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

[Charlie Darwin]

On a side note, looking at that squad, thank **** we have O'Shea.

[tricky_colour]

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."

I am not sure where you got that stat from but I looked it up on 'my stat site' and it says he only has one assist (Same as Glenn Whelan). Now the site could be wrong but 1 sounds more likely than 3 to me.

If Trap were going to go for the man with the most exists he would have gone for Long, but Trap is never one for such obvious tactics, he knows the value of the element of surprise.

When the German manager looks at our squad he will be as baffled and confused as many here. He will be full of fear and trepidation wondering what Trap is up to, that same fear will spread to his squad.
Round 1 to Trap, it's as good as a goal start for us.

[tricky_colour]

Amusingly our starting lineup has a combined career total of 11 goals, Germany has 117. Our most prolific scorer is on 3.
I don't think we've ever even put a team out for a friendly game that was this weak and inexperienced under Trap.

I wonder what the odds on us getting beat 11-1 are?

[tricky_colour]

I too would probably have started Long instead of Walter or indeed started them both.

From a statistical point of view Walters (2nd) is actually above Long (3rd) in the stats I looked at, albeit only marginally
90 v 100. (Wilson is 1st at no. 50). I am not to sure why, Long has 2 goals and 2 assists, Walters 1 of each.
The only area Walters is ahead in is in passes par game (26 v 13).
Oh there is one other area, the one which probably clinched it for Trap, aerial battle won, 3.9 v 1.

Ward V Wilson is a trickier one, however last season they were within a point of each other, all the
above stats are based on the 7 or so games this season so a bit unreliable. Ward had a better pass rate
77% v 65%.

I am pretty happy with Coleman over Kelly, Coleman has impressed me on a number of a occasions not
least very recently when he got pass 2 players and put a good cross in IIRC.

[CraftyToePoke]

I can sort of understand the logic of leaving him until late, but it depends on the opposition defence being fatigued or complacent - by no means a certainty.

It also depends on us holding them or still being in the game at least if/when he is introduced. Id much prefer having him start and try to nick something to hold on to maybe, little point throwing him in when the game is gone, as lets face it, it could well be if the recent Spain/Italy/Croatia games are any guide. But we can hope ....

[gastric]

[QUOTE=tricky_colour;1634541]I am not sure where you got that stat from but I looked it up on 'my stat site' and it says he only has one assist (Same as Glenn Whelan). Now the site could be wrong but 1 sounds more likely than 3 to me.

If Trap were going to go for the man with the most exists he would have gone for Long, but Trap is never one for such obvious tactics, he knows the value of the element of surprise.

When the German manager looks at our squad he will be as baffled and confused as many here. He will be full of fear and trepidation wondering what Trap is up to, that same fear will spread to his squad.

And then the Germans laughed! " Fis is a very funny joke, ya. ' Ze Irish team is like their economy - baffling and confusing.' ' Ze know nooothing!'

[theworm2345]

Have to say I have no expectations (or excitement) for this match whatsoever, kind of expecting something similar to the Russia match at home. I hope I'm wrong.

[DannyInvincible]

Have to say I have no expectations (or excitement) for this match whatsoever, kind of expecting something similar to the Russia match at home. I hope I'm wrong.

I think my excitement is rooted in the prospect of the unknown. I have similarly low expectations but it adds to the sense of having nothing to lose, so I'm simply hoping what is a rather novel and inexperienced selection - albeit forced and not entirely to my favour - rise to the occasion and give it a right go. In a way, the Russia match in Moscow was certainly exciting!

[pineapple stu]

So no Given, Dunne, Duff or Keane.

Welcome to the future...

Tonight will reveal a lot if nothing else.

[shakermaker1982]

A draw would be a miracle. The Guardian had an article on the Germans yesterday and mentioned some disharmony within the squad but Low was pretty calm about it. They'd have to be in complete disarray for them to not tear us a new one.

I'd have preferred Coleman at RM with Kelly in at RB. Ward shouldn't be allowed near an Irish squad until he learns how to defend.

Damage limitation is the best we can realistically aim for.

Ireland 0 Germany 2

[tetsujin1979]

I am not sure where you got that stat from but I looked it up on 'my stat site' and it says he only has one assist (Same as Glenn Whelan). Now the site could be wrong but 1 sounds more likely than 3 to me.

If Trap were going to go for the man with the most exists he would have gone for Long, but Trap is never one for such obvious tactics, he knows the value of the element of surprise.

