Starting Eleven

[tonycuna]

Reid Kilbane Keane O'Shea Duff

With 5 in the middle (not a bad idea) why not Mattie Holland instead JOS?

[SeanieBoy]

No way, we tried that against the Italians & they ran circles around us in the 1st half an hour. Stick to 4-4-2, it's what we know best.

With 5 in the middle (not a bad idea) why not Mattie Holland instead JOS?

[wallis]

With 5 in the middle (not a bad idea) why not Mattie Holland instead JOS?

JOS plays the system all the time at Man U and has played a number of games with RK so he knows how to play it.

It went wrong against the Italians for a few reasons - firstly Roy wasnt there to command it. Second , JOS didnt start there either. He moved into the centre during the Italian game when Holland came off and we settled down a lot better and started to pressure the opposition. I still think its a formation that you can change easily whether you need a goal or need to defend a lead. Play 3 in the midfield , close out the french , force them to go wide with the ball and I will take Reid and Duffs skills over their widemen any day. Dont give ZZ space on the pitch which I think he will get with only two in there.

If you play three in the centre it means Reid of Duff can support up front and not worry about having to track back. I think the french may play 4-5-1 and I would be concerned that they would have 3 against 2 in the middle of the pitch.

Sounds easy in principle...

[Peadar]

I think the french may play 4-5-1 and I would be concerned that they would have 3 against 2 in the middle of the pitch.

The French will almost certainly start with Cisse and Henry up front.
We need to cut off the supply to them.
Andy Reid isn't great at defensive play, from what I've seen of him.

It's hard to leave Morrison out after his performances in this campaign and particularly his play against France, in Paris, before he got injured.
Is there any reason why Robbie Keane should start ahead of him?

[Peadar]

The real question is, is there any reason why Keane should be dropped and Morrison be played?

Keane's lack of first team action?
Morrisons performances in this campaign to date?
He was a real handful for the French defenders in Paris.
I think Robbie is better when he plays off another forward player and being isolated on his own up front doesn't suit him.

[zinedineontour]

It wont be , but I had hoped for :


Given

Finan Cunningham O'Brien Harte

Reid Kilbane Keane O'Shea Duff

Robbie

(Please play Harte, his dead ball skills will cause the French so many problems)
(Please play three in the middle to close down the French, its them who need to find a win , not us. If we need a goal we can still bring Morrison/Elliot on and switch back to 4-4-2 and if we are 1-0 up then we already have the formation to defend it on the pitch. Thank you for listening Mr Kerr)

one up front ? I hope not and dont think so .... Hartes dead ball skills ? What about this shocking defence ...

[Peadar]

You've got to be joking.

I'm simply posing the question.
Morisson will be revitalised by his move to Palace.

Keane is also recognised by Spurs fans to have had an excellent pre-season and to be on-form.

Spurs played Reading in the pre-season and Keane didn't even make the bench. He hasn't really featured for Spurs because Mido is somehow getting his game.

[geysir]

L'equipe, the French sports paper, have plenty of print on the match (including one page entirely on the topic of when is the best time the manager should name his 11).
Despite all the French talk about how Irl play positive football,
the L'equipe expert says
"the last ball is highly likely to be long and in the air, a field in which the Irishmen put everyone in difficulty." "From this point of view, the possible absence of Thuram, a defender without equal, would be a heavy handicap"
He calls for more wing play, one attacker -Henry and 5 midfield
Malouda on the left, Wiltord? on the right.
"I do not believe a second that there will be an individual marking on Zidane, perhaps the Irishmen will reorganize only the midfield".

My selection is for the fittest players,
Therefore O Shea at LB should be a cert
Dunne or O'Brien, Carr or Finnan depends upon fitness.
Roy, Duff are certs. A. Reid a near cert .
Kilbane or Kavanagh, would depend on the game plan.
Do you wanted someone to cover ZZ, a reducer? or no one special assigned to keep an eye on ZZ ? as the French expert predicts.

[tonycuna]

My selection is for the fittest players,
Therefore O Shea at LB should be a cert
Dunne or O'Brien, Carr or Finnan depends upon fitness.
Roy, Duff are certs. A. Reid a near cert .
Kilbane or Kavanagh, would depend on the game plan.
Do you wanted someone to cover ZZ, a reducer? or no one special assigned to keep an eye on ZZ ? as the French expert predicts.

