Ireland team to play Macedonia in Euro 2012 Group B qualifier, Skopje, Saturday, 8.30pm:
Shay Given, Stephen Kelly, Darren O'Dea, John O'Shea, Kevin Kilbane; Aidan McGeady, Glenn Whelan, Keith Andrews, Stephen Hunt; Robbie Keane, Simon Cox
http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2011/...land_team.htmlRobbie Keane has been declared fit to start for the Republic of Ireland's crucial Euro 2012 qualifier clash against Macedonia tomorrow
Ireland team to play Macedonia in Euro 2012 Group B qualifier, Skopje, Saturday, 8.30pm:
Shay Given, Stephen Kelly, Darren O'Dea, John O'Shea, Kevin Kilbane; Aidan McGeady, Glenn Whelan, Keith Andrews, Stephen Hunt; Robbie Keane, Simon Cox
Who'll be on the bench? Forde; Foley; St.Ledger/McShane; Lawrence; Ward; Long; Fahey maybe?
Ou-est le Centre George Pompidou?
Yellow cards last for the full 10 games of the campaign.
So currently here is the state of play in terms of yellow cards:
Whelan (Armenia)
St Ledger (Russia)
Doyle (Russia)
Westwood (Macedonia)
Gibson (Macedonia)
The only one affected tomorrow should be Whelan, so lets hope we can keep our discipline becuase he would be a huge loss come the Slovakia game.
Must say I think this notion of the yellow cards lasting for the entirety of the campaign is a complete farce and wholely unreasonable.
Other than the glaring admission of Long, reasonably happy with that team. Could have been worse as the fella says.
GK: We always have a chance with Given in goal regardless of the oppostion.
RB: Kelly gets the nod. Surprised so many subscribers to the forum fancied McShane for the berth as Kelly was always ahead in "Traps pecking order." Alas with only 8 premier league starts under his belt and the vast majority before Christmas, Kelly is a weak link. But he should be able to do a job for us. Foley was the logical choice here but that word isn't contained in the Irish management's diction.
LB: Kilbane. Happy with this one tbh. The only thing Ward had over Kilbane is pace. Both are poor defenders and have bad positional sense as left backs. But Kilbane's vast experience takes the position. Macedonia can take their pick and target either wings. The ball over the top will be a worry tomorrow night.
CB: O'Shea partners O'Dea as expected. O'Dea is a player I don't rate and if St Ledger is back in full training since tues as has been reported I would have gone with St Ledger. Sledge has never left us done, has 33 appearances for PNE and has played with O'Shea before. Granted 11 wks since his last game is a gamble but it is less of a gamble than playing O'Dea there IMO.
RW: McGeady picks himself. Class act. Big game needed though defensively as well as offensively.
LW: Hunt: Happy with this one too. Although he didn't have the best of games against Scotland and has had an injury ravaged season, he is full of energy and is brimming with confidence after scoring the goal that kept Wolves in the premier league. Surprised the likes of Ken Early were clamouring for Coleman to start RW. I simply don't rate Coleman as a winger, he is a right back period. Hunt will also provide Kilbane with much needed defensive cover also.
CM: Picks itself after Gibson's withdrawal. Disappointed there is not a bit more competition from Wilson, McCarthy and Gibbo. . . but the world's not perfect. Fahy has the potential to change things up a bit if we go a goal down. So nice to have him on the bench.
Strikers: Nothing against Cox, he is a nice player but Long should really be starting. Good to see Keane entering the game on the back of 3 goals in 2 games. Long should come off bench with 30 mins to go and cause trouble. Hopefully won't be too late by then.
On the whole, due to injuries the team picks itself bar Cox which is difficult to fathom. But suppose these things happen. I would have Foley in for Kelly and Sledge in for O'Dea, but don't think two of those changes would have a huge bearing on the game.
