as the cliché goes the best form of defence is attack. when we took the game to Poland in the 2nd half they hardly threatened us at all
Strachan played Anya at RB against Qatar, although he is a left winger ordinarily. I'm wondering was he just giving him game time on the RHS in case he wants him to switch sides to attack a possible weakness, namely Brady? Anya's attacking threat definitely led to Coleman playing cautiously in Glasgow, although I think he was out of sorts anyway.
Regardless of what he said, the onus is on us to attack because we messed up in Glasgow, and dropped points to Poland. We need three points more than Scotland do, simple as that. A home draw would have been a reasonable result had we won those two games. There's no doubt we were overly conservative in Glasgow. It frustrates me even thinking about it. Scotland were hardly all-out-attack themselves though but they did make more of an attempt than us. I wouldn't be too perturbed, most of our remaining games are at home and we'll know what we need to do in Poland, so that approach will take care of itself.Originally Posted by paul_oshea
It might be better for us if Anya played on the right, as Whittaker/Hutton shouldn't pose the threat on that side that Robertson will on the other. You'd imagine a Robertson/Anya double act would serve to neutralise Coleman again. We really need to get our tactics right this time. Despite being dreadful in almost every way, setup, application, attitude, etc. there was very little in the game in Glasgow, we were reasonably comfortable despite being second best. It took a world class second half save from Marshall to deny us what would have probably been wrongly portrayed as the perfect away performance. That would have been nonsense of course, but results change mindsets.
This guy seems fairly sure of the team. He's probably right too.
Aye, he's gone with the exact same 11 I went with earlier. It's fairly obvious that there are 9 certainties. He is "reasonably confident" of 10 but I think Hoolahan isn't as certain as the other 9. I do think he'll go with Long ahead of Keane and I think that 11 possess enough ability and balance that is supplemented by two utterly tiresome workers in Walters and Long. I know Long and Walters were in our attack in the reverse fixture but Hoolahan, McCarthy and Whelan weren't behind them which is why I'm more confident.
Long, Walters and McClean (instead of McGeady) in attack from the start would be some way to welcome the Scots to the Aviva. That defence is there for the taking. McGeady will get his start though.
There's even an off chance he goes with McGeady and McClean with Walters up front and Hoolahan at 10. Really want Long in there and if the goal against Poland when we needed it most doesn't guarantee him a start then it's a bit hypocritical from O'Neill to rue in the media the fact that we don't score enough.
Getting more excited as I type this...
EDIT: That's an almost entirely PL 11. 10 for 2014/15 and 10 for 2015/2016 with Brady down and Hoolahan up in the intervening period. Brady isn't not PL quality either.
Last edited by Olé Olé; 10/06/2015 at 1:51 PM.
I read Brady is a Norwich target, but only speculation obviously.
I think he'll go with:
-----------------Given----------------
Coleman---O'Shea--Wilson---Brady
----------Whelan--McCarthy----
Walters--------Weso----------McGeady
--------------Keane-------------
McClean and Long to come on and stretch the game last half hour then.
Long's record at both club and int level is roughly 1 in 4, don't have the time today to look at our strikers going back over the years but bar Robbie they'd be of similar ilk I'd say. Long definitely gives the work rate and movement but Robbie really is the exception to the rule up front for us finishing/ goals wise & as long as he's playing some sort of competitive football he'll be wheeled out Fr. Nestor Sensini style.
Speaking of the promoted sides, Bournemouth have a hole in their side for a left-footed, Irish free-kick taker. Brady could fill that.. not the hole itself but the position.
He's filled enough holes already this season.
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
Wouldn't be surprised if Robbie got the start but I think this is the exact game where he should go with Long. Take the game to the Scots immediately because, as DeLorean infers (I think), we were almost chasing the game from the start in Scotland, even if the scoreboard said otherwise. There's something soothing, from an Irish perspective, about about Hoolahan, Whelan and McCarthy retaining possession with Long seriously stretching the Scottish back four. Walters is a MON favourite but I like him too. I think if we play a 4-2-3-1/4-3-3 then there is plenty flexibility there allowing Long and Walters to swap and even McGeady and Hoolahan, even if Hoolahan is somewhat tucked in there.
Scotland aren't that good. I have huge respect for Robbie Keane but we shouldn't be relying on him to nick a goal and contribute little else. I think we're capable of taking the game to Scotland and unnerving a very average defence. We should set up like that.
I wish I could go to sleep and wake up Saturday...
This game is pretty much a shoot out. Win this and we have one foot in the qualification door. Hope the players start fast and 3 points would be nice for my 33rd birthday
Gutted I cannot be there, could only make the England game with how things fell so I'm hoping the Aviva can roar the boys on. Very subdued on Sunday because of the early kick off, alcohol ban and heat!
