Irish team for the Spain Match

[Charlie Darwin]

I am not blaming McGeady exclusively (blame is the wrong word anyway), it just looked to me that Keane and Doyle were available for a pass, they may not have had as much space as appeared from the camera shot, but none the less, surely it is better to have a go maybe lose the ball in their final 3rd, rather than ours. His was one of three back passes after all. I think I can safely say Croatia never strung three back passes together!!
Point is we say our back four and central midfield are not the best in the world so it seems sensible not to have them constantly under pressure?
Having said that I do not think we were that bad, ( on another day with things going our way we would have won!!) I don't want to sound over critical, I just think we could be more positive.
Why not make a pass to Doyle, he would more than likely get pushed over and get a free kick?
We seemed to want to settle for a draw at half time and ended up going in a goal down.

Actually I don't like to criticise any of the players because I know they are all trying hard, just try to make a positive
criticism to be more positive in the game, we are better going forward than sitting back. But obviously easier said than done at times lol.

I'm still optimistic!!

Look at how Spain play on Thursday. Their players will constantly play one-twos with the intention of opening up some space. McGeady is passing back to Whelan with the expectation that he can draw his marker out of position and find some space for Whelan to pass to him. However, because of Whelan's own limitations or Trap's unambitious style, he doesn't look for the pass. This is why players used to more technically competent teammates often don't succeed in international football. It's the same reason Ronaldo looks crap for Portugal when he is clearly the best player on the pitch.

[tricky_colour]

You didn't see any back passes from me when I was playing, I'd lump it straight up the field, seemed to work quite well.
Got a bit of a breather before it came back too!!
Was not an aimless lump either, either I'd try and pick out a player or even a group of players, it's 50/50 your team will gain
possession. Make a mistake in their final 1/3 and 9 time-out of 10 (or more)nothing will come of it.
Make a mistake in your final 1/3 and it's about 50/50 you will concede.
We should do to Italy and Spain what Croatia did to us, pressurise them when they have the ball and they will make mistakes.
Easier said than done I know, but if we sit back too much we will get caught out anyway.
I think people think teams like Spain and Barcelona play a great passing game but they work very hard on winning the ball back.
If you watch them you notice they do give the ball away a fair bit but close down the lost ball so quick they soon have it back again.
They are as alert to the missed pass as the completed one.

[seanfhear]

Is a long ball really 50/50 if there are more defenders than attackers. And some defenders are better at dealing with different situations. One trick ponies can be easily coralled(?).

[pineapple stu]

Kevin Doyle hasn't really had a great game for us in a while. Walters always seems to spice things up when he comes on. Wouldn't be surprised to see Walters in for Doyle tomorrow. Other than that (and any fitness issues), we don't really have great options on the bench; can't see too many changes.

[ChrisRed]

Looks like its Walters in for Doyle and Kelly in for O'Shea.

[koneinc]

Looks like its Walters in for Doyle and Kelly in for O'Shea.

I'd prefer a fit O'Shea but he definitely wasn't fully fit on Sunday and Kelly has done ok when called upon, reasonably decent season with Fulham too.

[Noelys Guitar]

I think you'll find that is pure media speculation. Walters might replace Doyle but I can't see Trap dropping O'Shea. Nobody has mentioned Green coming into midfield which is a possibilty. But I still feel he will select the exact same eleven that started Sunday evening.

[koneinc]

Not Green! Jaysus! Anyone but Green!

But yeah you could be right Noelys Guitar, we may well see the same 11, give them a chance to redeem themselves after Sunday

[Stuttgart88]

My mate just range me to say Trap is saying nothing, unusually for him.

Wasn't the line-up Geysir reported yesterday simply because they played Dubs (& Donegal) versus Culchies, explaining Kelly's start in the better XI (which lost!)?

