Ireland vs Macedonia (1 Viewer)

[Luther Blissett]

29 man squad for Macedonia and Uruguay games:

Westwood (Coventry City), Randolph (Motherwell), Forde (Millwall); Foley (Wolves), O'Shea (Manchester Utd), Clark (Aston Villa), Coleman (Everton), Dunne (Aston Villa), St Ledger (Preston NE), Kelly (Fulham), O'Dea (Celtic), Kilbane (Huddersfield); Wilson (Stoke City), Gibson (Manchester Utd), Whelan (Stoke City), Green (Derby), Lawrence (Portsmouth), McCarthy (Wigan Ath), McGeady (Spartak Moscow), Treacy (Preston), Andrews (Blackburn), Fahey (Birmingham City), Duff (Fulham); Keane (West Ham Utd), Walters (Stoke City), Doyle (Wolves), Long (Reading), Best (Newcastle Utd), Keogh (Bristol City).

Apart from Given's absence that's a really healthy looking squad with competition in a number of positions.

My starting XI against Macedonia would be:

Westwood

O’Shea Dunne St Ledger Clark

Coleman McCarthy Whelan Duff

Doyle Long

 

[Richie]

Yeah I'd go with that team, odds are it'll be Gibson/Green & McGeady starting though with Coleman & McCarthy coming on as subs. Seems to be some doubt too over whether or not Richard Dunne will be ready. It's going to be another hard grind, Slovakia scraped a 1-0 win over them at home with a goal in injury time and Russia just about managed the same result in Macedonia.

 

[washingcattle]

No Complaints about that side here (for once) Is Best worth a shout though ? I haven't seen enough of his he seems a good bustler to lash on in need of a goal in the second half. I pray that neither Green or Gibson get anywhere near the game, I mean we actually have to win the fucking thing.

 

[nutmeg81]

Well I'd like to see maybe Fahey in alongside Whelan and push McCarthy up in behind Long or Doyle. But with Andrews back Im sure he will start alongside Whelan and Green should not be anywhere near the squad. Or Gibson that over rated shooter!

Still no Stephen Ward yet Kilbane gets back in????

I wonder if Carr, Stephen Reid or Delap have been approached to come back?

Whast boout Harte gettin back in ahead of Kilbane folks? Im sure Cunningham will be there for the future but i worry with Kilbane on.

Treacy be worth a punt to come on for Duffer if he tires too.

No sub keeper with experience while Kenny doin very well for QPR.....odd.

 

[nutmeg81]

Well I'd like to see maybe Fahey in alongside Whelan and push McCarthy up in behind Long or Doyle. But with Andrews back Im sure he will start alongside Whelan and Green should not be anywhere near the squad. Or Gibson that over rated shooter! Or McGeady not a goal in 38 appearances.

Still no Stephen Ward a regular Prem player yet Kilbane gets back in????

I wonder if Carr, Stephen Reid or Delap have been approached to come back?

What bout Harte gettin back in ahead of Kilbane folks? Im sure Cunningham will be there for the future but i worry with Kilbane on.

Treacy or Fahey (if he not given a central role) be worth a punt to come on for Duffer if he tires too.

No sub keeper with experience while Kenny doin very well for QPR.....odd.

 

[washingcattle]

O' Shea crocked apparently. Not good he's been solid this season.

 

[Hector Grey]

i'd like sean st ledger to fuck off. wherever it is that they buried paul mcshane. frankly i'd rather andrews at right back, but if o'shea is fucked, well that's that. st ledger is a liability with his lack of positional sense and pace. he does swan about like he's franco baresi though, i'll give him that.

didn't paddy k retire from international footy in a fit of pique?

 

[Stan Bowles]

I'm delighted Paddy has been left out, many people's player of the year at rangers. We don't want him getting injured if we need to make up FA deducted points.

 

[Richie]

I don't think St Ledger's been that bad for Ireland.. He has a knack of scoring big goals, for one thing. You'd hope that soon enough Ciaran Clark & Mark Wilson will be competing for that slot anyway. Was surprised that Paddy Kenny wasn't called up but I can't imagine it'd be worth his while if he was still behind Westwood in the queue.

 

[Hector Grey]

i could live without sean's goals scored if he took all his mistakes that have given them away with him. against italy he goes and scores what should have been the winner, then 30 seconds later is falling on his hole and letting gilardino score. BAH! mind you, it was a fucking class 30 seconds.

 

[Jerry Twig]

I think having Kilbane in the squad is a sound move, provided it's as I hope for motivational purposes in training.
I'd also have Fahey alongside McCarthy, instead, but of course that's never going to happen as Trap's not the type to try new things in competitive games, not to mind his inexplicable abiding loyalty in Whelan. I'd also be expect McGeady to start, even if he's in pre-season.

 

[Moods For Mallards]

McGeady will start, and rightly so.

 

[Hector Grey]

Liam Lawrence has criticised players who decide they want to play for the Republic of Ireland only after failing to win England recognition.
Stoke's winger Jermaine Pennant and Jamie O'Hara, who is currently on loan at Wolves, have both suggested recently that they could declare for Ireland. Lawrence, who joined Portsmouth from Stoke at the turn of the year, admits their comments have not gone down well within the Irish camp.
He said: "The only thing I know upsets us is when people are trying to juggle between England and Ireland. That's the only issue, really, and it's not just me saying that. It doesn't look good, does it?
"We don't dislike these people, it is just some of the comments they come out with when they are saying they are juggling between Ireland and England – you just don't want it, do you?"

nothing whatsoever to do with the fact that pennant plays in liam's position...eh?

 

[washingcattle]

According to everyone at Liverpool Pennant is the worst trainer in the universe. Even after he'd left they took the piss out of him.

Considering how Trap treated Andy Reid there's no hope of Pennant ever getting a game. He's shite anyway.

 

[fobster]

Lawrence probably had the foresight at an earlier age that he would never amount to much as a footballer, i.e. rubbish, and so opted for Ireland. Taking the easy option.

 

[washingcattle]

C'mon now Liam Lawerence isn't that rubbish. And furthermore fuck off out of our C'mon Ireland style thread with that talk now. it's the week of the game we should be talking up our chances of results going our way and getting first cautiously optimistic and then down right unrealistic and dillusional by saturday.

I'm starting the bidding at 1-0 to Ireland plus 0-0 draws for Russia, Slovakia, Armenia and Andorra. Sure why not ?

C'Mon the fucking lads!!!

 

[Unicron]

C'mon now Liam Lawerence isn't that rubbish.

If he had even enough pace to outrun a zimmer frame bound pensioner he'd be a brilliant footballer, technically he's very good.

 

[washingcattle]

If he had even enough pace to outrun a zimmer frame bound pensioner he'd be a brilliant footballer, technically he's very good.

See that's the spirit.

C'Mon the lads.

 

[Richie]

I think what Lawrence is saying is fair enough, no problem with 2nd generation players but you at least want them to commit to you without some drawn out saga in the media where they're clearly courting the country of their main choice and using you as leverage. Ciaran Clark for example probably had more chance of lining out for England than Jamie O Hara does but he made his decision quickly without spending a couple of years making eyes at Capello and keeping us as a backup option just in case.

 

[washingcattle]

Yeah Fuck him we don't need the cunt. Tell him to go and shite.

Again C'mon the lads