I believe the starting 11 will be
Westwood
Kelly O'Shea O'Dea Ward
Duff McCarthy Whelan McGeady
Doyle Keane
The opposition are a poor team but I have a horrible feeling about this game. I will really begin to worry if we don't score early and than allow them into the game. Nothing but 3 points will suffice.
I hope that Whelan will not be included, once other options become avaliable - Gibson, even Andrews. I slightly suspect that Robbie Keane may not have any part to play, due to whatever is going on with him and the manager at the moment, with Cox or Walters to take his place.
Kazackstan are god-awful, so I'm not too worried. It's the distance (16 hours I've read) and the effect that moight have that is preying more on my mind than the quality of the opposition. If Ireland play in any way competently, they'll get three points. If we fail to do that, against fifth seeds, the writing is on the wall for Trapattoni.
Author of Never Felt Better (History, Film Reviews).
I thought that said Krapistan for a moment, a country we can surely soundly beat!!?
Kazakhstan, not Kazackstan.
Hands up I spelt the name offf the country wring.
Can we beat them if we can't spell their name?
No big deal to misspell Kaz.. (etc), just that it's also misspelled in the thread title.
In the Euro qualifiers, in away games they were only beaten by Turkey and Austria with goals scored in injury time and managed to draw with Austria at home.
3 points (regardless of performance) is a job well done, not to be taken for granted.
You must of pulled that out of your wring.Originally Posted by Noelys Guitar
Of course we can. Especially with Clarke and McLean in the team.
My kingdom for anyone but Ward at LB.
Ian Harte has been the best Irish left back consistently for the past 2 years. If we're completely striking him out of the equation for whatever reason then Kelly out of position is a better option. And League One or not Kilbane is still better, regardless of what league he plays in Ward is no better than League One standard himself.
And given the number of times Wilson has blotted his copybook it must be nothing but pure Ink at this stage. Wouldn't have someone as unreliable as him anywhere near the team.
Last edited by Murfinator; 18/08/2012 at 11:42 AM.
I wonder what will happen if Harte scores one or two goals in the two opening matches of the Premier League. Is Trap even aware that he exists? Could be interesting.
Guess we could always stick JOSH at left back and play someone else on the right if needs be. Whoever's at LB we should be able to put up a decent enough defense to see of the Kazakhs though, surely? Otherwise just forget it.
It always confuses me when people suggest alternatives for Ward because they're invariably more solid but less mobile/more physical defenders. And in Ian Harte's case, less mobile and less solid. If we ever want to play a modern 433-style system, we need players who can get up and down the pitch at speed and apart from Ward and Coleman we don't have anybody with the physical attributes to do that.
Harte claimed Trap didn't know he was Irish last April, but I'm pretty sure Trap is now aware of his existence. Anyway, Harte is exceptionally slow. We'll see how he does defensively in the Premier League at 34...
Wasn't your assessment of Wilson as a player who has persistently avoided international football exposed to be somewhat unfair on the player during the week?
McLean was chosen ahead of McClean for Sunderland today.
Ward was awful against Leeds today. Doyle played OK but looks to me like he wants to be elsewhere ie back in the Premiership. Long has had a very good first half against Liverpool. Winning a lot of the ball in the air (timing his jumps to perfection). And constantly chasing down the ball and winning 50/50 challenges. Can't understand how Cox is chosen ahead of Long.
When is the likely squad announcement?
10 days before the game so should be out Tuesday.
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