I genuinely wish you well fellas, and your northern neighbours for that matter (please don't hurt me)
Group E: Republic of Ireland Squad Discussion
- Thread starter Damien
- Start date
Best of luck to our southern neighbours - we will be cheering you on from the North - shocking result last night though. Let's hope you can raise your game in a week or two.
Likewise, big admirer of Michael O'Neill. Gwan the O'Neills!!
Who will start for you guys? Given or Randolph? I need expertise for my fantasy team.
I think it'll be either Randolph or Westwood, probably Randolph. Given is most likely just going for experience.
If we start with Given we can expect zero points.
Cheers, I needed a cheap keeper and I thought Given would start because he's worth the most in the UEFA fantasy football game but I went with Icelands keeper now anyway.
Westwood being selected over Forde displayed a sensible, but difficult, choice, hopefully that kind of decision will continue.
http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2016/0601/792590-keane/
Hmm.. well that settles that then:
Hmm.. well that settles that then:
Keane also said what everyone is thinking:
Given has plenty of experience so much so that he can only stand still at this stage, it's a certain goal anytime anyone shoots either side of him.
Surely it should be Westwood? Randolph is a disaster of a goalkeeper.
He's earned his starting position for Ireland.
He was excellent in the qualifiers.
Loyalty means something to O'Neill, Forde decision notwithstanding. Randolph has been excellent for us and will start.
To be fair Randolph hasn't done much wrong this calendar year for club or country.
Start getting worried. Ballon D'Or Jon has a knock 
http://www.rte.ie/sport/euro-2016/2016/0602/792808-walters-picks-up-a-knock-in-training/
http://www.rte.ie/sport/euro-2016/2016/0602/792808-walters-picks-up-a-knock-in-training/
This is our best side, fingers crossed we see it come the 13th. Plus Johnny Walters at the Euros.We need to take all 3 points against Sweden, so I'd start with the above. Drop Hoolahan for Hendrick against Belgium. We'll need the extra body in midfield. Huge game on the 13th though.
I was sitting beside Matt Cooper and his misses the other night at the Holland match.
I think we play better with Brady higher up. Considering only long and Brady are our only players that can score from open play, I'd prefer Brady lw and play Clark Lb with Duffy in the centre. Duffy is a unit too so he can match Zlatan physically.We need to take all 3 points against Sweden, so I'd start with the above. Drop Hoolahan for Hendrick against Belgium. We'll need the extra body in midfield. Huge game on the 13th though.
I'm enjoying Martins comments on Dunphy. Wish he'd piss off back to the pub and stay there.
I'd prefer to have as many Premier League players on the pitch as possible. Ward would start ahead of Duffy, and he's shocking. Wilson being out is a big blow, as he'd allow Brady to play higher up. We can allow Brady and Coleman to be more expressive against Sweden. Hopefully we don't approach that game as defensively as I expect.
By the way, Walters always has a goal in him.
I think we've got a really good chance of going through, even though we have the worst group undoubtedly. Sweden, Italy and Belgium is really terrifying but we have shown that we can beat the best teams in the world. Third place will likely see us through to the knock outs, and if we get through the groups I think we can reach the semi-final!
Then again maybe I'm just too optimistic. Please tell me someone is as confident as me?
Then again maybe I'm just too optimistic. Please tell me someone is as confident as me?
Ticket swap!
Well lads. I have a spare cat 3 (€55) Ireland vs Sweden ticket (Entrance N, block N03) looking for a Belgium one for a straight swap, or I'll pay the difference if it is a higher category. Will meet ye over there as probably too short a window for postage. Or if ye know anyone, pm me. Sound
Well lads. I have a spare cat 3 (€55) Ireland vs Sweden ticket (Entrance N, block N03) looking for a Belgium one for a straight swap, or I'll pay the difference if it is a higher category. Will meet ye over there as probably too short a window for postage. Or if ye know anyone, pm me. Sound
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Yea I forgot about Big Jon. I don't think Ward is good enough for the championship to be honest! With Coleman and Brady full backs, it's more likely we'll play the 4312 with Whelan + McCarthy + Hendrick / Quinn. At the end of the day, I think we should focus on the defence being protected versus Sweden as I can't see us scoring twice. I can see us nicking a few 1-0 wins against almost any side though.
