Well if I needed to throw on an extra forward with 10 minutes to go to rescue a game I'd pick Obafemi over Maguire every time. Not that I'm overly sold on Obafemi either but he has something about him that makes me think he's more likely to change a game in that situation.
It's early days but I think Kenny's rigidity in terms of setup and gameplan has the potential to frustrate. I really hope he does well and is given time but if there's a flaw I see it's that you need a certain amount of pragmatism in international football, especially when you have a limited playing pool like we do. Kenny's lack of pragmatism might cost us in the upcoming playoffs.
Do we have confirmation the squad will be announced today?
Slovakia name their squad and, as expeted, Dubravka doesn't make it. Martin Skrtel isn't making a return from retirement either - https://www.independent.ie/sport/soc...-39571139.html
Slovakia squad v Ireland
Goalkeepers
Marek Rodak (Fulham), Dominik Greif (Slovan Bratislava), Dusan Kuciak (Lechia Gdansk)
Defenders
Peter Pekarík (Hertha Berlin), Lubomir Satka (Lech Poznan), Martin Koscelnik (Slovan Liberec), Milan Skriniar (Inter Milan), Martin Valjent (RCD Mallorca), Norbert Gyömbér (Perugia), Lukáš Pauschek (Slovan Bratislava), Denis Vavro (Lazio Roma).
Midfielders
Stanislav Lobotka (Napoli), Patrik Hrosovsky (Genk), Jan Gregus (Minnesota), Marek Hamsik (Ta-Lien), Juraj Kucka (Parma), Ondrej Duda (Hertha Berlin)Matus Bero (Vitesse Arnhem), Róbert Mak (Ferencváros), Albert Rusnák (Salt Lake City), Lukáš Haraslín (Sassuolo), Jaroslav Mihalik (Lechia Gdansk).
Forwards
Robert Bozenik (Feyenoord), Michal Duris (Omonia Nicosia), Ivan Schranz (FK Jablonec)
Great news on the keeper imo
What the fulham lad like
Fulham are all over the place at the back. they seem to try a new keeper every few months... I suspect the keeper may not be the issue!Originally Posted by Diggs246
He's been at fulham 7 years (he's only 23) and spent most of the time on loan until last season.
Rodak seems to have only 1 cap for Slovakia.
Squad has been added to Slovakia's wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slovak...l_team#Players
Rodak has one cap, and has played three games this season, a 1-1 draw against Israel a month ago, a 3-0 loss to Arsenal, and the 2-0 win over Sheffield United last week.
It's not much better than Randolph's four games this season, the two Nations League games, and West Ham's two League Cup games
So Dusan Kucial is probably their keeper for our game? ( he has 10 caps)
Goalkeepers
Darren Randolph (West Ham United), Caoimhin Kelleher (Liverpool), Mark Travers (Bournemouth).
Defenders
Seamus Coleman (Everton), Matt Doherty (Tottenham Hotspur), Enda Stevens (Sheffield United), Darragh Lenihan (Blackburn Rovers), Shane Duffy (Celtic, on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion), John Egan (Sheffield United), Derrick Williams (Blackburn Rovers).
Midfielders
Conor Hourihane (Aston Villa), James McCarthy (Crystal Palace), Harry Arter (Nottingham Forest), Jeff Hendrick (Newcastle United), Alan Browne (Preston North End), Jayson Molumby (Brighton & Hove Albion), Jack Byrne (Shamrock Rovers), Robbie Brady (Burnley).
Forwards
Callum Robinson (West Bromwich Albion), Callum O’Dowda (Bristol City), James McClean (Stoke City), Aaron Connolly (Brighton & Hove Albion), David McGoldrick (Sheffield United), Adam Idah (Norwich City), Shane Long (Southampton).
Average goals - 1
Jaysus!
WTF is Byrne doing there?!
Interesting that Lenihan > O'Shea. I think that's fair. Lenihan made a howler in one home friendly but I like the look of him. Williams too. I thought Clark was fit again but match fitness is important.
Most of the rest as expected I think. Will be interesting to see if any replacements are called up if, say, Brady and O'Dowda don't make it.
Last edited by Stuttgart88; 29/09/2020 at 1:51 PM.
The mean is close to 2?Average goals - 1
Jaysus!
But yeah, we're shy in front of goal. I think it's one reason McClean is persisted with.
I got the impression from the bits of the press conference I saw that he intends to stick with Doherty ahead of Coleman and more than likely the same formation.
I don't think there's any intention to play Byrne in the playoff, he'll play in the one of the nations league games and probably be the best player on the pitch again. Most interesting decisions will be the midfield and front three. I think it'll be Arter, McCarthy, Hendrick and McGoldrick, Connolly, ??. Wouldn't be overly surprised to see Long come in, but O'Dowda seems to be liked and Robinson made a good impact in the previous games off the bench and has started the season really well.
Last edited by passinginterest; 29/09/2020 at 1:18 PM.
Tallaght Stadium Regular
I guess 1 is close to 2...
I was just going off tets' tweet - although I see the maths in it aren't entirely correct. 48 goals is mentioned, but the squad tally adds up to 40. Across 25 players, that's 1.92 or 1.6 (depending what the correct tally is), either of which rounds to 2.
But then - average goals 2. Jaysus.
I count 48 in tets' post?
The absolute difference is small, but the relative difference is enormous!
Yeah. It's a bit ****e, isn't it.But then - average goals 2. Jaysus.
Ah - I was reading Robbie Brady as 0. But he has 8. Mostly against Oman.
We're saved
25 in squad so two will have to be cut for match day squads anyway, so barring any further injuries don't think there will be replacements called up.
""And some of the player who came in did terrifically well, I thought and I was very, very pleased with how some of the midfielders did.""
And here we go again on the management midfield roundabout. Bar Arter no one really came out having even played decent. Just say it as it is.
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
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