Carsley called up to squad

[Dr. Ogba]

He's got a point though eirebhoy. I've said it before that Carsley is a decent enough player but no messiah by any means. I really don't think he'll make that much of a difference.

I don't recall anyone saying anything too positive about him whenever he appeared for us and there was hardly a murmur when he retired. I find the clamour for his return indicative of just how far we've fallen.

But on the flipside I think a lot of people realise that he's exactly the type of midfielder that we need in that team and that we have been sorely lacking for some time. Someone who will stick in the tackle and not be dominated and I think he would have made a huge difference in Cyprus.
And again, fair play to him with his attitude, it has to be admired when he could have easily jumped the sinking ship...

[drinkfeckarse]

And again, fair play to him with his attitude, it has to be admired when he could have easily jumped the sinking ship...

Aye, I won't argue with that.

[eirebhoy]

He's got a point though eirebhoy. I've said it before that Carsley is a decent enough player but no messiah by any means. I really don't think he'll make that much of a difference.

I don't recall anyone saying anything too positive about him whenever he appeared for us and there was hardly a murmur when he retired. I find the clamour for his return indicative of just how far we've fallen.

I've already given my reasons as to why I think Carsley could have probably even won us the game against Cyprus. imo the position in front of the back 4 is the most important position. If the holding midfielder has a bad game then the team will almost certainly have a bad game. You can usually get away with a bad individual performance anywhere else on the pitch. But Stan didn't even play a bloody holding midfielder on Saturday. We lost the game before a ball was kicked for that reason alone.

[drinkfeckarse]

I've already given my reasons as to why I think Carsley could have probably even won us the game against Cyprus. imo the position in front of the back 4 is the most important position. If the holding midfielder has a bad game then the team will almost certainly have a bad game. You can usually get away with a bad individual performance anywhere else on the pitch. But Stan didn't even play a bloody holding midfielder on Saturday. We lost the game before a ball was kicked for that reason alone.

A lot of teams don't play with a designated holding midfielder and Ireland have not had one either. IMO a holding midfielder is only when you play 5 in the midfield (which we don't). In a four man midfield, just because one of your two central midfielders might be a little more defensive minded than the other does not make him a "holding" midfielder.

If you sit one of your midfielders in front of the back four in a four man midfield you're leaving yourself open from the off.

[eirebhoy]

A lot of teams don't play with a designated holding midfielder and Ireland have not had one either. IMO a holding midfielder is only when you play 5 in the midfield (which we don't). In a four man midfield, just because one of your two central midfielders might be a little more defensive minded than the other does not make him a "holding" midfielder.

If you sit one of your midfielders in front of the back four in a four man midfield you're leaving yourself open from the off.

We've had discussions about this before and while I'm wrong by the book I call anyone that sits in front of the defence a holding midfielder. Whether that's a deap lying playmaker like Pirlo or an out and out anchorman like Makelele. At the end of the day they rarely go forward, they're always available to take a pass no matter where the ball is and they won't be getting many goals from open play.

This is the list of players from teams in the Premiership I posted a couple of weeks ago:

Arsenal - Gilberto
Aston Villa - McCann
Blackburn - Savage
Bolton - Campo
Charlton - Faye
Chelsea - Makelele
Everton - Carsley
Fulham - Diop
Liverpool - Alonso
Man City - Reyna
Man Utd - Carrick
Middlesbrough - Boateng
Newcastle - Parker
Portsmouth - O'Neil
Reading - Sidwell
Watford - Mahon
West Ham - Mullins

Every single team in world football (that I can think of) play someone in front of the defence who's main job is to stay in a position to receive a pass at all times. Finnan had a good 5-10 seconds and hold onto the ball before Kilbane came flying back to take the ball off him.

There's no way on earth we were going to get away with playing Kilbane and Ireland in the centre and I doubt very, very much any other manager at any decent level would have done so. btw, we've always played 4-4-2 and never can I remember a midfield as attacking as the one that played Cyprus. We've always had someone sitting in. Even if that player isn't a natural holding midfielder like Kavanagh he still was given that role and had to stick to it. From what I seen against Cyprus neither Kilbane or Ireland were given any role.

Anyway, I want to look forward to tonights game. Hopefully Carsley proves tonight how much better we could have played against Cyprus if he started.

[drinkfeckarse]

I take your point of course eirebhoy and as always it's excellently put across but I just feel you're calling a spade a shovel. Technically we both are really come to think of it

Anyway, it's hardly worth debating really so lets worry about about getting a result tonight!

[Dallasirish]

Carsley should be feelin he is as good as Gerrard if he has been reading or listening to the cries from us all for him to be called up. I feel he will get a huge reception tonite and really think he will turn in a MOM performance to highlight his snub by the dundalk donut!

Would be nice to see him bust the net with a header from a corner! (jaysus now i am gettin carried away!)

COMON IRELAND!!