Squad announced for Czechs and Cyprus

**eirebhoy** · 26/09/2006, 5:35 PM

Exactly. Kilbane certainly wouldn't have made the Everton midfield ahead of Carsley.

**macdermesser** · 27/09/2006, 8:13 AM

hate to even contemplate the prospect of getting 1 point from our next two games... but the FAI are going to look pretty stupid when it comes to the Croke Park games and the stadium is half empty because we are already out of contention and supposedly concentrating on World Cup 2010... where at this rate we'll be 6th seeds for the qualifiers (slight exagerration).

They've gone about this the total wrong way .. we needed some experienced wise cute hoor of a manager .. like a younger fitter Bobby Robson .. or Rehegel .. or Kuhn (not actually these guys but someone in this ilk).

We don't have the quality of player as we did in the 80's and early 90s .. but we have team that should be finishing second and pushing a very ordinary German side for first place in a pretty poor group.

**shakermaker1982** · 27/09/2006, 8:50 AM

if (god forbid) we don't beat Cyprus and then get a walloping from the Czech's would Stan get the push? I know its a knee jerk reaction but it would surely be an option don't you think?

**tetsujin1979** · 27/09/2006, 9:30 AM

Kavanagh could be a doubt now too, he's been carrying a knock for Sunderland and is a doubt for the weekend's game against the Owls, from http://www.safc.com/news/?page_id=10591

Graham Kavanagh is a doubt for Sunderland's game against Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday.

"He could be struggling for the weekend and if there's any doubt he won't play. He's got internationals after that so that's the stuff we've got to look at."

**tetsujin1979** · 27/09/2006, 10:47 AM

Clinton's goal from the weekend, mods feel free to move if it's not appropriate to this forum
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBMKqK2hMBc

**geysir** · 27/09/2006, 2:17 PM

Well KK is now at Wigan (ahead of Kav) and apparantly playing well.
With both Reids and Kav injured, I would not be surprised to see O"Shea and Kilbane selected again. I don't know if there is anything to read into as regards O'Shea being listed alongside the defenders in the squad.
I'd support Stan's reasoning for excluding what he called the easy option of recalling Carsley and Holland. He has thought about it and for the short term and the long term he has given a vote of confidence to the current squad.
He holds that as having greater value.

**NeilMcD** · 27/09/2006, 2:32 PM

Kilbane is not good enough to play in central midfield. Its got nothing to do with form with him. He does not have the basic attributes of a central midfielder. He gives away possession time and time again. YOu cannot afford to do that at any level but especially at international.

**Stuttgart88** · 27/09/2006, 3:12 PM

Also, Kilbane just can't pick a pass to get the forwards in. In fairness, he did well at home to Brazil & Cyprus and away in France. OK away to Faroes too I suppose. But the more he's picked in CM the more likely it is that his failings will be exposed. He will have the odd good game but that's all it'll be - odd.

**Kingdom** · 27/09/2006, 10:10 PM

Just on RTE2 news tonight KAv is out of the squad because of the knee injury. It reported that Carsley will be called up.

**highlight100** · 27/09/2006, 10:13 PM

Just heard Lee Carsley to return for injured Graham Kavanagh,any thoughts?

**theworm2345** · 27/09/2006, 10:21 PM

Originally Posted by highlight100

Just heard Lee Carsley to return for injured Graham Kavanagh,any thoughts?

from who?

**theworm2345** · 27/09/2006, 10:23 PM

Originally Posted by Kingdom

Just on RTE2 news tonight KAv is out of the squad because of the knee injury. It reported that Carsley will be called up.

Perhaps someone knocked some sense into him

You'd think someone who played for Jack Charlton for so long would have some sense

**eirebhoy** · 27/09/2006, 10:51 PM

He hasn't been called up yet but this suggests he might be:
http://www.rte.ie/sport/2006/0927/carsleyl.html

**gustavo** · 27/09/2006, 11:22 PM

Good to see him back if it is true

**shakermaker1982** · 28/09/2006, 7:24 AM

common sense at last.

**DeNiro** · 28/09/2006, 7:52 AM

so can we expect a midfield of McGeady, Carsley, Reid. S, Duff? Will he really drop Kilbane? How will he accomodate O'Shea? Hopefully he won't but I suspect he will. I hope he's not thinking of dropping Finnan for O'Shea. Jaysus, I'd love to be back in the predictable times of Charlton era. Team picked itself and was full of quality.

**Stuttgart88** · 28/09/2006, 7:55 AM

Steven Reid is struggling for fitness so I don't see how it's assumed he'll start. He hasn't played one minute's football since Stuttgart.

**Stuttgart88** · 28/09/2006, 8:40 AM

What he does with Kilbane & O'Shea will indellibly mark my opinion of Staunton in my brain.

Kilbane was a wild-card CM selection in Stuttgart, presumably as he had the physique & running power to try & unsettle Frings. It didn't work, but I can accept the logic. I'll be very surprised if he's picked here for Cyprus as they don't have a player of Frings' ability that needs a man-marking job. We should take the game to them, not look to contain them.

O'Shea has been earmarked for the, dare I mention the term, holding role over the long term so I'm half expecting him to remain there. I was hoping Carrick's arrival at MUFC would force O'Shea out of CM, so the illusion that he's a midfielder can no longer be sustained. Sadly, this hasn't happened.

**BradyIsMyHero** · 28/09/2006, 8:55 AM

With Kavanagh out and Reid doubtful, Carsley mus tbe called up. Should have been in from the beginning.

See Actim Stats - 10th best player in the Premiership on current form

**Reddladd** · 28/09/2006, 9:20 AM

Regarding O'Shea I can't understand why he seems to work harder and, in my opinion, look alot better when he's playing for Man U as opposed to Ireland. It has to be because competition is greater and there is a fear or pressure that if he doesn't perform he will be gone. He has a lazy style and doesn't always stayed focused for the whole game. Although he doesn't do a whole lot he never seems to make as many mistakes with Man U as he does internationally.
Maybe the love of playing for your country isn't enough and it's the paymaster and club profile that keeps him more focused.
Even if Carsley does get involved it's unlikely that O'Shea will be dropped and thus he still won't have the same level of pressure. Same for Keano, competition for places at Spurs is pressure to perform, with Ireland he's a shoe-in!