here as well bonnie, says given getting treatment instead of training also
http://www.football365.com/news/2155...t-for-Republic
Is rather Josh be playing at all... doubt for Tuesday now.Originally Posted by DannyInvincible
Calf strain.
http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2011/0904/ireland_osheaj.html
here as well bonnie, says given getting treatment instead of training also
http://www.football365.com/news/2155...t-for-Republic
I'm not too bothered if O'Shea dosen't make it. He looked a shell of a player against Slovakia and was awful against Macedonia away at center half. If he is not fully fit then he becomes a liability. Better to have a fully fit Foley at right full.
Given's a worry too. Although I'm hoping him sitting out training was just precautionary.
I see that Castrol calculation site updated their calculations today, so what I'd posted earlier seems to be how they rated our chances prior to the Slovakia game. Here is how they rate the chances of ourselves, Russia and Slovakia now.
They still predict that we're most likely to finish second; just that our chance of qualifying is slightly less than it was before Friday night whilst the chances of the other two are rated as slightly higher.
Slovakia played as well as they are likely to play in this group on Friday (Russia away included). They have a real problem scoring goals They will struggle to score against Armenia on Tuesday. And I can't see them beating Russia for a second time. So the tables in DI's post do make sense.
O'Shea definitely out now. Big chance for Foley.
Semi-reinflated after friday's result. I can remember defeats that were easier to take than that draw. Individual performances ranged from poor to very poor but I'd reserve an exemption and special mention for Sean St. Ledger who continues to save his best for Ireland.
I've never really fancied us to get anything in Moscow so expectation is closed (it proved unreliable last week anyway) and hope is open for business. I might have better luck with her.
Very concerned about a repeat of the reverse fixture with our 442, soft centre combo. Against semi-decent teams there (almost) always seems to arrive that ominous moment soon enough into the game when the opposition midfield realise they have the measure of ours and begin pigging out on possession. It was especially pronounced and hard to watch against Slovakia. Oh for a modicum of presence and composure in there.
The disparity between Slovakian and Irish chances seems a bit off there doesn't it? I'd have thought our chances were fairly even at this stage..
My confidence is slowly returning.
Still haven't seen anything if our game since O left the stadium on Friday. It's probably best at this stage that that remains the case.
Why not stick Hunt in midfield. He often moves into the center when playing for Wolves. He has the energy to get up and down. And he will get stuck in. The Russians would not like playing against him. After Friday nights game I can't work out what Whelan and especailly Andrews are doing. If your not looking for the ball then at least get stuck in. Doing neither of these things is costing us.
There's always a fear with Hunty that he could potentially do something mental and have a yellow after 10min and imagine if he was in the centre the risk of that could be even greater.
In the few minutes he was on the pitch he managed to wander over to the wrong side, when Ward went looking for him to pass to ball to, there was no Hunt to be seen, some evidence to back Charlie's claim that the lad lacks the spatial awareness to be in the middle.
I think its his personality as much as anything.that old fashioned gaelic football attribute of head down and get on with it. not having the cop/cuteness or maybe just innate skill to step back and think for a second
i was the one saying i'd like to see hunt in cm a few months ago, however away to russia in a crucial qualifier is not the place to try it.
if o'shea is out that will prob mean a back 4 of:
Foley Dunne O'Dea Ward
That is bound to lead to a few shakey moments, foley and ward have looked very nervous playng for us and o'dea can blow hot or cold.
Then what to do with the midfield? do we play an extra man and go 451 or stick with 442, 451 does sound appealling but who are we supposed to throw in. Lawrence or mccarthy are the only other options in the squad i think. jaysus maybe throwing hunt in as an extra man in a 3 man midfield is a serious option.
if we do go with a lone man up front presumably he won't drop keane. this role doesn't suit keane i don't think . long would have been ideal. doyle if fit could play there but just can't see him dropping keane.
all in all i expect trap to play442, the back four i mentioned above and the same mid and forwards as friday (maybe cox for doyle) , please god given is fit. and whelan and andrews can really up their games
We'd fare ok if we were able to hold the ball and create. Robbie and Duff, and McGeady in his own inimitable way, are the only players on the park we have who can take a pass, hold the ball, and turn it into something positive. With those three in the middle, playing more compactly things would work. Maybe we need just the three of them with McCarthy showing for the ball from the defence and working it forward to them. Point is however, we need Robbie to drop back to create openings for the front two. There were no openings created from play on Friday night last.
Beyond any limitation in ability, there's a certain meekness about them that doesn't help. Although I s'pose you could say the same about Kinsella and Holland and they weren't a bad partnership on the big occasion. I'd greatly appreciate it if some members of the Russian team, preferably those in any way fluent in english language insults of the mother-invoking variety, would take it upon themselves to provoke the pair of them immediately before kickoff on tuesday. I doubt a true nasty b@stard lurks within either but at the very least a repeat of the Andrews/Diarra confrontation after the home playoff against France would be a great prelude to the game and the atmosphere in general. Stoic gentlemen that they are though, I don't think the Russians will oblige.
if either of them read this website their bound to be ****ed off
Seeing as you had such a hard time making it in a direct fashion from a nearby pub to Craven Cottage, I suspect you may have a similar spatial awareness personality as Hunt.
Likely team for Tuesday
Westwood (Given should not play. Definetely looked uncomfortable against Slovakia. Carrying two different injuries back and groin is too much)
Foley/Kelly Dunne O'Dea Ward
Duff Whelan Andrews McGeady
Keane Doyle
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