Squad VS Armenia and Andorra

**the bear** · 04/10/2011, 6:21 PM

Originally Posted by Kingdom

On the face of it, I'd be surprised if O'Dea was dropped. He's done relatively well at centre back. and with all due respect to Josh, he's not a leader at centre back, he's never been a leader in the sense of Richard Dunne or Paul McGrath or Roy Keane have been in the past. O'Dea has featured in quite a few of the run too - Mace in Skopje, Scotland, Italy, Russia, not too shabby at all.
I'd imagine if he plays the doc and Josh it's to give Ledger some game time ahead of Armenia, when Dunne will be back, considering he hasn't been playing for Leicester. Ledger is a big threat in the opposition box too, which stands to him. Still given how they shouldn't threaten us, why make two changes to the team (Josh -> Kelly; Dunne-> O'Dea) against Armenia (at least) when the team against Andorra could necessitate only one straight change (Dunne->O'Dea)

I'd have no qualms either with him going for Coleman at rb.

Nerves are jingle-jangling. This is what I miss most about the drinking, the calm one midweek to ponder the game.

strongly agree regarding o'shea. not a leader (something i hope the move to sunderland will sort out cause dunne won't be around much longer), not even a very convincing CB. heres a chance for him to impress at CB

about RB i agree with swansdalton that foley had his chance looked very nervous and didn't take it but i just thinks he a better player than kelly. coleman is the future and RB is where he will play for us, we have loads of wingers. when better than andorra to start him. at LB ward hasn't been great but i don't see any point going back to killer. i would consider putting o'dea in at CB and o'shea LB.

Fahey has to start, i'd like to try hunt in beside him and get mccarthy of the bench at some stage. in all reality i know he wont try hunt there so would go with andrew/whelan

my team would be

Given
Coleman Sledge O'Shea Ward
Duff Fahey Hunt McGeady
Keane Long

**backstothewall** · 04/10/2011, 7:02 PM

Playing Ward and Coleman would be good as they can contribute higher up the park, and shouldn't have much to do at the back. I'd go with O'Dea at the back as he deserves it after Moscow but its a close call.

I would play Whelan as he has the discipline to sit a bit further back. I'm sure everyone will agree Andorra will get 10 men behind the ball and leave one a bit further upfield. He is a good enough passer and can pick up the ball when they clear it and get it straight back into their defensive 3rd and allow us to get right back into them, and has that shot in has arsenal as well.

Fahey's bit of guile would be good to have, and McGeady will leave these lads with twisted blood. Would not be at all surprised if he wins us a peno in this game. I'd play Walters on the right as well as he can play there but basically I would be using him as a de facto 3rd striker

I'd go with Doyle as well, he is probably stronger in the air than Long and I remember Mick subbing on the doc after half an hour against these lads once for just that reason

-------------Given------------
Coleman O'Shea O'Dea Ward
Walters Whelan Fahey McGeady
---------Keane Doyle----------

**the bear** · 04/10/2011, 8:51 PM

walters ahead of duff?

**Acornvilla** · 04/10/2011, 10:13 PM

I had a dream we lost 2-1 and woke up in an awful panic

**backstothewall** · 04/10/2011, 10:13 PM

For this game yeah. As I said Walters can act as a 3rd forward and McGeadys trickery will cause these guys all kind of problems.

It will do no harm keeping Duff fresh for Armenia if possible anyway.

**theworm2345** · 04/10/2011, 10:18 PM

I'd be worried that if news started filtering in from Slovakia that things were going well there that the team could lose focus and start thinking about Armenia too early and it could be another San Marino. Look at the last results away to the group minnows (excluding Montenegro because they were never really minnows) back to the last time we played Andorra away and its not that encouraging.

Euro 04 - 0-0 in Tirana
WC 06 - 2-0 in Torshavn
Euro 08 - 2-1 in San Marino

Even in the home leg of this tie there were some worries at half time right after they had pulled one back.

