Republic of Ireland v England - Saturday, 7th September 2024 - UEFA Nations League

[tetsujin1979]

I'm not clicking on a Daily Hate link, but Jeff Powell is usually beyond parody.

There's an informal rule that we don't link to the paper, or the redtop. You know which one.

[Eminence Grise]

I know boxers can get a bit, y'know, after a few punches too many to the head, but I didn't think boxing journalists could catch it. Jeff Powell MBE (of course he is!) clearly a lesson to us all to look after the noggin a bit better...

Feeling nervous rather than resigned about an Ireland game for the first time in a long time, pre-Kenny to be honest. A win would be unimaginable, a draw good, a gutsy performance a must.

On the other hand, he didn't really express much excitement about the players. I like realists, but the psychological aspect of sport requires a smidgin of enthusiasm. ...

He seems very laid back

TBH, I don't like it when my dentist is enthusiastic. I much rather hear her say 'you're just going to feel a little discomfort now' when inside she's probably thinking Blood! Buckets of Blood! Pain!!

[Supreme feet]

Just want to see a bit of fortitude today. Balls. A bit of aggression, bravery, resilience, a willingness to physically dominate and win duels. A threat from set-pieces (have a feeling Brady will start at LB for the frees if nothing else, all the LB candidates are liabilities in some respect). We need to be horrible to play against.

I'd pick this team:

Kelleher
Coleman - Collins - O'Shea - Brady
Molumby - Browne
Ogbene - Knight - Szmodics
Parrott

Reverting to a 4-4-2 out of possession when needed, with Knight on the left to help Brady, with Szmodics and Parrott up front. Idah might get in ahead of Parrott for his hold-up play. Ferguson surely can't be fit. Smallbone isn't suited to the horrible bástard type of game that we'll need to play today.

[Eirambler]

Player fitness isn't going to help us here - a lot of lads have had slow starts to the season. O'Brien, Omobamidele and Ferguson are in Premier League squads but haven't been playing. Are they match sharp? Kelleher as well obviously but he'll have to play. Idah hasn't looked fully match fit playing for Celtic. Makes it very hard to predict a team. Not to mention that we don't really know who's picking it. A lot might depend on how training has gone during the week.

I just want to see a lot of heart and a bit of pragmatism for this one really.

[pineapple stu]

A new era dawns as Brady, Doherty and Coleman all start. I presume that's four at the back and Brady/Ogbene on the wings? (Sorry - missed Collins at the end there)

Match programmes a tenner I see - that's also mental

Let's see how it goes...

[Supreme feet]

Kelleher

Doherty - Coleman - Collins - O'Shea - Brady

Ogbene - Molumby - Smallbone - Szmodics

Idah

Very light in the centre of midfield

[passinginterest]

I'd say there's a slim possibility of 4-5-1, can't see a 4-4-2 happening, most likely it'll be 5-4-1 or 5-2-3 if you want to put an attacking spin on it! I think it'll be;

Kelleher
Coleman
O'Shea
Collins
Scales
Brady

Smallbone
Molumby

Ogbene
Szmodics

Idah

Possibly Knight or Bowne over Szmodics. Browne if he really wants to get bigger physical players on the field. Might also give O'Brien a chance to come in at centre back and move Scales to the left. I do think Heimir might just focus on getting as many big lads as possible on the field.

One of my better predictions! I don’t really like Coleman as part of the back three. I don’t really like the shape either. But I think that’s O’Shea’s team for the most part ans we won’t see a real Hymer team until the next window.

[Olé Olé]

A new era dawns as Brady, Doherty and Coleman all start.

Match programmes a tenner I see - that's also mental

Let's see how it goes...

Disappointed for Scales but I assume they want Coleman in there and he may not have the legs for wing back. However, Brady may not either...

Concerned we could be overrun in midfield but Szmodics likely to tuck in. We could end up a little imbalanced in that case depending on where Ogbene covers. Does he cover Brady? Haven't seen him play on the left much (or ever).

It's an awkward looking and old side for me and it has me worried.

[Eirambler]

Well that's demoralising. Reads like a John O'Shea team - under resourced in midfield, how many of the old boys can he squeeze into the back five etc.

Safe to say Hallgrimsson hasn't watched too many of our games in recent years back in too much detail. He'd have learnt that Coleman is no centre back for starters. Like the amount of centre backs we have and managers keep trying to shoehorn 5 foot 10 inch Seamus Coleman in there, it defies all reason.

[Olé Olé]

Kelleher

Doherty - Coleman - Collins - O'Shea - Brady

Ogbene - Molumby - Smallbone - Szmodics

Idah

Very light in the centre of midfield

Incredibly light and it's not like someone can step in from the back three because Coleman isn't a centre half. And if Szmodics drifts inwards then Robbie Brady is exposed.

I can't figure this out.

[pineapple stu]

Meanwhile, Rice and Grealish both start for England

[passinginterest]

Slight possibility it’s a back 4. With Doherty and Ogbene wide in a midfield 5. Szmodics tucked in behind Idah as an attacking midfield pivot.

But we all know it’s not.

[Eirambler]

There's probably a way you could mould that selection into a 4-3-3 with Doherty at left back and Brady further forward and it would actually be a better team that way. I mean that isn't what it will be, it will be three centre backs including Coleman, but how bad is it that that isn't even the best way you could put that particularly 11 on the park?!

[passinginterest]

Some set of turkey teeth on Dara O’Shea. No idea what people see in getting them!

[Razors left peg]

This reads like a JOS team. Incredibly disappointed that we've yet to see that Hallgrimsson is actually the manager and not window dressing for O'Shea.

Hopefully it looks better in the game

[tetsujin1979]

Team stats
https://www.instagram.com/p/C_nuFjPo1ji

[elatedscum]

Not sure about the team. Like I’ve thought about it a lot and not really sure what to do…

4-3-3 and 4-4-2, I’d be worried how Saka and Gordon can get at our full backs and I think there’s a big mismatch there. So I can see 5 at the back.

But 5-2-3 were gonna get overrun in midfield.

So then 5-3-2 but then what do you do with Ogbene. I guess you play Ogbene at RWB I guess which maybe doesn’t get the best of him.

Scared and optimistic I guess…

[pineapple stu]

Well that was fun while it lasted

Kelleher should maybe have let Gordon score and save us from having Rice do it...

[passinginterest]

This is going to be painful. High energy start which we’ve seen plenty under Kenny. If anything shape and organisation looks no better. Going to find it hard to keep up the tempo in the heat and England look like opening us up at will as this goes on.

[ger121]

I think we can score but with that back 4 that feels like a 2016 reunion, the English could get 3 or 4.