Republic of Ireland V Belgium - Saturday, 23rd March 2024 - Friendly

[SkStu]

Rather than have Ogbene and Mikey compete for a spot next to Sammie just move Ogbene to wing back. A position he's played recently at a high level and has caused teams issues.

I know but Ogbene is playing so well as that inside forward for Luton it’s hard not to try and create that consistency in him.

[Razors left peg]

O'Brien might come straight into a starting spot. Hes big, pretty quick and a weapon on set pieces. I think hes def worth looking at anyway.

In Belgian game Id go with:

Kelleher

Ebosele Collins O'Shea Doherty

Knight Smallbone

Ogbene Szmodics Johnston

Ferguson


Its a very attacking team and tbh I would have gone with an extra man deeper if De Bruyne wasnt out, or even if it was a qualifier.

Smallbone has played in the deep lying midfielder role for Southampton and I think Knights energy could cover Smallbone defensively.

Ebosele would need help defensively from Ogbene, and I think its just time we started looking at other options there. I've gone for Doherty at left back as the best of a bad bunch. He wont get much help from Johnston on that side but he should be experienced enough to get by. Collins and O'Shea is a good partnership I think, both have pace. I wouldnt be upset to see either Omobamidele or O'Brien start, and all 4 center halfs should see game time over the 2 games.

Going forward its simple enough, Szmodics, Ogbene and Johnston are our most inform players and for me its a no brainer to try help Ferguson play himself out of the slump hes in. Ferguson is the one our future is based around. Some are writing him off already, I personally think that is stupid. Hes class, he has shown it in mens football since he was 14 years old and he will be back to his best soon.

I've gone for Kelleher in goals mainly because I think hes the populist choice at moment and there'd be too many complaining if he didnt, but he is playing well and deserves to start one of the games.

On paper I like the look of that team, but against a good team like Belgium it might be a bit too open and Id be suprised if we didnt set up more defensively.

[Olé Olé]

It is very difficult to know what formation O'Shea will go with. Not sure if it's worth assessing his club formations as he may not have made the final decision. It looked like Kenny was using a switch to a back 4 as a last throw of the dice to save his job at one point.

I think we have one or two players for a 3-5-2 but would rather we went back to 4-2-3-1 long term

Kelleher
Coleman Collins Scales O'Shea
Cullen Knight
Ogbene Szmodics Johnston
Ferguson

Would liked to have selected Smallbone but can't see how him, Cullen, Knight and Szmodics all play and I think Cullen needs to be one of the 3 that do.

O'Shea has done a bit at left back and done well so going for him there and Scales beside him. Could also start O'Shea left centre back and Doherty left back. Not adverse to it but feel we need at left 3 centre halves.

[third policeman]

O'Brien might come straight into a starting spot. Hes big, pretty quick and a weapon on set pieces. I think hes def worth looking at anyway.

In Belgian game Id go with:

Kelleher

Ebosele Collins O'Shea Doherty

Knight Smallbone

Ogbene Szmodics Johnston

Ferguson


Its a very attacking team and tbh I would have gone with an extra man deeper if De Bruyne wasnt out, or even if it was a qualifier.

Smallbone has played in the deep lying midfielder role for Southampton and I think Knights energy could cover Smallbone defensively.

Ebosele would need help defensively from Ogbene, and I think its just time we started looking at other options there. I've gone for Doherty at left back as the best of a bad bunch. He wont get much help from Johnston on that side but he should be experienced enough to get by. Collins and O'Shea is a good partnership I think, both have pace. I wouldnt be upset to see either Omobamidele or O'Brien start, and all 4 center halfs should see game time over the 2 games.

Going forward its simple enough, Szmodics, Ogbene and Johnston are our most inform players and for me its a no brainer to try help Ferguson play himself out of the slump hes in. Ferguson is the one our future is based around. Some are writing him off already, I personally think that is stupid. Hes class, he has shown it in mens football since he was 14 years old and he will be back to his best soon.

I've gone for Kelleher in goals mainly because I think hes the populist choice at moment and there'd be too many complaining if he didnt, but he is playing well and deserves to start one of the games.

