Ireland v Erdogan, Mussollini and Salazar (2 Viewers)

[CinnamonBoy]

Provisional Squad announced

David Forde Millwall FC 20/12/1979 16 0
Darren Randolph Birmingham City FC 12/05/1987 2 0
Rob Elliot Newcastle United FC 30/04/1986 0 0
Richard Keogh Derby County FC 11/08/1986 3 1
Marc Wilson Stoke City FC 17/09/1987 15 1
Seamus Coleman Everton FC 11/10/1988 21 0
John O’Shea Sunderland AFC 30/04/1981 94 2
Alex Pearce Reading FC 09/11/1988 2 1
Stephen Kelly Reading FC 06/09/1983 37 0
Damien Delaney Crystal Palace FC 20/07/1981 8 0
Joey O’Brien West Ham FC 17/02/1986 5 0
Shane Duffy Everton FC 01/01/1992 0 0
James McCarthy Everton FC 12/11/1990 23 0
Jeff Hendrick Derby County FC 31/01/1992 4 0
Ciaran Clark Aston Villa FC 26/09/1989 10 1
Stephen Ward Brighton Hove Albion 20/08/1985 20 2
Glenn Whelan Stoke City FC 13/01/1984 55 2
Paul Green Leeds United FC 10/04/1983 20 1
Aiden McGeady Everton FC 04/04/1986 64 3
Anthony Pilkington Norwich City FC 06/06/1988 3 0
James McClean Wigan Athletic FC 22/04/1989 19 0
Stephen Quinn Hull City FC 04/04/1986 3 0
David Meyler Hull City FC 29/05/1989 5 0
Wes Hoolahan Norwich City FC 20/05/1982 10 1
Robbie Keane LA Galaxy FC 08/07/1980 131 62
Shane Long Hull City FC 22/01/1987 44 11
Daryl Murphy Ipswich Town FC 15/03/1983 9 0
Jon Walters Stoke City FC 20/09/1983 25 4
Kevin Doyle QPR FC 18/09/1983 57 12
Anthony Stokes Celtic FC 25/07/1988 8 0
Simon Cox Nottingham Forrest FC 28/04/1987 27 4
Connor Sammon Derby County FC 06/11/1986 9 0

 

[Hector Grey]

Jesus, we're great, aren't we?

 

[Jerry Twig]

Exactly Trappatoni's squad, down to the reintroduction of Sammon as well as Ward.
Progress.

 

[washingcattle]

Exactly Trappatoni's squad, down to the reintroduction of Sammon as well as Ward.
Progress.

C'mon now, we know we don't have many players to chose from but the way we play them will be different right ? won't it ? it will right ? Surely it will right ?


By the way Ward is playing at Brighton now, who are in the playoffs and usually play good passing football. I wonder if they get promoted would he get a transfer and play in the PL with a side who want to play football. Can't be a bad thing can it ?

Wilson and Whelan have improved since Mark Hughes forced Stoke to pass the ball to each other.

Based on the football they play at club level I'd have all the Stoke, Hull Brighton, Forest and Everton lads in the team. Under Poyet Sunderland play good football (occasionally) too so O Shea get's the nod there.

No one playing for either Alladyce or Pulis would ever even get in my squad. That kick and rush bullshit does not cut it at this level. Defenders have to be able to pass it other wise you don't get the ball back for 20 minutes.

 

[7 - No tomorrow]

Is Stephen Ireland coming back?

 

[CinnamonBoy]

Is Stephen Ireland coming back?

Possibly. MON says he'll be sitting down for a chat with him to put the whole thing to bed, finally. If he wants to come back he'll be added to the squad.

 

[7 - No tomorrow]

I would love it

 

[CinnamonBoy]

By the way Ward is playing at Brighton now, who are in the playoffs and usually play good passing football. I wonder if they get promoted would he get a transfer and play in the PL with a side who want to play football. Can't be a bad thing can it ?

.

He scored a great goal at the weekend. I always thought he looked a better striker than defender anytime I've seen him get moved up top. That's where he mostly played for Bohs, I think. Better than Sammon anyway.

 

[CinnamonBoy]

I would love it

So would I. We've little creativity in the midfield otherwise.

 

[7 - No tomorrow]

So would I. We've little creativity in the midfield otherwise.

He scored goals for us too.

Probably not the same player anymore though.

 

[Jerry Twig]

C'mon now, we know we don't have many players to chose from but the way we play them will be different right ? won't it ? it will right ? Surely it will right ?

I didn't mean it as a criticism of MON, rather a sad reflection on how little we have to choose from. Still, there should be no call for Conor Sammon, play offs or otherwise.

I wouldn't agree that playing for Allardyce means no Ireland etc. You can have decent players forced to play under a certain regime. Joey O'Brien certainly merits at least a few run outs.

 

[Richie]

Very few surprises in that squad really.. It's funny the waves of exasperation that would come up every time Trap reeled off the names Green, Ward, McShane, Sammon etc but we really don't have many other options. I think Hendrick will be a valuable player for us, doing very well at Derby since he made it back into the team under McClaren, I reckon he'll do fine in the Premier League if they go up. Wonder how Shane Duffy's been getting on, I saw Yeovil got relegated unfortunately.

 

[washingcattle]

I didn't mean it as a criticism of MON, rather a sad reflection on how little we have to choose from. Still, there should be no call for Conor Sammon, play offs or otherwise.

Oh yeah I know i got that I was just taking the piss.

