Stan let him down and the other players & the supporters, by failing to select a midfield.Originally Posted by zenokelly
Are they out yet?
I presume the FAI know the post office is on strike north of the border, and have made alternative arrangements getting several thousand tickets to their owners before next week???
Why do i smell a **** up of epic proportions resulting in a half empty Croke Park, and refunding thousands of tickets??
Team selection? With no Hunt, Duff, McShane etc available I'd go with:
----------Given--------
Finnan-Dunne-O'Shea-Kilbane
Ireland-Carsley-Potter-Reid
----Keane --Doyle---
Reid more as a Pires-like wide midfielder rather than winger. Ireland likewise.
I think there's a core of decent U21 players in the squad for the England game that are good enough for the senior squad.
It's a dilemma : it'd be great to get a good result over England and if the U21s already in the senior squad were available for Givens we'd have a stronger tream. At the same time I think there are players in the U21 squad that merit a pace in the senior squad and if the mantra about building for the future is to hold any water then they probably should be in the squad.
anyone get their tickets yet???
Yep, got them in the post yesterday. I'd say that they'll arrive for you today or Monday. Hard to get excited though it would be nice to put one over ze germans!
And you ask me to help you??!! Man is evil!!!! Capable of nothing but destruction!
I'd prefer them on the opposite wings as it suits their strengths. For example, when Reid's on the right it's natural for him to drift inside, link up with his teammates, play through balls, take shots at goal. When he's on the left he's a bit more restricted. Let's say he's on the left and he turns inside. His natural 40 yard pass would be to the right back. If he's on the right and he drifts inside his natural pass would be to the left winger. I just think he'd see a lot more of the play from the right wing and it suits his game.
Ireland probably not as much but it's worth a shot.
If Carsley & Potter can make a decent fist of competing in midfield I think Reid and Ireland should be allowed to exercise discretion about how to go about their game. In this XI it's a relatively narrow midfield in the absence of Duff & Hunt so there'd be a lot of emphasis on Finnan and Kilbane to add the width when we're in possession, allowing Ireland and Reid the option of playing more centrally.
Lads why does Staunton not appear to have these thoughts. I really think for the first time that people on internet forums know more about the team than the manager does.
In Trap we trust
My dog knows more about the team selesction and formation than the manager does.
Mostly agree. I think Potter is the weak link. Not playing that well for Wolves currently. Reid in the middle & McGeady on the wing.
Why has Gibson been dropped from the squad, guven the long run out last time!!
He is currently injured, although as far as I recall is in the U21 squad?
Maybe he's due back in a few days but not quite ready for full international duty?
German squad without Ballack & Klose & Lahm
Tor
12 Timo Hildebrand 05.04.1979 FC Valencia 6 -
1 Jens Lehmann 10.11.1969 Arsenal London 48 -
Abwehr
35 Gonzalo Castro 11.06.1987 Bayer 04 Leverkusen 3 -
3 Arne Friedrich 29.05.1979 Hertha BSC Berlin 52 -
24 Manuel Friedrich 13.09.1979 Bayer 04 Leverkusen 8 1
27 Clemens Fritz 07.12.1980 Werder Bremen 7 1
2 Marcell Jansen 04.11.1985 FC Bayern München 18 1
17 Per Mertesacker 29.09.1984 Werder Bremen 35 1
21 Christoph Metzelder 05.11.1980 Real Madrid 35 -
Mittelfeld
18 Tim Borowski 02.05.1980 Werder Bremen 29 2
8 Torsten Frings 22.11.1976 Werder Bremen 68 10
34 Roberto Hilbert 16.10.1984 VfB Stuttgart 5 -
22 David Odonkor 21.02.1984 Betis Sevilla 12 1
38 Simon Rolfes 21.01.1982 Bayer 04 Leverkusen 4 -
19 Bernd Schneider 17.11.1973 Bayer 04 Leverkusen 80 4
7 Bastian Schweinsteiger 01.08.1984 FC Bayern München 45 13
28 Piotr Trochowski 22.03.1984 Hamburger SV 7 -
Angriff
32 Mario Gomez 10.07.1985 VfB Stuttgart 3 3
37 Patrick Helmes 01.03.1984 1. FC Köln 4 -
33 Stefan Kießling 25.01.1984 Bayer 04 Leverkusen 1 -
31 Kevin Kuranyi 02.03.1982 FC Schalke 04 42 19
20 Lukas Podolski 04.06.1985 FC Bayern München 40 23
Would agree with that selection but has Potter been playing these days with Wolves? Wouldn't be surprised if Stan, in his infinite wisdom, started Carsley and Douglas...
And surely with O'Shea being a doubt its finally time to call up Andy O'Brien???
"Well I think they'll be a little disappointed with that" - Matt Holland on TV3 after 5-2 drubbing by Cyprus
I've tried typing out a team I wouldn't mind seeing face the Germans but it looks so bare I had to delete it. The only players I have any confidence in would be:
Given in goal
Finnan at right back
Dunne at CB
Reid centre midfield
Doyle and Keane up top.
The other 5 places up for grabs? Too frightening to even contemplate.
"If God had meant football to be played in the air, he'd have put grass in the sky." Brian Clough.
You'll NEVER beat the Irish.......you'll just draw with us instead!!!
O'Brien has been called up.
Potter wasn't even on the bench for Wolves.
I'd give O'Brien another chance at CB then and move O'Shea to left back. Killer will go to left midfield.
"If God had meant football to be played in the air, he'd have put grass in the sky." Brian Clough.
You'll NEVER beat the Irish.......you'll just draw with us instead!!!
Maybe Kilbane will go to left midfield, but he SHOULD be nowhere near that position. I know we have a bit of a problem with that position as hunt and duff are out of the game, but as has been said countless times before he doesn't have the ability to play left midfield. However, with someone like him out of the first team line up it would be a big loss - due to his "grafting" nature and determination, so he should be seriously considered for left back.
Ireland on the right, McGeady on the left. That's where they play for their clubs. Wouldn't be surprised if Stan put McGeady RM, Ireland CM and Reid LM though.
I have to say, Kilbane has been pretty consistent for Wigan so far this season (4-0 drubbings by United excepted). Personally, I'd like to see Carsley and Reid in the center and then McGeady and Ireland on the wings, that team has a good balance I think. Reid will help to link Carsley (who will sit really deep, due to Stan's tactics) to the two wingers, whose defensive attributes aren't really up to scratch. Then again, they're not there to defend.
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