When the German manager looks at our squad he will be as baffled and confused as many here. He will be full of fear and trepidation wondering what Trap is up to, that same fear will spread to his squad.
Round 1 to Trap, it's as good as a goal start for us.

i got it from the premier
league's fantasy football site. they've credited him with three assists, against Wigan, Man City and Swansea. Whelan has two, against Reading and Swansea

[gastric]

With no offence meant to O'Shea, he is certainly stating the bleeding obvious in this article!

http://www.independent.ie/breaking-n...t-3257316.html

[geysir]

Interesting to note that the first thing many people see is something to moan about, rather than appreciate the biggest shift in Trap's tenure.
I'm really looking forward to this game.
For me the plusses are competitive starts for Coleman and McCarthy and in all probability they will be part of the team for the next 8 to 10 years.
Not just for those 2 players, but what they bring to the team, that what has been missing.
Added to that, this is the first time we have 3 at CM, with 2 of them being technically capable players.
Cox is also technically gifted and versatile, he could be the type of player we need to get us out of pigeon hole, player role mentality.
Splitting hairs with Walters up front instead of Long, we'll see how it works, both players have their merits.
Having Long as a sub is a potent choice to throw into the game.

[tricky_colour]

i got it from the premier
league's fantasy football site. they've credited him with three assists, against Wigan, Man City and Swansea. Whelan has two, against Reading and Swansea

Interesting!! I have found the site (I think), this is the page:-
http://www.premierleague.com/en-gb/p...nathan-walters

It now says he has 4 assists!! and 2 goals.

The site I looked at was
http://www.whoscored.com/Players/3860


That gives him 1 goal and 1 assist!! Quite big discrepancy!!
I would be more inclined to believe the premier league site though as I expect people check their players are being awarded all their points.
So lies dammed lies and statistics!!
Mind you another site I looked at only gives him 1 goal two.

A third site gives him 2 goals but one is in the Carling Cup, it also lists an Ireland game, so maybe that is included as well.

Kazakhstan 1 - 2 Ireland
Stoke 3 - 4 Swindon (Walters scores 1)

So he has either 2 or 3 more assists perhaps coming from those games.
Now Ward provided an assist V Kazakhstan and the other goal was a Keane penalty for a foul on Keane
so no more assists there. So the 2 or 3 assists must have came from the other game, he can't have got 3 assists as he scored one of them!! Had a look at that game and he may have got 1 assist but not 2. Can be 100% sure Walters
provided a cross but it looks like him on the poor quality video.
The site I look at original only includes Premiership games (I think).

[tetsujin1979]

Interesting!! I have found the site (I think), this is the page:-
http://www.premierleague.com/en-gb/p...nathan-walters

It now says he has 4 assists!! and 2 goals.

close, but I got it from here: http://fantasy.premierleague.com/sta...filter=assists
Still has him on 3 assists, same site (well same premierleague.com domain), but different values

The site I looked at was
http://www.whoscored.com/Players/3860


That gives him 1 goal and 1 assist!! Quite big discrepancy!!
I would be more inclined to believe the premier league site though as I expect people check their players are being awarded all their points.
So lies dammed lies and statistics!!
Mind you another site I looked at only gives him 1 goal two.

A third site gives him 2 goals but one is in the Carling Cup, it also lists an Ireland game, so maybe that is included as well.

Kazakhstan 1 - 2 Ireland
Stoke 3 - 4 Swindon (Walters scores 1)

So he has either 2 or 3 more assists perhaps coming from those games.
Now Ward provided an assist V Kazakhstan and the other goal was a Keane penalty for a foul on Keane
so no more assists there. So the 2 or 3 assists must have came from the other game, he can't have got 3 assists as he scored one of them!!

I had a look at Squawka as well: http://www.squawka.com/players/jonathan-walters (click total chances created)
and they only list one assist as well, with 7 key passes

[bishbash]

The plus side is that he may actually go with 3 central midfielders, i think this is the only way we'll compete in the future. Ward for me is probably the 3rd choice left back, poor performances obviously dont get you dropped. I'm wary of Coleman at full back, would liked to have seen him on the right side of midfield with McGeady on the left. Happy with O'Shea at centre half, much prefer a Dunne-O'Shea partnership going forward. Cox is an ok player but it must be obvious that he's miles behind Shane Long. Playing a 4-5-1 incorporating McClean, Dunne and Ciaran Clark/Marc Wilson would offer some hope.

[the doc]

The usual doom and gloom on here I see.
We will get at least a point tonight.
In Mr Trapattoni and the lads we trust.

[the doc]

The plus side is that he may actually go with 3 central midfielders, i think this is the only way we'll compete in the future. Ward for me is probably the 3rd choice left back, poor performances obviously dont get you dropped. I'm wary of Coleman at full back, would liked to have seen him on the right side of midfield with McGeady on the left. Happy with O'Shea at centre half, much prefer a Dunne-O'Shea partnership going forward. Cox is an ok player but it must be obvious that he's miles behind Shane Long. Playing a 4-5-1 incorporating McClean, Dunne and Ciaran Clark/Marc Wilson would offer some hope.

In recent games its been St Ledger carrying and covering for Dunne.

It's St Ledger with Dunne/OShea for me

[strangeirish]

The usual doom and gloom on here I see.
We will get at least a point tonight.
In Mr Trapattoni and the lads we trust.

Well, I had a dream last night that we beat them 3-0. Of course, the last time I had a dream like that, we won the World Cup too.

[the bear]

In recent games its been St Ledger carrying and covering for Dunne.

It's St Ledger with Dunne/OShea for me

Agreed, no shortage of confidence either