**ArdeeBhoy** · 04/10/2011, 11:51 PM

Now that is a glass-empty sort of comment.

If we don't beat Andorra we have no business going anywhere near any Finals, but even I reckon we can win!

**nigel-harps1954** · 04/10/2011, 11:59 PM

Would drop McGeady as he's nothing but a waste of space. Wes Hoolahan should be in around that squad. Out of curiosity, is there any other player in the squad that are captain of their respective club?

I'd fully expect a 3 or 4-0 drubbing of Andorra. But I'm wary of complacency against Armenia. They could yet sneak 2nd spot.

**geysir** · 05/10/2011, 12:05 AM

Originally Posted by Acornvilla

I had a dream we lost 2-1 and woke up in an awful panic

It's too early yet to read into that, it's the dreams you have the night before a game that have the potential to carry the alarm bell significances.

**geysir** · 05/10/2011, 12:06 AM

Originally Posted by ArdeeBhoy

we can win!

Keep her lit.

**tetsujin1979** · 05/10/2011, 12:31 AM

Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

Would drop McGeady as he's nothing but a waste of space.

You had me right up until the end of this sentence

**theworm2345** · 05/10/2011, 2:04 AM

Originally Posted by ArdeeBhoy

Now that is a glass-empty sort of comment.

...and why on earth would an Ireland fan be a glass-full sort of person?

**Colbert Report** · 05/10/2011, 6:18 AM

Surely Whelan-Andrews will be the central midfield partnership for at least the first half of the Andorra match? What's all this talk about "Fahey has to start"? Nonsense.

**the bear** · 05/10/2011, 8:28 AM

you are surely right that he will play whelan-andrews, in my opinion fahey has to start and i say that before every match because hes a much better footballer than either of them

**Lionel Ritchie** · 05/10/2011, 8:29 AM

Originally Posted by Colbert Report

Surely Whelan-Andrews will be the central midfield partnership for at least the first half of the Andorra match? What's all this talk about "Fahey has to start"? Nonsense.

I believe it's based on a credible report that Fahey was amongst the "firsts" for a training game in Malahide yesterday coupled with Whelan being on a yellow that could rule him out of Armenia on Tuesday.

**the bear** · 05/10/2011, 8:31 AM

Originally Posted by Lionel Ritchie

I believe it's based on a credible report that Fahey was amongst the "firsts" for a training game in Malahide yesterday coupled with Whelan being on a yellow that could rule him out of Armenia on Tuesday.

thats great news lionel

**gustavo** · 05/10/2011, 3:58 PM

Originally Posted by the bear

you are surely right that he will play whelan-andrews, in my opinion fahey has to start and i say that before every match because hes a much better footballer than either of them

I'm a fan of Fahey's but I can't see him getting a start of any kind in the central midfield. We know Trap's system and so far it's working well so why change it.

**nigel-harps1954** · 05/10/2011, 7:12 PM

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

You had me right up until the end of this sentence

I dare quote Eamon Dunphy. "Has no end product"
McGeady has done nothing in an Irish shirt. A lot of folk think he's great for all he done at Celtic, but I have yet to see him put in a performance in an Irish shirt.

**zero** · 05/10/2011, 7:23 PM

Originally Posted by gustavo

I'm a fan of Fahey's but I can't see him getting a start of any kind in the central midfield. We know Trap's system and so far it's working well so why change it.

has to be because of the whelan yellow card. trap will want the usuals back for the crunch armenia game. if there was ever a competitive game to rest a player to save him from a booking, surely andorra is that game.

**tetsujin1979** · 05/10/2011, 7:32 PM

Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

I dare quote Eamon Dunphy. "Has no end product"
McGeady has done nothing in an Irish shirt. A lot of folk think he's great for all he done at Celtic, but I have yet to see him put in a performance in an Irish shirt.

you didn't watch the Russia game then? Hardest I've ever seen him work for Ireland