Predict the Squad/ Starting Lineup for Macedonia

**irishbaz** · 14/03/2011, 2:35 PM

Surely here we have to be looking at the players both in form and playing at the highest level for me

Westwood

Coleman dunne O shea Clark

Mc Geady Mc Carthy Gibson Duff

Doyle Long/Best/Keane

second striker is a tough one!!

**Kingdom** · 14/03/2011, 2:39 PM

Feel sorry for Paddy Kenny to an extent. Still there could be a whole host of reasons that we don't know about. Maybe they feel that they couldn't depend on him (which is understandable to a degree in Int football as opposed to club level).
It can't be due to age he's still young and there isn't much between himself and Forde.
In fairness Westwood has been deputy for a nice while at this stage, and is going to be a very decent keeper so good luck to him and if he's fit then there really isn't an issue.

Westwood
Randolph
Forde
Foley
O'Shea
Clark
Coleman
Dunne
St. Ledger
Kelly
O'Dea
Kilbane
Wilson

Andrews
McCarthy
Whelan
McGeady
Duff
Gibson
Green
Lawrence
Treacy
Fahey

Keane
Doyle
Walters
Best
Long
Keogh

That's a large squad! Team is in bold with the subs in italics.

I presume they'll be giving some of the filler a run out against the Guays? =>
Forde
Foley
O'Dea
Wilson
Kilbane
McCarthy
Green
Lawrence
Treacy
Walters
Best

**Kingdom** · 14/03/2011, 2:48 PM

Originally Posted by irishbaz

Doyle Long/Best/Keane

second striker is a tough one!!

It's not a tough choice if Keane is fit. To be fair to him, one of the stingers against him throughout his int career is that his goals only come against weak opposition. So it would be madness not to play him, in a qualifier, when fit, against weak opposition. If we're in trouble after 60 mins against Macedonia at home, in a qualifier, chances are it won't be Keane or Doyle's fault.

**Sullivinho** · 14/03/2011, 2:50 PM

Originally Posted by rebelmusic

I think it's massively important now that with this game Westwood and McCarthy get capped to end anymore debacle on the subject. Assuming Dunne is fit, the only question marks would be over Green and Kilbane. Ideally we'd see McCarthy and Clarke in those positions.

I'd like to see McCarthy on ability alone but I wouldn't be surprised if Trap spared him for Uruguay. Westwood a certain starter if fit.

Originally Posted by Kingdom

It's not a tough choice if Keane is fit. To be fair to him, one of the stingers against him throughout his int career is that his goals only come against weak opposition. So it would be madness not to play him, in a qualifier, when fit, against weak opposition. If we're in trouble after 60 mins against Macedonia at home, in a qualifier, chances are it won't be Keane or Doyle's fault.

Yeah, if Doyle and Keane are fit and present they start, no doubt.

**Charlie Darwin** · 14/03/2011, 3:00 PM

Originally Posted by irishbaz

Surely here we have to be looking at the players both in form and playing at the highest level for me

Westwood

Coleman dunne O shea Clark

Mc Geady Mc Carthy Gibson Duff

Doyle Long/Best/Keane

second striker is a tough one!!

Whelan is probably on better form/at a higher level than Gibson right now and Coleman has played next to no football at full back.

Second striker is tough. You'd think with Duff and McGeady in form, we'd want our strongest aerial striker playing, which is probably Long ahead of Best, but Robbie is our best goalscorer and Doyle always justifies his presence.

**rebelmusic** · 14/03/2011, 3:05 PM

From twitter

"@darbymark twas in Sunday Mirror y'day that Kenny is not willing to come back until after this season ends. Loyalty to QPR...."

http://twitter.com/Ciaran_O

**rebelmusic** · 14/03/2011, 3:07 PM

Actually lot of interesting stuff :

@darbymark twas in Sunday Mirror y'day that Kenny is not willing to come back until after this season ends. Loyalty to QPR.... 28 minutes ago via web in reply to darbymark
- Reply
- Retweet
Trap: "Decision to make on whether Long better as starter or sub. This is a manager's decision. Doyle is Doyle." 38 minutes ago via web
- Reply
- Retweet
Trap: "Important he's here, we have to see if he can start. We will evaluate him when he arrives." 39 minutes ago via web
- Reply
- Retweet
Trap: "Richard Dunne 'feels good', he's already started training, 'feels he will be ready." 40 minutes ago via web
- Reply
- Retweet
Trap: "There were no issues with James McCarthy, he was injured. He smiled and insisted he'd stay with ireland." about 1 hour ago via web
- Reply
- Retweet
Trap: "Nobody has EVER said I'm arrogant in all my years of meeting with players." - dig at Stephen Ireland. about 1 hour ago via web
- Reply
- Retweet
Trap giving most of presser in Italian, admits there can be 'misverstanden' when he speaks in English (German).

Daily star covered the ohara/pennant etc questions. Apparently will be in the paper tomorrow.

**Murfinator** · 14/03/2011, 3:12 PM

Westwood

O'Shea Dunne St Ledger Kilbane
McGeady Whelan Gibson Duff
Keane Doyle

Is the likely team. Question marks over whether he'll stick with Kilbane at LB, if he'd play both McGeady and Duff and if he'd take Gibson over Green and Andrews.
If Dunne isn't fit I'd say O'Shea will go CB and there's no hope in hell Trap would play McGeady then without a strong RB behind him.

