Euro 2016 Play-Offs - November 13th and 16th

[MeathDrog]

It's Krychowiak, not Lewandowski. He's caught badly but these things happen, it's just one minor clip. Looks kind of funny though.

Is there a vine of Whelan being roasted by a 37 year old Anders Svensson?

[Charlie Darwin]

Oh please make that happen.

As Robbie's cousin once wrote: "I haven't had a dream in a long time, y'see the luck I've had can make a good man bad. So, for once in my life, let me get what I want, lord knows it would be the first time (in about 60 caps)"

Johnser Keane wrote that?

[geysir]

Gattuso maybe? Definitely still an overstatement but considerably less preposterous

Green is Gattuso.

[jbyrne]

meyler out for 2 months. real pity as he has done well when called upon and seemed to be in great form over the last while for Hull...

http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2015/...to-two-months/

[Straightstory]

[QUOTEIf we sit in for a draw like we usually do in Eastern Europe, we're inviting trouble.[/QUOTE]
We'll be sitting in for a draw and inviting trouble.

[DeLorean]

meyler out for 2 months.

Feck, that's a bit of a blow. I agree with CD that he could have been important in some capacity over the two games. Brucie won't be happy either.

[Olé Olé]

Very disappointed for Meyler and midfield options shorten again.

[MeathDrog]

Very disappointed for Meyler and midfield options shorten again.

Time to deploy the joker. Enter Alan Judge.

[SwanVsDalton]

I think that is happening a bit. It has become 'cool' to understand Whelan and what he offers, stuff that was ignored or overlooked previously. I think there might even be a pretentious element to it with some people, a kind of 'you have to understand the game to see what he brings' sort of thing. I'm sure this stems from top manager after top manager picking him and it's been kind of difficult to fathom at times. I wouldn't be as harsh as YOP though, I think he's had a good 2015 overall for club and country but, yeah, I'd prefer if he was phased out as an automatic starter at least.

I kind of understand what you're saying here DeL but, at the same time, Glenn Whelan and 'coolness'? Unfortunately, not even Glenn has come within a sniff of crossover hipster appeal. He ain't propping up many Sagres-fuelled footy arguments in Shoreditch is what I'm saying.

The main problem with the Whelan argument is it gets real emotive, real quick. Hysterical and hyperbolic. Like this...

Make up a compilation video of him attempting 5 yard passes to players on the wing and the ball going out of play.

I actually don't feel I need to say any more. Get him out and never have him back.

Whelan's had a decent year for Ireland, after a bad run. Wasn't great in Poland but I think he's got a good bit to offer in Bosnia not least as an organiser and a leader in a team shorn of most of them.

I wouldn't have him as an automatic starter, but with the players missing I'd shoe him in for the away leg and have him give way to McCarthy at home.

[SwanVsDalton]

I don't think it's going to be a scrap at all - I think it'll be one of the most open games of football that we'll have been involved in for years.
I said when the draw was made, the best way to nullify Bosnia would be to attack them. Either a Bosnian journalist, or their manager said this week that they're weak at the back, and the only way they can play is full-on attack, hence why they leak goals. If we sit in for a draw like we usually do in Eastern Europe, we're inviting trouble.

Bould aul' prediction there Kingdom. If I wasn't skint, I'd offer a wager.

It's not necessarily about sitting back looking for a draw, it's about 22 players already accustomed to the nip and tuck of international football playing in a two-legged cup final with a highly emotive prize in line for whoever can hold their nerve.

I'd love it to be open, stretched and end-to-end - can't see it though.

[DeLorean]

I kind of understand what you're saying here DeL but, at the same time, Glenn Whelan and 'coolness'? Unfortunately, not even Glenn has come within a sniff of crossover hipster appeal. He ain't propping up many Sagres-fuelled footy arguments in Shoreditch is what I'm saying.

Sure, I wouldn't have used the word cool only for the way the conversation fell. Still, I think he's getting a lot of plaudits for remaining in the Stoke side despite the influx of more glamorous names. He's starting to be embraced as the vital cog that allows the others to express themselves. He got high praise from the Soccer Saturday crew on Sky recently which can carry a lot of weight amongst the watching public. I'm not begrudging him this sort of publicity and a part of me is even a little proud of him when I hear the Sky lads signalling him out for special praise, one of our own and all that. However, I have to draw the line at getting sucked in to thinking he's actually better than he is, even within the restraints of his specialised role. I think it's been proven, in my mind at least, that we don't miss him when he's absent and midfield generally functions better e.g. Sweden (a), Italy friendly and Germany (h).

I wouldn't have him as an automatic starter, but with the players missing I'd shoe him in for the away leg and have him give way to McCarthy at home.

Surely McCarthy will start both games either way?

