It's all to play for...

[Paddy Garcia]

From what I have seen, Hunt is not deserving of a starting place. Reid was fantastic for Charlton before he got injured. If he can replicate that form, the creativity of Duff will be missed much less.

[Wolfie]

I'd like to see O'Halloran get a game against the Danes alongside a more established back four of Finnan / McShane / Dunne to see how he slots in.

Maybe the Slovak game has arrived too early for him but would be interesting to see if the American tour was a true reflection of his ability.

Many felt it was too early for McShane as well before he put in a man of the match performance against the Czechs..................

[paul_oshea]

he might have been man of the match but he ws definately at fault for that goal somewhat at least.

[Dodge]

Many felt it was too early for McShane as well before he put in a man of the match performance against the Czechs..................

McShane was an established club player when he made his international debut. O'Halloran's not.

[Wolfie]

he might have been man of the match but he ws definately at fault for that goal somewhat at least.

O'Shea was far more at fault for that goal. Arguing with the ref and way out of position.

[Wolfie]

McShane was an established club player when he made his international debut. O'Halloran's not.

I'd still play O'Halloran against the Danes.

[tetsujin1979]

McShane was an established club player when he made his international debut. O'Halloran's not.

Neither was Richard Dunne when he kept Kluivert in his back pocket in the 2-2 game. O'Halloran certainly showed in the 2 summer friendlies he's worth a squad place at least, given our lack of quality in the left full position

[Paddy Garcia]

lads i cannot see where all this clamour for andy reid is coming from , Ireland is the man in possesion and should be playing instead of reid

There is a risk that Ireland may not be a regular starter next season, with a new manager at City. I think it is a significant risk, so this is a huge year for Ireland - I guess for both.

[RogerMilla]

Why is Ireland the man in possession? Reid usually plays well for us and controlled the last game he played against San Marino..

san bloody marino ?? ireland played well and also scored against wales and slovakia our two most recent competitive games , that is why he is the man in posession. andy reid has scored and played well in friendlies and against poor opposition. he did well at charlton but should both be starters for their clubs in september then it would be plain ridiculous to play Reid instead of Ireland . Reid has done very little imo and people here have far too much faith in his ability. I will agree he could be a great player but he certainly isn't one yet , far from it.

[Wolfie]

san bloody marino ?? ireland played well and also scored against wales and slovakia our two most recent competitive games , that is why he is the man in posession. andy reid has scored and played well in friendlies and against poor opposition. he did well at charlton but should both be starters for their clubs in september then it would be plain ridiculous to play Reid instead of Ireland . Reid has done very little imo and people here have far too much faith in his ability. I will agree he could be a great player but he certainly isn't one yet , far from it.

Both may well start in the short term with Duff injured. Andy Reid out wide and Ireland possibly in the centre.

[eirebhoy]

san bloody marino ?? ireland played well and also scored against wales and slovakia our two most recent competitive games , that is why he is the man in posession. andy reid has scored and played well in friendlies and against poor opposition. he did well at charlton but should both be starters for their clubs in september then it would be plain ridiculous to play Reid instead of Ireland . Reid has done very little imo and people here have far too much faith in his ability. I will agree he could be a great player but he certainly isn't one yet , far from it.

Fair enough. I think Reid would be our most influential player if played in the centre. I wouldn't trust Ireland in central midfield yet because he hasn't got the positional sense. He's the guy with potential, not Reid. Just a pity Reid won't stay fit. btw, I'm not playing down Ireland, I'd rate him on par with McGeady atm. Both still very raw.

imo Reid has the ability to play in the position Pirlo does at Milan, in front of the back 4. As long as he has energetic players around him anyway.

[RogerMilla]

the reason i wouldnt trust ireland in the centre is because he is too lightweight, stan did the right thing putting two beefers like douglas and carsely in there to mind him. not just having a go at you eirebhoy but andy reid seems to be the darling of this board and i think he has yet to prove himself and that ireland has gone further to prove himself.

[Wolfie]

ireland has gone further to prove himself.

He's certainly weighed in with two crucial goals.

This thread wouldn't exist for a start if he hadn't.

[graham_d]

He's certainly weighed in with two crucial goals.

I'm sure Andy Reid has "weighed" in for us a few times now

Come on lads it's been pages & pages and not one Reidy+Pies joke yet, what's going on??

[tetsujin1979]

I'm sure Andy Reid has "weighed" in for us a few times now

Come on lads it's been pages & pages and not one Reidy+Pies joke yet, what's going on??

We've all realised he's actually not fat?

[Stuttgart88]

I'd rate him on par with McGeady atm. Both still very raw.

I think Ireland looked streets ahead of McGeady against Slovakia tbh, his touch was more assured, he looked more confident and his passing actually found its target. 3 goals in the campaign too, two of them winners and the first was the opener away to Cyprus. I think he's quite a bit ahead of McGeady at the moment.

He needs a robust, mobile partner in my opinion and, unlike Kilbane, one who is genuinely comfortable in the middle.

[youngirish]

McGeady is overrated. If he wasn't playing for Celtic nobody would give a rats about him. (It's true eirebhoy, don't take it personally).

Ireland has been decent at International level but he doesn't impose himself enough on the game IMO. Fat Reid is a far more accomplished player and looks much more comfortable both in the Premiership and at International level when fit.

What about Stephen Reid who should be fit although I think he offers little in attack when playing in Central Midfield. He's possibly more of an alternative option to Carsely who has been doing his job and while winning is hard to drop though I think he's pretty average tbh. I also hope J O'Brien is back in the shake up in midfield for the qualifiers also though I'd be surprised if he doesn't struggle for fitness after a year out from injury.

[Stuttgart88]

What about Stephen Reid who should be fit although I think he offers little in attack when playing in Central Midfield.

Steven Reid has nearly everything Steve Gerrard has: the physique, the athleticism, the long passing and the shot. What he hasn't got is the belief or the confidence, or any luck with injury (maybe he just doesn't have a robust enough make up). He's not a composed playmaking type player but he's strong in the tackle and moves effortlessly from box to box. Bobby Robson identified him as the future of our midfield which is why it was so mystifying that he started on the right in Germany. Admittedly his poor performance as captain in CM at home to the Dutch didn't help his case.

[carloz]

According to the last game of football manager(and we all know thats true), Ireland drew away to the Czechs and Slovakia. We beat Germany and the Czechs lost to them. We drew with the Czechs 1-1 and it looked like it was going to come down to goal difference. We then lost to Wales 1-0 and the Czechs beat Cyprus 2-0

[eirebhoy]

I think Ireland looked streets ahead of McGeady against Slovakia tbh, his touch was more assured, he looked more confident and his passing actually found its target.

I think you could just sum it all up with the word confidence tbh. atm McGeady is not seen as a great player by Celtic fans, just like Ireland fans. 8 months ago he was an absolute star. I remember what McGeady was like for the first 3 months of last season and I try not to be too fickle. I'm not making excuses for him with this confidence thing. It really effects him hugely.

This match was in the middle of his excellent run of form:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXwsOIjEdJk

He wasn't the amazing in that game but the commentators basically tell you how good he was performing back then. Just look at the difference of him then though. Head up, full of confidence, wants the ball. I remember seeing him dreading receiving the ball in acres of space against Slovakia.

McGeady is overrated. If he wasn't playing for Celtic nobody would give a rats about him. (It's true eirebhoy, don't take it personally).

As long as you know that I have these exact same debates on Celtic forums. We're not all blind when it comes to McGeady.