Republic of Ireland V Poland - Sunday, 29th March 2015 - Euro 2016 Qualifier

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Nathan Murphy on Newstalk (just back from Malahide) speculating that we're going 3-5-2.

Forde
McShane-O'Shea-Wilson
Coleman- didn't hear- Hoolahan - didn't hear - McGeady
Robbie-Walters

Elaboration: http://www.independent.ie/sport/socc...-31101854.html

No surprise but Robbie thinks Martin O'Neill should go with Keane & Walters up front rather than Long as the lone striker.

So Shane will reach his thirties without playing two consecutive competitive games from the start at this rate. I don't know how Walters keeps getting shoehorned into the team every time with talent like Hoolahan, McGeady, McClean, Brady, Long and an in form Murphy available. It continues to boggle the mind.

It doesn't breed confidence at all but here's hoping Keane and/or Walters prove my skepticism wrong on Sunday. I sincerely, sincerely doubt it: http://www.independent.ie/sport/socc...-31101917.html

[shakermaker1982]

I wouldn't be adverse to us using 3-5-2 tomorrow. MO'N has deployed it at club level and had success and with a number of our players now using the system at club level it'll be interesting to see how it pans out.

Hopefully it means Hoolahan gets a start.

Nailed on certainties for a start include (rightly or wrongly): O'Shea, Coleman, Whelan, McCarthy, McGeady. The rest of the places are up for grabs. I hope Long gets the nod, along with Brady and Hoolahan.

Not a big fan of Walters. Works hard but I think having him up there means it's too tempting for the back 4/3/5 to lump it long or down the channels.

I used to be an optimist when it came to our national team but a bit of realism has kicked in over the years. I think we'll draw and live to fight another day.....which really isn't the result we need in this group. I'm praying for an aggressive, high tempo easy 3 nil victory. 2 quick goals and then sit back and enjoy the game! This is a massive game, I hope the players try to make amends after the Scottish performance.

[geysir]

352 was what was needed in the spl at that time to counteract the defensive 451, Celtic didn't need 4 players to mark one and needed to break down the massed defence with speed. Celtic needed to win every game, any 2 points dropped was serious stuff.

[DeLorean]

I hope there is no truth in the 352 rumour. Madness to go with a new untested formation in such a crucial game.

Funny you say madness. Isn't that overused cliché, defining insanity as doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results, the absolute epitome of what we've been doing for the last two or three years. Incidentally, Wales debuted a 3-5-2 of sorts this evening, at least I don't think they trialled it previously. Worked out okay.

[shakermaker1982]

I was thinking more of his time with Leicester.

After suffering through 4-4-2 under the Trap for so long I'd welcome any tweak and laud it as a revolution if it actually works!

I don't think we have the central midfielders to play 4-4-2.

[geysir]

Even McLeish worked out a way to beat 352, with a 433 and fast counterattacking with Lovenkrands.
Anyway, it isn't really about systems, is it?

[shakermaker1982]

Not really no, a point I keep trying to make for my Sunday morning team. If you've got 11 donkeys it doesn't matter what formation you end up playing!!

[Charlie Darwin]

Not really no, a point I keep trying to make for my Sunday morning team. If you've got 11 donkeys it doesn't matter what formation you end up playing!!

And how did they take you calling them 11 donkeys?

[geysir]

Same as Shamrock Rovers took it when you called them 11 donkeys........ all season long.

[paul_oshea]

I think these euros are going to be woeful when they come around.

I distinctly remember stutts giving out (maybe a bit strong)about mons outdated tactics and systems Mon loves 3-5-2 but today he is backing this formation tomorrow.

[abcd]

In all honesty after the Scotland game I'd just be happy to see Ireland offer some sort of attacking threat to start with and under the formation to date we've created next to nothing even against Georgia. I'm taking it for granted we'll concede at least 1 so we need to do something different to give us a chance of the win we need. To hell with a draw keeping us involved or that kind of thing. In my mind really it has to be 3 points tomorrow.

