Creativity in midfield

**colster** · 08/09/2003, 10:45 AM

Saturdays result seems have pointed out our creative deficiencies in midfield. I think it was as much to do with a lack of penetration up front.

Anyway we do lack creativity in midfield. Many have put MacPhail forward as the solution to this problem.
I don't think that MacPhail is strong enough to play in the centre of a 4 man midfield.
So are we talking about a return to the 4-5-1 formation as used by JC when John Sheridan was around.

I would like us to try the new in-vogue formation which is an attacking variation on 4-5-1 i.e 4-2-3-1.

My team would be

--------- Given--------

Carr O'Shea Cunnigham Finnan

-----Healy-----------Delap--------

Keane---MacPhail--------Duff

---------- Morrisson

I think that Keane, MacPhail and Duff are intelligent enough footballers to float behind Morrisson. Keane likes to play in a withdrawn role.

What do you think?? I think this formation would be worth a try in some friendlies.

**pete** · 08/09/2003, 10:59 AM

You clearly been playing too many computer games to come up with a formation like that.

I do not understand why you would play Robbie Keane ( top goal scorer) on the right wing. I hate to use an english analogy but don't think you'll see Owen play on the wing anytime soon.

I still don't understand what people have against Breen - his irish performances in recent years have been great + can see at the game that he has a good partnership with Cunningham such is the communication between them.

Would be interested to see how Delap improved in last couple of years but IMO McPhail not good enough yet.

**colster** · 08/09/2003, 11:15 AM

Originally posted by pete
You clearly been playing too many computer games to come up with a formation like that.

I do not understand why you would play Robbie Keane ( top goal scorer) on the right wing. I hate to use an english analogy but don't think you'll see Owen play on the wing anytime soon.

I still don't understand what people have against Breen - his irish performances in recent years have been great + can see at the game that he has a good partnership with Cunningham such is the communication between them.

Would be interested to see how Delap improved in last couple of years but IMO McPhail not good enough yet.

I've nothing against Breen. I'd just like to see O'Shea given a chance in the centre and Finnan on the left.
The reason I've gone for this formation is to accomodate MacPhail who looks like a player who has the talent to unlock defences like the Russians on Saturday. Real and Utd have been usinng this formation recently.
I don't think he is strong enough to play in a 4 man midfield.
I think Keane is better behind the front man. He likes to roam. I think he would be wasted up front on his own.
The Keane-MacPhail-Duff trio would interchange and move around. I think they are all talented enough to do that.
Healy and Delap are both good defensively and very strong runners which they'll need to be to play this formation.

I'm not advocating that we play this against Switzerland. Just that it would be worth looking at .

**John83** · 08/09/2003, 11:28 AM

Whatever about Delap, McFrail ain't gettting another cap anytime soon. Injuries aside, he hasn't played well for a good two (three?) years, and has barely played at all in a long time.

His loan spell at Millwall was an absolute disaster.

**colster** · 08/09/2003, 11:43 AM

Originally posted by John83
Whatever about Delap, McFrail ain't gettting another cap anytime soon. Injuries aside, he hasn't played well for a good two (three?) years, and has barely played at all in a long time.

His loan spell at Millwall was an absolute disaster.

Seems to be doing well at Forest at the moment.
He's been unlucky over the last couple of seasons.
He's probably played more games and is more experienced than Healy.He has played in the Champions League and Europe did very well there.
Look he is the most creative midfielder available to Ireland at the moment.
We are a small nation so sometimes we can't wait for players to re-estbalish themselves.
Sometimes we have to help them along by playing them in friendlies.

Anyway we tried 4-3-3 with Connolly, Keane and Duff up front. Why not try this variation in a friendly. Thats what they're for after all.

Also I think it's time that we brought in players such as Thornton, Reid and Miller into the senior squad and gave them a run out.
Hopefully we can see some of them against Turkey.

**pete** · 08/09/2003, 12:14 PM

The loan spell at Nottingham Forest will do McPhail well. Best to see how he does & then maybe give him a chance in the spring friendlies.

btw thought Reid impressive for the u-21s on friday & certainly better than Butler. Dunno if he ready for senior level yet.

