Would u not go with Doherty as right wing back and manning on the left?
Not aimed at you elatedscum, but I really have to laugh at the lads who don't really rate Byrne? That's like saying we don't need anyone to make things happen in midfield - we never needed a Wes Hoolahan, Roy Keane or Liam Brady. Byrne should have been tried and if he failed go on to the next guy but we can't keep accepting the status quo in midfield.
Going for 1-1 tonight. No one can have a run of constant defeats and draws. Tonight's the night, a bit of luck and then people start jumping the gun saying "if only" until October comes around and normal service resumes.
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
https://www.the42.ie/shane-keegan-ta...41565-Sep2021/
Some interesting analysis of the previous game. The conclusion probably sums up a lot of the argument around here too;
For tonight, I honestly don't know what to expect. Presumably the formation and set up will be more similar to the Portugal game that the Azeri game. Or does the management team gamble again on trying something a little bit different. Who replaces Coleman? Who comes into the midfield? Can Cullen, Duffy, Egan, Idah all manage another 90 minutes or does some consideration have to be given to resting one of them? Duffy and Idah would be the two I'd think might need a rest most, they're big lads and take a bruising in games, they probably need a bit more recovery time, plus Cullen has put in two huge shifts.Conclusion
Let’s take a look at some of the stats.
Possession
Ireland 62% Azerbaijan 38%
Expected Goals
Ireland 2.05 Azerbaijan 0.28
Attempts from inside the 18-yard box
Ireland 14 Azerbaijan 4
Regardless of who the sides involved are, based on these metrics, the team getting the upper hand to this extent wins the game at least eight out of 10 times. Ireland didn’t. Why?
Is it because Stephen Kenny is not a good manager? Is it because the players are of a poor quality? Or was it down to bad luck?
The answer you will come up with will probably depend on what your perception of the players and management was before a ball was kicked in this game.
There's not too many options to rest Duffy, especially with Coleman out too, so presuming Duffy and Egan will start. I'm not sure it's the right game to return to a back 4 but I wouldn't rule it out either. It would be a huge gamble, but Omobambidele, alongside Egan in a back 4 would give a bit more pace and potentially the option to push higher up the field that could work. That increases the attacking options, do we go 4-3-3 with Robinson coming in on one side any Connolly/Horgan/Curtis on the other side? Idah or Collins through the middle? Or another roll of the dice and try an old fashioned 4-4-2, which would need a very disciplined central 2, presumably Cullen alongside Hourihane or Browne, McGrath probably too attacking, Molumby too erratic and Arter just doesn't seem to be an option despite taking up a squad space. Front two of Robinson and Idah or Collins? Maybe even Idah and Collins, if we're going to be trying to score from crosses, get the two big men on together, Idah offers pace in behind too.
There's a lot of options. A lot of gambles. Do the the FAI accept it's about building for the Euros and results now are not important? Can the fans and sponsors accept that? Is the damage being done to our ranking going to effect future seedings too much to be able to afford to continue experimenting? If it does all click tonight and there's a win to match a good performance, is Kenny safe for the next campaign regardless of the last rounds of games?
Tallaght Stadium Regular
Difficult to ascribe any meaning to the result tonight. It may aswell be a friendly game, hoping for a decent performance and a couple of goals.
Hard to know who to play at wing back. Don’t really feel confident with any of McClean, Manning, Scales or Christie.
This team could be absolutely anything tonight. Kenny could reflect the team he played in the away version of this fixture which was a 3-5-2 - as distinct from the 3-4-3 that lined out Saturday.
Travers; Clark, O'Shea, Coleman; Doherty, Molumby, Cullen, Browne, Stevens; Connolly, Robinson
If you wanted to retain that shape and account for injuries and performances on Saturday, how would the below look:
Bazunu; Omobamidele, Egan, Duffy; Doherty, Cullen, Hendrick, Browne/McGrath, McClean/Manning; Idah, Robinson
There is always the possibility that we go to 4-2-3-1 but I'm not sure if Kenny has given Manning enough minutes to imply to me that he'd even trust him on the left of a back four. The alternatives would be Christie and McClean. Far less inspiring in my view.
Furthermore, if we did go 4-2-3-1, I don't know who plays in the front 4. I feel like we are short an option there. Robinson on one flank, Idah through the middle, Browne/McGrath at 10 (is it the game for Troy there?) and who goes on the other flank? Connolly?
Just on the correlation between sponsors and performances, i think it's a really sad indictment of corporate Ireland that the value of sponsorship seems to depend so much on a successful senior team. Branding and brand activation can come in many flavours. Sponsor the whole game including the LOI and pitch the sponsorship as "Company X, proud to support football in Ireland across all levels, and support investment in facilities and coaching to allow Irish players at all levels and all ages achieve their long term potential".
Would be interesting to see someone like Lidl come on board. They've worked absolute wonders with ladies Gaelic football. There needs to be some sort of ingenuity and passion from the sponsors towards the game in general. That seems to be really lacking from any recent sponsors, the only interest seems to be having the name on the replica jerseys of the senior team.
Tallaght Stadium Regular
Like the aib GAA one? That's good marketing but we all know the reality is the senior all Ireland and that's where the money is being pumped - the gaa just ensure fair and equal distribution.
Btw I checked the Bulgaria thread it was locked I was a little lost trying to find the actual post but if it's related to suggesting certain posters were ignoring things and inferring you as one of those happy to rescind any post suggesting so. I genuinely can't remember now what was said and wasn't following it going back through the last 5 pages.
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
Anything minority, underage and/or women in sport related they're all happy to jump on board. That's the forcing function, the FAI doesn't have one - until we make playoffs and qualifications.
The equal payment got so little traction leading up to an international window, it was shameful really and a good chance to jump on a marketing pr win and bring in potential broad sponsorship not just for women as a way of funding the equal pay but yet it didn't....
Last edited by paul_oshea; 07/09/2021 at 11:04 AM.
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
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
Also Ive a funny feeling he will parachute Arter into the starting 11
People under pressure make decisions they wouldn't normally make ( usually wrong ones)
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