Ireland line-up under Trapattoni

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Doherty

If anyone thinks Stephen Reid can play as a defensive midfielder they seriously need to sit down and watch him play. He is the closest we have to Steven Gerrard. He is a box to box player who wants to make powerful runs carrying the ball towards the opposition box. He does not have, and should not be asked to show, the discipline to do the job Carsley is doing for us. At Blackburn he has always had either Robbie Savage or Aaron Mokoena doing that alongside him.

Both Reids together would be over run in midfield. Carsley is essential, and once he goes Joey O'Brien will be essential

Originally Posted by backtowalsall

If anyone thinks Stephen Reid can play as a defensive midfielder they seriously need to sit down and watch him play. He is the closest we have to Steven Gerrard. He is a box to box player who wants to make powerful runs carrying the ball towards the opposition box. He does not have, and should not be asked to show, the discipline to do the job Carsley is doing for us. At Blackburn he has always had either Robbie Savage or Aaron Mokoena doing that alongside him.

Both Reids together would be over run in midfield. Carsley is essential, and once he goes Joey O'Brien will be essential

If so, we are in deep trouble. The lad is not a CM. Remember the Cyprus home game?

Originally Posted by backtowalsall

If anyone thinks Stephen Reid can play as a defensive midfielder they seriously need to sit down and watch him play. He is the closest we have to Steven Gerrard. He is a box to box player who wants to make powerful runs carrying the ball towards the opposition box. He does not have, and should not be asked to show, the discipline to do the job Carsley is doing for us. At Blackburn he has always had either Robbie Savage or Aaron Mokoena doing that alongside him.

Watch him again. He's a completely different player now. Reid's 5 games he played for Blackburn before the Arsenal game was in a midfield with Dunn, Pedersen and Bentley. He played the holding role. Against Arsenal he partnered Tugay and he played more of a playmakers role. Kept things simple but moved around a lot. Got forward the odd time. Reid-Reid is the idea partnership for us on paper imo. Both positionally sound.

Originally Posted by Nipper

If so, we are in deep trouble. The lad is not a CM. Remember the Cyprus home game?

He came through the ranks at Bolton as a central midfielder, and played there on loan at Sheffield Wednesday alongside Glenn Whelan.
He was only shunted out to right full when Nicky Hunt got injured and they needed him to fill in there. He was back on the right of a midfield three before getting injured recently. I've read a few times that it is his preferred position.

He had a bad game v Cyprus that i didn't think was terrible. A lot was made of it by Dunphy as a stick to beat Stan with. He could maybe do with spending time in the weights room but that will come. He is still only 21.

I could be wrong on Reid, I'll watch Reid next chance i get, but i still can't see him in that role.

Hmm, bit of a difference between Bolton reserves/ Sheffield Weds and WC Qualifiers. He looked woefully out of his depth against Cyprus.


Not of international standard really. Would like to be proved wrong, but if I saw him lining out in central midfield against Italy or Bulgaria I'd be fairly apprehensive.

I don't personally buy into the 'international standard' player. Are Cyprus better than most EPL sides? If a player is good enough to play well in the EPL, then he should be good enough to play for us.

I hear ya, but if he looked lost against Cyprus it doesn't bode well for more testing internationals. I'm not slating him outright, he looks a useful full-back, and did great as an emergency CB against Germany, just don't think he should ever get the nod again in the middle.

Well, not until he has more experience there. Isn't he playing on the right of a midfied 3 thses days, at least until his recent injury?

i want to see him use the under-estimated and misunderstood 3-7 formation. Works a treat in subutteo.

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

Well, not until he has more experience there. Isn't he playing on the right of a midfied 3 thses days, at least until his recent injury?

Yeah he needs a good run of games in that position before coming anywhere near consideration. Plus, Bolton aren't exactly pulling up any trees at the moment. They're terrible to watch.

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

Well, not until he has more experience there. Isn't he playing on the right of a midfied 3 thses days, at least until his recent injury?

He made his name in the middle on a season long loan at Shefield Wednesday... Owls fan would be in a better position to comment

I think its vital that a young player is playing week in week out before they are thrown into competitive games. Experienced players can get away with it but if you are young and up and coming you need to have a run of games at whatever level but you need to be sharp and used to playing week in week out.

Didn't Trapattoni discuss with Givens and Houghton his various line-ups under 3 systems? Correct me if I'm wrong but I though I saw those line-ups in one of the papers over the weekend?

He actually mentioned 5 different systems.

I'd give the man the benefit of the doubt in the first game anyway and see how he gets on.

Football is a simple game made complicated by men with nothing better to do.

If he has a plan, hes able to communicate that to the players, the players buy into it and they can execute it, we're half way there.

Originally Posted by NeilMcD

He actually mentioned 5 different systems.

My mistake - only saw 3 of them publsihed though - think it was 4-4-2, 4-3-2-1 and maybe 4-3-3.

I mainly remember that his back 4 was Kelly, Dunne, O'Shea and Kilbane

Ha ha, the lads did not release that detail, that is the papers speculating at what players he was putting where.

would agree with a lot of the lads advocating the 4-2-3-1 here. I think the following team would be great at keeping the ball:

Given

J O'Brien Dunne StLedge O'Shea (I cannot trust KK at full back)

Reid Reid

McGeady Ireland Duff

Keane

I suppose that the only worry would be that they're a bunch of short-arses but whats new?! That formation also can have a lot of variations with Keane dropping into the Ireland role and Morrisson/Doyle playing up front and Hunt/Duff/McGeady being interchangeable depending on form and injuries.
Obviously this relies heavily on the Reids staying injury free (not exactly guaranteed) but I would be very excited if Trap was to go for something like this.