QuoteColeman withdraws - SSN
Not the biggest loss - we're covered wide right and RB
I saw O'Dea playing for Ipswich when Keane was manager and he was woeful that day. Looked out of his depth in the championship letting the ball bounce in front of him a couple of times. Hope its a moot point and St Ledger plays.Originally Posted by paul_oshea
Coleman withdraws - SSN
Not the biggest loss - we're covered wide right and RB
I agree.
In fact I'd add Clark's superiority as a player to the argument and risk being rash in dismissing Darren's decent showing against Milan 4 years ago. If he's done anything of note in the meantime I must have neglected to notice.
WTF. I realy hope that is it for injuries.
ah come on... e's are good.
ebeneezer.
"Likely #ROI team for Sat based on training today: Westwood, Foley, Dunne, St Ledger, Kilbane, Duff, Whelan, Gibson, McGeady, Doyle, Keane."
That would be my team if given the choice. I have to say, and probably against popular opinion Im undecided about Gibson or Green, hopefully we have more of the ball and then Gibson can use it but if we dont, then I would much rather Green was in there. Its important that we really start the game with a high tempo, Duff and McGeady giving their fullbacks a few palpatations from the first minute.
I think Kilbane will really do well with the addiitonal responsibility of assisting a few youngsters/less experienced lads in this side. I doubt Trap will discard his experience, leadership, ability in the air (both in attack and at the back).
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
The only worry i have of that is it means he wont get gametime in the uruguay game. We all know what trap is like with these things and how long it takes to get embedded in the team/squad. Hopefully he is fine again for carling nations and macedonia away.
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
He didn't train all week Noely. Or did you mean you hope thats it for injuries?
Btw i know o'dea is woeful, slow, cumbersome, i just said we all know traps limitations by this stage(most have now acknowledged and agreed).
Last edited by paul_oshea; 24/03/2011 at 4:21 PM.
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
2 days to go, Noely's paranoia levels are well into the red zone.
The Macedonian manager has said they will play 4-3-3 so I reckon they're definitely going for the win. With any luck we'll outnumber them in midfield and cut off the supply to their forward line early on.
Have to start Foley at right full. Kelly has played well under Trapattoni, but his lack of first team experience recently (hasn't played for Fulham since November) counts against him and Foley is a regular in the Wolves side. Not always at right full, mind, but he seems to be able to play a few different positions equally well. Coleman has yet to impress at right full for Everton, with Neville getting the nod ahead of him, but he might get a run in place of McGeady, or Duff with McGeady switching wings
Left full is a different prospect, the obvious one is to start Clarke, but he's still inexperienced at this level, and starting him will leave both two central defenders with more caps than the rest of the back 5 combined. The word from training is that Kilbane will start, and from an experience point of view it's hard to argue with that. Dunne will need to be completely over his shoulder problem to deal with Pandev. He has an excellent record at international level, almost 1 in 2, but he hasn't played for his country in almost a year after walking out on the team. Shades of Zidane and Thuram in 2005 maybe?
Whelan has forced his way back into the Stoke side, starting, and completing, 5 of their last 6 games, and coming on as a sub in the other. Incidentally, Stoke are quite the Ireland team at the moment, with Whelan, Delap, Walters and Wilson all enjoying a run in the side recently.
Gibson can be an enigma, but he brings more of an attacking and possession threat than Green. The goal in his last game will give him some confidence going into this. I expect him to come off at some point for McCarthy, and given the choice, I would start Fahey anyway, but he's not supposed to be 100%. I'd like to see Whelan + Fahey given some time against Uruguay on tuesday night, thought they showed promise together against Norway in the November friendly.
With Duff and McGeady both in form for their clubs, we should be set for supply from the wings, but I'd hope Duff works a bit more on the defensive side of his game, given that Kilbane will be marked down as the weak link in defence.
Up front, it's as you were with Keane and Doyle, with Long to come on and give a bit more movement to Keane. Walters can feel genuinely aggrieved after his performance against Wales, he ran himself into the ground, and is playing well and scoring with Stoke recently.
so, in summary
Westwood
Foley Dunne St Ledger Kilbane
McGeady Whelan Gibson Duff
Keane (c) Doyle
McCarthy -> Gibson
Long -> Keane
Coleman -> McGeady/Duff
Nerves settling in now. Playing football later, hope that helps.
I really do pick the best times to quit drinking
<EDIT>
Just read about Coleman pulling out of the squad, so Fahey to come on instead of him
If I see O'Dea and Kilbane starting then I won't be the only one (especially with a fully fit Clark available). Would you agree with O'Dea and Kilbane starting ahead of Clark? And who are these youngsters Kilbane is helping out? We will end up with a lopsided lefthand side with Duff having to cover for Kilbane's touch and slowness rather than being able to play quick 1-2's with an overlapping Clark. We don't know the team yet so lets see what transpires.
