Ireland V Germany 12th October & Faroe Islands 16th October 2012 - World Cup 2014 Q

[Fixer82]

Why do we have to play strikers on the wing?
It doesn't work.

Cox, Walters, Long - they are strikers, not wingers

[Fixer82]

I heard a stat last night that Germn have never in their history lost an away qualifier. Is this true?

[PatJR]

I would go with
----------------Westwood
Kelly--------O'Shea----O'Dea----Wilson
------------Fahy--------McCarthy
Coleman--------Keane-----------McGeady
------------------Long

I've a feeling Trap will land another head scratching line up, like the first time he played Cox in midfield.

[Stuttgart88]

-------------Westwood------------
Coleman--O'Shea--O'Dea--Wilson
---------McCarthy--Meyler-----
---Long----Walters-----McGeady---
---------------Keane-----------


Although I appreciate the merit of Walters starting, giving it all, and then bringing on Long.

With my XI there's little on the bench and quite frankly I expect we'll be knackered by 65 minutes. So maybe Fahey will start in a 3 beside Meyler and McCarthy, Walters and McGeady wide, and Keane. Long and Cox to come on later.

[Manblue]

I would go with
----------------Westwood
Kelly--------O'Shea----O'Dea----Wilson
------------Fahy--------McCarthy
Coleman--------Keane-----------McGeady
------------------Long

I've a feeling Trap will land another head scratching line up, like the first time he played Cox in midfield.

That would be a head scratching line up to me to be honest because of the lack of bite in midfield

[the bear]

mcclean is out injured. replace him with long, play walters up front and andrews instead of keane would be my changes to your suggested team

----------------Westwood
Coleman----O'Shea-----O'Dea------Wilson
----------Meyler-------McCarthy
-----------------Keane
McGeady------------------------Brady
-----------------Long

Didn't realise McClean was out. I would have Brady in for him, excellant frm set pieces from what ive seen of him. Has to be Long on his own up top. Keane is not a good lone front man, but still a good enough footballer to be employed further back the pitch. If i was to be replacing him in this rle it would be with Fahey. I like Andrews but he is not in our top 3 midfielders and its time to move on.

[ifk101]

--------Westwood---------
Coleman Kelly O'Shea Wilson
----- Andrews McCarthy----
McGeady---Keogh----Fahey
------ ----Long ------------

That's what I would go with.

[geysir]

I'm happy enough with Keane starting, if there's a game for the captain and most experienced player to be starting, this is it.
Trap says this game is maybe where we need a "pure midfield", whatever that means in our context, probably Fahy or Meyler starting alongside McCarthy and Andrews.
It was a good result for us that Germany beat Austria but we should be able to give at least as good a game as Austria. I'd imagine the crowd will be up for the game and who knows.
Losing the game is not a deal breaker for us and it is expected. I think we will do better than expectations.

[shakermaker1982]

Westwood

Kelly O'Shea O'Dea Wilson

Coleman Meyler Fahey McCarthy Brady

Long

[Noelys Guitar]

Going by what Trapatonni actually said yesterday(and not what most of the journos are reporting he said) the team could be
Westwood
Kelly JOS O'Dea Ward
McCarthy Andrews Meyler/Fahey McGEady
Walters/Cox
Keane
He never said he was going to play a 5 man midfield and he never said Keane would be a lone striker. He did say Keane would get more support than he got against Spain (which suggests to me 442 or more likely 4411)

[SwanVsDalton]

Find it hard to believe the number of proposed teams in this thread with three man midfields but no Keith Andrews. He's almost the first name on the team sheet for me - and I'm not even a big fan of his.

He's the only midfield option with the athleticism to disrupt the runs and rhythm of Khedera and Schweinsteiger.

Even in a two man centre mid, he'd have to start. No way I'd send out a novice in Meyler ahead of him.

God knows he's occasionally daft with the ball at this feet and prone to rush of blood's to the head, but in general - when Keith plays well, the team plays well. He has an ability to pull people along on his momentum.

He's inconsistent as summer day in Portrush, but have a feeling his performance is going to be crucial on Friday. If he can have one of his stormers, we could have a chance.