Maybe it could be an option, but if yes, I'd pick Roy to cover zz, and I don't want to see Roy plays just to run near the french. So for me, no cover on zz, at least at the start. Then during the match it'll depends on the way of playing

[wallis]

ZOT - yep , I know Harte can be questionable in the defence department but I would gladly sacrifice it for some decent delivery into the area. A free-kick 20 yards out and who else do you want standing over the ball. Duff will win us a lot of free-kicks out in wide areas and I would want Ian to be there.

Lets be honest , with Henry up front who will keep up with him anyway ? Also , JOS hardly shone at the back against Israel - midfield is his position imo.

I think we are wasting an opportunity not playing IH - even the French are worried about the crosses and high balls.

Keane plays ahead of Morrison no arguments. Nothing against CM but RK is a much better finisher and big game player. RKs goalscoring ratio is up there with the best in world football. Him and Reid playing together at club level is a plus.

Is Cisse fit Peader ?

[paul_oshea]

how does peadar know wallis?

but according to domenech he isnt.

[Peadar]

Is Cisse fit Peader ?

He'll be fit at 19.55 tomorrow evening.
He hurt his ankle and that is probably better already.

but according to domenech he isnt.

Are you really that naive, Paul?

[paul_oshea]

no but i was merely making a point.

it may or may not be mind games.

[wallis]

I thought that maybe he had been declared fit Paul

[eirebhoy]

Andy Reid isn't great at defensive play, from what I've seen of him.

I've been really impressed with his defensive game this season. He joked that he didn't know if Gallas was on the pitch a couple of weeks ago as he spent most of the time chasing SWP. The stats are really impressive:
http://skysports.planetfootball.com/...Hotspur&cpid=8

The only Irish player with more tackles is Cunningham.

Domenech is currently at the press conference so we'll know soon enough if he has named his team the day before (as he has done for every match so far).

[dr_peepee]

I think Finnan will keep his place ahead of Carr at Right full. Andy Reid will start on the wing, as his form for club and country demands it. He really has come on in the last year and is better than the Andy Reid that didn't start in Paris. He doesn't rely enitrely on getting past the player to cause damage, so won't be exposing the middle as much as some people anticipate. His passing vision, paticularly for the runs made by Keane and crossfeild balls with Duff, are gonna be a big asset..

For me it will be a HUGE and FATAL mistake on Brian Kerrs part if Reid is dropped to make way for a Carr/Finnan pairing on the Right side. And will set in stone Kerrs amitions for the result. The French will have pinpointed Damian Duff as our principal danger so I think the stage is set for Andy Reid to really shine in this game.

[paul_oshea]

well said dr peepee. well said.

reids performance against chelsea alone justifies it, he was tracking back just like duff does for chelsea, tackling at every opportunity and holding up the ball very well. I think with a good defensive display against france tomorrow he will make that his own.

[Condex]

well said dr peepee. well said.

reids performance against chelsea alone justifies it, he was tracking back just like duff does for chelsea, tackling at every opportunity and holding up the ball very well. I think with a good defensive display against france tomorrow he will make that his own.

I was at the Chelsea match and I think Andy Reid is a bit of a luxury, didn't notice all that tackling your on about...

[eirebhoy]

I was at the Chelsea match and I think Andy Reid is a bit of a luxury, didn't notice all that tackling your on about...

Reid was tracking back whenever they hadn't got the ball and never let a player by him. We may be biased so just look at the praises he's getting from the Spurs fans after the Chelsea game:

http://www.spurscommunity.co.uk/inde...t=reid+chelsea

http://www.spurscommunity.co.uk/inde...t=reid+chelsea

Since he joined Spurs he has started every premiership game.

[tricky_colour]

I was at the Chelsea match and I think Andy Reid is a bit of a luxury, didn't notice all that tackling your on about...

I only say a few highlights but I did see him putting in a good tackle
on SWP who I thought should easily have got to the ball before Reid.

The stats show he is a good tackler and I would go along with that.
The Chelsea game might not have been one of his best though,
probably saving his energy for the big one
Hope he has has a good game as he certaintly has the ability.