I wouldn't agree that playing for Allardyce means no Ireland etc. You can have decent players forced to play under a certain regime. Joey O'Brien certainly merits at least a few run outs.

See we differ massively there. I think when a player plays a certain way week in week out they go into that mode of play when there's any pressure. Under Di Canio/Trap John O Shea was hoofing the ball out of defence every time he got it at his feet. Under Poyet he's been asked to pass it and he was asked to do that under Fergie as well and surprisingly he's well able for it. His distribution from the back recently has been excellent. i watched them against Everton and he was solid and passed it really well, they were marginally the better side for long periods.

The problem with playing 9 months of the year being told smash it long is that when you have to take a touch and pass it there's no confidence there to do so. Coleman and McCarthy rarely featured for Trap because they're default strategy under Moyes/Martinez was always trust your ability take a touch and play it forward. In Colemans case of course it was a case of try to pick out whoever's in front of you if it's not on pass it to Jags let him smash it onto Fellani's head. A massive amount of football is instinctive great players have "not suited the system" based on their instincts Le Tissier and Brady are two classic examples.

If you're going to change the footballing culture then unfortunately there are going to be some casualties. Ironically Pulis and Alladyce's defenders are probably the most well drilled defensively that we have, so it's a massive shame.

Very few surprises in that squad really.. It's funny the waves of exasperation that would come up every time Trap reeled off the names Green, Ward, McShane, Sammon etc but we really don't have many other options. I think Hendrick will be a valuable player for us, doing very well at Derby since he made it back into the team under McClaren, I reckon he'll do fine in the Premier League if they go up. Wonder how Shane Duffy's been getting on, I saw Yeovil got relegated unfortunately.

Not well it seems. He played well for us when he had to, but Martinez values calm heads on the ball over big rough and tumble centre halves. Duffy has fallen way behind Stones, who has done well and Alcaraz who is absolutely dog shit and has to go, but if he's behind him in the pecking order that's a really bad sign. Relegation won't do him any favours either. Everton need funds in the summer to try and tie down Barry and Lukaku so I wouldn't be surprised if he's sold off, it's just a matter of what division he ends up in. Shame really. That injury was a huge blow to him.

 

[Richie]

Not well it seems. He played well for us when he had to, but Martinez values calm heads on the ball over big rough and tumble centre halves. Duffy has fallen way behind Stones, who has done well and Alcaraz who is absolutely dog shit and has to go, but if he's behind him in the pecking order that's a really bad sign. Relegation won't do him any favours either. Everton need funds in the summer to try and tie down Barry and Lukaku so I wouldn't be surprised if he's sold off, it's just a matter of what division he ends up in. Shame really. That injury was a huge blow to him.

That's a pity.. Center halves tend not to mature until their mid to late 20s, he'd have the time to work his way back up if he's got the dedication.

Be interesting to see where Hoolahan and Pilkington end up with Norwich going down.. Villa might still take a chance on Hoolahan, (assuming the rumoured megabucks takeover doesn't go through and Lambert is still there) he'd be cheap anyway, or maybe some promoted side might give him a short contract. Pilkington just seemed to totally fall off the radar, injury proneness really killed his season.

On availability and current playing form I'd go with this as the team:

Forde
Coleman O'Shea Delaney Wilson
McGeady McCarthy Meyler Hendrick
Hoolahan
Long

Bring on Keane for the 2nd half if Long is having an off-day..

 

[Jerry Twig]

See we differ massively there. I think when a player plays a certain way week in week out they go into that mode of play when there's any pressure. Under Di Canio/Trap John O Shea was hoofing the ball out of defence every time he got it at his feet.

Maybe you're right - I haven't thought about it too much., but I don't think the O'Shea example works as DeCanio wasn't there long enough.

 

[CinnamonBoy]

Under Di Canio/Trap John O Shea was hoofing the ball out of defence every time he got it at his feet. Under Poyet he's been asked to pass it and he was asked to do that under Fergie as well and surprisingly he's well able for it. .

You're talking about a man who made a mug of Luis Figo, nutmegging him like a cheeky winger. No surprisingly about it.

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[Unicron]

They were talking up that Jack Grealish kid's chances of a call up on Off The Ball this week, so I'm a little surprised he's not in there. If for no other reason so they could introduce him to the squad, give him a run out against Gibralter later in the year and lock him down so e can't go back to England.

 

[Jerry Twig]

On availability and current playing form I'd go with this as the team:

Forde
Coleman O'Shea Delaney Wilson
McGeady McCarthy Meyler Hendrick
Hoolahan
Long

Sound enough team, but Hoolahan obviously doesn't fit your criteria

 

[Richie]

Sound enough team, but Hoolahan obviously doesn't fit your criteria

True.. I don't know who else to put in that position, with Reid out, unless we go back to 4-4-2 and just play Keane & Long together.

About Jack Grealish, he's supposed to be a great prospect and has apparently been good for Notts County, but I'd hold off capping him until he's had at least a bit of Championship experience. It's frightening how many of these 17 or 18 year old wonder talents amount to nothing special.. check out the Daily Mail's 'England Team of the Future' from 2007:

 

[Unicron]

It's frightening how many of these 17 or 18 year old wonder talents amount to nothing special.. check out the Daily Mail's 'England Team of the Future' from 2007:

In 2003 the bbc published their England team that would win Euro 2008

The Taylor in question was someone from Blackburn called Martin Taylor, he's at Sheffield Wednesday now.

BBC SPORT | Football | Why England will win Euro 2008