St Ledger still on the doubtful list according to rte sports news.
Foley, Westwood, St Ledger (to a degree). Gibson also relatively inexperienced (how many caps between them?)
Quick overlapping one-twos with Clark? Does Trap allow overlapping Fullbacks? Who have you been watching lately? If Clark plays, strict instructions not to cross the half way line unless for set pieces.
Someone earlier mentioned Kilbane being a weakness for Macedonia to try and exploit - Wouldnt an international young rookie at RB be the obvious choice? Im well aware, as we all are, that Kilbane is on his last legs and its only a matter of a small number of games before he enters international wilderness but I just have a feeling that his experience will be invaluable on Saturday.
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
I wasn't at all impressed with both O'Shea & O'Dea in the CH partnership against Norway, possibly O'Dea was only coming back from injury, he got little help from Josh.
If St Ledger is out, Dunne/Clark looks the more obvious partnership.
If Kilbane plays instead of Clark at LB, I wouldn't be too worried. I'd prefer Clark there now, even if he's not a LB by trade. Clark has a football brain and skill.
Ok substitute sleeping for shellshocked and the lesson's the same - don't get overawed, stay focused and try not be so 'rubbish' (as Stutts said).
All I mean is (not unlike England last Saturday) - we were taught a lesson, we should learn from it.
Ou-est le Centre George Pompidou?
Kilbane is not like a Stephen Carr, Ian Harte (still playing), Denis Irwin even Stan Staunton (at the end of their Ireland careers)in terms of football nous. He is in many ways too honest a footballer. Great person but I fail to see what he brings to the rest of the team now. His positioning is poor and he fails to read the danger signs. And as an earlier poster has said Duff has to now cover for him. Rather than having a Duff raging at Macedonia Duff has to hold back to make sure the left back is not exposed. Plus if O'Dea is selected ahead of Clark at center back (which now looks likely going by RTE's latest report) then we have a very slow left side of defense. Against a very quick opposing forward line.
Last edited by Noelys Guitar; 24/03/2011 at 4:58 PM.
Exactly. Absolutely mind boggling.
"We lost because we didn't win"- Ronaldo
Ian Harte? Really - He was a bombscare at LB on many occasions for us at a much younger age (whether he is playing well or not at the moment). Stephen Carr, likewise has been like a headless chicken for Ireland. Not sure what quoting those players means. (Stan / Irwin - are obviously far superior FB's).
Duff restricted because of his defensive duties? - I cant say that has been an overriding characteristic of Duffs performances in recent times.
Look, I dont think we differ massively on where KK is at the moment in footballing terms, I just think I would phase him out over the next 2-3 games including friendlies rather than just have him out for Saturday.
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
I think there's a perceived wisdom about Kilbane having 'no football nous' but I don't buy it. We all know his limitations, but he's been fairly solid in most games. Against Russia he was caught out a couple of times, but he certainly wasn't the only one and it's a little unfair to ignore the fact he was subsequently very solid Slovakia.
With injuries and inexperienced defenders, I think Kilbane's has got the benefit of being a leader and I have no doubt he'll bring that to the pitch on Saturday. It's a marginal call, but not an unreasonable one imo. Notwithstanding Duff possibly being slightly more cautious, I think the game will be won or lost on our attack intent and we should still have more than enough with Killer at LB.
As a general note though, I agree with Tets selection cept I'd have Lawrence off the bench instead of Fahey. And let's all hope Sledge makes it, because a half-fit Dunne and AN OTHER (particularly O'Dea) would be fairly hair-raising.
Ou-est le Centre George Pompidou?
Generally, in the interests of the team overall, you phase players in. Why would there be any need to phase a player out other than to give him what you might consider a respectful and dignified bow out? A friendly game would be ideal for that; not a qualifier.
Agree completely.
This ''experience'' craic is pure pants tbh.
We're all watching the game from the age of 4/5, you don't play professionally until you're 18+. It's not like you're putting in someone who new to the game.
Ability is what keeps players playing later in their career, not experience.
If it did count for something experienced players wouldn't make stupid mistakes(in general play.... but also look how the experienced Zidane got himself sent off in a major game, if you can't learn life with age, how can you learn football better?) and you don't have to look further then the aforementioned player for mistakes that have cost us goals in the past.
As an aside... how do you gain ''experience'' if you don't get into the thick of it.
All things considered though for the fact that's plying his trade in L1 playing CM I wouldn't have him LB for that alone.
Last edited by gilberto_eire; 24/03/2011 at 5:21 PM.
There's the right way, the wrong way.... and the Max Power way!! :-D
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