The gist seemed to be that Trap has been working on this system the last 40 years, so by God, it'll work now.Originally Posted by DannyInvincible
Trap played a 3-5-2 with Fiorentina. Rui Costa in a free role, Batistuta up front with Balbo, Torricelli and Di Livio attacking full-backs, playing decent football. In fairness, if Trap thinks he has players of sufficient quality, he'll adapt the system accordingly.
Do you all still have Euro hangover or are you (relatively) psyched for this friendly?
No Somos muchos pero estamos locos.
I'm looking forward to (possibly) not conceding a rake of goals for a change. And to think a few months ago we were complaining about 0-0s!
I'm looking at this game with a far more critical eye than a normally would a friendly. Changes need to be made, not just in players but in tactics and I just doubt that I'm going to be satisfied. Whelan still being placed in midfield baffles me.
Author of Never Felt Better (History, Film Reviews).
More likely-hood of Mullah Omar appearing on Celebrity Big Brother.
Last edited by tricky_colour; 15/08/2012 at 1:55 AM.
After thirty-five years watching this team I still get excited by every game (even the dreaded August friendly). The Euros were tough but we have to look forward.
World Cup qualification starts in four weeks - that means far more to me than the start of the English season, La Liga or the Champions League.
"There's man all over for you, blaming on his boots the fault of his feet" - Samuel Beckett, Waiting for Godot
Agreed on giving it a more critical eye. As for Whelan, with all the withdrawals, there's no one else to play there at this stage. Only Green and O'Brien, and I'd actually trust both of them less in midfield than Whelan.
Speaking of which, does anyone remember the daft way Cox was positioned in the Spain game. It seemed we were trying a 4-4-1-1, with Cox kind of hovering between Robbie and the midfield, doing a lot of running and generally looking lost. The same happened with McCarthy in the Uruguay game. I genuinely hope that if we do try a 4-5-1/4-3-3 variant, it's with a bit more tactical nous. We shall see, I suppose.
I agree. And selling this nonsense as 4-5-1 is codology. Putting someone like Cox in the number 10 role (v Spain) or perhaps Walters or Long today v Serbia and then going afterwards "look, it didn't work!" is nonsense. Cox/Walters/whoever just isn't this type of player. And Trap just doesn't really pick no. 10s in his squads. The whole point of a fifth man in midfield is to add passing ability and give the other midfielders and defenders an extra out ball, to clog up the passing lanes when we don't have the ball and to hound someone like Pirlo, and then to add creativity going forward.
In our specific case, the aim would be to avoid the goalkeeper/defenders pumping the ball up long and giving possession right back to the opposition after about 5 seconds, which has been our undoing for the last 2+ years against good and mediocre teams alike. If Tardelli/Trap can't see this, then I despair of the present regime.
match on setanta ireland live 7.45
And 4-3-3 with Italy and Juventus.
Trapattoni has used the same tactics and formation under his 4 years of management. Can you change an approach you have drilled into your players for four years, hold your hands up and say I was wrong with the approach, and expect to keep the trust, support and belief of your players?
Agree that the tactics Trapattoni has chosen to employ with us are a reflection of what he thinks of our players' individual qualities - he doesn't believe they can play ball at the top level.
Ideally Trapattoni should move aside now and let somebody else come in to handle the generation change and needed new direction.
... or the League of Ireland, presumably. I've been watching the team for over thirty five years, and I've never been less interested. I find the League of Ireland, with all it's problems, far more interesting these days.
I think we will do OK against Serbia. They never get our of second gear in any friendly I've ever seen them play. But it will only paper over the problems we are going to face against Kazackstan in a match that really matters. I'm not talking about a Cyprus 5-2 overrun type Stan shambles but a 1-1 draw against Kaz. We just about beat Armenia away 1-0 but that was after some very good recent results against France and Italy. We are going into the game against Kazackstan with Dunne missing, McShane possibly playing and loads of confusion surrounding the team. I can see Trapatonni settling for a point in Kazackstan.
Did anyone look up Kazakhstan's home results from the Euro qualifiers?
They only scored two goals, and they came in the same game against Azerbaijan. They're only other point at home was a 0-0 against Austria. In the other three games, they conceded 8 goals without reply.
Are we seriously at the point where missing Dunne, Given, and possibly St Ledger means we're not going to get a result there?
That just means they're overdue a 5-0 win.
According to James McClean's twitter account. He is playing CM tonight???
"great weather for the game! cant wait for tonights game! new position in centre mid! #decent ha #COYBIG #eireabu"
James McClean
McClean reckons he's playing CM tonight.
Finally the giddiness arrives. COYBIG!!!
DID YOU NOTICE A SIGN OUTSIDE MY HOUSE...?
Most of our players are scratching round at the bottom end of the EPL, when they get a game, or lower. What makes you think they can "play ball at top level" whatever that means? Three of the goals we gave away in Poland were attempts to play ball. England, every player of whom would get in to our team ahead of the current crop, tried to "play ball" in Poland and couldn't retain possession for more than a minute before the hoof up field.
"New direction" - you mean away from a play off and qualification?
Although pretty much a lone voice it would appear now, I think we should stick to what we do best in the qualifiers and try to be difficult to beat. Change of personnel yes in the form of McCarthy, McLean (assuming he continues to make progress) etc
Trap's systems UP TO NOW how worked away from home (two campaigns unbeaten). At home I do believe he needs to reappraise it.
He has lost the trust of a majority of the fans (press have had the knives out for ages) I believe and two bad results in the first two qualifiers and he'll be a dead man walking (I suppose he is already at his age) a bit like Mick Mc. I don't believe whatever new manager we get will do any better but only time will tell on that one.
Now on to Serbia and let's see what that brings.
Put umm under pressure. As my signature says....
Forget about the performance or entertainment. It's only the result that matters.
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