May as well start it now
Doyle out of the game according to rte.ie: http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2010/1010/doyle.html
It's entirely possible we could start the game with Fahey on the left, and McGeady playing behind Keane.
I have a feeling he has been carrying that injury for awhile. He looked unable to get up off the ground on Friday. Will it be Sheridan to come in on Tuesday? Sheridan is OK at knock downs but poor at holding onto the ball so I would start with Long and Keane. Less humping the ball forward and more using O'Shea to bring the ball forward. I expect a better game from Lawerence. McGeady to improve again (one of his shots is going to go in soon). And I also expect to see Gibson starting.
I think Long earned himself a start on Friday, but he'll probably go with Keane/McGeady.
Martin Škrtela (Liverpool) is out for Slovakia. Possible that Miroslav Stoch will also miss the game through injury.
54,321 sold - wws will never die - ***
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I don't think there will be drastic changes to tactics, only personnel. Trap will probably stick to 4-4-2, with Long partnering Keane in attack. Depending on how the game goes, he may switch to 4-5-1.
From the Irish Times, Tardelli is quoted as saying:
"It is a problem because Doyle is an important player for us but we have young players like Shane Long and Andy Keogh,” said Trapattoni’s assistant Marco Tardelli this morning. “It is possible that the manager will decide to pick a young player like them. They are good players, without experience, maybe, but they are good players.“You saw Long play well against Russia and he scored a goal.”
Last edited by Predator; 10/10/2010 at 1:05 PM.
Sounds like Long then. No point hoofing it into the box with two small players up front so it will call for a change of tactics or at least a tweak of tactics. Having said that Long did win one ball in the air against Russia on Friday were he got above two bigger opponents.
Last edited by Noelys Guitar; 10/10/2010 at 1:12 PM.
Long's the obvious replacement after Saturday in my opinion. He won his fair share in the air and looked sharper than Robbie, so I reckon Trap will see it as like-for-like, more or less. Not having Doyle's aerial strength may force us to play it on the deck a bit more anyway. Sheridan or Keogh as bench options.
I think Fahey did his chances no harm on Friday night. He must be pushing very close and hopefully he'll be in CM alongside Whelan. I know Whelan was underwhelming on Friday but I'd stick with him.
My preference would be to restore the Dunne / JOS partnership with Foley coming in at RB. Leave KK at LB in absence of a better option, though maybe JOS at left back. I don't care that some people think he can't play there. It's not his best position but he's arguably the best option we have there.
Without Doyle and without any obvious big man (like Sheridan or potentially Walters in the near future), Trap won't adopt a long ball game.
What game plan he will choose, I haven't a clue.
I think he'll go with a 5 man midfield, and he'll play Fahey.
I really don't see the point in disturbing our settled back four line to put in someone with very little international experience and who brings little, if any, extra quality to what we already have.
There's no need to go change the back four.
He needs to bring in a left back for Kilbane against Norway. We cannot rely on Kilbane for the whole campaign.
I think St. Ledger and Dunne work well together and O'Shea is a good solid right back. Unless he wants to blood Foley or Coleman at right back against Norway, I wouldn't be for changing the back four at all (except for changing left back).
Without Doyle, Tuesday night's game is going to be hugely difficult. We'll need a big performance form both McGeady and Lawrence, if they are both fit.
I think the back 4 can be stronger and Foley would add more fluency down the right side. I think full back is a crucial position for deveoping play and retaining possession, and while Dunne / SSL is good enough it's not as good as Dunne / JOS. I do agree though that improving midfield is the priority.
Given
O'Shea Dunne St Ledger Kilbane
Long Lawrence Whelan Fahey McGeady
Keane
Long tries to support Keane when we have ball. That's what I think he'll do. Other option is Gibson instead of Long. Leave Lawrence on right and let Gibson break forward when he can. Slovakia looked dodgy at the back. Particularly at LB, somebody like Long or Coleman could get a lot of joy down that side because of their pace.
Both are out, as well as main goalscorer Robert Vittek:
http://www.independent.ie/sport/socc...e-2372863.html
With Doyle out, I'm expecting Long to start and hoping Gibson to come in to actual help supply which will be a physically less imposing front line. Though I wouldn't complain if it was Fahey either. Like Stutts I'd hold on to Whelan, he's knows he was well below par on Friday but should be looking to bounce back and he has far more in the locker than Green. Don't see much point in changing the back four though I do think this could the last competitive fixture with that four, new defensive options have to be given a run against Norway.
As much as it could be beneficial, I can't see any change to the system. Don't think Trap trusts the players enough to go 4-5-1 although I think a formation with McGeady/Gibson behind Keane would be potentially very interesting.
Last edited by SwanVsDalton; 10/10/2010 at 2:11 PM. Reason: extra thoughts...
Ou-est le Centre George Pompidou?
The Duffer could have found some room. Shame he is so fragile.
When is Connor Clifford going to be able to crack a lineup so he can be in the mix?
Cliffy.....Jimmy Mac.....Dave Myler.......welcome to our World Cup lineup in Brasil. Might as well get it going now.
No Somos muchos pero estamos locos.
No use placing Fahey at CM, he won't be played in that position.
Is there a hope that Whelan can improve on that awful wooden display?
He is not playing for his club, he was the first to be substituted. I'd imagine that on Trap's scale of below par performance, his was by far the worst.
I'd say Trap's faith in him, ever developing into our main CM, has been slowly eroded these past few games and Friday was the last straw.
Gibson should be sensing that Whelan is a wounded animal and get in a few tackles in the practice games.
Based on how Trapattoni has used Long, I think Keogh is more likely to start as Keane's partner on Tuesday.
Other than the forced change with Doyle's injury, I don't think Trapattoni will make any more changes to the starting line-up. He's not exactly known for making widespread changes.
From Slovakian lad on YBIG:
"Stoch is injured, Vittek injured, Skrtel on the cards, Strba ended up his national carrier today.
Durica from Lokomotive Moskov was called up as center back.
our best goalscorer from last campaign is completely out of form. I think we might struggle against Ireland"
We really must not lose this game no matter what. With Doyle out, I think we might start Tuesday similar to how we ended on Friday, with Long on the wing and McGeady with a free role behind Keane. Alternatively, he might go with Gibson to play in the role behind Keane. Would def prefer either of these two changes than say playing Keogh/Sheridan as second strikers.
Last edited by elroy; 10/10/2010 at 3:10 PM.
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