Armenia v Ireland thread

IRISHSPORTSGUY

3 September 2010
Armenia v Republic of Ireland Hanrapetakan Stadium, Yerevan

Just two months to go! Yeah, it's a bit premature, but you can't beat a good old thread about the motherland.

The big questions:

Who will play left back?

Will we see any new blood - Coleman, Wilson, McCarthy etc?

Will Trap call up any new players because of the new player eligibility rules?

Do you expect to see the Whelan-Andrews axis for another campaign?

A potential banana skin? Most notably, Armenia have beat Poland drew with Portugal and Serbia in Euro 2008 qualifiers, and more recently beat Belgium at home, and ran Spain pretty close in their WC 2010 qualifiers. Hopefully we won't be on the end of a Cyprus style accumulation of improvement.

Melion

Does anyone care about it this early?

Eire-Dearg

Lol

tolosenc

Come back in 6 weeks, OP.

event

ah jaysus

has it become some sort of competition to see who can create the match threads earliest or something?

no need for this

tolosenc

event wrote: »

has it become some sort of competition to see who can create the match threads earliest or something?

*creates "World Cup Final 2014 - July 13th - Rio de Janeiro - Brazil vs Germany" thread*

bonerm

IRISHSPORTSGUY wrote: »

Who will play left back?

Hopefully McShane will be left-back .... at Dublin airport.

(the classics are the best ones)

Kidchameleon

Melion wrote: »

Does anyone care about it this early?

The op appears to

briany

Personally OP I can't wait for the game either because for me the start of any new campaign is the best way to forget about the last one, whatever happened.
It will also be interesting to see whether their style becomes a bit more positive as opposed to last time out. Don't get me wrong I highly highly doubt this but a solid 2-0 would be a welcome and affirmative start to the campaign, a goal per half. I would expect a solid six points from the opening two encounters. There I said it. Looking at Armenia's results from their last campaign, they are not walkovers as Spain needed a penalty to beat them 2-1 and they beat Belgium 2-1 so not a minnow but then there are no minnows in UEFA anymore. That's not to mention Macedonia. A win there would be the crux of our campaign is the feeling I'm getting.

Also should probably have a time limit from now on for threads about games just to keep things neat and tidy.

tolosenc

Out of Macedonia, Armenia and Andorra, we NEED 18 points. Anything else would be a dissapointment. Away draws are acceptable in Russia and Slovakia.

No walkovers in UEFA? Andorra, San Marino, Kazakhstan, Faroes, Malta, Liechtenstein...

ctrl-alt-delete

Never too early to start a thread on it. I can't wait for us to get our campaign underway.

Hope to god we get a win out there!

Is it too early to mention Stephen Ireland or Andy Reid?

briany

tolosenc wrote: »

No walkovers in UEFA? Andorra, San Marino, Kazakhstan, Faroes, Malta, Liechtenstein...

Andorra held a one nil lead against Ireland in Dublin (It was only for a minute, mind), San Marino almost claimed a shock draw which became the subject of a Liveline furore, Kazakhstan I don't believe we've played, Torshavn is a tough place for teams to go in my opinion as the visitors usually get a result but it has to be ground out and may become a grim bananaskin in years to come as their organisation improves. They beat Lithuania 2-1 in the last campaign and almost scored a couple of times on our last visit there as I recall. Malta came back from 2 down till Staunton saved the day that time. And Liechtenstein? Wasn't an entire book written about one of their results against our team? All I'm saying is in the UEFA zone in particular you just never never know....

JerryHandbag

bonerm wrote: »

Hopefully McShane will be left-back .... at Dublin airport.

(the classics are the best ones)

If we can put him on steroids then we have Sergio Ramos playing for Ireland So Dunphy says anyway...

tolosenc

briany wrote: »

All I'm saying is in the UEFA zone in particular you just never never know....

Generally, the only "big" (ish) team they ever almost acheive against is us. Or Domenech's France... Proper teams's like Germany routinely put 8 past sides like these.

tolosenc

Also, got bored and did a template for the first post in a thread, à la the World Cup threads. Can give the Photoshop PSDs to a mod if anyone is interested.