Best of luck to the team tomorrow night. The more I look at the back 4 and the centre of midfield the more I get nervous. But we have to remember one thing, we truly have one of the world's best in goal and with that in mind I feel we will get a result tomorrow night.
1-0 Ireland with Long I mean Cox scoring mid way through the first half.
Last edited by tommy_c12000; 03/06/2011 at 5:39 PM.
It's as good a team as could be expected. Trap and Tardelli have done well.
The big news is the meteoric rise of the new kid Cox.
With Delaney, Ledger, Fahey, Lawrence and Long all available on the bench, that should keep Andy Keogh out of harm's way.
I'd be most worried about O'Dea who I dont think should be in the squad. As it is I'd have Delaney or Kelly instead of him. I think Coleman and Lawrence are good options to have from the bench so happy with the midfield selections. Not quite sure how Cox is in the squad either TBH.
Not sure it's that clear cut. Foley has been given his chances at RB and has looked positionally weak and has lost concentration. A few times he has been the laggard while the others pushed for offside. Westwood saved his bacon in the home game.Originally Posted by tommy_c12000
Squad, or team?
The Macedonian coach must be green with envy that we can replace Westwood with Given.
Kelly last started a premier league game 29 weeks ago on 13th Nov in a 0-0 draw with Newcastle (a sobering thought). He has not seen ANY game time in the premier league since then.
Foley has started over 30 premier league games this season and has recently reverted back to his old right back position again and has performed admirably. The choice of Foley over Kelly would seem pretty logical to me, acknowledging the fact that he has yet to set the world alight on the international stage, he is the best we have for RB and should be starting
In fairness you referenced Kilbane's experience for giving him the nod, and that's a factor for Kelly too. I think he's a steadier option and just as logical in some respects.
Besides referencing Premiership starts isn't very logical - a lot of guff footballers get regular games in the Prem.
Ou-est le Centre George Pompidou?
Someone once asked AB did Kilbane ride his missus. I'm convinced that Trap got to yours.
Would you seriously dismiss Trap's opinion on that basis that he picked Kelly over Foley. What would you have done if he picked McShambles?
If club form was anything to go by Kenny Cunningham would never have played well at CB for Ireland, nor Breen.
I have been calling for Foley for the last 2 years, but have to admit I've been disappointed in him at RB for Ireland. Whereas Cunningham, for whatever reason, took to international football like a duck to water, Foley has been the opposite IMHO. I hope it changes. I think Kelly has more about him in terms of leadership. That's what might have swung it his way.
What the hell are u on about?? Im merely stating some sound facts that make perfect sense
Last edited by tommy_c12000; 03/06/2011 at 8:00 PM.
Thats all well and good if Kelly was an established and accomplished international like Breen or Cunningham but the fact of the matter is that he is not
Kelly has shown better than Foley these past games.
Plenty of time for Foley to come good.
To be become an established and accomplished international like Breen or Cunningham he needs to play in games like this. Breen & Cunningham had to start somewhere. Kelly has 20caps, he played well in the Carling Cup games and considering the options at the back, I'm glad he got the nod for tomorrow.
Difficult to respect a manager who ignores someone for 3 years then sticks him right into the starting lineup for a competitive game. Reeks of Stan with Carsley, Miller and Reid.
Have listened to various pundits on the radio this evening (Eoin Hand, Mark Kinsella and Richard Sadlier) say a draw would be a great result. Really? A great result? If we draw tomorrow night, winning the group is out the window and coming second I would say is highly improbable.
If we see an attitude tomorrow night where it appears we are happy enough to play out the game settling for a draw, then we have not come on at all from the days of Trap's predecessors. Would prefer see us go all out for the win and lose, than settle for a draw and get one point.
If we pick up a point tomorrow night it will be least consequential point we've gained in any qualification campaign.
Only until you have a look at our world ranking. Anyone know what Jonathan Douglas is doing with himself these days? No? Exactly!
Bring Back Belfast Celtic F.C.
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