Kerr names team to face the Aussies

eirebhoy

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Colgan

Carr

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Breen

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Cunningham----O'Shea

Finnan

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Holland

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Kinsella

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Duff

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Doherty

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Keane

I am delighted to see Duff on the left and Finnan on the right but dissapointed to see Kinsella play instead of Healy and Doherty up front. Even though I am not very fond of Gary Breen, Ireland have only conceded two goals in there last four matches so he does his job. I was expecting Finnan to play on the right and I can't wait to see how he does. It's also Duff's first start on the left since before the world cup i think so can't wait to see how it goes for him too.

Kone

Have to agree with you there eireboy, I would have preferred to see Healy on instead of Kinsella.

It will be interesting to see how Finnan works out on the right of midfield.

Also looking forward to seeing Clinton coming on at some stage.

sleepwalker

good team selection there and thank **** duff is finally back on the left wing


was hoping morrison would start but suppose he just doesnt have enough games under his belt, suprised to see Kinsella get in ahead of Healy considering the performance Healy put in last game

ciano

The only major problem I have with the starting XI is that Kinsella is in for Healy.

jongore

Doc plays centre half for spurs, he says he wants to play centre half, why the f*** do Ireland insist of playing him up front? I hate to say it but Connoly is scoring for fun and Lee Roche is playing well and Morrision has done well in a green shirt. Why not let the strikers play up front?:eek:

Sposs

Strong team Good luck lads!!

2-0 to the Orish

Thanx 4 The Fish

Is Steven Reid still injured ??

Would have liked to see him feature.

LoneGunM@n

I'd also have to question the choice of Kinsella ahead of Healy!!

Isn't Kinsella saying he's going to look for a transfer because it doesn't look like he's gonna get his game for Villa??

jongore

Reid is injured (Didn't play fro Blackburn at the weekend), Healy has only just joined sunderland :-( and isn't match fit

Kone

I'd prefer to see an unfit Healy playing than Mark "The Invisible Man" Kinsella!

ciano

2-0 Ireland me thinks!

mike65

Doherty ahead of Morisson or Connelly...the spirit of Mick lives
on! Doherty does have a habit of scoring jammy goals which is Kerrs reasoning one supposes.

Mike

eirebhoy

Originally posted by mike65
Doherty ahead of Morisson or Connelly...the spirit of Mick lives
on! Doherty does have a habit of scoring jammy goals which is Kerrs reasoning one supposes.

Mike

I know Doherty does have a habit of scoring for the Irish but he doesn't add anything but a goal to the game. It's like playing with ten men and getting a free goal to help you along. And then again he's obviously not guarenteed a goal. He is bloody crap.

GuanYin

How soon we forget?

Doherty, despite all his (many, many) short comings was instrumental in the last 3 matches under Kerr. Remember his influence in the qualifying games?

Morrison will be introduced I'd imagine, I bet connolly is peeved at being lowered to 3rd choice though.

Screw Healy, Why isn't Delap in the squad? He put in another good performance for Southampton on Sat and is the most consistent and best performing current Irish international central midfielder in the premiership.

Delap-Carsley is the best current central midfield partnership imho, and both first team players for top 10 premiership clubs to boot!!!

Clever to have Finnan and Carr on the right. Its only a matter of time before O'Shea moves into Breens place though. Breen hasn't played any football yet this season... why he is there astounds me!


Altogether a solid team.

jonno

Very strong team. Can't wait to see Finnan on the right wing position. I would have prefered Morrison to start up front and also a different midfield pairing from Healy, Delap and Carsley. I don't rate the midfield pair that are there at the moment.

Hopefully O' Shea will take Breens poisition soon so we can put Finnan left back with Reid on the right. Happy days:)

mike65

Kewell out due to tendinitis ( I think)

Mike.

smemon

very strong side out, considering the new season is underway. i'd say there'l be a different team out 2nd half.

MrJoeSoap

Is Duffer definitely back on the left? Todays Indo said he'd be behind the front two, like Kerr has done (with little success) in the past. No harm in giving it a try in a friendly though.

The Muppet

Good team selection. Agree with the comments on doherty. Its hardly necessary to play him tonigh in the hope he gets a goal surely connolly or morrison in particular could have been given a run.

PiE

Er... why is this match not Live on RTE/TV3? I thought we were supposed to get all Intl. matches on terrestrial, free to air, (whatever it's called) now?

jongore

It's a friendly, only competitive matches are included in the Goverments free to air list. SKY are showing it live with TV3 having delayed covarage

AthAnRi

I'd like to have seen J O'Shea play in Centre Field alongside Healy. I don't think that Mattie Holland Cuts it there. He is just as invisible in Games as Kinsella. At least Kinsella has proved himself to be a good footballer adn he could have a better year this year.

Doherty upfront the big 'honest' good for nothing. I think I'm pretty honest why am I not playing for Ireland.

eirebhoy

Well we got what we wanted as Healy came on early for Holland but he didn't impress much. Robbie Keane looks like he's going to be out for a long time with an ankle injury which means he will more than likely miss the Russia game. Carr, Finnan, O'Shea and Cunningham look the best for Ireland so far. Also, Viduka hasn't done a lot and we are very lucky Kewell isn't playing. Breen is too slow to be a first team regular.

eirebhoy

Lucky 2-1 win for the Irish. Played a lot better in the second half. Delighted to see O'Shea scoring. Kilbane looks a great player now in the last two matches, I have confidence at last with him on the pitch.

