In fairness I'd like to see Long start too, but he's hardly going to be the big factor - it's all about our midfield three and defence withstanding German pressure long enough to give us a chance of a result.
Not a whole lot of difference between Cox, Walters and Long as an out ball (personally I prefer Walters' physicality) although no doubt I'd rather have Long on to nab a goal. But it's all supposing our defence can hold out.
Ou-est le Centre George Pompidou?
This could be a disaster or a master-stroke.
It could even be a disaster-stroke....
Folding my way into the big money!!!
I really hope Coleman will attack and not stay behind the halfway line...
2 - 1 to Ireland
Cox with a screamer in the first half and ward with a header in the second
Very concerned with Ward and can't understand for the life of me that Wilson isn't playing. I think the Germans will have him for breakfast. Very happy with Coleman coming in and I never thought Trap would be that adventurous, so pleasantly suprised. Having said that, I would have played Kelly at right full and Coleman at right mid, rather than Cox being played on the wing. For me, Cox playing ahead of Long is baffling, but aside from Ward/Cox in the starting 11, I can't find any fault with the team.
Friend of mine from Colorado asked me how I thought the team would fare without Robbie Keane, this is my answer. It's long, but worth a look*
Keane has been the focal point of the attack for so long, nearly 15 years now, that it's hard to imagine the team without him. Not only that, but Duff and Given have retired, as well as Dunne and Whelan (Trapattoni stalwarts) are unavailable through injury.
There's a case to be made that this might actually free up the team a little, think Arsenal before and after Henry (and to a lesser extent Van Persie) left. Everything was based around getting the ball to Henry, as the main striker, and if it didn't work, then they pretty much didn't score. Ireland are a little the same with Keane, he's the most likely goalscorer and, even at 32, the most natural finisher in the squad. However, his lack of pace was shown up at Euro 2012, and while he's still excellent with the ball at his feet, the lack of creativity, and pace, in midfield meant he didn't have a lot of possession to exploit it.
The announced lineup has Walters and Cox in the starting XI, but not their positions. Given Trapattoni's history, it'a probably Cox on the right, with Walters up front, hopefully supplemented by either Fahey or Andrews. Walters is a battering ram, plain and simple. You play for Stoke, you make life miserable for the opposing team for 90 minutes, end of story. You chase high balls, hold up possession and don't give the opposition any time in possession from the first minute until the final whistle, and it works for them. While Walters isn't high in the goalscoring charts, he has three assists this season in the league, more than anyone else in the Stoke team, so I imagine his brief will be "you know what you do for your club, do that."
Cox on the wing doesn't offer a lot of pace, but he's got Coleman behind him, hopefull playing on the overlap like he did against Oman. Across central midfield Andrews, Fahey and McCarthy are solid pros. Andrews was probably the best player in Poland over the three games, and I think he was missed against Kazakhstan. Fahey and McCarthy are both excellent in possession, I fancy McCarthy to play a little deeper than the other two, breaking up attacks and playing the ball forward. His 88% completed passes compares favourably with the Wigan squad average of 80%
It's the left side of the pitch I'm worried about, McGeady usually plays a little further up the pitch, which can leave his full back - Ward - exposed. I really do expect Germany to rain balls down on the Wolves full back, so he's going to need extra protection. Incidentally, in the B game a few years ago against Nottingham Forest, Ward was at full back with Hoolahan in front of him, who left him repeatedly exposted. Andrews started in the same game and gave Ward an out ball repeatedly. Food for thought.
Central defence is O'Shea and O'Dea, who also started away to Macedonia, giving away a penalty in the process. O'Dea plays better with an organiser (i.e. Dunne) beside him, and O'Shea isn't the most vocal of players anyway. Both will have to step up their game to a whole other level tomorrow.
While not a bad keeper, Westwood in goals is the probably the least worst option we have at the moment. Any of the keepers in the squad could make a claim for a starting position, and all would probably be equally valid. Westwood is the current first choice, and that's why he's starting.
I genuinely can't call this game, it's definitely Trapattoni's toughest qualifier to date, and the missing players give the starting XI an experimental feel, against a team you don't want to experiment against. On the other hand, they might be expecting one style of play and find themselves up against another.
However, Germany don't lose qualifiers, they've lost two ever, and none away from home. To death and taxes, you can add Germany not losing qualifiers to life's great certainties.
With all that, I expect either a score draw, or a German win, but I think what everyone wants is a step up in performance from the Kazakhstan game, and Euro 2012 performances
*that's what she said
It was probably me who mentioned Gol TV. The only other option if you can't get GolTV tomorrow will be the streaming world (try wiziwig).
Thankfully I am on the flight from JFK tonight so I will get to see the Germany game in person but the Faroes match will be more problematic. It looks like Gol are showing Austria v Kazakhstan on Tuesday though so delayed coverage of Faroes is probably the best we can hope for (apart from wiziwig as mentioned above).
"There's man all over for you, blaming on his boots the fault of his feet" - Samuel Beckett, Waiting for Godot
"nearly twenty years" is stretching it a bit isn't it?
https://kesslereffect.bandcamp.com/album/kepler - New music. It's not that bad.
www.vipbox.tv is very good for streaming, you will prob get it there if stuck
It's about the best balanced team we have seen or could conjure considering availabilities, though the back 4 will really have to rise to the occasion and play their perfect game. Personally I'd prefer a player like Lawrence in that midfield 5 over Cox, but what a game and responsibility for Fahey. I'd expect McCarthy to play a more holding role, Fahey more advanced centrally and wide. We'll probably ship a few yellow cards and hopefully no red card. We just might be able to play football with that team.
I'm a bloke,I'm an ocker
And I really love your knockers,I'm a labourer by day,
I **** up all me pay,Watching footy on TV,
Just feed me more VB,Just pour my beer,And get my smokes, And go away
i like our central 3 in midfield, im really glad fahey is playing. no pace in the team tho apart from mcgeady, would have loved to see long in there....aaaaaahah
Delighted to see Fahey too. Remember the last time he played against a German side in Ireland? He was awesome against Hertha Berlin. I hope he does well.
Bookmarks