Layout:


Working Sample:

m@cc@

tolosenc wrote: »

Out of Macedonia, Armenia and Andorra, we NEED 18 points. Anything else would be a dissapointment. Away draws are acceptable in Russia and Slovakia.

No walkovers in UEFA? Andorra, San Marino, Kazakhstan, Faroes, Malta, Liechtenstein...

These two have proved tricky for Ireland in recent times.

briany

tolosenc wrote: »

Generally, the only "big" (ish) team they ever almost acheive against is us. Or Domenech's France... Proper teams's like Germany routinely put 8 past sides like these.

I wish we had the German teams efficiency in burying inferior opposition. Till then I'll never be totally comfortable watching Ireland play against these teams again most probably especially when 1 nil up. Besides there plenty of other medium strength teams in Europe who these teams have either tested or been caught on an off day and almost/did paid/pay the price for it. Results from the last few campaigns will show this.

tolosenc

m@cc@ wrote: »

These two have proved tricky for Ireland in recent times.

Liechtenstein was over 15 years ago, and anything in the Stan era doesn't count :P - but in qualifying for France 98, we won 5-0 in Liechtenstein, and Macedonia beat them 11-1. Irish teams are way to content with sitting on what they've got. We just don't finish enough of our chances - vs France in Paris could have been 4-0 or more. Putting double figures past a minnow lets the serious opponents know that mistakes will be punished. Losing isn't an option, but the team should mentally give a minnow a 4 goal handicap and still look to win comfortably.

I dunno, up till this qualification just gone by, we've had a terrible 3 campaigns (04, 06, 08), given that we should do well in Group B, and should qualify for the Euros for every tournament thereafter, things might be a bit better.

Vincent Vega

Pretty sure our own Paul will have some effect on the outcome of this match too.

LuckyLloyd

tolosenc wrote: »

Out of Macedonia, Armenia and Andorra, we NEED 18 points. Anything else would be a dissapointment. Away draws are acceptable in Russia and Slovakia.

No walkovers in UEFA? Andorra, San Marino, Kazakhstan, Faroes, Malta, Liechtenstein...

You don't really know what you're talking about do you?

briany

Vincent Vega wrote: »

Pretty sure our own Paul will have some effect on the outcome of this match too.

Highly disturbing....

BraziliaNZ

Tricky group, but all of them are. Slovakia and Russia obviously our main contenders, all the other sides will be hard for us to beat but it's not going to be easy for our rivals either. So it's a tough one to call but at least this time we don't have any definite qualifiers in our group like Italy or Germany or Spain, who seem to never fail at qualifying.

briany

BraziliaNZ wrote: »

Tricky group, but all of them are. Slovakia and Russia obviously our main contenders, all the other sides will be hard for us to beat but it's not going to be easy for our rivals either. So it's a tough one to call but at least this time we don't have any definite qualifiers in our group like Italy or Germany or Spain, who seem to never fail at qualifying.

That's true. I'd like to think Slovakia will have a world cup hangover and get off to a relatively poor start. It's hard to gauge how up for it Russia will be but I should think they will have a little something to prove. Unfortunately we also have teams in Macedonia and Armenia who will relish the opportunity to claim a scalp if they catch a bigger team on the hop.

bonerm

Vincent Vega wrote: »

Pretty sure our own Paul will have some effect on the outcome of this match too.

At least the photo is accurate. Paul McShane is on the pitch and Armenia chosen to win.

tolosenc

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

You don't really know what you're talking about do you?

Are you implying that they're not in UEFA? Because they are...

A team with any serious ambition of qualifying would want an aggregate win by at least 10 over the 2 matches against teams like that.

tolosenc

Vincent Vega wrote: »

Wait. I was pretty sure we'd never played them before...

Neil3030

Melion wrote: »

Does anyone care about it this early?