Best of luck to the lads.They'll need it!
You and 40,000 others. Hope you get sorted.
possibly did alright. Landed 3 X cat 3s off someone we know. feckin can't wait now, roll on Saturday
Flying over next Saturday, this has come up fast.
We won't lose three again, will we? Poland was the best two weeks of my life, I can't imagine what it will be like in France should we get a result!
We won't lose three again, will we? Poland was the best two weeks of my life, I can't imagine what it will be like in France should we get a result!
Injuries will be key. We need our main 11 to be available, options off the bench are what played against Belarus.....
The usual, set pieces (Bradys left peg
)and Long off the shoulder. We could potentially lose 3, but we won't be conceding in each game within the first 12 minutes. Christ we were awful on Poland. We are much more organised and drilled - we even look more composed on the ball, under Trapp we chat ourselves when we had the ball.Is Keogh fit? If so, he will surely start ahead of Clark. He's probably first choice ahead of O'Shea. I'd expect Hendrick to play instead of McClean too.We need to take all 3 points against Sweden, so I'd start with the above. Drop Hoolahan for Hendrick against Belgium. We'll need the extra body in midfield. Huge game on the 13th though.
I would have thought Hendrick would play ahead of McClean too but I'm slightly less sure after that last friendly. A lot of the criticism we heard from Keane was (apparently) directed at Hendrick. He'll probably still start but that could change very quickly if he isn't up to scratch in training.
Keogh is woeful
He probably is but sadly he's the best centre back in the squad.
I didn't watch the friendly and you may be right. Also Hendrick has been in and out of the Derby side this season. But, I really like the diamond formation and the energy of McCarthy and Hendrick is a key to that. I also don't think McClean is good enough to start. I'd rather play Brady on the wing than McClean.
Clarke, Duffy and O'Shea miles ahead of Keogh. Keogh is Paul McShane in disguise, headbanger and goes for the ball without knowing who's coming over his shoulder.
Late in the qualifying campaign he was very impressive. He led the defence very well, especially in O'Shea's absence. I'll be amazed if he doesn't play every game in the Euros.
Jon Walters the "Biggest worry"
http://www.rte.ie/sport/euro-2016/2016/0607/793809-republic-of-ireland_euro-2016/
But it's all ok, Robbie Keane is training!
(Only 5% sarcastic there, we're probably going to desperately need him at some point)
http://www.rte.ie/sport/euro-2016/2016/0607/793809-republic-of-ireland_euro-2016/
But it's all ok, Robbie Keane is training!
(Only 5% sarcastic there, we're probably going to desperately need him at some point)
We'll never desperately need Robbie Keane, he is finished at this level.
Italy is our last group game. I can imagine a scenario where we're one-nil down, need a point to go through, Italy are defending the way they do, ten minutes left, we need that one goal. In that scenario I guess Keane is who we want coming on?
Personally I think it's a bit premature, as the first half of his reign was pretty poor, albeit that's offset by the positive second half. It just seems like the same panicky thing we did with Trap (though we may have a break clause). Are MON and Keane really going to be that in demand, at least by teams that can pay them the guts of £2m a year? If we get absolutely pumped in the Euros, there would have to at least be a discussion about what to do going forward, whereas we're now probably locked in regardless.Tweet
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In that scenario Keane would likely never even touch the ball because he wouldn't get an inch on the Italian CBs. For any competent defender he is like marking a pylon. You can cite his great finishing and if we are to get one chance you want him to be on the end of it but the truth is he'll never get on the end of it. He is done at this level and was completely lost throughout the qualifiers bar against Gibraltar.
Bit of an IRFU thing to do, isn't it? They've been burned by similar renewals in the past.