[Charlie Darwin]

I think these euros are going to be woeful when they come around.

I distinctly remember stutts giving out (maybe a bit strong)about mons outdated tactics and systems Mon loves 3-5-2 but today he is backing this formation tomorrow.

We'll need the doc to act as a tiebreaker.

[Stuttgart88]

I think these euros are going to be woeful when they come around.

I distinctly remember stutts giving out (maybe a bit strong)about mons outdated tactics and systems Mon loves 3-5-2 but today he is backing this formation tomorrow.

Paul, you might actually recall that my first EVER post on a soccer website, the old soccercentral.ie, was advocating 352. I think MON's tactics are outdated but I will withdraw that accusation if he goes bold with a good 352. I love it and I think it'd suit us. We have the players for it and as I said above it immediately addresses weaknesses we have, whilst simultaneously it plays to some strengths we have.

[Stuttgart88]

I don't see how Walters being picked over Long boggles the mind. He scores more goals than Long and is a physical handful. Give him credit. He's having a good season. Some folks' capacity for exaggeration is what really boggles the mind.

[Irish_Praha]

Paul, you might actually recall that my first EVER post on a soccer website, the old soccercentral.ie, was advocating 352. I think MON's tactics are outdated but I will withdraw that accusation if he goes bold with a good 352. I love it and I think it'd suit us. We have the players for it and as I said above it immediately addresses weaknesses we have, whilst simultaneously it plays to some strengths we have.

Ah good old soccercentral.
Hello my old friends.

[tricky_colour]

While we are on the subject of Clark being a better option..

http://hereisthecity.com/en-gb/2015/...r-this-season/

Clark is flying high in the stats whcih you all put so much faith in too, at #60
Not only does come out as the best defender at villa he is also their best player according to the stats!!!

Also our best player (unles Dunne has come out of retirement)

[tricky_colour]

Various news agencies reporting the Polish team is driving around Reykjavik looking for their hotel.

Well let's f**king hope so, it's our best chance of 3 points!!!

[tricky_colour]

Not really no, a point I keep trying to make for my Sunday morning team. If you've got 11 donkeys it doesn't matter what formation you end up playing!!

Oh really?

[gastric]

Will make my prediction now due to the vagaries of time difference. Ireland to win 2-1 after they concede a shocking goal.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

I don't see how Walters being picked over Long boggles the mind. He scores more goals than Long and is a physical handful. Give him credit. He's having a good season. Some folks' capacity for exaggeration is what really boggles the mind.

I usually agree with most of what you say but will have to strongly disagree on this one. Long & Walters goalscoring records at PL level are neck & neck. Right now Walters has more because he has started every game whereas Long has started a dozen or so and a small handful in his preferred position. As far as Ireland, Walters is guaranteed to start every single game since Duff retired and Doyle... well you know, whereas Long has been continuously shafted - he hasn't even started consecutive competitive games yet! I don't see how Walters is a handful for opposition defenders. He has no vertical leap, he is poor in the air and most of his layoff passes don't come off. I think playing him is a signal of intent to the opposition of our gameplan; play long balls, lump it in the air for Walters, Walters "holding it up", Walters giving it large to the opposition defenders. Tactically, it does not work. I simply think playing him plays to the opposition. Playing better technical players or faster players like Brady, McClean or Long would be a signal of us trying to be more positive.

I would like to see Long utilised because he has a better spring, he is better at heading the ball, he wins free kicks, he has the pace to capitalize on counter attacks, he is tailor made to play with lads like Hoolahan & McClean.

If Grant Hanley was sent off for scything him down in Glasgow like he should have been, it would have been a completely different game.

I also must admit, I am not enamored with the idea of someone who is recovering from a fractured cheekbone and whom is wearing a mask being expected to hold up the ball, win the ball and be the fulcrum of our physical game.