His brother is in the academy there too.Originally Posted by Diggs246
No more difficult than it is for me in California are you a fan or notIm just taking the pi$$..... but yeah Obafemi was awful for the 21s. Doesnt look like a player at all, hes also now back playing with Southampton u23s. I genuinely think we'll see him slide down the divisions
IF there are no more Covid pullouts before tomorrow this is the team I'd go with...
Randolph
O'Shea Duffy Long Clarke
Hourihane Knight
Byrne
Horgan Parrott O'Dowda
Few players in there that I wouldnt have near the team if everyone was fit but we really are down to the bare bones.
I also wouldnt mind a change of formation that gets 2 up top where Parrott could play off Collins.
Randolph
Long Duffy O'Shea
Christy Knight Byrne Hourihane Manning
Parrott Collins
Christy and Manning as wing backs in the 2nd formation. Again not ideal but Id like to see us be more flexible than constantly trying to fit everything into 1 formation.
I honestly haven't a rashers who I'd pick. I'm torn between pragmatic and retaining randolph and Duffy for example, or just going full blast into the future and put out a young(ish) team with Byrne included, and just starting the Kenny era afresh tomorrow, in a sense.
I understand Parrott isn't match fit and found 45 mins on Sunday tough going.
I do think that even if we were down to 11 players I'd still leave Hourihane on the bench
I agree with this 10000% but I cant see Jack Taylor coming and taking his place
I do think that even if we were down to 11 players I'd still leave Hourihane on the bench
Again I agree that Duffy should be replaced but with Egan, Coleman, Stephens and Doherty already out then it wont happen for this game.
We've discussed the keeper situation before but I had a thought about it this morning. When Guardiola took over City the 1st thing he did was get rid of Joe Hart. There was media outcry at the time that you couldnt do this to "Englands Number 1", but Guardiola wanted to play out from the back and Hart couldnt play that type of game. Id imagine Kenny would like to do similar and get Kelleher into the teams ASAP for distribution reasons. I think if he had gotten some good early results, beating Slovakia especially, we might have already seen Randolph being replaced to have a look at other keepers but theres no way he can do that when Randolph is making saves that keep us in games that we are not scoring goals in, and since none of the 3 keepers in the squad at the moment are playing 1st team football nobody can point to any club form as justification for being in the team and so the status quo with Randolph continues. I absolutely think that this time next year either Kelleher or Bazunu will be 1st choice though.
Last edited by Razors left peg; 17/11/2020 at 4:08 PM.
The point is we have had injuries and players missing, but so have our opponents. Kenny has had a reasonable number of games now and with the exception of England all of the opposing teams have been of a similar theoretical standard to us. They have all been "Pool B" teams. There is a case for saying perhaps Wales have 1-2 players of notable quality, which we don't have, but there is also a case for saying that man for man we are better than Bulgaria and probably Finland too. Kenny has had 6 games against broadly similar teams (in terms of quality) and he hasn't won a single game.
People have been making a big deal about injuries, suspensions and out of form players but our opponents have had these issues too.
I think Randolph has been unlucky, in some sense. He has made one or two worldies - at home to Finland, tip over the bar, and late last Sunday, but neither save was of any consequence. yet his direct error was hugely costly (Finland) and his half error led to a goal too. I guess he was lucky at home to Wales. But overall his big saves only saved face, his big error cost us a game.I agree with this 10000% but I cant see Jack Taylor coming and taking his place
Again I agree that Duffy should be replaced but with Egan, Coleman, Stephens and Doherty already out then it wont happen for this game.
We've discussed the keeper situation before but I had a thought about it this morning. When Guardiola took over City the 1st thing he did was get rid of Joe Hart. There was media outcry at the time that you couldnt do this to "Englands Number 1", but Guardiola wanted to play out from the back and Hart couldnt play that type of game. Id imagine Kenny would like to do similar and get Kelleher into the teams ASAP for distribution reasons. I think if he had gotten some good early results, beating Slovakia especially, we might have already seen Randolph being replaced to have a look at other keepers but theres no way he can do that when Randolph is making saves that keep us in games that we are not scoring goals in, and since none of the 3 keepers in the squad at the moment are playing 1st team football nobody can point to any club form as justification for being in the team and so the status quo with Randolph continues. I absolutely think that this time next year either Kelleher or Bazunu will be 1st choice though.
Parrott definitely not going to start tomorrow night: https://www.the42.ie/stephen-kenny-28-5269720-Nov2020/
The only fresh injury concern ahead of tomorrow’s game is Callum O’Dowda, who is doubtful with a dead leg. Troy Parrott is among four late call-ups to the squad – Jack Taylor, Aaron McEneff and Graham Burke are the others – but Kenny confirmed the Spurs striker, presently on loan at Millwall, won’t start the game having just returned from a lengthy injury lay-off.
This is true, but it's likely to remain the case while we can't score. His big saves can only help if we keep a clean sheet and draw, while his mistakes will cost us the game every time. On balance, I think he's head, shoulders, and most of the torso above the other keepers until they have a chance to prove themselves in a long run of club games. You can't judge a keeper on a cameo here and there.
