I'm using this thread to analyse the Poland team who we face next at home in a little over 4 months time. To get the chatting started, I've done some simple analysis on the them over their first 4 games.
Their first XI has been fairly consistant with a handful of regular subs used. I've highlighted their club side, age, caps to date and games and goals this campaign.
I haven't included a few lads who only made one appearance against Gibraltar.
Barring injuries and anyone getting hit by a bus, this is what we should face in March.
GK
Szczesny - Arsenal (England) - A:24 - C:22 - 4 games.
DF
Piszczek - Borussia Dortmund (Germany) - A:29 - C:39 - 3 games.
Szukala - Steaua Bucharest (Romania) - A:30 - C:10 - 4 games, 1 goal.
Gilik - Torino (Italy) - A:26 - C:28 - 4 games, 1 goal.
Jedrzegczyk - Krasnodar (Russia) - A:27 - C:14 - 3 games.
MF
Grosicki - Rennes (France) - A:26 - C:27 - 4 games, 2 goals.
Krychowiak - Sevilla (Spain) - A:24 - C:23 - 4 games, 1 goal.
Maczynski - Guizhou Renhe (China) - A:27 - C:6 - 3 games, 1 goal.
Mila - Slask Wroclaw (Poland) - A:32 - C:33 - 3 games, 2 goals.
FD
Milik - Ajax (Holland) - A:20 - C:13 - 4 games, 3 goals.
Lewandowski - Bayern Munich (Germany) - A:26 - C:65 - 4 games, 4 goals.
Subs:
DF
Olkowski - Cologne (Germany) - A:24 - C:7 - 1 game.
Wawrzyniak - Amkar Perm (Russia) - A:31 - C:43 - 2 games.
MF
Rybus - Terak Grozny (Russia) - A:25 - C:31 - 3 games.
Sobota - Club Brugge (Belgium) - A:27 - C:17 - 3 games.
Jodlowiec - Legia Warsaw (Poland) - A:29 - C:26 - 2 games.
The defender Gilik picked up a second yellow away to Georgia and so is suspended against us. It's similar to us losing O' Shea, considering his importance to them.
They may call up Wawrzyniak as his replacement, who played against Gibraltar and Germany.
The only players I recognise are Szczesny in goal, Piszczek at the back and Lewandowski up front. All 3 lads are class and play at top clubs. The others, I have no idea about.
So between now and March I'll try to post regular updates on their form, injuries and the like, so we can get the know who we are facing.
Last edited by Littlest Hobo; 17/11/2014 at 10:40 AM.
Never eat yellow snow!!
If we were to win, we could still sneak automatic promotion.
A draw, the most likely result IMO, struggle to still scrape third lies on, possibly.
Defeat, equals virtually certain non-qualification, with 6+months to go...
Depressing if so.
Last edited by Littlest Hobo; 17/11/2014 at 10:40 AM.
Never eat yellow snow!!
Would like us to line out something like :
..............Westwood
Coleman O'Shea Keogh Wilson
.....McCarthy..... Whelan
McGeady ................Brady
..............Hoolahan
......... ...........Keane or Long
Last edited by TrapAPony; 17/11/2014 at 10:39 AM.
"We lost because we didn't win"- Ronaldo
Agreed, except we won't.
Injuries and the demands of the PL will see to that.
And Delaney or Duffy at the back, Keogh/Ward are both liabilities. Plus MO'N has his favourites, so no chance of anything close to that/these teams.?
What has Forde done wrong?
"If God had meant football to be played in the air, he'd have put grass in the sky." Brian Clough.
You'll NEVER beat the Irish.......you'll just draw with us instead!!!
Need to win this one. The 4 teams could be all on 10 points after this round, the half way point.
"Jacques Santini...will be greeted in every dugout of the country by "one-nil, one-nil" - Clive Tyldsley, 89th minute of France-England June 13, 2004.
"Ooooohhhh Nooooooo" Bobby Robson 91st minute.
If there was any message from O'Neill's tenure at Celtic it was that his sides were usually poor away from home but almost always victorious at home. Let's hope this trend continues. My recollection is that many of Celtic's famous victories at home were won by set pieces, often delivered by Thompson.
If Poland are so good how come Scotland drew 2-2 there? Of course we can beat them. All square at the half way point with 3 home games left would be a position as any of us would have taken.
Forget about the performance or entertainment. It's only the result that matters.
It's only just started and this thread has already been side-tracked by all sorts of other chat...!
Back on track... Poland are at home to Switzerland on Tuesday night.
Never eat yellow snow!!
Except that was a decade ago, so wouldn't extrapolate anything from that sadly.
Football has moved on, doubtful MO'N has improved by much tbh?
Polska aren't unbeatable but given our woeful record of beating anyone of note in this same last decade or so, as chronicled here
http://foot.ie/threads/147164-Eligib...=1#post1792610
reckon our chances are 10-15% at best...
Hearing that McCarthy is a doubt for this one.
id go
Forde
Coleman. Wilson
O'Shea. keogh.
McCarthy Gibson
McGeady. Hoolahan. Brady
Long
We need to keep it much more that we have done. Lewandowski will punish us if we give up the chances we gave against Scotland, he will take the half chances. Brady's set pieces were dangersous but on top of that his delivery in open play is much better than McCleans. If he can come close to matching his work rate he's a far better option. The 3 in the middle allows us more of a chance to get both wingers on the ball higher up the pitch, maybe get more/better crosses for the likes of long or even keane. Keane for me can only play if we are going to have more possession if not he's lost out there.
No it's going to be the tried & tested unfortunately. I'd actually prefer Quinn at this stage as he's probably got a better range of passing than Whelan & he puts his foot in. MON will surely try something in the friendly games, be some bit inventive or creative that may stand to us going forward.
Hmmmm, Harte. I used to have a go at Mick for selecting him. I think McLean also offers more in defence than Brady but I agree there isn't much between the two.
An important factor in the Polish game will be the ticket office (and for the Scots game). Those at the friendly in Lansdowne a year or so ago will recall that well over half of the crowd was Polish. This has got to be avoided.
Forget about the performance or entertainment. It's only the result that matters.
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