On paper I like the look of that team, but against a good team like Belgium it might be a bit too open and Id be suprised if we didnt set up more defensively.

Was actually going to propose the same line up.

[Crosby87]

I just wrote exactly what Razor wrote and had to delete it.

My two cents: This is so silly. Who is the next manager and JOSH "tactics" this whole thing is a clown show.

[JR89]

I know but Ogbene is playing so well as that inside forward for Luton it’s hard not to try and create that consistency in him.

He's our best WB though and playing WB again today. If he plays further forward think Doherty needs to move to the left and Ebosele to RWB. We need pace out wide and players that could cause issues going forward. Won't get that out of O'Shea. He's too defensive being a CB and right footed.

[liamoo11]

Was actually going to propose the same line up.

I'd have Cullen with smallbone, Cullen Haa come back in recently for Burnley and they look the better for it. Szmodics is playing as an out and out number 9 for Blackburn. I watched them today he never dropped deep, never looked to link the play sat on the shoulder of the last defender all day or very occasionally drifted wide. It's a big ask to have him play as a n advanced midfielder in international football when he is playing as an out and out striker for his club and not showing much inclination to be a playmaker ala kane.

I'd play ferguson and szmodics as a 2 with josh son and knight narrow behind them and Cullen and smallbone trying to shore up the middle. Ogbene and ebosele fullbacks for me , Collins and o shea centre halves.

[Snapshot]

Kenny capped Keane ffs. Of all the sticks littered around the ground, good strong sticks, you pick this broken one?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maYjmi7x9IA

Ode to a Broken Stick.

[joey B]

Liam Scales & Troy Parrott ruled out,Brian Maher called up to train this week….

[pineapple stu]

What's Maher called up for? Injury to one of the keepers presumably?

[JR89]

Probably to just train is all.

[ontheotherhand]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maYjmi7x9IA

Ode to a Broken Stick.

It isn't Keane that's broken ya madman....... He's a far more useful type of stick!

Who would you drop for him? I wouldn't mind Parrot or Obafemi having to work a bit harder to get into a squad. I'd keep Idah.

Something about Keane might just not appeal to O'Shea though?

[pineapple stu]

Probably to just train is all.

What's the point of that though?

[elatedscum]

What's the point of that though?

I’d suspect someone has a knock or something and might not be able to train for a day or two

[CraftyToePoke]

Something about Keane might just not appeal to O'Shea though?

Or that he looked like a snowball thrown on a bonfire whenever we bothered with him ?

Himself, Jon Macken & Paul Butler have a WhatsApp group I hear to help each other through those flashback days.

[OwlsFan]

The thing about keepers is that once they establish themselves, they are seldom dropped even for friendlies. I remember Kieren Westwood, player of the year in the Championship, couldn't get a game ahead of Given even though the latter was struggling at the time and eventually cost us in the Euros in Poland.

[seanfhear]

The thing about keepers is that once they establish themselves, they are seldom dropped even for friendlies. I remember Kieren Westwood, player of the year in the Championship, couldn't get a game ahead of Given even though the latter was struggling at the time and eventually cost us in the Euros in Poland.

It's not a given alright !

[SkStu]

Or that he looked like a snowball thrown on a bonfire whenever we bothered with him ?

Himself, Jon Macken & Paul Butler have a WhatsApp group I hear to help each other through those flashback days.

Is Bernie Slaven too old for whatsapp?

[pineapple stu]

Or that he looked like a snowball thrown on a bonfire whenever we bothered with him ?

He's had very limited chances in fairness. He was crap given an hour against Lithuania (when, in fairness, you don't really have much of an excuse for being crap) and then about half an hour between four other games, one of which was in Paris when we were so pegged back we literally couldn't get the ball up to him.

I think his club form suggests that at least in part (but not in full), the problem has been us, not him. I wouldn't be for discarding him quite yet - not while Obafemi/Connolly/Parrott/Idah are still struggling to get their careers motoring.

[Fixer82]

New kit will be worn for Belgium game