A few things could have gone out way but overall can have no complaints with the ref. I didn't see it at the match but looking back, Molumby could have given a penalty away for pulling Mbappe's shirt!
Relax. Some folks have busy jobs, young families, all that. I find it much harder to keep up with the football news now compared with even a decade ago. I hadn't heard Lloris had retired until a random comment a couple of days before the game. And sure, some folks are just out for the evening.Originally Posted by paul_oshea
There were a group of lads sitting around me at the Latvia game who had no idea who Will Smallbone was, one of them had to look him up.
It happens.
https://kesslereffect.bandcamp.com/album/kepler - New music. It's not that bad.
Every time my eye catches the signature on here with 'Long Cox' I think of Smallbone and how much has changed over the years.
Keith Treacy arguing for a 433 in June.
https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2023...or-june-games/
I agree. We need pace and trickery either side of Ferguson and we need to attack to be successful in Greece.
I really hope Ferguson, Smallbone and Johnston can stay fit. If they do I can see us being fairly comfortable angainst a deeply defensive Gibraltar, who lets's admit, we really struggled against the last time they were in our group. Although he's ridiculed I think Horgan made a difference in Andorra, as did Parrott. I think Horgan brought a bit of skill and trickery that we lacked at the start of that game.
For anyone advocating a 4-3-3 I'd be curious to know who they would play at left back, who they would play at right back in the not unlikely even that Coleman is injured/unavailable for the game and who they would play as a number 10.
Because I don't think we have the players to play that formation to any sort of suitable standard.
Keane O'Shea Given Best Smallbone
Well for a start I'd play Coleman right back and if he's not available then probably Omobamidele, while Doc would remain my left back in any formation. But if we don't have Coleman and/or Doc available that changes the calculus a bit.
In Greece I don't think a 10 is needed, I'd start with the Cullen/Molumby/Knight trio and I'd have Ferguson/Ogbene and maybe Obafemi as the front 3. I think they're our best players but I wonder should Obafemi be held back as a bench option to freshen things up.
Formations are above my current pay grade, but nice job on the signature update
Ogbene is most effective in a wide starting position, Obafemi central. If Ferguson is the focal point of a front three, Obafemi then as his substitute replacement. If it's more a 4-5-1 than a 4-3-3, I think Kenny's choice as a sub for Ferguson is Idah as he showed against French he is a good target and willing runner into channels. Part of a front three should be ideal for the type of player Johnston is.
My opinion of Knight is cooling. Thinking maybe better as an impact sub - re: Luxembourg away.
O'Shea has played RB for West Brom so should be competent there if eventualities forced that choice. Feels like he could play LB as well.
And for Greece, I'd give emphasis on getting the set plays right. We've lost invention there, for example Ogbene is good in the air but I don't recall us targeting him recently (maybe since that miss away to Armenia :-))
id love ogbene to be used at rwb. id particularly look at gibraltor games to use him there and greece at home too. we'll get no space v gibraltor in behind so he'll be ineffective with his back to goal as a 9. let him go rwb and use his 1v1 ability and pace out wide. it lets us get another attacker on the pitch aswell which will matter against gibraltor as we've struggled to break them down in the past.
Last edited by Jd2793; 29/03/2023 at 2:16 PM.
I would be loathe to switch to a 4-3-3 too. Kenny deployed that for the first 10 (?) or so games of his tenure and we couldnt pull it off at all - down to the personnel mostly. We were constantly exposed out wide on the break and were ridiculously soft in the centre. I think 3 at the back and wing backs suits our playing pool far more and, to your point, not sure who fits where in a 4-3-3. Our formation at the moment gets criticized a bit as too conservative but it really doesn't have to be. Its really about who your third midfielder is and their role, your second striker and their role and the license you give your wing backs. I'd love to find a way to get Johnston on there from the start against the weakest teams and maybe thats when you try the 4-3-3 but I cant see a compelling case for it away to Greece. Or maybe you switch it to a 3-4-3 or something during the game.
Can you please provide me with the original message in notifications like I have asked for? You've deleted my comments but left your own.
Whilst I patiently wait for the above:
I think playing any sort of 4 at the back does not suit us or get the best out of the players we have available. Doherty is not effective and shoehorning Coleman into that position doesnt really work anymore.
Re: Kenny read some other pieces than VPs yesterday and I feel its a little unfair to lay the blame at Cullens door. It's pretty clear in the second half Kenny had instructed the team to play more of the ball and be more confident. He's telling players just not capable of playing that game of doing so, CUllen then does it and causes the goal. We've conceded 10 goals or so from this same type or similar position that has led to these goals.
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
Changing would be a risk and our CBs are generally among our better players. And I literally know nothing about how Greece line up or play, which is something that has to be considered.
But I think when winning is the objective we have enough pace in the team to take the game to moderate enough opponents and expect to get goals. More Klopp than Kenny.
But although it’s game 2 and we’re on null points, overall a draw might be good, but only as long as we beat them at home and ideally the Dutch don’t win there.
I hear that, Mon Frere!!
Remember we had Stevens and Doherty both playing well in the EPL? Why didn't we try wing backs then?
It probably still suits us better now but who are the two first choice options in 3 years or so?
O'Dowda?
Ogbene?
Lyons?
Ebosele?
Last edited by ontheotherhand; 30/03/2023 at 4:55 PM. Reason: dupe
Brendan Rodgers is available. Would he be interested in managing his country? I think he needs to be sounded out. Would be an excellent appointment.
It has fallen apart on him more than once in jobs, soon as he puts his own stamp on a squad, worryingly for him it seems. He's a total b*lls*itter. Leicester wouldn't free up funds for several windows because his prior signings all made things worse. Read today he has the seventh highest wage budget in the EPL but his side four years into his time with them are in the bottom three.
Numbers wise he loses regularly from winning positions and things get worse after his substitutions, both of these things happen way more than they do to actually good managers.
It's very interesting what your interpretation of an excellent appointment is.
Stephen Kenny Saviour, Leader, Winner, An Autobiography - In All Good Bookstores Now
Was on £10,000,000 a year at Leicester too. That might be an issue!
Also I'm pretty sure if you asked him what "his country" is he'd tell you it's Northern Ireland.
Keane O'Shea Given Best Smallbone
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