Ireland vs Macedonia (1 Viewer)

[Jerry Twig]

Basically if we can beat Slovakia at home and Macedonia away we'll go to Russia knowing that a win may be enough to win the group outright and a draw may be enough to scupper them as they look like they have a few slip ups left in them.

Yes, I think if we beat everyone else then we'll top the group. That's some winning analysis!!
The Guardian are saying that Trap is thinking of deploying McCarthy up front. Guff, surely?

 

[rettucs]

Scutter, we've already been taken apart by Russia.

I didn't see that game but would it not be fair to say that Russia are probably better than Ireland?

 

[Hector Grey]

He's played 2 games this season. A guy I know who, for his sins regularly goes to Ewood Park described one of them as the worst performance he's ever seen anyone ever put in for Blackburn.

he's in some illustrious company there, so.

all this talk of midfield, lads, and you're forgetting o'hara and pennant. and noble. and i think michael laudrup.

any what abut dunne getting mullered for their goal, the fat bastard.

 

[Moods For Mallards]

I didn't see that game but would it not be fair to say that Russia are probably better than Ireland?

Aren't didn't you say that Ireland raise their game against better teams?
Russia will usually be technically better than Ireland. In the last game they were tactically better too, so they won.

 

[rettucs]

Aren't didn't you say that Ireland raise their game against better teams?

yes, but that doesn't mean they'll necessarily win

 

[Moods For Mallards]

Note: Nutsy Fenlon must have been reading my analysis:
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2011/0328/1224293221085.html

 

[Moods For Mallards]

yes, but that doesn't mean they'll necessarily win

I don't think you're contributing positively to this argument. Nutsy and I have it right, except for his blind spot on Gibson.

 

[Unicron]

he's in some illustrious company there, so.

In the pantheon of shit he is Zeus. Suckit Jason Roberts.

 

[Luther Blissett]

The Guardian are saying that Trap is thinking of deploying McCarthy up front. Guff, surely?

Trap compared McCarthy to Platini, Rivera and Mazzola no less! Hopefully after talking him up that much the old codger will make McCarthy a regular starter.

I wouldn't be surprised if Long plays up front on his own against Uruguay with McCarthy in the No.10 position behind. Totti played that role for Trap's Italy and it essentially meant that they could switch from 4-4-2 to 4-5-1 when they lost the ball. It might be worth trying out tomorrow night and could help solve the problem of being overrun in midfield as happened in the Russia game.

With Foley hopefully set to emerge as a viable option at right back (although he worryingly seemed to lose his marker on a number of occasions against Macedonia) could it be an option to play O'Shea or Clark in a defensive midfield role? They've both played there at club level and would surely offer more protection to the back four than was afforded by Whelan (who was really disappointing in defence and attack on Saturday) and Gibson against Macedonia. If Clark was in midfield O'Shea could become the long-term left back, or vice-versa. Obviously neither Clark or O'Shea is in the same class as Lawrenson or McGrath but playing a centre back in midfield has worked well for Ireland in the past.

If Trap is really thinking about changing his ways and pushing McCarthy further forward what about this as a future starting XI?


Given

Foley-Dunne-St Ledger/O'Dea-O'Shea

Coleman-Fahey-Clark-McGeady/Duff

McCarthy

Doyle

 

[rettucs]

Graeme Souness agrees with me though. Ireland are limited enough when it comes to players. Some very good, mixed with mostly-average. After the France game last year he said Ireland do really well with the players they have. Dunphy ate him alive for saying it, but he was right. Trappatoni's job is to get results. And sitting atop the table, albeit jointly so, would seem to suggest to me that hes managing to do that.

If someone suggested Ireland would be joint top with Russia and Slovakia at this stage, before the thing started, what would you have thought?

 

[Moods For Mallards]

Everyone thought this was a group we had a good chance of qualifying from, Scutter. It is not a surprise in the slightest that we are joint top.

Dunphy will say anything that fits his mood, of course. We have better players than Souness thinks, worse players than Dunphy said that one time he said "we have 8 players who would get into any team in Europe". You don't have to agree with either of those people.

I know you're messing a bit, as you don't watch the games, and it is getting to me.

 

[rettucs]

well, playing devil's advocate a bit. But fair enough, I'll opt out now.

 

[Jerry Twig]

Given

Foley-Dunne-St Ledger/O'Dea-O'Shea

Coleman-Fahey-Clark-McGeady/Duff

McCarthy

Doyle

I get the 4-4-2 to 4-5-1 idea, but for that to work you need an out-and-out striker. Doyle plays way too deep.
And you can't be sacrificing McGeady or Duff. I'd play Coleman at right-back.

 

[Cormcolash]

Yes, I think if we beat everyone else then we'll top the group. That's some winning analysis!!
The Guardian are saying that Trap is thinking of deploying McCarthy up front. Guff, surely?

Hahaha, this reminds me of when I used to play in a six-aside team, one match we were talking about tactics before the game, and this fucking idiot said 'I think we should try and score a goal, and then defend it'

 

[Luther Blissett]

I get the 4-4-2 to 4-5-1 idea, but for that to work you need an out-and-out striker. Doyle plays way too deep.
And you can't be sacrificing McGeady or Duff. I'd play Coleman at right-back.

Two good points. I'd have no problem with Coleman at right back in place of Foley. In terms of an out-and-out striker Keane also likes to drift deep so who could fulfil that role? Leon Best maybe?

Although the thought of leaving Doyle and Keane on the bench seems crazy I'd like to see Trap experiment with the 4-4-2 to 4-5-1 formation before Ireland play Russia in Moscow. Some flexibility, while unlikely, could pay dividends in getting a result.

There's a real chance we'll be overrun in midfield again (against Russia) if we play a rigid 4-4-2, especially if it contains the increasingly inert Whelan and Gibson. It's difficult to disagree with Zonal Marking's analysis of the Ireland-Russia game:

With the ball Ireland found themselves outnumbered in midfield, and without the ball they found it difficult to press cohesively.

Fingers crossed the comments about McCarthy being the new Platini will inspire Trap to adapt his formation when needs be.

 

[ratmonkey]

Hahaha, this reminds me of when I used to play in a six-aside team, one match we were talking about tactics before the game, and this fucking idiot said 'I think we should try and score a goal, and then defend it'

Your six a side team was managed by Trappatoni?

 

[Unicron]

Westwood, Foley, O'Dea, Kelly, Clark; Green, Fahey; Lawrence, McCarthy, Keogh; Long

That's tomorrow's team.

Edit: according to hacks on twitter we're going 4231.

I suppose he'd consider Keogh as a winger who can score goals.

 

[7 - No tomorrow]

Was the DAA ad with Billo and the hat new?
Or have they shown that before?

 

[Jerry Twig]

Well that's kind of what Luther was proposing! It's interesting, even if do get hockeyed with those players. Forlan and Suarez on O'Dea and Kelly - oh mama.
Green though? Give it up already.

 

[Luther Blissett]

The Irish Times has McGeady in the team instead of Keogh:

Rep of Ireland (v Uruguay): Westwood; Foley, O’Dea, Kelly (capt), Clark; Lawrence, Fahey, Green, McGeady; McCarthy, Long

McCarthy looks set to play behind Long in a 4-5-1 formation.