**Noelys Guitar** · 14/03/2011, 3:22 PM

Originally Posted by rebelmusic

Actually lot of interesting stuff :

@darbymark twas in Sunday Mirror y'day that Kenny is not willing to come back until after this season ends. Loyalty to QPR.... 28 minutes ago via web in reply to darbymark
- Reply
- Retweet
Trap: "Decision to make on whether Long better as starter or sub. This is a manager's decision. Doyle is Doyle." 38 minutes ago via web
- Reply
- Retweet
Trap: "Important he's here, we have to see if he can start. We will evaluate him when he arrives." 39 minutes ago via web
- Reply
- Retweet
Trap: "Richard Dunne 'feels good', he's already started training, 'feels he will be ready." 40 minutes ago via web
- Reply
- Retweet
Trap: "There were no issues with James McCarthy, he was injured. He smiled and insisted he'd stay with ireland." about 1 hour ago via web
- Reply
- Retweet
Trap: "Nobody has EVER said I'm arrogant in all my years of meeting with players." - dig at Stephen Ireland. about 1 hour ago via web
- Reply
- Retweet
Trap giving most of presser in Italian, admits there can be 'misverstanden' when he speaks in English (German).

Daily star covered the ohara/pennant etc questions. Apparently will be in the paper tomorrow.

Some very interesting stuff. Dunne likely to play. a 50/50 whether Keane or Long start. It is great we now have real contenders upfront and in midfield.

**Stuttgart88** · 14/03/2011, 3:27 PM

I'm OK with that squad. Randolph's form deserves recognition and it shows that the scouts are on the ball to some extent.

McCarthy is obviously a positive.

Keogh is neither here nor there really because the other 5 forwards collectively are about as strong a 5 as we've ever been able to name. I hope they're all fit. Stokes hasn't figured prominently in a month and isn't dererving of a place ahead of any of the others, bar-Keogh perhaps.

Wide options are all decent and bar naming Brady & McGrath in the squad, central midfield is what it is and won't get any better. Would love to see McCarthy play but I suspect that won't happen.

Everything else is about as expected.

**Charlie Darwin** · 14/03/2011, 3:30 PM

You have to feel for Joe Murphy. With Westwood still not 100% certain, this seemed like it could finally be his chance to make a competitive start. Alas there is no room for sentiment in sport.

**Stuttgart88** · 14/03/2011, 3:32 PM

Has Joe Murphy not been injured? (Too lazy to check)

**Kingdom** · 14/03/2011, 3:33 PM

Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

You have to feel for Joe Murphy. With Westwood still not 100% certain, this seemed like it could finally be his chance to make a competitive start. Alas there is no room for sentiment in sport.

isn't he injured?

**Stuttgart88** · 14/03/2011, 3:49 PM

Funny how McCarthy's inclusion gets little fanfare yet anything ambiguous about his position last month was a national tragedy. I think it's called "assymetry".

**tetsujin1979** · 14/03/2011, 4:13 PM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

Has Joe Murphy not been injured? (Too lazy to check)

Ankle injury, hasn't played since January

**rebelmusic** · 14/03/2011, 4:39 PM

It's actually a very strong squad if you ignore Green. Assuming Clarke starts the back line is all Prem regulars bar Sledge. A midfield of Duff, McGeady, Whelan and McCarthy is all top flight players and playing very well. Strikers have 4 prem starters and one champ player who is in the best form of his life. I ignore Keogh because at best he'll be thrown on in the last 5 mins for no apparent reason.

What i predict is -

OShea Dunne Sledge Kilbane/Clarke
Mcgeady Whelan (Anybody's really) Duff
Doyle Keane

Long will be subbed on regardless of the score
Best will come on if we're chasing
Somone will be subbed in midfield.

More than likely McCarthy will be capped in the 90th minute or so. I'm guessing he was under FAI orders to go meet him. You would assume the same orders demand he be capped in this game.

**backstothewall** · 14/03/2011, 4:41 PM

Originally Posted by TrapAPony

Westwood
Randolph
Forde

Foley
O'Shea
Clark
Coleman
Dunne
St. Ledger
Kelly
O'Dea
Kilbane
Wilson

Andrews
McCarthy
Whelan
McGeady
Duff
Gibson
Green
Lawrence
Treacy
Fahey

Keane
Doyle
Walters
Best
Long
Keogh

Poor Paul McShane. Stabbed in the back!

**Kingdom** · 14/03/2011, 4:46 PM

Originally Posted by rebelmusic

It's actually a very strong squad if you ignore Green. Assuming Clarke starts the back line is all Prem regulars bar Sledge. A midfield of Duff, McGeady, Whelan and McCarthy is all top flight players and playing very well. Strikers have 4 prem starters and one champ player who is in the best form of his life. I ignore Keogh because at best he'll be thrown on in the last 5 mins for no apparent reason.

What i predict is -

OShea Dunne Sledge Kilbane/Clarke
Mcgeady Whelan (Anybody's really) Duff
Doyle Keane

Long will be subbed on regardless of the score
Best will come on if we're chasing
Somone will be subbed in midfield.

More than likely McCarthy will be capped in the 90th minute or so. I'm guessing he was under FAI orders to go meet him. You would assume the same orders demand he be capped in this game.

It is a decent enought squad, but with the right philosophy could be a very strong squad altogether. The players are there to play a nice brand of football. We know Killer is gone, and will be replaced by Cunningham. The squad seems younger looking at it there. That can only bode well.

**CraftyToePoke** · 14/03/2011, 4:51 PM

Originally Posted by Kingdom

It is a decent enought squad, but with the right philosophy could be a very strong squad altogether. The players are there to play a nice brand of football. We know Killer is gone, and will be replaced by Cunningham. The squad seems younger looking at it there. That can only bode well.

I think you are right, also condsider Myler and some of the other youngsters like Henderson, Brady and a few more and whatever handfull of the recruits that seem to be inbound at present and there should be some good football and times just ahead. Now if we could just qualify ....