Team for Germany

[pineapple stu]

If you're good enough making your debut shouldn't be a problem as far as I'm concerned(most of the time).

I still don't think such a big game is the place to throw someone in who hasn't even been in the squad, as is the case, I think, with McCarthy. Bad memories of what it did to Kilbane (v Iceland in '97) and Holland (v Macedonia in 01).

Kilbane didn't play LB at the WC if I'm remember correctly, correct me if I'm wrong.

I think Ian Harte was subbed off for Quinn in the last three games. Duff moved to left wing and Kilbane dropped to left-back.

[Kingdom]

From the squad he has chosen, I think the best match day team/squad would be this :

Given

Finnan
Dunne
O'Brien
O'Shea

McGeady
Reid
Kilbane
Duff

Keane
Doyle

Subs: Kenny, Doherty, Harte, Kavanagh, Ireland, Morrison, Elliot
I was quite happy to see the other thread about Morrison, as it was something I'd thought of quite often, but more often than not tried to convince myself out of it. The stupid theatrics when something goes wrong was a constant with Morrison and to be honest Doyle just seems to be a better player.

The reason I think we should have O'Shea and Kilbane in the team has a few reasons. With O'Shea he is no worse at left back than Harte, and I would prefer to see Finnan in his natural position than to be moved across at this stage. He is the best rb in the EPL, and with Carr getting worse the reasons for moving him across the back four diminish for me. I would select both Killer and O'Shea for their height just as much as anything else. We have a small team in comparison to recent years so the height they add would be much needed.
Kilbane as others have pointed out is better in the workhorse role than John O'Shea.

[Junior]

From the squad he has chosen, I think the best match day team/squad would be this :

Given

Finnan
Dunne
O'Brien
O'Shea

McGeady
Reid
Kilbane
Duff

Keane
Doyle

Subs: Kenny, Doherty, Harte, Kavanagh, Ireland, Morrison, Elliot
I was quite happy to see the other thread about Morrison, as it was something I'd thought of quite often, but more often than not tried to convince myself out of it. The stupid theatrics when something goes wrong was a constant with Morrison and to be honest Doyle just seems to be a better player.

The reason I think we should have O'Shea and Kilbane in the team has a few reasons. With O'Shea he is no worse at left back than Harte, and I would prefer to see Finnan in his natural position than to be moved across at this stage. He is the best rb in the EPL, and with Carr getting worse the reasons for moving him across the back four diminish for me. I would select both Killer and O'Shea for their height just as much as anything else. We have a small team in comparison to recent years so the height they add would be much needed.
Kilbane as others have pointed out is better in the workhorse role than John O'Shea.

I would go with that. Though Harte is not in the squad so can't be on the bench. I suppose Carr or S Kelly would be the obvious choice.

[Kaiser]

Given his recent comments about wanting to return to the national team I think Lee Carsley should be given a chance in the anchoring role. He started the game for Everton at the weekend, played well and would add some much needed bite to our midfield.

Couldn't do any worse than Kav did the other day anyway...

[4tothefloor]

I think Staunton will go with 4-5-1 and will look to the wide men to support Keane up front when possible. This is the side I think he'll pick.

GK Given

RB Carr
CB Dunne
CB O'Brien
LB Finnan

RW McGeady
CM S Reid
CM O'Shea
CM Kilbane
LW/SS Duff

ST Keane

Subs: Kenny, Doherty, S Kelly, Ireland, A O'Brien, Doyle, Morrison

For the record: Wouldn't have Carr or Kilbane near the team myself, but we can't be choosers at this stage....

[cheifo]

I hope Stan does not get it into his head that he will have to play Finnan at RM to curb Phillip Lambe.I think Doyle and Keane can cause them problems and hopefully a rejuvenated Duff with McGeady on the other wing.Kavanagh is
not an option IMO.I would have like to see McPhail included -maybe to come of the bench.

