Seems a bit harsh to leave Hunt out bearing in mind how he did when he came on against Wales. I guess Staunton considers him a bit of an impact player; bring him on and inject a bit of pace?
Not too dissappointed. The ony change I would make is Hunt for Kilbane to be honest. Hope he restores Finnan to right back also. He may play Mc Geady in the whole behind Doyle , like where he played for Celtic V Miland and play Duff and Kilbane on the wings with Carsley and Ireland in the centre. Thats the way I might play it with options to play Duff and Mc Geady on the wings with Ireland in the hole.
In Trap we trust
theres no way we're gonna keep a clean sheet v slovakia, we should be having an out an out striker beside doyle rather that the "man in the hole".
Doyle is lacking match fitness and Stan sticks him up front on his own, so he's forced to run himself into the ground?? i dont get it
McGeady starting is a positive, even if hunt isnt. but yet again i'm very worried about how our midfield is gonna hold up, couldnt string together 10 passed in the last game
4-5-1, is a bad choice here, I said before, Slovakia will thrash any team that defends against them, and this will be case, unless Duff or Aido are playing up front for a 4-4-2
Almost right, got o'shea/harte wrong.Originally Posted by charliesboots
I think Duff and McGeady will flank in a 4 5 1/4 3 3 style. I doubt Steven ireland will be resticted to either wing and will given a relativley free role as playmeker and with Kilbane/Carsley sitting
There's allot of football and technique in that team and I'm curious if nothing else. My only worry is that in THAT set up I'd rather see Douglas in there beside Carsley instead of Kilbane.
There's been a lot of negatives the last few days so I'm going to focus on the positives about Stan's team selection.
The inclusion of McGeady is a big plus for me as it balances Duff's role in the team. We've suffered in the past from Duff being our only creative outlet and consequently opposing teams knew that if they kept Duff out of the gave we were unlikely to score. McGeady brings the same creative threat that Duff has to the team and allows the team as a whole to vary our attacking options.
I think that Stephen Ireland needs two other central midfielders around him to be effective. I know there're plenty of people who would argue otherwise but I believe the inclusion of Kilbane and Carsley alllows Ireland to focus on what he is good at - ie getting the ball down on the ground and passing it around.
The back four has played together a few times now and the players chosen are probably our best options at the moment in those positions. With the exception of McShane, the other three have had plenty of "big-time" experience and I expect that to be shown tomorrow night.
I think we can all be in agreement that at least Stan got the goalie selection right.
I honestly think the only reason Kilbane is playing is because we are quite a small team apart from McShane Dunne and Doyle and Staunton probably believes Kilbanes height can help out the midfield
I'm assuming he'll play Finnan and O' Shea in their correct positions now that we dont have to deal with the Bellamy/Giggs threat (that never transpired).
Given that most people complained that Douglas and Carsley were too similar in midfield I think he's done the right thing by bringing in McGeady. Hunt will be a good one to bring on from the bench as I dont think we would see the same performance from him over 90 minutes as we did on Saturday for 15 minutes.
Biggest ask now is for Duff to perform and support Doyle for the full 90.
Have to pick you up on this .. and any others in the anti-kilbane brigade.
Kilbane scored the equaliser versus the Czechs, first goal against San Marino, and like it or not was one of the better performers on Saturday .. did well to beat the full back (granted with his one and only trick) and then played a great ball across which Keane should have finished. Taking for granted that you saw all this with your own eyes. With all the long balls in the first half, he was also our main attacking channel. Always gives everything for us. Too many small slight guys in the team, (Duff, Mc Geady and Ireland in midfileld? - no thanks) and we need his height, his work rate and commitment. This is not some computer game where you pick the players with the most skill .. Kilbane has been picked now consistently by three Irish managers and has qualities that we probably do not see from our view. Would he have made the squad 20 years ago .. probably not .. but if we had more with his commitment at the moment, we would be realistic challengers for second spot.
would rather have him in the team than out to be honest .. my favourite of the lot of them at the moment .. as you can probably make out from this post
Given
O Shea
Dunne
McShane
Finnan
Carsley
Kilbane
Ireland
McGeady
Duff
Doyle.
I think I should the parachute, because I'm great.
In fact, I think I should get both parachutes, in case one doesn't work.
I dont think that Duff will be playing up front. I hope that Staunton has learned that Duff and Mc Geady on the wings with Ireland in the hole behind Doyle is the way forward in this game.
In Trap we trust
thanks be to God you got Harte wrong .. how many more poor performances, and not tracking his man leading to important goals being conceded .. do we need to take from this guy?
According to the fai site, Mcgeady has come in for Douglas, so I reckon it'll line up
although it could just as easily beCode:Given Finna Dunne McShane O'Shea McGeady Ireland Carsley Kilbane Duff Doyle
Code:Given O'Shea Dunne McShane Finnan Duff Carsley Kilbane McGeady Ireland Doyle
Nah it will be 4 5 1
In Trap we trust
Thats official from RTE.ie by the way.
Good to see McGeady getting a shot. We can use a livewire in our midfeild and hopefully he can torment the Slovaks. Doyle obviously up front for Keane. I would prefer if Duff was on the wing instead of Kilbane and had strong taller striker in there but no dice.
I think I should the parachute, because I'm great.
In fact, I think I should get both parachutes, in case one doesn't work.
I think it'll line out with 3 in the middle of Carsley , Kilbane and Ireland and Duff and McGeady will be given license to get forward either side of Doyle. At least thats how we should line out with this line up. It looks alright on paper but again its a completely different set up to how we set out on Saturday. If its not as I imagine and we go with 442 with Ireland and McGeady on the wings and Duff playing off Doyle then I'd be worried, very worried.
I reckon it will be a 4-4-2 with Kilbane and McGeady on the wings and Ireland and Carsley in the centre. Duff up front. Not a fan of Duff up front.
I think I should the parachute, because I'm great.
In fact, I think I should get both parachutes, in case one doesn't work.
But is that how they'll definitely line up? Or did he just name the players?
As reported in the Irish times.
Shay Given will lead the Republic of Ireland out for tomorrow night's crucial Euro 2008 qualifier against Slovakia having been passed fit this to captain the side this afternoon.
The Newcastle goalkeeper, who missed training yesterday due to the injury picked up in the win over Wales, went through his paces with the rest of the squad at Croke Park and was first on the teamsheet when manager Steve Staunton named his side, somewhat surprisingly, this afternoon.
Stephen Ireland, another slight doubt for Staunton, also came through the session unscathed and, with Robbie Keane missing through suspension, will start in an attacking role just off striker Kevin Doyle in a match the home side simply must win to keep their qualification hopes alive.
There is no place in the starting line-up for Stephen Hunt, whose direct style impressed when introduced as a second-half substitute against the Welsh. Instead, Celtic winger Aiden McGeady will hug the left touchline in a midfield comprising Lee Carsley, Kevin Kilbane and Damien Duff.
The back four remains unchanged although Staunton would not elaborate when asked if full backs John O'Shea and Steve Finnan would switch wings. Staunton's decision to play both in unfamiliar roles was the subject of much debate before the Welsh match but the manager remains confident both are suited to the formation he has adopted.
Adressing the media today, mercifully for longer than the 32 seconds he afforded the assembled press corps yesterday, Staunton said: "I've picked players in position to go out and win the game."
"On Saturday we probably should have been more attacking, especially in the second half. Damien and Aiden will be key to winning the game," he added. "Aiden is a special talent."
Rep of Ireland(v Slovakia): Given, O'Shea, Dunne, McShane, Finnan, Duff, Carsley, Kilbane, McGeady, Ireland, Doyle
In Trap we trust
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