Provan on SSN saying Scotland delighted no Long. He's the one player Strachan fears. Surprised no Anya.
Provan saying this is a team of brute force.
insanity. The Irish are laughing.Originally Posted by Real ale Madrid
Provan on SSN saying Scotland delighted no Long. He's the one player Strachan fears. Surprised no Anya.
Provan saying this is a team of brute force.
No disrespect but Anya has never played in the Premier League, he is mid-twenties, unestablished at Intl. level and flattered to deceive before this season.
McClean is a proven PL and Intl. player, as is Long.
Highest placed Irish player in PL, consolidated a place in the Southampton team at last, got a run of good form, scoring goals, getting assists, bailed us out against Poland. On the bench.
Two f***ing tortoises up front.
No cohesion to the team at all. O'Neill doesn't have a clue what he is at.
F***ing Scotland we are playing and we are just kowtowing to them.
Embarrassing.
O'Neill has always had a boner for a big bruiser upfront. With Sutton he had one that could play, but most of his others were just bruisers.
Murphy proved against England he can do what Walters does just as well. Long is a nightmare for defenders. He is tough and he has a leap like a salmon. If we want to play long ball, he can adapt to that. I just don't understand the dependence on Walters. He isn't even that good in the air, barely anything sticks to him. It's very negative. Scotland have several midfielders let alone CB's that will relish playing against him. It is just a basic, basic, battle.
Long always looks like he can win a penalty and/or get someone sent off too. He could have done both in Glasgow.
Sure McClean & Long can give us a half hour of penetration when we are losing one or two nil but even then the temptation for Martin will be to go to the well with McGeady & Keane out of basic desperation.
Why is Hoolahan playing if Long isn't? Why do they never play with each other? They are tailor made for each other. Does anyone honestly expect Murphy, Walters and Hoolahan to get the best out of each other? Attacking moves are constantly broken down because Walters - let alone Murphy - doesn't have the pace to get in behind defenders.
Think we still might win but it nails down the perception that O'Neill's instincts are direct football first and foremost. I'm surprised Keane goes along with this.
if it was simply Long in for Walters, rest the same, would you be happy? I would.
Our midfield 3 is designed to allow Brady and Coleman to get forward.
I would be happy with that and McClean off the bench, yes. I would settle for that.
I just don't think it makes any sense starting Hoolahan, starting Walters & Murphy and starting with no out and out wingers.
It's not getting the best out of Hoolahan.
Championship defenders like the Scottish CB pairing are used to playing against teams pumping balls into the box.
They would hate to play against Long. Murphy/Walters just your typical lump.
Quinn refers to Murphy as a fine physical specimen. I got called a lady here for saying same about O'Callaghan!
O'Neill saying we need to win game, then waters that down a bit. McGeady not fit for 90. Picked a midfield that can do a better job against theirs than Glasgow.
Anya is all pace but that's it. Ritchie is a far better player with a dangerous left foot.
"We lost because we didn't win"- Ronaldo
Happy enough with that team. Lucky that McGeady and Keane aren't fit I assume. Removing the wingers finally should give Coleman and equally Brady on the other side space to run into. Walters deserving to play after probably his best season for Stoke. Long assuming on the bench as he's proven more effective from there for Ireland and Southampton. McCarthy/Whelan/Hendrick are the key today filling in when hopefully Brady and Coleman bomb forward. Finally a progressive lineup dropping orthodox wingers which nearly every other top flight nation has copped to.
Oh and Shay should retire again. Love the guy but apart from his organisational skills of players in front of him, he brings nothing. But Given/Westwood shouldn't make a difference if we do our jobs.
With all the furore and utter bemusement at the selection of Murphy & Walters, it is easy to forget about the potential liability that is Shay Given.
There is a question mark over his kicking, isn't there?
About 25% of them will meet the head of Murphy & Walters and the rest will end up in the stands or back in Scottish possession.
All the more bemusing.
Im confused. Is keane not fit bc of an Injury or the cousins dying?
No Somos muchos pero estamos locos.
Haha, theres been 30 posts since team announced. 10 by you. I bet you're a nightmare to watch a match with, I admire your dedication though. COYBIG
It's my understanding that he was nursing a groin injury before the cousins tragedy. Also he's only back fit for LA Galaxy and probably hasn't the match fitness to start this one.
Biggest issue with the team is Given over Westwood. If it's going to be direct to Murphy/Walters play the keeper with exceptional kicking who have Murphy a chance to win plenty of ball against England, not the one who came on and fell over his feet and kicked it into the stand a few times!
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