Like Sean Roughan I think long term Abankwah's position will be CB. The way we set up now at senior level is probably the best set up for us to use long term and should be something the FAI consider whenever time comes to appoint the next manager.
Bosun Lawal is another lad that plays CB but played midfield before moving to Celtic. Think we should keep playing him in midfield rather than CB given the abundance of CBs we've got already. Unlike CB we don't have that many defensive midfielders and outside of Cullen it's all young lads in the underage. He'd also be more defensively minded than someone like Kilkenny whose more a ball player when playing as the 6.
Four fullbacks, Six defenders.
Staunton (Another fullback) was missing and Phelan took his place on the left of midfield, though there was no need to pick Kenna ahead of McAteer and Houghton. I think Jack was worried about the pacy Dutch wingers after what had happened in the World Cup defeat.
Mazeed Ogungbo on the bench for Arsenal tonight. Was with our Under 20s last week. Good to see an Irish player making the bench for Arsenal in the league, but he is, of course, a centre back.
If he plays for us and makes it at senior level would slot in nicely at LCB. Played LB with the 19s just before underage footballer came to a halt and has played LB/LWB for Arsenal 23s this season.
A good left wing back would be even more welcome, of course, but Arsenal seem to really have gotten their act together, so him making their bench is no small achievement.
That might be an opportunity for Ogungo, no?
You'd think so, though I'd say an improvised solution like Zhaka at LWB is more likely.
I'm not sure if you'd call it an embarrassment of riches - maybe an embarrassment of depth - but by my count 23 clubs in the Championship and League 1 now have at least one Irish centre back in their first team squads (in some cases more than one). Will probably be more by the time the season starts.
I’m nearly sure there was a weekend soon after WC2002 where we had 7 CBs play in a Premiership fixture. I think….
Steve Staunton
Phil Babb
Gary Doherty
Andy O’Brien
Kenny Cunningham
Gary Breen
Richie Dunne
Was Gary Doherty playing CF or CB that week?
Folding my way into the big money!!!
Staunton was well into the veteran stage at that point, may have been a squad player in the Premier League today, similar to Coleman at Everton.
Babb was over promoted with the Liverpool move in the 90s, I don't think he'd have been good enough for the league today. I'm not sure he even was back then.
Doherty was a Championship standard player then, let alone now. No way he'd get near a Spurs team today.
Andy O’Brien was actually quite well regarded at that point, maybe a bottom 6 EPL team if he was around now?
Cunningham would be a good EPL squad player if he was at his peak today I think.
Breen probably mid table Championship, I like the guy but he always had a mistake in him.
Richie Dunne was still in his early career status in terms of fitness at that point (overweight and under conditioned). He'd probably have been on loan in the Championship in today's league in that condition - but would go on to be a great EPL player in time.
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