The Centre Midfield Crisis.

[shakermaker1982]

just about recovered from my Dublin trip and thought I'd check on foot.ie to see what the regulars thought of the game and I'm surprised at the amount of criticism. 3 points is 3 points and we're sitting pretty right now. A lot of moaners around me in the lower Cusack stand about Whelan and Gibson but what do you expect from two international novices? Gibson was the better player of the two on the night and yes Whelan doesn't pass forward but they got their tackles in and shielded the back 4. The days of us having somebody like Roy Keane bossing the midfield are long gone. The Trap likes his system of having 6 'defensive' players and there is nothing the media, fans and pundits can say to change his mind. He's had a system that has worked wherever he has gone and he's not going to change now. I feel a bit sorry for Reidy but it looks like his international career is on hold.

The one thing that does annoy me about our brilliant manager is his reluctance to use the bench. It's as if he's worried that if he makes one modification to the personnel the whole thing will fall apart. Fresh legs could have stemmed the tide in the 2nd half - using Andy Reid might have meant we kept hold of the ball a bit more, Hunt could have ran round like a rabid dog and forced Cyprus into errors etc etc. Oh well 4 points clear of Bulgaria after 3 games is not too bad of a start. The loss of S Reid is a huge blow but hopefully the Poland game will identify a new midfield star (Andrews?) or it could be used to develop the Gibson/Whelan partnership.

[Irish_Praha]

With the injuries and lack of experience in CMF we do have a bit of a crisis at the moment but when I look at the long list of young lads playig there regularly for their clubs at SPL level or higher I would say it is only temporary.

McCarthy, Garvan, McCann, O'Tool, O'Brien, Stephen Quinn are all 22 or younger and playing regular first team football. I know at least half of them will probably end up being too poor for international football but if just one or two of them make it in combination with the players we have now that are 28 or younger then we will have the makings of a good CMF pairing for the next 5 years at least. If two of them end up being great players then we are covered for the next 10 years. It's also very possible that one or two will reach the levels of Holland and Kinsella.

Where I think we have a real crisis is at CB, if Dunne and O'Shea get injured or are suspended at the same time then we are in big trouble. We then have nobody with a decent level of internation experience to step in a cover for them. I would also struggle to name 5 young Irish CBs playing regularly at a decent level, that fill me with confidence for the near future.

At least in CMF I feel some outside older players could step in and do a half-decent job if really needed ie. Holland, Carsley, Michael Doyle, Andrews, alan Quinn.

Just a side note: if Trap wants an ultra-safe partner for Andy Reid he could play Dunne there. Pity we would have nobody to replace him at CB though.
Maybe a team like this:

Given

Finnan, O'Shea, McShane, Kilbane

McGeady, Dunne, A.Reid, Duff

Keane, Doyle

[third policeman]

If we had cover at CB (What's the score with Andy O'Brien, and why isn't he getting the same stick as Stephen Ireland) then I think that O'Shea is better equiped to play in midfield under the Trap system. But its an interesting idea, if Trap sees these positions as being essentially defensive then why not play more experienced defenders in there. Finnan also has experience playing in centre midfield when he was at Fulham. Having said that I would still much prefer to see the likes of Garvan, O'Toole and McCann given an opportunity against Poland.

[geysir]

We use to be in a no man's land and not sure of which way to go about getting out of there.
Trap has identified his way to go forward with the team and it's not to everybody's (complete) satisfaction or the way they think our game should be played.

Andy Reid was excellent in the game against Germany who stood off him. Against Cyprus and in particular against Wales he did not come close to grabbing the game.
Personally I would prefer if Trap could get Andy Reid to play Traps type of game.
If Trap thinks not, then he is the man.
Trap identifies Gibson as a player with the quality who can step up, maybe maybe not.
I thought the mistake in the Cyprus game was having 2 novice CM's and no leader. It was a huge gamble by Trap and he pulled it off with space to spare.

Cyprus had a real first half chance and nothing much after that. We should have had a second. That was the biggest negative of the evening.

[stiffler]

I would love to see one of Owen Garvan, James McCarthy or Martin Andrews get a start against Poland. We need to find a long term solution to a key position. However, it is worth noting that a player isnt gonna come in and be a keystone in the team in his first game or 2.

[Colbert Report]

We use to be in a no man's land and not sure of which way to go about getting out of there.
Trap has identified his way to go forward with the team and it's not to everybody's (complete) satisfaction or the way they think our game should be played.

Andy Reid was excellent in the game against Germany who stood off him. Against Cyprus and in particular against Wales he did not come close to grabbing the game.
Personally I would prefer if Trap could get Andy Reid to play Traps type of game.
If Trap thinks not, then he is the man.
Trap identifies Gibson as a player with the quality who can step up, maybe maybe not.
I thought the mistake in the Cyprus game was having 2 novice CM's and no leader. It was a huge gamble by Trap and he pulled it off with space to spare.

