From the tactical preview
'Taking inspiration from the Champions League victory for a distinctly ordinary Barcelona side, the key to Ireland’s defensive performance relies in not exposing the makeshift back four to constant pressure'
I really don't know how that shower of distinctly ordinary wasters managed to win the CL. We have to take inspiration from that fluke.
I would start Long every time for Ireland (even ahead of Keane at the moment) but from what I could see there was more of a gel with Cox and Keane than Keane and Long. I'd still start Long personally but if Cox starts I won't be disappointedOriginally Posted by tommy_c12000
Folding my way into the big money!!!
It has to be remembered Long got a heavy knock to the head early in the home game and that seemed to effect him. It will be a surprise if Cox starts but I can see why Trap would choose him. He has very quick feet and if he does play I can see him winning us a peno. Once he gets on the ball in the box he shields it so well and turns so fast that it might lead to a a few rash challenges from Macedonia. Long is a better finisher though and better in the air than Cox. Very close call and they could yet both start (depending on Robbie's injury). I'm hoping Kelly gets the nod at right back because he is a natural defender and is good in the air. Roll on Saturday.
Let us remember the good times and the fact that the keeper's positioning was tosh...
DID YOU NOTICE A SIGN OUTSIDE MY HOUSE...?
If only.
But him and McShane, FFS. We almost don't deserve to qualify if these two are the best we can come up with.
And whilst agreeing with S88, this game plan looks more tired with every passing match, despite Trap's relative excellence in trying to get something out of virtually nothing.We know that CM and full back are positions we're weak in, but it's been like that for ages. The creativity comes from our width and the inventiveness of our forwards, plus the use of long balls.
This will prove to be more our long-term downfall, than even two third-rate full-backs.
http://www.irishtimes.com/sports/soc...298292668.html
Here they come! It’s the charge of the “Thanks” Brigade!
After reading the last few pages now I think Sat Mornings headline will be:
HUNT FOR LONG COX
Trap orders Hunt to get balls to Long, Cox. (They already have them says Tardelli).
No innuendo intended.
And Sun Mornings Headline must then be:
Long Cox Lift Ireland
Long and Cox score to give Eire 3-2 Win in Skopje, please don't call our offices and complain about our headlines, its just what happened.
No Somos muchos pero estamos locos.
http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/s...wn-156635.htmlMacedonians sweat on star of their own
YOU wait all week for an injury story of real substance and then two come along at once, as Macedonian defender Goran Popov joined Robbie Keane on the doubtful list for tomorrow night’s European Championship qualifier.
The locals crammed around the door that separates arrivals from the car park at Skopje’s Alexander The Great airport last night were more worried about Keane’s ability to sign autographs than his fitness.
But this being the security-conscious Ireland squad, they never got near him so instead they were left to sweat over an injury story of their own.
Popov, the big Dinamo Kiev left-back who excelled in Dublin in March, is one of the defenders Macedonian manager Mirsad Jonuz wants to get near Keane in the Philip II — The Macedonian stadium tomorrow night.
Keane will play — that’s what Jonuz suspects anyway — but he is not too sure about Popov’s ability to shake off an ankle injury that accompanied him through the same arrivals area after his flight from Russia on Monday.
To that extent, the Macedonia coach is now prepared to throw his normal caution to the wind in the early summer heat of Skopje and dispatch Parma teenager Stefan Ristovski in at the deep end for his first cap.
Goalkeeper Edin Nuredinoski, who practically threw the ball into the net at the Aviva in March, is also under threat to hold onto his position — after failing to hold Aiden McGeady’s shot in Dublin — with Jonuz ready to gamble on Martin Bogantinov between the posts.
"I will not hide from change if changes have to be made for this big game," said Jonuz at his final press conference in Ohrid yesterday before the team decamp to Skopje.
"Popov will train on Friday and he will have treatment to give him every chance but if he does not make it, then I will look at young Ristovski, who has potential.
"We need goals and we need points and we need to brave against Ireland, particularly as Shay Given is back in goals for them.
"My plan is to play three attackers and look to win the game."
Macedonians this week welcomed star player Goran Pandev home in triumph after his Italian Cup win with Inter Milan against Palermo on Sunday.
Pandev announced after his team’s training session yesterday that he is to see out the three remaining years on his contract with Marco Tardelli’s former team.
