I agree that it’s very unlikely to happen, but I think it would give us a great chance and it is probably our strongest 11 at the moment.
Coleman playing as a right sided CB in the early stages of Anchelloti taking over at Everton had great promise of offering McCarthy a reason to go with Coleman + Doherty in the same team, but that experiment dried up.
Very hard to imagine what McCarthy will go with but I expect something like :
Randolph
Coleman Duffy Egan Stevens
Whelan Hendrick Hourihane
Doherty McGoldrick McClean
I have to say I dont get the love in for Hourihane, he is a Houdini for 60 mins every game [/COLOR]
I agree that from open play Hourihane can be a passenger. But given we rely on set pieces so much, we need to have one of him or Brady on the field. I remember Whelan taking corners at one point when Hourihane came off, and all of a sudden we became less threatening.
The likes of Duffy and our other aerial threats are useless without elite service that only Hourihane and Brady can realistically provide from our squad. I believe Byrne is at their level but I don't think Mick will trust him
Doesn't matter who's taking the corners, Duffy can still get high....
McClean possibly out of Slovakia game. Irish football fan tv just posted a pic of him in a leg brace.
If so, Stevens on the left and Doherty at LB?
Or just replace him with Brady or Robinson? Or Connolly?
If he's only "possibly" out then I'd wager any amount he will play!
We need accurate, driven balls into the area. Of our two set-piece specialists, Hourihane is the one actually playing these days at club level. I would find a way to accommodate Brady if we're not going to play Hourihane but really our other set piece takers just can't whip balls in with enough pace or accuracy to take full advantage of our aerial prowess.
https://www.offtheball.com/sport/jam...-injury-967256
Knee ligament injury. Never a quick turnaround
Folding my way into the big money!!!
Some grounds for optimism in that Mick will be at Palace on saturday to watch James play. I hope James doesn't feel the urge to mention offhandedly to Mick in the post match chat, that loyalty is an overstated quality.
Given their recent form, can we all agree that it's perfectly reasonable for Mick to include Long, McGoldrick, Robinson and Hogan in the squad for Slovakia? And then possibly add one from Connolly and Obafemi?
No arguments here. Given Robinson can play as a winger (and we’re weak in wide positions, I’d have him considered for those roles and probably have one of Obafemi/Connolly among four strikers. Given Hogan’s form would be inclined to start him at tip of spear with McGoldrick in behind. Long off the bench if needed. Alternatively start Long to wear them down and bring Hogan on to poach against a tired defence. Both approaches have merit.
Isn’t Connolly likely to start on the left if McClean can’t play?
If they play lads that havent played since October, you would give us a good chance
/www.balls.ie/football/slovakia-scouting-report-426937
I think I’d start Long and Robinson out wide and McGoldrick up to, which allows McGoldrick to drop deep as he likes to. Long has done a job out wide on a few occasions for us. He can dribble and he has pace, and if he’s cutting inside, it might leave space for Doherty.
Randolph
Doherty
Duffy
Egan/Clark (fitness issue?)
Stevens/Coleman (fitness issue?)
McCarthy
Hourihane
Hendrick (not really happy about this)
Long
McGoldrick
Robinson
Hendrick gets more stick but I'd prefer to drop/not play Hourihane out of the two.
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