[Closed Account 2]

Look at how Spain play on Thursday. Their players will constantly play one-twos with the intention of opening up some space. McGeady is passing back to Whelan with the expectation that he can draw his marker out of position and find some space for Whelan to pass to him. However, because of Whelan's own limitations or Trap's unambitious style, he doesn't look for the pass. This is why players used to more technically competent teammates often don't succeed in international football. It's the same reason Ronaldo looks crap for Portugal when he is clearly the best player on the pitch.

Whelan looked utterly spent after about 35 mins. He was standing in the center circle with his hands on his hips and looked shattered in the first half. You could see the steam on his breath as he was really wheezing. He's only 28 but in Poznan he seemed to have the stamina of a 38 year old. Andrews (who I thought had a decent game) was having to do a lot of the running and it was him, not Whelan, who seemed to be prepared to get forward.

[geysir]

No team announcement today it seems.

Trap will make anything up to 3 changes.
"Today, I need to see my players in the training (later this evening), but sure, I don’t change four or five players.”

[the bear]

I think we have to go with one up front against spain. Its a toss up between Long and Wally. But I would start with Long for his pace and hustling, then bring on Walters to kick lumps out of them with 25 to go.

I'd play Robbie in centre mid role with a duty to support breaks. He is our best player at keeping possesion along with Duff. We need to try and keep it for as long as possible to relieve the defense. Gibson is also in for this reason. Theres no point in having Whelan grannying around after iniesta and all .

I'd want our wingers more advanced than they normally are, with Hunt or Mclean ready to step in when called. This is our best chance of a breakthrough. By stretching Spain using our width we might knick a goal or more likely a setpiece in a good position which is our main chance of scoring.

Full back is a big problem area, we need to keep possesion here more, but theres not much that can be changed at present.

I just hope it doesn't end up like the Russia matches from qualifying

---------------Given
O'Shea----Sledge---Dunne----Ward
-----Gibson--Andrews--Keane
McGeady---------------------Duff
---------------Long

[shakermaker1982]

Robbie as the lone striker is getting mentioned on twitter.

Sounds like a great plan...lump it long to the midget!

[Colbert Report]

Given
Kelly St. Ledger Dunne Ward
McGeady Whelan Andrews Duff (on his natural left foot)
Keane Walters

[ArdeeBhoy]

You are joking...

[Colbert Report]

You are joking...

Swap O'Shea for Kelly and I think that's the team we'll go with.

[Paddy Garcia]

Yep. Xavi, Iniesta and Xabi Alonso are going to slice through Andrews and Whelan.

Could end up being very embarassing.

Hope not of course.

Agree - in fact I can barely recall a game over the last 18 months where this midfield have been superior to the opposition. We really have qualified in spite of our CM - even Armenia were able to outplay us in the middle of the park.

Something very different is required in midfield.

[AlaskaFox]

Ireland v Spain Match History.
Probably the longest post I'll ever write. 5,050 words.
http://greenscene.me/2012/06/ireland...match-history/

[Noelys Guitar]

Strange to think the 3 officials for tomorrows game are from Portugal. Not happy with that. No way would Eufa have 3 officials from the UK doing our matches. The pitch for tomorrows game might actually suit us. It looked uneven and very slow for the Spain v Italy game and the Spanish are not happy with it. Glad Trap has not named the team yet and it will be very interesting to see who he picks and the tactics used. If we get at least a point tomorrow for me it will go down as the greatest result we have ever achieved. I'm talking better than 3-0 v Soviets, 1-0 v England, 1-0 v Italy and even 1-0 v Holland due to the squad we have available and the strength of the opposition who are proven winners. There has not been a huge shock yet in these championships. Denmark had won their qualifying group comfortably so beating a Dutch team on the way down was a good result but not a huge shock. So hopefully tomorrow night we will get the result we need which will allow us to build for Mondays game with a real chance of getting into the quarter finals.

[Fergie's Son]

A draw would be an epic result for us. Can't see it happening. 2-0 to Spain with them slowing he game to a crawl for the last 30 minutes. I think Walters will start.