Tellox

talk about luck of the irish :rolleyes:
But one thing though,Ian harte played a stormer for the time he was on the pitch

The Muppet

We will have to play better if we want to qualify for euro championship. I ws delighted to see clinto score after his header miss it showed character. Colgan o shea and duff very positive. Not so sure about healy. Kilban had a game when he appeared.

Overall we took more of our chances than the aussies and the spsirt in the team is a big plus.

mike65

Did'nt see the game (and I'm not watching the TV€ coverage)
so all I'll say is G'wan O'Shea!

Mike.

GuanYin

Was a good result that really disguised what a bad performance Ireland put in.

Ireland should have been buried by half time.

Second half after the goal and Ireland were a much better side, spurred on in no small way by Chliontáin Ó Mhoirisáin but more amazingly Ian Harte and Angry Ant.

Angry Ant threw himself around well and his hold up and link up play was really good.

Keane loss is a blow though.

qwertyup

Good result, regardless of the manner in which it was obtained. To be honest, I thought we played well in the first half, though we didn't threaten in attack as I would like. For the first twenty or so of the second though we were poor. After that it was more like what I've come to expect of the team.

You have to feel for Doherty. The guy wants to stop with his "dual citizenship", and concentrate on developing as a back, but to little avail. While his height can be valuable, and he certainly can work as an impact sub, I just do not believe that he cuts it as an attacking option for the full duration of a match.

To my mind it has to be Keane and Morrison as our main strike force. Keane for the obvious reasons, and Morrison for his energy and ability to score, even if he is not that prolific. Connolly should be the first sub, because while he seems to find it difficult to score at international level, he links up well with his partner up front, and works hard tracking back and such.

Pity about the injury to Keane; did something similar before, and it takes a long time to get back to anything resembling your best. And thats for someone just looking to lumber as a prop.

eirebhoy

I just thought I'd say this. I think it was Frank Stapleton that was commentating and he said that Australia should have been 4-0 up at half-time, what a fool. They had 4 good chances but if they had taken one the game would have been changed completely. It really annoys me when people say things like that as it is a very common statement.

gombín

Honestly. until the last half-hour, Ireland were dreadful. And this I would put down solely to the fact that the Aussies took off their best players. Holding on to possession was abysmal, this does not bode well for the Russian match. If you remember the last match against the Russians, the same problem cost us 4 goals for the first time in a decade. Tonight, as in that Russian game last time, Finnan was appalling. Fit or not, on current form he should not be playing for Ireland. Good to see Harte playing OK when he came on.

LizardKing

Ireland played crap first half ... finnan was poor .... duff was no where ... it took them to go a goal down to start playing... last half hour was better and thought harte when came on was v.good setting up 2 goals ...lovely cross to o'shea and great thru ball for clinton...Kinsella and Holland are not up to it ... Healy was below par too ... Still it was only a friendly and remember the aussies beat the english in wembley .... A good fight back and in the end deserver win ....

eirebhoy

Originally posted by LizardKing
...and remember the aussies beat the english in wembley

When was this?:D

LizardKing

Fair Enough it was Upton Park

2003 12 Feb England 1 - Australia 3

but still ...

Sposs

Not a bad result a win's a win,with shay given back in goal should bring more stability the left and right wings are perfect were just lacking serious quality in the centre of midfield,if Roy Keane (:)) where there we'd have qualified by now.

DaithiSurfer

For all the screaming and shouting over the last year to play Duff on the left he had absolutely no impact.
However when he moved to the center his impact increased hugely.
So leave him in the Center or have him on the left?
Kilbane has been taught to stop before he gets to the line.
Nice addition to his game.
Now he doesnt run till he hits the crowd anymore and releases the ball before this.
Someone must have had a word or 2 with him and now he makes a difference when he is in.

eirebhoy

Originally posted by DaithiSurfer
For all the screaming and shouting over the last year to play Duff on the left he had absolutely no impact.
However when he moved to the center his impact increased hugely.
So leave him in the Center or have him on the left?

He had no impact because whenever he got the ball they doubled up on him and most of the time fouled him which made him look like a diver. When he went into the middle Emerton wasn't marking him therefore he had more time to run. Although, I'd say Kilbane will start against Russia and Duff will play up front if Keane is still out.

BKtje

But one thing though,Ian harte played a stormer for the time he was on the pitch

He played quite well indeed tho he did almost let Viduka in, only agreat save from Colgan kept Ireland in the game. Connolly played very well imo, he didn't seem dangerous really but his link up play was top notch. Duff was marked out of the game and it was only when he switched to the centre (i thought it was the right tbh) that he started to play.

Waahey for O'Shea

DaithiSurfer

Defenders will always double up on duff now.
Seems if he's in the cetre he has 2 sides to turn to but on the left only one.
He's easier to snuff out on the wing than he is when he's in the center.
but no matter where he play there will now be a strategy to contain him.
Hopefully he can out wit them no matter what they do.
The opposition would be rightly confused if we put him in goals:)

Big Chief

bought 6 heineken to come back and watch it in the house taking it for granted it would be on terrestial tv..

was a bit gutted after having done in a few cans only to find out it wasnt on. Beer + crappy tv just dont mix ;(

DaithiSurfer

I was going to do the very same thing.
When we heard it wasnt on we just went to the match.
Still a pain tho. I kept wanting a replay.