**Slash/ED** · 08/09/2003, 4:10 PM

Butler, Reid and Miller are all ready I reckon, McPhails place in my formation would involve boot cleaning and generally being as far away from the Lansedown road pitch as possible. Tried and failed.

**Colm** · 08/09/2003, 9:03 PM

No doubt I'll be laughed at for suggesting this but, if it's creativity you're looking for, I honestly believe George O'Callaghan is at least worth a try.

**�anna** · 08/09/2003, 9:11 PM

Originally posted by Colm
No doubt I'll be laughed at for suggesting this but, if it's creativity you're looking for, I honestly believe George O'Callaghan is at least worth a try.

agreed.

**Seamus #1** · 08/09/2003, 9:50 PM

I appreciate what people are saying about creativity in midfield. But I really think Ireland needs a dominant all round midfielder, someone who will take the game by the scruff of the neck as it were.

Basically a Vieira rather than a Zidane.

I know we struggled on saturday but we were without our star striker and Duffer was getting hacked to pieces every time he got the ball. All the creativity in the world won't help if the rest of the team seem incapable of passing the ball properly which to me seemed the problem.

**Seamus #1** · 08/09/2003, 9:53 PM

Originally posted by colster
Also I think it's time that we brought in players such as Thornton, Reid and Miller into the senior squad and gave them a run out.
Hopefully we can see some of them against Turkey.

Totally agree. I can't understand why he didn't give particularly Miller a go against Australia

**Ultan** · 09/09/2003, 7:43 AM

Is O'Shea worth a look in centre midfield? He looks comfortable on the ball and seems to make an effort to use it when he gets it, certainly more so then the crap like Kinsella and Holland. He's already played there for Man United and by all accounts didn't look out of his dept. Coupled with the fact we have full backs a plenty I think it should at least be tried in a future friendly.

Remember, Paul McGrath was essentially a full-back who played in the middle of the park for Ireland.

**noby** · 09/09/2003, 8:07 AM

Originally posted by �anna
agreed.

is that agreed that he'll be laughed at.

**colster** · 09/09/2003, 9:40 AM

Originally posted by Slash/ED
Butler, Reid and Miller are all ready I reckon, McPhails place in my formation would involve boot cleaning and generally being as far away from the Lansedown road pitch as possible. Tried and failed.

Agree with you about Reid and Miller but not sure about Butler. He hasn't yet got a 1st team place at Sunderland.
MacPhail has, I agree, yet to impress for Ireland but he has either been played on the left or in a 4 man midfield.
I'm not saying that he should get into the first team for competitive games. All I'm saying is that it would be worth a try just like Kerr tried Duff,Keane and Connolly in a front 3.
From what I've seen of MacPhail he has the potential to be a very good midfielder.

I think it's time for Kerr to experiment with midfield and bring in the likes of Reid, Miller and Thornton.

carnstein · 09/09/2003, 10:03 AM

McPhail and Healy should be our central midfield partnership for the future. Healy offers a bit of steel and is a great tackler and McPhail offers what we have been lacking scince Keano departed the posistion, creativity.

**Schumi** · 09/09/2003, 11:02 AM

Originally posted by Colm
No doubt I'll be laughed at for suggesting this but, if it's creativity you're looking for, I honestly believe George O'Callaghan is at least worth a try.

Yeah and play Mick Devine in goal as well.

**colster** · 09/09/2003, 11:08 AM

Originally posted by carnstein
McPhail and Healy should be our central midfield partnership for the future. Healy offers a bit of steel and is a great tackler and McPhail offers what we have been lacking scince Keano departed the posistion, creativity.

I don't think that MacPhail is strong enough to play in a midfield partnership. IMO he can only be accomodated as a 3rd central midfielder.
Teams like Ireland need to have 2 defensive ball winning midfielders because we don't keep the ball well enough. We don't have enough players that are comfortable on the ball to accomodate MacPhail in a 4 man midfield.