Step forward, Mr Doherty...
That will be Ebosele gone for these games now as well. Our right side absolutely decimated at this point.
Step forward, Mr Doherty...
End Apartheid Now! One Team in Ireland!
Couldn’t expect him to accept a call up after that amount of disrespectOriginally Posted by Predator
McKenna said today in his press conference he'll be playing.
There are "no new injury concerns" for the game with defenders Axel Tuanzebe and Jacob Greaves set to be available for selection after the November international break, as well as midfielder Jack Taylor. Defender Dara O'Shea is set to play again despite an ongoing back problem.
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/a...s/clyv30pyjjno
Squad looks like it will need some reinforcement tomorrow. It looks top heavy on forwards anyway, and very light at centre mid and full back.
Doherty and/or Manning probably should come in now given Coleman's situation on the right and the fact that we don't have a recognised left back in the squad as things stand. We might need both, or another centre back (likely O'Brien) if O'Shea drops out.
Alan Browne went off injured yesterday. He wasn't named in the squad, but we look really light on cover in midfield. Smallbone, McGrath, Taylor, Browne, Hodge and Lawal all currently injured. Conor Coventry may be next for a midfield call up at this point.
Things not looking as bad further forward but with Ebosele likely gone that might open a space for someone like Mark Sykes.
Right now I'd take a point (v Finland) from the two games to be honest. Avoid the automatic relegation place and move on to the spring. Maybe go with something like:
---------------Kelleher
O'Shea Duffy Collins Scales
--------Cullen Molumby
----Knight Azaz Szmodics
--------------Ferguson
Sykes is injured I think - came off after 5 minutes midweek and didn't feature yesterday.
Agree I'd take a point now - we just don't have the strength in depth to be able to afford an injury list like we have now.
Zero chance I'd take a point
We have enough to beat Finland at home.
I do think Taylor is a real loss. I thought he was great v greece. He totally changed the game IMO.
O'Shea starting against spurs
Would love to see Connell given a call-up ahead of Coventry. Don't normally advocate on behalf of League 1 players, but he's captaining an in form Barnsley and has been a standout player at that level since ending his exile ar Cwltic.
I don't necessarily disagree with you, but it was reported in October that Coventry had only narrowly missed out then, which is why I suspect he might be the next cab off the rank. It would be a League 1 callup either way, which we haven't had to resort to so much recently.
I'm pretty sure McKenna said O'Shea was out during his press conference on Friday. Perhaps I miss heard.
Would be an intriguing call up alright. Would love to see it. Such a pity he had that illness at the start of the 23/24 season after a stellar showing the season before where his form was where it is now. I think he missed most preseason and pretty much the first half of the season iirc?
He's carrying an injury to his back which they've been managing with reduced training and painkillers. Played the full game against spurs today and had a really solid game. I'd say it's more that he's a risk of aggravating the injury more than anything else. Maybe have him on for Finland and put Duffy in against England for the added set play threat. This is all assuming he's played as a CB and not an RB again
Scales filled in a few times for Celtic at LB before he went on a season loan to Aberdeen (2022/23). Jim Goodwin said at the time that he saw him very much as a left sided CH. Frankly I don't see how anybody saw him as a LB per se in a Celtic team, except as cover or gaining match experience < going on loan.
Have we given up on Dennis Cirkin? seems odd that no journalist seems to ask about him, when we are screaming for a LB
Doherty, O'Brien and Manning added to the squad; Coleman, Duffy and Idah injured.
Celtic's win over Motherwell was two weeks ago at this stage; Idah missed one game as a result and even started at the weekend. Strange comment.
Last edited by pineapple stu; 11/11/2024 at 11:24 AM.
I think he looks a bit clumsy at left back. I think he's better facing play from a central position than he is from the touchline.
Well we got there in the end I suppose. I think we all know there's a good footballer inside Doherty (or was anyway) but his recent performances have been poor. Manning failed to impress me in one or two games under Kenny but it was righly pointed out to me that he wasn't match fit and that counts for a lot. He's playing regularly. If the best versions of these guys turn up we should be OK. Idah isn't a loss imho, much as I like him. I think forward is an area where we have plenty of good options.
The RTE reporting was just bizarre.
Duffy was likely brought in to bring a bit more steel and experience to the back line, so while he's technically very limited he'll be a loss in that regard. I don't see Idah as a huge loss right now, it opens the door for Cannon to finally make his first competitive appearance, which is overdue. I prefer Cannon at this point in time anyway and we've seen plenty of Idah so we know what he can and cannot do. Coleman was expected, Doherty will probably still be behind O'Shea if O'Shea is OK to play.
The surprise for me is that Festy hasn't been ruled out (yet).
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