Team I would like:
Randolph
O'Shea, Clark, Long, Manning
Cullen, Knight, Byrne
Horgan, Collins, Brady
Team I expect:
Randolph
Christie, Duffy, Long, O'Shea
Hourihane Knight Cullen
Horgan Collins Brady
Could be wrong but what I read was:Is it correct in saying for us to get 2nd, the following must happen:
We beat Bulgaria
Russia lose to Serbia
Romania lose to Norn Iron.
I know theres a much greater chance of Norn Iron scoring and winning than us even scoring, but it looks an unlikely task with those 3 happening. Had we drawn the last day, we would have been in a much better position. Maybe we should have played to draw all our nations league games, and forget about trying to score? Like Mick Mac and Oneill set us up to do too
We beat Bulgaria
North win or draw against Romania
Serbia beat Russia
Austria win or draw against Norway
Bookies odds on that happening are just over 8/1.
If it actually requires the north to win, then that moves to 17/1
I'd expect he'll play O'Dowda out wide if fit, and Brady in the midfield, dropping either Knight or Cullen... Kenny commented after the draw with Wales that there was a lack of pace with Brady and McClean out wide.
If O'Dowda doesn't make it, either Curtis starts out wide, or Brady does. I think if Brady starts out wide, it increases the chance that he could play Byrne. Can't see a midfield with both Brady and Byrne in it...
I think he's from Ballybrack direction.
I actually totally forgot about Brady in the 2 teams I picked.
Squad as it stands;
Goalkeepers: Darren Randolph (West Ham United), Caoimhín Kelleher (Liverpool), Mark Travers (AFC Bournemouth)
Defenders: Kevin Long (Burnley), Shane Duffy (Celtic), Dara O’Shea (West Bromwich Albion), Cyrus Christie (Nottingham Forest), Ciaran Clark (Newcastle United), Darragh Lenihan (Blackburn Rovers), Ryan Manning (Swansea City).
Midfielders: Conor Hourihane (Aston Villa), Robbie Brady (Burnley), Jack Byrne (Shamrock Rovers), Jason Knight (Derby County), Josh Cullen (Anderlecht), Aaron McEneff (Shamrock Rovers), Jack Taylor (Peterborough United).
Attackers: James Collins (Luton Town), Ronan Curtis (Portsmouth), Callum O’Dowda (Bristol City), Daryl Horgan (Wycombe Wanderers), Sean Maguire (Preston North End), Graham Burke (Shamrock Rovers), Troy Parrott (Millwall, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur)
I'd like to see a change in keeper to see if it helps with building from the back. Randolph has been ok but he's not comfortable. I'm not sure Travers is ideal either so maybe it's time for Kelleher to be give a shot.
Defensively, with the players missing it's probably not the time to be switching to a back 3. Duffy has been struggling for form and looks tired so I think it's a good time to leave him out. If the defense and keeper are busy in this one we've got bigger problems.
Midfield needs at least one defensive minded player, I'd have said we've soon enough of Hourihane to know what he offers so I'd probably leave him out, but given the lack of other experienced options he probably has to start.
Attack wise, Collins is next in line and probably deserves the chance. Wide, Horgan has done well but maybe we've seen enough and it's time to look at others. Parrot won't start due to fitness anyway.
I'd like to see;
Kelleher
Christie (only natural full back option and more about what he offers offensively for this game)
O'Shea
Long (I'd probably go Clark as he's better on the ball but not fit)
Manning (similar to Christie we want attack full backs for this and there's not other option bar maybe Brady)
Cullen (the next in line in terms of a holding player I think)
Hourihane (lack of options, I'd like to see Taylor alongside Cullen but it's probably too risky)
Byrne (it's more likely to be Brady, but Byrne offers something different)
Curtis (he's scoring and looks promising, probably earned a chance)
Collins (next in line and looked dangerous in cameo against Wales)
O'Dowda (by default really, could be Maguire or Horgan or even Brady but much of a muchness)
Knight, Taylor and Parrot off the bench for the last half hour.
Tallaght Stadium Regular
thet team is gonna be
Randolph
Christie
Duffy
Long
Oshea
Cullen
Hourihane
Brady
Horgan
Collins
Òdowda
i would go with
Randolph
Oshea
Long
Clark
Manning
Cullen
Odowda
Brady
Byrne
Collins
Horgan
We should be able to dominate this game. Anything less than a victory should see Kenny replaced.Bulgaria missing their captain, left back and another, but 3 starters added to ones already missing. Wont be calling anyone up either.
Ah Ireland can't not win now.
Can they?
Bring Back Belfast Celtic F.C.
Senior players will play. duffy, Brady Hourihane .....Ciaràn Clark,, should play if fit,
Manning for me needs to start . Kids will have to wait. Odowda i think it is his last chance, he has almost 30 caps.
Curtis, Knight and Parrott , maybe Maguire from the bench
I dont know about Cyrus maybe his last chance, i would play Manning in McClean`s place with Collins center forward and Odowda on the other side
I don't think Kenny has the wit to play Cullen - even though he was MOM against the same opposition when given his chance. Guess he may have no choice now.
Is it not clear to people that Kenny is there for the long haul regardless of what happens when we are down to our third string team whilst also trying to change a system? Even if we lose badly to Bulgaria the FAI isn't paying him off and isn't hiring anybody better with the 0 euros they have. Maybe when fans can go back and they can actually earn some money by increasing interest but not before then.
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