Ireland V Sweden(A) 22 March & Austria(H) - 26 March 2013 - World Cup 2014 Qualifiers

[brine3]

Great video and what is it about British commentary when watching those clips that somehow seems to make it even better!!!

How good was Duff back then, such a top class player. In fairness, the team had some superb individuals (Given, Duff, Keane, Harte, Stan) but some very ordinary to good players as well (Holland, Kinsella, Breen, Kilbane), but they truly were a team.

Don't forget Steve Finnan.

Kinsella was a very good player, one of the most underrated players to ever have donned the green shirt.

Harte was in very bad form at the World Cup. Mick's refusal to drop him cost us dearly.

[Bungle]

Don't forget Steve Finnan.

Kinsella was a very good player, one of the most underrated players to ever have donned the green shirt.

Harte was in very bad form at the World Cup. Mick's refusal to drop him cost us dearly.

I loved Kinsella. Terrific footballer and a great pro.

[hunt4the]

I'm happy enough with the team selection we were always going to go
away to sweden and defend like f*** flat back 8 and try nick one on the break,
thats always been traps mantra and bar the euros its worked pretty well for us away from home,
The big problem is we need to be defensive rocksolid for this to work
O'shea makes my knees knock together every time I see him "defending"
id prefer to see stledger. Anyhow I think we can do it tonight sweden are overated and they dont
cope well with the favorites tag
COYBIG

[peadar1987]

Don't forget Steve Finnan.

Kinsella was a very good player, one of the most underrated players to ever have donned the green shirt.

Harte was in very bad form at the World Cup. Mick's refusal to drop him cost us dearly.

I really rated Kinsella, he was a very understated player. Never did anything flashy, but rarely gave away possession. Perhaps a bit like the player Darron Gibson looks like becoming.

Strangely enough, I thought Harte's best game in the WC was the Spain one, up until he missed that penalty. Even so, perhaps we would have been better served with a back 4 of Stan...Breen...Cunningham...Finnan. It's hardly like Stan was a slouch from set pieces himself.

[SwanVsDalton]

Strangely enough, I thought Harte's best game in the WC was the Spain one, up until he missed that penalty. Even so, perhaps we would have been better served with a back 4 of Stan...Breen...Cunningham...Finnan. It's hardly like Stan was a slouch from set pieces himself.

Stan was utterly finished as a left-back at that point. He was slower than a glacier. Only other option would've been to drop Kelly back and switch Finnan. Can see why McCarthy stuck with Harte given his ability on the ball but he didn't have a great time.

[paul_oshea]

Lads i really don't think a draw will be a good enough result in the whole scheme of things because I dont see us beating them at home. And i can see them getting a draw at home to germany.

[Crosby87]

Me head says 4-0 Sweden.
Me Heart says 3-0 Sweden.

[tetsujin1979]

Sweden line up:
from https://twitter.com/philipoconnor/st...61207482658816

Sweden: 1-Andreas Isaksson, 2-Mikael Lustig, 4-Andreas Granqvist, 3-Jonas Olsson, 5-Behrang Safari (cont)

from https://twitter.com/philipoconnor/st...61241456517121

(cont) 7-Sebastian Larsson, 9-Kim Kallstrom, 6-Rasmus Elm, 19-Alexander Kacanklic, 10-Zlatan Ibrahimovic, 11-Tobias Hysen

[Charlie Darwin]

Ah, I see they've decided to go with Zlatan up front.

[Supreme feet]

Word from Daniel McDonnell's twitter is that Whelan might be forced to pull out with some unspecified injury.

Edit, whoops, didn't see NeverFeltBetter's post on the last page.

[brine3]

Ah, I see they've decided to go with Zlatan up front.

Strange, I thought they might go for a Championship striker who is more suited for this match, and keep Zlatan on the bench.

[brine3]

I really rated Kinsella, he was a very understated player. Never did anything flashy, but rarely gave away possession. Perhaps a bit like the player Darron Gibson looks like becoming.

Yep, Kinsella was the Irish Paul Lambert. Almost the exact same player.

Strangely enough, I thought Harte's best game in the WC was the Spain one, up until he missed that penalty. Even so, perhaps we would have been better served with a back 4 of Stan...Breen...Cunningham...Finnan. It's hardly like Stan was a slouch from set pieces himself.

Yep, I'd have done Finnan - Stan - Cunningham - Kelly... with Stephen Reid coming into midfield.

John O'Shea could have done a job at leftback then too, but of course he wasn't in the squad.

[BonnieShels]

And it begins. Reading the match thread on the day of the game always makes me sick with nerves. COYBIG!

Also I'm tired of Green being so overtly criticised. Whelan is the junker in that midfield. We all know that here. I wish the rest of the world would cop.

[Closed Account]

		Isaksson
Lustig	Granqvist		Olsson	Safari
	Elm		Kallstrom
Larsson		Ibrahimovic		Kakanclic
		Hysen
	Long		Keane
McClean	Whelan		Green	Brady
Wilson	Clark		O'Shea	Coleman
		Forde

Missing the first half, playing a match. Gonna stick a cheeky 5er on an Irish win. Deluded optimism ahoy.

[Charlie Darwin]

That Sweden midfield looks good but I think we have them on the wings and in defence. Two fairly ordinary keepers, although Isaksson has a lot more experience. Zlatan is obviously the big difference between the teams.

[tetsujin1979]

rumours on twitter that Whelan is out for tonight. Nothing official, and no word on replacement

[Charlie Darwin]

RTE news just reported he's almost certain to miss out. Nightmare scenario is a 50% fit Whelan lining out alongside Green.

[NeverFeltBetter]

Trap wouldn't...

[SkStu]

Colbert Report - any idea if the game is on tv here at all?

[Sullivinho]

Whelan out according to SSN.

Sky sources: Glenn Whelan ruled out of Republic of Ireland's World Cup qualifier against Sweden with an ankle injury #ssn