Cyprus had a real first half chance and nothing much after that. We should have had a second. That was the biggest negative of the evening.

What game were you watching? They were all over us the entire second half. They deserved a goal on 85 minutes when that Cypriot lad squared the ball inside the box to an open man.

[Fergie's Son]

What game were you watching? They were all over us the entire second half. They deserved a goal on 85 minutes when that Cypriot lad squared the ball inside the box to an open man.

They really only had 2 clear cut chance the entire match. We had 5 or 6.

Gibson was on the bench for United today which is at least some progress.

[TheBoss]

What game were you watching? They were all over us the entire second half. They deserved a goal on 85 minutes when that Cypriot lad squared the ball inside the box to an open man.

They were not all over us but had most of the possession, there is a difference. They did not really create any chances, that chance you mention was a bad mistake by McShane and McGeady combined. How many saves did Shay have to make, 1 or 2, despite all that possession they had.

[Irish_Praha]

They were not all over us but had most of the possession, there is a difference. They did not really create any chances, that chance you mention was a bad mistake by McShane and McGeady combined. How many saves did Shay have to make, 1 or 2, despite all that possession they had.

Totally agree but we won't be able to afford to give the likes of Italy and Blugaria so much posession. If they are on form they will create much more than 1 or 2 chances. Maybe our defence can deal with it but that remains to be seen.

[eirebhoy]

Totally agree but we won't be able to afford to give the likes of Italy and Blugaria so much posession.

Bulgaria are no better than Montenegro in attack. Actually a lot worse now without Petrov imo. Italy is a different story though obviously.

[ifk101]

I don't think there is a centre midfield "crisis", although I acknowledge this is a position where we lack quality players.

Whelan and Gibson were clearly instructed to sit (very) deep in the game against Cyprus. I think this instruction is a reason as to why both had relatively poor performaces against Cyprus. If Gibson had played ahead of Whelan, I doubt Cyprus would have had so much possession in the second half. But maybe if we had pushed Gibson forward, Cyprus might have been able to create more chances that they did.

[SkStu]

its funny how our lack of quality in depth seems to go in cycles - for so long it was up front, then it was defensively and now it is midfield. I think shortly we will have great strength in depth at midfield (all those young lads on the verge of a breakthrough) and i think it will shift to alack of quality defenders very shortly... we have nothing really new coming through bar a couple of quality eircom league fullbacks who could make the transition (only if they move obviously)...

[SwanVsDalton]

What about Martin Rowlands? Don't know much about him myself but Trap was impressed with him during previous games. Is he any good?

[Fergie's Son]

Reid came off against the bench against Fulham and didn't do a lot. Mind you, he didn't have much time but a holding midfielder he isn't.

One hopes that Gibson starts getting some playing time or maybe that Garvan steps up.

[tommy_c12000]

What about Martin Rowlands? Don't know much about him myself but Trap was impressed with him during previous games. Is he any good?

Average at best. 30 next feb. No chance he'll be within an ass's roar of a competitive start

[paul_oshea]

Reid came off against the bench against Fulham and didn't do a lot. Mind you, he didn't have much time but a holding midfielder he isn't.

One hopes that Gibson starts getting some playing time or maybe that Garvan steps up.

eh, I was at the match, and yes he did, he was only one on either side that looked like he could do something. Murphy did ok, got on the ball but then messed up.

[galwayhoop]

its funny how our lack of quality in depth seems to go in cycles - for so long it was up front, then it was defensively and now it is midfield....

thats it really in a nutshell for small nations. it would be very rare (and lucky) to have strength in all positions at any one time.

the thing is since the RK with Kinsella/Holland midfield we haven't really had a strong one. We are looking down the line at Garvan's, McCarthys, McCann, O'Toole...etc. In reality none of these lads will be considered good enough untill they have two or 3 years of regular international football behind them. Even if Garvan or one of these lads went straight in people would still only be talking about potential..etc

[Stuttgart88]

Bulgaria are no better than Montenegro in attack. Actually a lot worse now without Petrov imo. Italy is a different story though obviously.

I thought Italy were toothless in attack in the Euros.

[third policeman]

Have noticed that niether Garvan or O'Toole have been starting for their clubs regularly in recent weeks, yet both have been scoring goals and reportedly playing well when selected. I think it would be difficult for either of them to step up to international football if they are not getting regular games. Maybe McCann is the one most ready for promotion?

[irishfan86]

Have noticed that niether Garvan or O'Toole have been starting for their clubs regularly in recent weeks, yet both have been scoring goals and reportedly playing well when selected. I think it would be difficult for either of them to step up to international football if they are not getting regular games. Maybe McCann is the one most ready for promotion?

I haven't watched much of any of those three players, but based on what I've read, both in terms of performance and style of play, McCann seems most suited to play as a centre-mid in Trap's system.