[the bear]

Find it hard to believe the number of proposed teams in this thread with three man midfields but no Keith Andrews. He's almost the first name on the team sheet for me - and I'm not even a big fan of his.

He's the only midfield option with the athleticism to disrupt the runs and rhythm of Khedera and Schweinsteiger.

Even in a two man centre mid, he'd have to start. No way I'd send out a novice in Meyler ahead of him.

God knows he's occasionally daft with the ball at this feet and prone to rush of blood's to the head, but in general - when Keith plays well, the team plays well. He has an ability to pull people along on his momentum.

He's inconsistent as summer day in Portrush, but have a feeling his performance is going to be crucial on Friday. If he can have one of his stormers, we could have a chance.

I have a lot of time for Andrews but feel that its time to move on in terms of teamplay and personnel. Hence I want McCarthy, Fahey, Meyler etc. to be more involved from now on. That said i will not be moaning about his name when Trap names the official teamsheet. I can only imagine what kind of wierd selection he is going to make

[rebelmusic]

I pray...oh how i pray that he doesn't start Coleman at right back. He is our right-full of the future but this is not the game to launch him. Kelly is not good at going forward but with a packed midfield i'm far less concerned about the full backs getting up the pitch. Coleman is still learning his game at right-full and is pretty raw, the Germans would tear him a new one. And then of course the irish media would crucify him.

[SwanVsDalton]

I have a lot of time for Andrews but feel that its time to move on in terms of teamplay and personnel. Hence I want McCarthy, Fahey, Meyler etc. to be more involved from now on. That said i will not be moaning about his name when Trap names the official teamsheet. I can only imagine what kind of wierd selection he is going to make

That's fair enough on the future but the side on Friday is going to be severely shorn of experience and Andrews is one the few natural leaders in the team.

Trap will probably play him on the right wing anyway.

[Stuttgart88]

I had read the proposed lineups and saw no Andrwews, so made the conclusion he was still suspended. Despite his limitations I would definitely start him. We need his energy and drive. It's only 4 months since everyone agreed he was our best player in Poland.

[paul_oshea]

I agree this isnt the game to start coleman, and andrews experience and game time alone this season sees him start ahead of meyler always.

[jbyrne]

Find it hard to believe the number of proposed teams in this thread with three man midfields but no Keith Andrews. He's almost the first name on the team sheet for me - and I'm not even a big fan of his.

He's the only midfield option with the athleticism to disrupt the runs and rhythm of Khedera and Schweinsteiger.

Even in a two man centre mid, he'd have to start. No way I'd send out a novice in Meyler ahead of him.

God knows he's occasionally daft with the ball at this feet and prone to rush of blood's to the head, but in general - when Keith plays well, the team plays well. He has an ability to pull people along on his momentum.

He's inconsistent as summer day in Portrush, but have a feeling his performance is going to be crucial on Friday. If he can have one of his stormers, we could have a chance.

i had him in above and agree with what you say on andrews. far and away our best euros performer and we need his energy friday.
my team:

westwood
coleman - JOS - ODea - Wilson
andrews - mccarthy - meyler (or fahey)
mcgeady - long
Walters

[El-Pietro]

Germany (or as their previous incarnation, West Germany) have NEVER lost a World Cup Qualifier away from home.

Germany (or as their previous incarnation, West Germany) have only ever lost 2 World Cup Qualifiers at home, 1-2 to Portugal in 1985 and 1-5 to England in 2001. Both times they still qualified for the tournament and for good measure reached the Final.

I hate this rubbish, you can't include West Germany without also including East Germany.

So either you say Germany have never lost or you give the caveat that East Germany most likely lost a lot of games

[nigel-harps1954]

Mark my words.

Westwood

Kelly O'Shea O'Dea Ward

Cox Andrews Fahey McCarthy McGeady

Keane.

[El-Pietro]

It's a typical full back move, ironically, since I've always felt he's a natural centre half.


They will. Mueller is arguably not even worth his spot right now, which is scary considering he almost single-handedly won a Champions League final.

and was top scorer at the last world cup! Almost no chance he starts even if fit, Reus, Gotze, Schurrle, Kroos, Ozil and Poldi all ahead of him the pecking order right now