Ciao Trap. Next. (1 Viewer)

[Jerry Twig]

Cruyff?! Fucking hell, no-one does extremes like the FAI? Let's wait and see then.

As for Tuesday, it's actually a massive game as it will determine whether we're second seeded for the Euro qualifiers. In very simple terms, we need to win and we need Turkey (v Holland at home) and Slovenia (v Switzerland away) not to win. I think we might actually pull that off.
Secondly, the team HAVE to hockey Kazakhstan. If they don't, there'll be no-one to blame. They need to go out on a bang and at least give the pretense of a new future ahead, not more-of-the-same-no-matter-what. King has nothing to lose, but his no-subs antics better not be a harbinger for Tuesday.

 

[washingcattle]

Cruyff?! Fucking hell, no-one does extremes like the FAI? Let's wait and see then.

As for Tuesday, it's actually a massive game as it will determine whether we're second seeded for the Euro qualifiers. In very simple terms, we need to win and we need Turkey (v Holland at home) and Slovenia (v Switzerland away) not to win. I think we might actually pull that off.
Secondly, the team HAVE to hockey Kazakhstan. If they don't, there'll be no-one to blame. They need to go out on a bang and at least give the pretense of a new future ahead, not more-of-the-same-no-matter-what. King has nothing to lose, but his no-subs antics better not be a harbinger for Tuesday.

There are rumours on Twitter that Johan Cruyff will be a guest of the FAI on Tuesday and could be set to take over as Ireland manager!! My call for Zeman or Bielsa to be given the job may not have been as far-fetched as I had originally thought.

Fucking hell!

Someone had a pop at him recently though. I think it was Zlatan. Could be another Trap situation. Except the opposite. We'd play beautifully but get hammered in every game.

And you lads accuse me of being unrealistic ? C'mon now ? Johan Cruyff is going to take regular trips to Hull vs Stoke to take a look at his players ?

We need either someone young and hungry who favours technique over combatativeness in the long term or someone who's popular amongst the players and fans to just get the best out of what we have for the short term.

Either way it's a case of stemming the tide of deterioration rather than Johan Cryuff waltzing in the door on a €4 million a year contract and trying to teach Glenn Whelan and John O Shea to pass to each other.

If this happens I will be shocked, then pessimistic, then tired and more than likely utterly disillusioned.

Jesus I'd love to think this would happen and we'd suddenly start playing total football. I'd love to be optimistic. I was once....remember when we played football properly for a while in Paris ?

Remember that happened ? It did happen didn't it ? Please say it did ?


Oh god what happened ?

*breaks down babbling in the fetal position*

 

[Jerry Twig]

Did I say I was in favour of Cruyff? Hold your horses there sunshine

 

[washingcattle]

Did I say I was in favour of Cruyff? Hold your horses there sunshine

*can't respond still babbling in fetal position*

 

[Jerry Twig]

Meanwhile in France
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/oct/14/france-world-cup-seeding-ranking

couldn't happen to a nicer bunch

 

[Richie]

Ha! Swings and roundabouts and all that...

I'm rooting for Iceland tomorrow, they'd be easily the smallest nation ever to make a World Cup if they got there.. That has to be one of the weakest ever European qualifying groups though, Norway being first seeds despite having not reached a tournament in over a decade shows how flawed FIFA's ranking system is.

 

[washingcattle]

Meanwhile in France
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/oct/14/france-world-cup-seeding-ranking

couldn't happen to a nicer bunch

There is so much to love in that. I hope they draw Portugal.

 

[Jerry Twig]

So much to love about it. I also hope they draw Portugal and go out on a dodgy decision in extra time in Lisbon. I would enjoy that.

 

[Luther Blissett]

I've just seen that Pilkington is out of tomorrow's game with a hamstring injury. Although he might have struggled to dislodge that world-renowned left winger Kevin Doyle.

My team for tomorrow from the players available would be (3-5-1-1):

Forde

Wilson Dunne Clark

Coleman McCarthy Gibson Reid McClean/McGeady

Hoolahan

Long

 

[washingcattle]

So much to love about it. I also hope they draw Portugal and go out on a dodgy decision in extra time in Lisbon. I would enjoy that.

God how I'd love to see Ronaldo wink at the camera after punching in a cross. I'm coming over all Kevin Keegan here.

On the subject which possible draws look tasty ?

I'm guessing of the current possible 2nd place finishers it's broken up into

Pot A
Croatia
Turkey
Portugal
Sweden
Ukraine


Pot B
Bulgaria
France
Greece
Iceland
Romania (as highest number of points in 3rd place?)

Is that right ?

If so I predict lots of local(ish) rivalries

France vs Portugal
Greece vs Turkey (they should play this somewhere neutral, Like Cyprus...heh heh)
Croatia vs Romania
Sweden vs Iceland
Ukraine vs Bulgaria

I've just seen that Pilkington is out of tomorrow's game with a hamstring injury. Although he might have struggled to dislodge that world-renowned left winger Kevin Doyle.