"I have a contract with Inter until 2014 and I will certainly remain at Inter," said Pandev as he acknowledged this was not his club’s finest season.
"Before you go to a great club like Inter you are aware of the expectations and the demands," he added.
"I know that this is the weakest we have played for some time but we will put that right in the future.
"For now I must concentrate on Macedonia and Ireland.
"We have a big game on Saturday and we must win. It is our last chance in the qualifiers so we have to win it.
"We played good football in Dublin but we didn’t score enough goals. We cannot make that mistake again against a team of Ireland’s strength."
"We lost because we didn't win"- Ronaldo
Germany gave Jedward 8 points so we will be fine, expect us to be awarded a couple of dubious penalties and a similar number of dubious sendings off of the Macedonian's!!
Just as well as he would be in a empty stadium.
Popov missing out would be a real blessing.
Bogatinov is very inexperienced with only three senior international caps to his name although his club, Karpaty Lviv, did finish fifth in the Ukrainian Premier League this season. What the standard is like beyond Dynamo Kiev and Shakhtar Donetsk, though, I couldn't really say. I'd imagine there's quite a gulf. Also, he doesn't appear to actually be their first-team goalkeeper. From what I can make out, he played just 8 games for Karpaty this season and conceded 11 goals, also picking up a yellow card along the way.
Highlights reel of him here:
I can't imagine that either of the goalkeepers will be up to much at this level given Nuredinoski's performance in Dublin, so I'm not overly concerned who lines out in goals for them.
Interestingly, I see Shelbourne knocked Karpaty out of the qualifying round of the Cup Winners' Cup in 1993. They beat them 3-2 on aggregate before going out to Panathanaikos in the first round. For anyone interested, MNS have some footage of the second leg of the Karpaty game in Dublin on the RTÉ website available to watch here: http://dynamic.rte.ie/av/2432811.smil
So if Keane doesn't make it and its Long and Cox up front..... Who do we have in reserve? Ward? That it?
Keogh too.
it looks like robbie will be fit, fingers crossed.
No real update on Robbie's groin strain, but Tardelli has confirmed that Cox is a favoured starter over Long right now. Perhaps fitness and mentality considerations over form have come into play given Long's play-off disappointment last Monday. Whether that will change depending on how Long does in training today remains to be seen.
I hear that Seanie Short might be on for a late call up.
I think there has been a hysterical over reaction to the potential omission if Long.
We all saw how Cox and Keane linked up during the last 2 games and whilst the opposition were weak they were weaker than us in any case whatever team was put out and Scotland are better than Macedonia.
If its not working out we can bring Long on. It's not as if he's not in the squad
We all need to calm down cos as it is my nerves are shot.
Is there dodgy gk from the first game gonna start tomorrow? Andrews, Whelan, Hunt and McGeady need to shoot from 25 yards at every chance.
"If God had meant football to be played in the air, he'd have put grass in the sky." Brian Clough.
You'll NEVER beat the Irish.......you'll just draw with us instead!!!
I certainly don't think it's a hysterical over reaction. We have a player who is linked to several top flight clubs, made 47 appearances for Reading this season and has scored 23 league goals. He is in the form of his life at the moment and looked sharp and extremely fit throughout the playoffs. Furthermore he has international experience with 19 international caps. Temper all these factors with a guy who is a bit part player with West Brom, starting 8 times for them and scoring only one goal and more importantly has ZERO international experience. The basis for propelling him up the order ahead of Long is his showing against a 3rd choice NI team and a reserve Scottish defence. When you take all these things into consideration I think people's "hysterical over reaction" is vindicated. Cox is a reasonable option, he has impressed me with WB this season, but you cannot read too much into his performaces against what were reserve international teams. He may do a job against Macedonia but the bottom line at this juncture, it is absolutely folly to start him in front of Long this saturday. There is no argument about that
Last edited by tommy_c12000; 03/06/2011 at 8:49 AM.
look this is how i see it, if long was there for the 2 weeks he would be starting. Hes just unfortunate he was delayed in England with the play-offs. Id prefer Long to start but im not to annoyed with the decision. I can see why trap has made it, hes had keane and cox working together for 2 weeks and he wants to persist with them for this game. He hasnt forgotten about long. i hope it work out for all our sake.
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