Eire-Dearg wrote: »

Lol

tolosenc wrote: »

Come back in 6 weeks, OP.

event wrote: »

ah jaysus

has it become some sort of competition to see who can create the match threads earliest or something?

no need for this

tolosenc wrote: »

*creates "World Cup Final 2014 - July 13th - Rio de Janeiro - Brazil vs Germany" thread*

Kidchameleon wrote: »

The op appears to

These kind of posts are childish, annoying and becoming all to popular around here thanks to gob****es who give them a thanks.

Back on point, we don't go in for spanking minnows because very few of our players are used to doing it at club level. In fact, they're usually the underdogs battling for a result against a bigger club. You can't just change this mentality overnight. It ties in with our ability to raise our game against the bigger teams.

Het-Field

Armenia dont count as minows. They are a banana skin waiting to happen. Much like Georgia in 2008, I would be happy with the points.

As another poster has mentioned, we need 18 points from the weaker teams in our group. That was the secret to our success in 2000-2001 Qualification for the World Cup 02. i would see teams like Estonia on a par with Macadonia. They can cause you difficulties, but if you break them down they are beatable.

On paper, it is the best group we could concievably have recieved. However, the World Cup may have done the power of good for Slovakia, while the "minows" may cause us problems. Russia, well, remember 2002 ?

noodler

Neil3030 wrote: »

These kind of posts are childish, annoying and becoming all to popular around here thanks to gob****es who give them a thanks.

Back on point, we don't go in for spanking minnows because very few of our players are used to doing it at club level. In fact, they're usually the underdogs battling for a result against a bigger club. You can't just change this mentality overnight. It ties in with our ability to raise our game against the bigger teams.

Not sure about that, we have always been strugglers against bigger teams but still managed to dispatch lower teams fairly consistently over the years.

Even under Kerr we could beat teams with a number of goals.

I blame Stan for his poor teams and Trap for his cagey teams. I am hoping to see some growth in Trap's teams this campaign against the lower teams.

m@cc@

tolosenc wrote: »

Liechtenstein was over 15 years ago, and anything in the Stan era doesn't count :P - but in qualifying for France 98, we won 5-0 in Liechtenstein, and Macedonia beat them 11-1.

Even more recently, they drew with Slovakia and Portugal in the 2006 WC qualifiers.

briany

Well there's just two weeks now to go to this fixture so we'll get the anticipation building.....

DazMarz

To reiterate: anything less than 3 points from this game will be a grave disappointment and could easily cripple Ireland's hopes of qualification (not as dramatic as it sounds; these 3 points could be essential into landing us top or 2nd spot in the group). I'll most definitely take a scrappy, 1-0, 95th minute win here... Ireland never make it easy, so I'd also place a bet on that being the result!!!

Eathrin

Squad suggestions?

---

Given

---

---

Kelly-Dunne-St Ledger-Kilbane

---

McGeady

---

Duff

---

McCarthy-Gibson

---

---

Doyle

---

---

Keane

---

I Felt McCarthy and Gibson should get a chance in Att Centre Mid, while kelly for me is an easy start over McShane.

_Bella_

^^ Cunningham instead of Kilbane

listermint

_Bella_ wrote: »

^^ Cunningham instead of Kilbane

Agree with this one, cunningham is a natural left back.

I think Kilbane is nearing his end with the international squad.

starviewadams

Is John O'Shea injured/suspended?

Coillte_Bhoy

Cian A wrote: »

Squad suggestions?

---

Given

---

---

Kelly-Dunne-St Ledger-Kilbane

---

McGeady

---

Duff

---

McCarthy-Gibson

---

---

Doyle

---

---

Keane

---

I Felt McCarthy and Gibson should get a chance in Att Centre Mid, while kelly for me is an easy start over McShane.