I'm really hard pushed to nail a starting 11. I cannot remember the last time it has been that close, so many marginal calls. I can see the value in playing Walters/Hoolahan etc. we played for a draw in Glasgow and lost to a moment of magic (and Irish lack of concentration from a set piece) so there isn't a lot between the two teams but
I'd say we have the better players in more positions than they have.
I think he might go for this....
Given
Coleman O'Shea Wilson Brady
Hendricks Whelan McCarthy
Walters Long McGeady
I would start Hoolahan though. Scotland do like their 4-2-3-1 and we won't want to be outnumbered in midfield. Long has to start. He's a handful and his pace can trouble them.
Hopefully by 70th min we are 2 nil up and coasting and Robbie can come on when Scotland are chasing the game.
What time does this game start chaps?
No Somos muchos pero estamos locos.
I think he'll go for
-- - - - Westwood/Given - - - -
Coleman Wilson O'Shea Brady
Walters McCarthy Whelan McGeady
- - - - - - Wessi - - - -
- - - - - - -Long - - -
Folding my way into the big money!!!
5pm Irish time so I'm guessing midday in NYC. Crackbird have a big screen set up for it.
Given
Coleman, O'Shea, Wilson, Brady
Walters, McCarthy, Whelan, McGeady
Hoolahan
Keane
I think this will be the team.
McGeady hasn't played much football over the last several months. Walters is pushing 32 and has been playing like a man flogged by Stoke over the last several seasons whenever he has played recently for Ireland. Keane is pushing 35, out of form and lacking fitness at LA Galaxy and has been a peripheral presence for Ireland recently. Hoolahan 33.... Whelan 31.... McCarthy inhibited by the role he plays for Ireland.
I'm not confident. Hoolahan can only do so much with the players he is playing with.
I think McClean and Long should be guaranteed starters but there is a bizarre persistence with Walters and a festering desperation that will see us go back to the well with Keane.
It will be a team impinged by a lack of pace and penetration on Saturday.
I honestly don't understand why there is a reluctance to play Long on the wing. He has excelled there for Southampton. His assists and goals record for club and country over the spring should guarantee his presence in the team somewhere but alas... as people have said, by all means at least play Walters up front and have them interchanging to give them problems.
Not confident at all. I predict a Scotland win but, really, a draw is just as disastrous. And I already hear the dreaded noise about ensuring that we "don't lose".
Anything other than a win and it's curtains. We're already behind in the mini-league of three. Settling for a draw just because it's better than a loss would be intolerable. We really have to win this. Well, Poland was a game that, all things considered, we needed to win to keep the pressure off, but this really is the final chance now.
I'd like to see Martin be daring and throw Westwood in goals. It shouldn't have to be a daring decision to make - Westwood is our best keeper - but Shay seems to be favoured for whatever reason. Shay didn't look convincing at all when he came on against England though. I would never wish Shay ill will or bad luck - he's the consummate professional - but I do hope that his handling and kicking in that game have given Martin some serious food for thought.
It's frustrating watching Coleman try to single-handedly force his own way into games for us. He's not even half as potent for us as he is racing up and down the wing receiving passes in threatening positions and knocking balls and goals in for Everton week in and week out. His abilities are absolutely wasted due to our tactical limitations.
I can't see McGeady not starting. Thought he played well against England and he's an O'Neill favourite (for good reason). I don't actually think Robbie will start. He's been out for a bit and Martin simply can't be so blind as to keep making the same mistake of sticking him in because he's a pedigree goalscorer without really thinking about how we'll get the ball to him to let him do what he does best in the first place. (If Robbie does start, so must the Wessiah.) I can see Long starting after getting us out of jail against Poland, even if he didn't do anything at all against England when he came on. Not that that was his fault either - our midfield and any semblance of up-field creativity simply disappeared during the second half - just like it isn't Robbie's fault when we can't even feed him scraps sometimes because of how we're set up. I'd love to see us go for something more imaginative than Walters the brute, but it'd be a surprise not to see him in the starting line-up.
Have we heard anything further on O'Shea's muscular problem? I'm guessing it isn't going to be an issue and he'll start.
http://www.theguardian.com/football/...ifying-fitness
How the Championship based players prepared for the June window. Nice infographic included, detailing days since last competitive appearance for an array of Irish (and Scottish) footballers.
http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/s...ak-336321.html
To that end, O’Neill would like Ireland to put in a first-half performance against Scotland similar to the one they delivered in the second half against Poland.
“If we could start like that in the game, if we could get ourselves going and try and get the first goal rather than chasing things, that will give ourselves a chance,” he says.
Seems it won't be an issue, which is just as well as McShane is the new doubt.
Westwood has a great kick from both hands and the ground and looks sharp. Surely O'Neill must be noticing that Given doesn't have the commanding effect he was probably brought back for? A long ball manager like O'Neill must surely notice Westwoods long kicking, and generally superior distribution of all kinds.
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