FAI...June 2024 Friendlies v Hungary and Portugal

[magpie seanie]

AZ - I'm beginning to suspect you don't rate Hoolahan as highly as Mr Dunphy. That's crazy talk!

[AZOffaly]

I like Hoolahan, I think he's a nice, ball playing, attacking midfielder, and he is someone we don't have a lot of. However I think his unique attributes, in an Irish sense, make people think he's better than he actually is. It's the Andy Reid syndrome. He's no Ineista or Cazorla.

[magpie seanie]

I was only messing.

I see him much the same as yourself.

Would love to see more Gibson and McCarthy in centre mid than Whelan and Quinn.

[Main Street]

There was an incident in the away game against Sweden where Hoolahan had possession of the ball in an ace position and passed the defence splitting  ball through for Andy Keogh to run onto, fast and all as Andy is, the pass was clearly overhit and Andy couldn't make it. Both RTE commentators immediately blamed Andy for mistiming his run.

[Billys Boots]

Yes, start from scratch, not get caught dawdling because the perfect pass wasn't on.

Wow.

[AZOffaly]

Why wow? He ended up doing nothing. Scratching his hole and waiting to be caught from behind. It's not on, so turn around and lay it off. Build again. Or maybe work it back to the right. The worst thing you can do there is get caught in two minds and get dispossessed.

[Croí na hÉireann]

Hoolahan was atrocious when he came on. Missed a much easier chance than O'Shea's, lost the ball, couldn't throw in the ball and even the cross for the goal was way over-cooked. Had to laugh at Dunphy's "he's scored loads of goals for Norwich", he's got 9 goals in 93 games.

[AZOffaly]

I'm not trying to be hard on him, as I said I like him as a player and he is something different, in a positive way (!), than a lot of the other Irish midfield/attacking playmakers. I just think in this instance, he wasn't helped by McGeady's run, but it's a cardinal sin to be caught in possession, and he was caught because he couldn't react to McGeady's poor run.

[Main Street]

It's a sin but not a cardinal sin.

[AZOffaly]

A venial sin then?

[muppet]

It's a sin but not a cardinal sin.

A Secretary to the Bishop sin?

[Billys Boots]

I'm not trying to be hard on him, as I said I like him as a player and he is something different, in a positive way (!), than a lot of the other Irish midfield/attacking playmakers. I just think in this instance, he wasn't helped by McGeady's run, but it's a cardinal sin to be caught in possession, and he was caught because he couldn't react to McGeady's poor run.

FFS, he was sent on to try to save the game, we were 1-0 down with 4 mins left, we had contrived a 2v1 situation bearing down on goal - he was supposed to decide that McGeady's run was crap and was supposed to stop everything and start again, rather than wait (too long obviously) for McGeady to try and cop himself on?  Jaysus.

BTW I don't think Hoolahan is the answer to our prayers, but in fairness to him he was sent on to try to change the game in our favour and he succeeded to a certain extent - I personally think Gibson had a more positive impact. 

[magpie seanie]

It's a sin but not a cardinal sin.

A Secretary to the Bishop sin?

A note taker.

[lynchbhoy]

im wondering if MON is thinking about bringing in the 352 system that suited Celtic so well.
Bulking up the midfield - which is the area we have been getting beaten in by the better teams in last number of years- and making it hard for opponents to dominate possession etc essentially defending further out the field.
that's more or less what we did the other night but it was more like a 460 formation if not a 451!!

im not convinced that we have the best defending full backs either, they are better going forward.
so like the other night, the onus is on the midfield.
we could accommodate 5 midfielders - made up of two wingers, two central midfielders and either one defensive or one attacking central midfielder (or both if we just play one up front).

Hoolihan is as close as we have to an attacking playmaker. however imo he is a bit too old and its a bit too late in his career to be expecting that much of him. if he had been brought into the scene 10 years ago , he would be a fantastic addition - though I feel he is a bit slight for the fast tough paced international games.Mcgeady could have been a candidate too but he has been played all over the place, it is prob too late to try and get him back into this role that he played as a youngster in Celtic underage teams and for a few games with Celtic senior side before being sold to spartak Moscow. Winger is prob his best position now. id like to see him shoot more often and not dwell on the ball as much. his crossing has improved but needs to remain consistent.
Same with McLean. I was wondering how people could question his physicality. the fcuker is a Derry city mucker and as rough as they come. wont shirk a fight- that's actually his problem - gets caught up in silly stuff too much. needs to be consistent though. We also have Brady and Pilkington who can give a good shift as wingers. Brady could be the 'new Wes' possibly.

id like to see
                   Forde
          Keogh O'Shea Wilson
                Hendrick
McGeady Gibson McCarthy McLean
                  Long (or Robbie if long hasn't found form)

[Main Street]

im wondering if MON is thinking about bringing in the 352 system that suited Celtic so well.
Bulking up the midfield - which is the area we have been getting beaten in by the better teams in last number of years- and making it hard for opponents to dominate possession etc essentially defending further out the field.
that's more or less what we did the other night but it was more like a 460 formation if not a 451!!

im not convinced that we have the best defending full backs either, they are better going forward.
so like the other night, the onus is on the midfield.
we could accommodate 5 midfielders - made up of two wingers, two central midfielders and either one defensive or one attacking central midfielder (or both if we just play one up front).

Hoolihan is as close as we have to an attacking playmaker. however imo he is a bit too old and its a bit too late in his career to be expecting that much of him. if he had been brought into the scene 10 years ago , he would be a fantastic addition - though I feel he is a bit slight for the fast tough paced international games.Mcgeady could have been a candidate too but he has been played all over the place, it is prob too late to try and get him back into this role that he played as a youngster in Celtic underage teams and for a few games with Celtic senior side before being sold to spartak Moscow. Winger is prob his best position now. id like to see him shoot more often and not dwell on the ball as much. his crossing has improved but needs to remain consistent.
Same with McLean. I was wondering how people could question his physicality. the fcuker is a Derry city mucker and as rough as they come. wont shirk a fight- that's actually his problem - gets caught up in silly stuff too much. needs to be consistent though. We also have Brady and Pilkington who can give a good shift as wingers. Brady could be the 'new Wes' possibly.

id like to see
                   Forde
          Keogh O'Shea Wilson
                Hendrick
McGeady Gibson McCarthy McLean
                  Long (or Robbie if long hasn't found form)

I'd use the well advised option to have 11 players in the team.
It would be a radical decision not to play Coleman when fit.