My team for tomorrow from the players available would be (3-5-1-1):

Forde

Wilson Dunne Clark

Coleman McCarthy Gibson Reid McClean/McGeady

Hoolahan

Long

McClean might have a future as a wing back actually, he'd need a lot of help though. It's not part of his game to turn his head and see the overlap (this was my main problem with Coleman at right back two years ago). He's got the build and the engine for it though. I realise he's not in the running but long term if John O Shea could get his head right you'd say that was a decent enough line up all things considered.

 

[Jerry Twig]

I've just seen that Pilkington is out of tomorrow's game with a hamstring injury. Although he might have struggled to dislodge that world-renowned left winger Kevin Doyle.

My team for tomorrow from the players available would be (3-5-1-1):

Forde

Wilson Dunne Clark

Coleman McCarthy Gibson Reid McClean/McGead

Hoolahan

Long

That's King-esque in its bizarreness.
Why would you play essentially four in the middle? Where would Reid play exactly, in the wing (where) or basically stepping on Hoolahan's toes?

Hate to say it lads, but if ever a game called for 4-4-2 this is it.

Forde

Coleman Dunne Clark/O'Shea (don;t mind) Wilson

McGeady Gibson McCarthy McClean (Reid after 60)

Keane (Hoolahan after 70) Stokes

 

[Jerry Twig]

So good I named it twice

 

[washingcattle]

That's King-esque in its bizarreness.
Why would you play essentially four in the middle? Where would Reid play exactly, in the wing (where) or basically stepping on Hoolahan's toes?

Hate to say it lads, but if ever a game called for 4-4-2 this is it.

Forde

Coleman Dunne Clark/O'Shea (don;t mind) Wilson

McGeady Gibson McCarthy McClean (Reid after 60)

Keane Stokes

Sorry I meant going forward I'd rather see a change from 442 and to be fair Coleman is already a wing back and like I said McClean could be one.

My problem with this line up right here is with McClean and McGeady and Stokes on the field at the same time won't the ball end up somewhere near the corner flags for the majority of the match ?

 

[Jerry Twig]

McGeady is due a blinder. Kazakhstan are Hamilton Academical is disguise so 'Real' Anthony Stokes will be in his element. McClean was arguably our best player in Austria.
Gibson will be pinging balls into loads of space. McCarthy will have the place in lockdown. Have faith brothers.

 

[washingcattle]

McGeady is due a blinder. Kazakhstan are Hamilton Academical is disguise so 'Real' Anthony Stokes will be in his element. McClean was arguably our best player in Austria.
Gibson will be pinging balls into loads of space. McCarthy will have the place in lockdown. Have faith brothers.

Optimism, how I remember thee.

 

[washingcattle]

(3-5-1-1):

Forde

Wilson Dunne Clark

Coleman McCarthy Gibson Reid McClean/McGeady

Hoolahan

Long

Actually that's more of a 3-2-4-1

that's putting McCarthy and Gibson in the holding roles in front of the back 3 and Coleman Hoolahan Reid McClean in behind Long. That's reasonably balanced isn't it ? Hopefully Coleman, McCarthy and Gibson end up playing those positions for Everton soon.

 

[Luther Blissett]

That's King-esque in its bizarreness.
Why would you play essentially four in the middle? Where would Reid play exactly, in the wing (where) or basically stepping on Hoolahan's toes?

It would be a diamond. Gibson would be the defensive midfielder, Reid on the left, McCarthy to the right, and then Hoolahan behind Long. Is that really considered a left-field formation? If so I blame it on watching too much Serie A where 3-5-1-1 is all the rage - although it's usually more of a 3-1-2-3-1. Juventus for example play with Pirlo, Pogba, Vidal and Marchisio and Italy used it to good effect in the Confederations Cup.

 

[Luther Blissett]

King could always go with 1-2-7. Now that's what I would consider a radical formation. Make us dream Noel!

 

[Jerry Twig]

OK, I see it now - fair play. But I still think that the players don't really fit it. Hoolahan and Reid are the same mould really, both play off the striker. But fuck it, at this stage why not.
Prefer my set up though. Why not play two up front and deploy Coleman on the overlap? Give Reid 30 minutes.

 

[Luther Blissett]

OK, I see it now - fair play. But I still think that the players don't really fit it. Hoolahan and Reid are the same mould really, both play off the striker. But fuck it, at this stage why not.
Prefer my set up though. Why not play two up front and deploy Coleman on the overlap? Give Reid 30 minutes.

I think you're right about Reid and Hoolhan probably being too similar, but it might be worth trying to fit them into the same team at some point in the near future just to see how they get on.

I'd happily go with your line-up for tomorrow and I'm not against 4-4-2, but it would be nice to see whoever gets the job full time experiment with the formation in friendlies at least.