Republic of Ireland V Uruguay - Tuesday, 29th March 2011 - Friendly

**Stuttgart88** · 30/03/2011, 2:28 PM

Originally Posted by Kingdom

Duffer is going to be coming to the end of his career

I'm blocking my ears and closing my eyes.

**paul_oshea** · 30/03/2011, 2:38 PM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

I think Geysir's conspiracy theory wrt new formation might hold water! Trap can point to no improvement and some people will be too thick to realise that the formation didn't contain players suited to the roles they were allocated.

i was thinking this, try it out its a win win situation because of the opposition and because of the inexperience of the team. But trap said he would give him more opporunities and in different positions after the game.

**Stuttgart88** · 30/03/2011, 2:49 PM

Who? McCarthy?

Anyway, formations are fluid, or ought to be. What you really need is a mix of players whose skills complement each other. Ball winners, ball users, wide players....

Even in this age of 4-5-1, if I had the squad that qualified for WC02 available, I'd pick 4-4-2 all day long. As has been said before, Keane & Doyle being almost undroppable almost forces us into 4-4-2. but the problem is that the middle of the 4 aren't doing what they need to do.

Anyway, steven.reid@wba.co.uk ...

**tetsujin1979** · 30/03/2011, 2:52 PM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

Ifk101 i was going to read your post but I just couldn't be arsed

Only joking

I think if we take the lead in Macedonia with 20 mins or so to go to ensure we close out the game then taking keane off and putting on mccarthy might be an option. Pack the midfield i mean because without the ball I don't see us not conceding.

We tried something similar in Macedonia before. It didn't work out.

**Noelys Guitar** · 30/03/2011, 2:58 PM

Keogh will go the way of Miller and McShane and for the same reasons. Simply not good enough. McShane's attitude has always been spot on but his general play at this level is just not good enough. Trap eased both Miller and McShane out. Last night would have been an ideal time to have a look Wilson, Walters and Best but for various reasons that did was not to be. I'm sure Trap would have played all three at some stage during the game. Perfect timing in a way that we have the two games against NI and Scotland coming up. We are sure to suffer some injuries before the Macedonia game so players like O'Dea, Foley, Westwood, Long and a few others are getting used to what is expected of them.

**Noelys Guitar** · 30/03/2011, 3:03 PM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

Who? McCarthy?

Anyway, formations are fluid, or ought to be. What you really need is a mix of players whose skills complement each other. Ball winners, ball users, wide players....

Even in this age of 4-5-1, if I had the squad that qualified for WC02 available, I'd pick 4-4-2 all day long. As has been said before, Keane & Doyle being almost undroppable almost forces us into 4-4-2. but the problem is that the middle of the 4 aren't doing what they need to do.

Anyway, steven.reid@wba.co.uk ...

Thats not a bad idea Stuttgart. If the player himself declared he wanted to come back and felt fully fit...let him know we want him back.

**Noelys Guitar** · 30/03/2011, 3:09 PM

“Long showed us at club level he is good enough, but he has grown, with personality, now we consider him as a valuable option,” said Trapattoni, who included Fahey, Andy Keogh and goalkeeper Keiren Westwood as players worthy of his trust in June when Ireland travel to Macedonia for their Euro 2012 qualifier in Skopje.

I'm completely wrong about Trap's view of Keogh.

**DeLorean** · 30/03/2011, 3:12 PM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

I think if we take the lead in Macedonia with 20 mins or so to go to ensure we close out the game then taking keane off and putting on mccarthy might be an option

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

We tried something similar in Macedonia before. It didn't work out.

I'd be wary too, we've had enough Keane/McCarthy catastrophes!

**Kingdom** · 30/03/2011, 3:14 PM

Straying a bit away from the match last night, but the conversation has vered that way.....

with regard to the nations cup - is it likely Trap will pick the same team twice in a bid for continuity, ironing out selectional issues etc, immediately prior to the Macedonia game (at the end of a season) or is he likely to pick the strongest team against the NIron, play an alternative against Scotland resting the majority?

**SwanVsDalton** · 30/03/2011, 3:18 PM

I'd say somewhere between the two, depending on who's available. I could see him rotating in a couple of positions between matches, perhaps with Kelly/Foley, O'Dea/Sledge, Kilbane/Clark, Gibson/Fahey, Andrews/Whelan, Westwood/Given, Long/Doyle all given a start or serious gametime. But I'd hope whatever changes are with a view to getting the right starting XI and system for the Macedonian game.