[dr_peepee]

I think it's gonna be an effort in damage limitation.. With Given, Carr, Dunne, O'Brien, Finnan, Duff, Reid, O'Shea, Keane, Doyle... The last midfield place will truly be indicitave of Stans intenitions on the night. But as much as we'd like the trickery of McGeady to mirror Duff on the other flank, or even the inventiveness of a Steven Ireland (Or the absent Andy Reid) I think he'll opt for the one of our many industrious drones and try sneak out of there with a draw.

[mjpcc]

The last couple of days in the premiership have been good for Ireland.

O Shea, S. Reid, Kilbane and Doyle all played last night and O Shea and Doyle seemed to do very well and Kilbane had a reasonable game on the left wing - I'm only going on reports so I'd be interested in hearing from anyone who saw any of them play.

It seems Steven Reid has not hit form yet. Any comments?

Steve Finnan should be ok for the next game and even Andy Reid might be back for the weekend - hopefully giving Stan an option if anyone is injured before the sqad gets together.

All in all we are probably in the best shape we can be in heading for Germany. Nobody gives us the slighest chance so the team have nthing to loose.

[Dr. Ogba]

The last couple of days in the premiership have been good for Ireland.

O Shea, S. Reid, Kilbane and Doyle all played last night and O Shea and Doyle seemed to do very well and Kilbane had a reasonable game on the left wing - I'm only going on reports so I'd be interested in hearing from anyone who saw any of them play.

It seems Steven Reid has not hit form yet. Any comments?

Steve Finnan should be ok for the next game and even Andy Reid might be back for the weekend - hopefully giving Stan an option if anyone is injured before the sqad gets together.

All in all we are probably in the best shape we can be in heading for Germany. Nobody gives us the slighest chance so the team have nthing to loose.

yeah it seems our important players are hitting form at the right time which is great news...Also the fact that we got spanked in the last match means expectations are low so the lads can play with a bit more freedom....Maybe this was all part of the Staunton masterplan from the beginning!!

[RogerMilla]

we're all part of the masterplan....

[brine3]

------------Given
Carr - Dunne - O'Brien - Finnan
-------Reid - Kavanelli
McGeady----Ireland------Duff
-----------Keane------------

[Delbertt]

This is the ireland team i wud pick against the germans;

------------Given

Carr Dunne O`brien Finnan

--------------O`Shea
McGeady Reid---------Duff
------------keane

------------Doyle

[gustavo]

My team if i was manager
-----------Given-----------
Finnan--O'Brien--Dunne--Kilbane

McGeady--S Reid--A Reid---Duff

-----Morrison----Keane-------

[DmanDmythDledge]

My team if i was manager
-----------Given-----------
Finnan--O'Brien--Dunne--Kilbane

McGeady--S Reid--A Reid---Duff

-----Morrison----Keane-------

Who would you put CM instead of Andy Reid if you had to pick from the current squad?

[gustavo]

Probably Kilbane and stick O Shea in LB

[eirebhoy]

O'Shea started ahead of Evra at left back today.

[Irish_Praha]

Who would you put CM instead of Andy Reid if you had to pick from the current squad?

Yeah it would be a choice between O'Shea and Kilbane - not much in it if you ask me. The same for the LB position now that Harte it out.
Peronally I'd play O'shea at LB and Kilbane in CMF but neither of the both of them fill me with confidence for either position.

[Jon'o]

Andy Reid played a blinder for charlton today v bolton and set one of the goals up, his passing was spot on (shame some of the other players didnt share his vision).

He's prehaps a week off the pace of the rest of the team but has worked hard to catch up with them. A great signing for charlton and one i thought curbishley should have made a few years ago when he had the chance.

Dowie said today in the program that Reid was top of his transfer targets and expects big things for him.

Shame he wasnt picked for the germany game, but given todays performance stan should have another look for the next round of games

[Littlest Hobo]

I'd play the following team

Given

Carr Dunne O'Brien Kilbane

Finnan S. Reid O'Shea Duff

Keane Doyle

[rocketballs7]

Personally I think Stan has made a huge mistake in not taking Carsley into the squad. Hes playing great stuff at Everton and is exactly who we need to try and stop Ballack and Frings. O'Shea and Kilbane are not good enough for me, simple. In fact they are both s**t