[tetsujin1979]

The42.ie published this earlier - What does Glenn Whelan do for Ireland: http://www.the42.ie/analysis-what-do...37941-Nov2015/

[DannyInvincible]

Hmmm. First I have heard of a "pre-existing ankle injury". Slightly worried that Westwood is fed up playing second fiddle to inferior keepers when he is in the form of his life (well, last season at least). The return of Given was a real slap in the face and the selection of Randolph ahead of him he wouldn't have enjoyed either. Will be interested to see does he tog out against Huddersfield next weekend.

Why would he bother coming over though in the first place without a guarantee if that was really what was up? Are you suggesting he might have come over, realised he wasn't set for a start and buggered off again in a huff, with the injury claim now being used as cover to safeguard his reputation and the notion of squad harmony? He was photographed sitting out of training next to O'Neill; of course, it's possible that your conspiracy theory might be true, but it'd be a very elaborate act. I'm not sure it's plausible. Do we even know that he was going to be playing second-fiddle in the first place?

I don't think it's going to be a scrap at all - I think it'll be one of the most open games of football that we'll have been involved in for years.
I said when the draw was made, the best way to nullify Bosnia would be to attack them. Either a Bosnian journalist, or their manager said this week that they're weak at the back, and the only way they can play is full-on attack, hence why they leak goals. If we sit in for a draw like we usually do in Eastern Europe, we're inviting trouble.

All the more important that we take advantage then, considering away goals are up for grabs (although I think the chances of us going on the attack in the first-leg of a play-off away from home are slim).

[the doc]

Right Lads and Lassies, time to put aside our bias and dislikes of team selection and players and get behind the Boys in Green.

We have a play off to win....

Come on Ireland!

[Closed Account]

Right Lads and Lassies, time to put aside our bias and dislikes of team selection and players and get behind the Boys in Green.

We have a play off to win....

Come on Ireland!

Ah, there's at least another 24 hours of speculating yet! No harm in it. I'd go with
Randolph;
Christie, Keogh, Clark, Ward;
McCarthy, Whelan;
Coleman, Hendrick, Brady;
Murphy

4-2-3-1

Bench: Forde, Henderson; Duffy, Pearce, Wilson; McClean, Hoolahan, Arter, Gibson, Judge, McGeady; Keane, Doyle

[tetsujin1979]

Live stream of the press conference on RTE player: http://www.rte.ie/live/

[SwanVsDalton]

Sure, I wouldn't have used the word cool only for the way the conversation fell. Still, I think he's getting a lot of plaudits for remaining in the Stoke side despite the influx of more glamorous names. He's starting to be embraced as the vital cog that allows the others to express themselves. He got high praise from the Soccer Saturday crew on Sky recently which can carry a lot of weight amongst the watching public. I'm not begrudging him this sort of publicity and a part of me is even a little proud of him when I hear the Sky lads signalling him out for special praise, one of our own and all that. However, I have to draw the line at getting sucked in to thinking he's actually better than he is, even within the restraints of his specialised role. I think it's been proven, in my mind at least, that we don't miss him when he's absent and midfield generally functions better e.g. Sweden (a), Italy friendly and Germany (h).

I know what you mean, but I personally see that as just due for a guy who's a pretty decent player when he plays well but has gotten absolute dogs abuse for us. It's ok, people who praise him arn't trying to set a dirty trap to trick you into thinking he's an unheralded genius.

Surely McCarthy will start both games either way?

Definitely, I mean they'll play together away with McCarthy moving into the deep-lying midfielder role for the home leg. I think he can play a good role for us - he's got an awful slagging for what, to me, was more an issue of bad form than being a bad player. But at home, I'd stick with McCarthy.

[RobbieOR]

It's the anniversary since we played Iran too. Mad some of the players we had then! https://beanbagsports.com/blog/2015/...-are-they-now/

[shakermaker1982]

Randolph

Coleman Clark Keogh Ward
McCarthy
Hendricks Arter Brady
Hoolahan
Murphy

Bad luck with the injuries and the suspensions. I'd be tempted to play Keane but I know he doesn't suit the lone man role and unless we can guarantee him some action in the box we've got to go with Murphy. He's surely due an international goal....

[TrapAPony]

Randolph

Coleman Keogh Clark Wilson

Hendrick Whelan. McCarthy

Hoolahan. Brady

Keane


Picked Keane as Murphy is never going to score for us. 14 caps & no goals at 32 years of age is not what we need from a striker. Anyway Keane will be up against at 35 year old defender in Spahic. I'm sure he can still out pace him. Picked Meyler as he is playing well & flying high with Hull & I feel we need to be quite defensive in Bosnia. Think Brady offers far more as an attacking player than a left back which is why Wilson comes in for me.