something to lighten the mood
http://audio.todayfm.com/audio/Gift_heyjohndelaney.mp3
If it was 3 centre backs he'd most likely play Kilbane and Kelly as wing backs ahead of McGeady and Hunt. Possible but I'd say it'll be 4-4-2 of some sort. Very hard to predict the starting 11 (is that a good thing? I'm not sure).Originally Posted by colster
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Tallaght Stadium Regular
Yeah the other three are experienced for them. Played throughout the campaign. They have had to draft in a couple of uncapped lads for this one.
Never eat yellow snow!!
Kilbane being sent out to do the Sky interview yesterday means hes playing for sure.
This looks good to me. I'd seriously consider Kilbane at FB too.
Nah, SKY only ever interviews Irish players with English accents.
What are the odds that Steve Staunton is looking through this thread for legitimate suggestions?
Apart from a couple of positions, the team picks itself.
I Really like the idea of a 3-5-2 but the problem with that is it becomes a 5-3-2 catenaccio formation far too easily, the last thing we need is an ultra-defensive formation for these away games, if we are not playing for 6 points its a slap in the face to the fans who have supported this team in spite of the shenanigans performed at the start of this campaign.
"No regrets, none at all. My only regret is that we went out on penalties. That's my only regret. But no, no regrets." -Mick McCarthy
Reckon Stan will go for
Given
Kelly Dunne McShane o'Shea
McGeady Carsley Kilbane Reid
Keane Doyle
If he plays 3 at the back I'll leave the stadium!
The Irish and British game is not 3-5-2, and although it would be just so Stan to go and do it, he just wouldn't. 4-4-2 is what we know, 4-4-2 is what we'll play.
As for the starting line up, I will go for qwerty's selection above except Ireland for Reid, simply because he has played regular in the Premiership this season.
Thursdays are Oriel
102 caps - legend
I'd be amazed if Kilbane doesn't start, it's just a question of where Kikou(has that been done before, I like it!) will play. Something is telling me, maybe my brain, that he'll start in CM with Carsley and Andy Reid. Ireland will hardly be dropped so will be tag teaming with Keano as they both slip in and out of the hole. Bring McGeady on for Ireland, Hunt for Reid, Gibson for Kilbane if things aren't going great for whoever.
I disagree. Apart from Given in goal and Keane/Doyle up front, the team selection is very tricky. Any four of Kelly, McShane, O'Shea, Dunne, Kilbane could be our starting defenders. Any four of McGeady, Reid, Carsely, Kilbane, Hunt and Ireland could be named in midfield and we wouldn't be surprised.
Given at GK
Dunne at CB
Carsley at CM
Doyle at ST
Keane at ST
That leaves six spots on the field up for discussion. Starting left back could be Kelly or Kilbane, or even O'Shea or McShane. Partnering Dunne in the central of defence could be O'Shea, or more likely McShane. Right back is anyone's guess, could be Kelly, McShane, or O'Shea.
Right wing could be McGeady or Ireland. Partnering Carsely in the centre of the park could be Ireland, Reid, or O'Shea. Hunt, McGeady, or Kilbane could start at left wing.
I agree with Colbert. It's been a while since selecting the best XI has been such a difficult task. Not beacuse we've an abundance of strengths, but more because we need to make the most of what we have whilst containing our weaknesses.
McGeady, Ireland and Andy Reid are all fine players, but they'd be walked all over by a physically imposing midfield. A potential solution is then to put KK in CM. I wouldn't do it myself, but it's got to be in Stan's thoughts. The Slovaks are a big team.
We have no fit natural left back. Do we improvise with KK, or do we play a right footer there & if so which one? Do we play McShane at CB or RB? O'Shea at full back or CB? McGeady on LHM or RHM, or even at all? Reid in the middle or either flank, or even at all? Ireland in the middle, RHM or even at all? Hunt, McGeady or KK at LHM? Do we put one of our diminutive creative players in an advanced playmaker role? And so on.
Quite a lot of thinking to be done, much more so than in recent years.
I think I was dreaming last night that Kilbane was playing.
What exactly was he playing with? And did you wake up in a sweat?
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
Tallaght Stadium Regular
It was definitly Kilbane, because he kept giving the ball away
Overall it felt okay because we had something to protect.
Sorry, did not get a glance at the scoreboard.
agree .. I can see that myself .. either in CM in a 4-3-3/4-5-1 formation we used in the last game against them at Croker or in a more conventional 442 on the left.
He brings height, 100% effort and defensive qualities to the team (as well as a few important goals already in this campaign).. on reflection, I think I would prefer to see him start alongside Reid and Carsley and either Mc Geady or Ireland .. with Hunt as the impact sub (to come on a bit earlier this time perhaps if needed).
I actually think its odds on that he will start .. and I doubt it will be at left back
Given
O'Shea
Dunne
McShane
Kilbane
McGeady
Carsley
Reid
Hunt
Keane
Doyle
I think the above team is the best we can offer at the minute with Carr and Finnan out injured. I would have opted for O'Shea at centre back in place of McShane if Carr and Finnan were available as he was good there in Aarhus.
The full backs need to be good on the ball though and I don't think McShane is as comfortable in posession as O'Shea.
Stephen Kelly has looked a poor player any time I've seen him - he dives in too much and is a bit of a hoof merchant. He tends to get the ball and just lump it forward as long as possible which I absolutely hate to seee professional footballers do.
Also, I wouldn't play Stephen Ireland. He has a great strike rate so far at international level and I know this may sound strange but I actually don't think he has contributed much at all to the team in any of the games he's played - apart of course from the goals he's bagged.
But in all seriousness, he is a central midfield player but he has not been getting on the ball much at all in the games he's played so far.
McGeady and Hunt would offer much more in wide areas than he would and Carsley and Reid are surely ahead of him in the central midfield pecking order.
Anyway here's hoping we get a win in Bratislava.
I'd play the same team except I'd swap JOSH and McShane, that right flank looks a bit weak defensively and I could see Slovakia exploit that and continually launch attacks down that side
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