**paul_oshea** · 30/03/2011, 3:24 PM

Originally Posted by DeLorean

I'd be wary too, we've had enough Keane/McCarthy catastrophes!

That was over 10 years ago!

**DeLorean** · 30/03/2011, 3:36 PM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

That was over 10 years ago!

Time hasn't healed the wounds like one would have hoped

**Junior** · 30/03/2011, 3:38 PM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

That was over 10 years ago!

Wanna borrow my calculator Paul?

**DeLorean** · 30/03/2011, 3:47 PM

Originally Posted by Junior

Wanna borrow my calculator Paul?

Paul may be talking about the Macedonia game where we were pegged back to 1-1, benefit of the doubt!!

**Duggie** · 30/03/2011, 3:50 PM

i think this is the team i would start with in macedonia. Westwood stays as given hasnt played in how long. Kilbane just for now i think, fahey for whelan only cause gibson could potentially knock one in from long range so whelan would drop out for fahey. Long for doyle cause hes more of a goal threat and is in red hot form.

-------------------Westwood-----------------------
Foley-------O'Shea-------St Ledger-----------Kilbane
Duff--------Gibson--------Fahey--------------McGeady
------------Keane--------Long------------------------

**the bear** · 30/03/2011, 4:07 PM

Westwood : the real deal, serious alternative to shay after these showings

Foley : good on the ball, poor positional would benefit from being part of a better back 4
Kelly : not a centre half
O'dea : blows hot and cold, mostly cold last night
Clark : similiar to foley, felt he passed up a good opportunity to nail down the LB spot last night, should of stuck to the basics, kilbane will be back

Lawrence : not his best game, good cross + diagonal through ball. would like to see him in a more central role
Fahey : has to start center mid in macedonia
Green : not up to it, like his attitude though
Mccarthy : neat and tidy without doing to much, should come off the bench in macedonia
Keogh : don't really fancy him as a striker but defo not a winger

Long : absoloutley fantastic performance, gave the 2 cbs a nightmare, seems to much prefer being on his own up top. how do we fit him into the team?

mcgeady: class, definite starter now
treacy: looks good should of been in ahead of keogh
gibson: didn't do much
delaney: hard to say, did nothin wrong
stokes: wasnt on long enough

**Junior** · 30/03/2011, 4:15 PM

Originally Posted by DeLorean

Paul may be talking about the Macedonia game where we were pegged back to 1-1, benefit of the doubt!!

Ah fair do's - I shouldnt be earwigging!

Did Keane/Mccarthy have a bust up after that game? Was at it myself but I dont recall.

**Junior** · 30/03/2011, 4:18 PM

Originally Posted by Duggie

i think this is the team i would start with in macedonia. Westwood stays as given hasnt played in how long. Kilbane just for now i think, fahey for whelan only cause gibson could potentially knock one in from long range so whelan would drop out for fahey. Long for doyle cause hes more of a goal threat and is in red hot form.

-------------------Westwood-----------------------
Foley-------O'Shea-------St Ledger-----------Kilbane
Duff--------Gibson--------Fahey--------------McGeady
------------Keane--------Long------------------------

From a defensive point of view that would be a complete disaster - Not a chance in hell it will happen nor would I want it to.

**Stuttgart88** · 30/03/2011, 4:24 PM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

That was over 10 years ago!

In the context of the other thread "Poor Crowds" I think one of the post-Saipan consequences is that the team stopped being the peoples' team from that moment on. The many Keanites felt the rest of the team were traitors. As the noughties developed the high-earning players became too precious to watch Kerr's DVDs; some retired to focus on their clubs and the bond between team and public was broken. Saipan lives on I'm afraid.

Qualification and a good showing in the next tourny, especially with a young bunch of mainly home-grown players would help heal those wounds. The press might even get to like Trap who, despite all his conservatism, I find a very entertaining & engaging bloke.

**irishultra** · 30/03/2011, 4:26 PM

Originally Posted by Junior

From a defensive point of view that would be a complete disaster - Not a chance in hell it will happen nor would I want it to.

the only dm we really have is whelan the rest of them are only dms cause trap decided they were, paul green as has been mentioned is not a defensive mid, andrews isnt a defensive mid so dont see what difference it is