with Green and Gibson.

Anchor Darron just outside their box with a shoot on sight policy