Not a hope of McCarthy getting ths start in such an important game. It'll be two form Whelan/Andrews/Gibson

WallyGUFC

Given
JOS - Dunne - St. Ledger - Cunningham
Lawrence - Andrews - Duff
A. Reid
Keane - Doyle

That's the team I want to see but obviously Reid won't be there. It will be Whelan - Andrews I'm sure. I personally do not want to see McGeady near the team, I just think he has nothing to offer. Throw Cunningham in - after all it is only Armenia!:p

Het-Field

1.Shay Given
2.Stephen Kelly
3.John O Shea
4.Sean St Ledger
5.Richard Dunne
6.Glenn Whelan
7.Liam Lawrence
8.Keith Andrews
9.Kevin Doyle
10.Robbie Keane
11.Damien Duff

12.Paddy Kenny
13.Darren O Dea
14.James McCarthy
15.Darren Gibson
16.Caleb Folan
17.Aiden McGeady/Keith Fahey
18.Stephen Hunt (If Ready)

IRISHSPORTSGUY

I'd like to see Trap throw a few players in the deep end, simply because they would be a dramatic improvement on the current starters. Don't think it'll happen though.

Team that should play:

---

Given

Foley - Dunne - O'Shea - Ward

McGeady - Whelan - McCarthy - Duff

---

Keane - Doyle




Team that Trap will probs play:

---

Given

McShane - Dunne - O'Shea - Kilbane

Lawrence - Whelan - Andrews - Duff

---

Keane - Doyle

newballsplease

WallyGUFC wrote: »

Given

JOS - Dunne - St. Ledger - Cunningham
Lawrence - Andrews - Duff
A. Reid
Keane - Doyle

That's the team I want to see but obviously Reid won't be there. It will be Whelan - Andrews I'm sure. I personally do not want to see McGeady near the team, I just think he has nothing to offer. Throw Cunningham in - after all it is only Armenia!:p

You may be jokeing or whatever, but I think thats a great point. A competitive match for the lad, and I cant imagine Armenia would create 2 many problems for the lad. He is near close to premiership standard imo.

newballsplease

Plus...surely D.Gibson should take the CM role. SAF rates him. Id be much happier to see him in there then Andrews. tbh.

IRISHSPORTSGUY

I like Trap, but his team selections deeply concern me sometimes. I know it's about the best team and not neccessarily playing your best players to get the balance, but there comes a point when one has to point out 'hang on, X is sub par and not the required standard, Y is a much better player'. Kilbane and McShane MUST be dropped, no question.

briany

Make no mistake about it, Trapattoni insisting on playing McShane during this campaign will only only make the voices louder that call for his dismissal. Those voices are pretty quiet right now but they could grow and I think we'll know by October what way the wind is blowing. That's not factoring in the unthinkable - that McShane could prove himself a quality player. That seems about as likely as Kilbane turning back the clock. I'm sure they're both very nice people who are 100 percent honest in their endeavour but we just need other people in there in that spot I think. Otherwise I'm happy with the defence providing all the other first choicers are fit.

It's a pity we have no more friendlies to blood potential talent, that's pretty much how St. Ledger got his place ,and Lawrence. It's how most get their spot I suppose.

---

Given

---

J O Shea

---

St. Ledger

---

Dunne

---

Cunningham/Kelly

Lawrence

---

Whelan

---

Gibson

---

Duff

---

Keane

---

Doyle

---

Kilbane to start in the first two games and bring in his place to see how they perform. T'would be ideal.

Eathrin

A few notes:

Armenia imo is the perfect chance to try a gibson-mccarthy partnership in the centre. Cunningham should defo get a run out and kelly is the far more solid rb of himself O'shea and mcshane.

Does anyone see potential for young forwards in our squad because to me its limited to 2 up front. I've heard good things about long.

Lastly I've noticed that people now give Lawrence the RM slot above no.2 McGeady and no.3! Hunt

Hunt? 3rd in the pecking order? Madness! No?

WallyGUFC

Cian A wrote: »

A few notes:

Armenia imo is the perfect chance to try a gibson-mccarthy partnership in the centre. Cunningham should defo get a run out and kelly is the far more solid rb of himself O'shea and mcshane.

Does anyone see potential for young forwards in our squad because to me its limited to 2 up front. I've heard good things about long.

Lastly I've noticed that people now give Lawrence the RM slot above no.2 McGeady and no.3! Hunt

Hunt? 3rd in the pecking order? Madness! No?

No Hunt is 2nd imo, ahead of McGeady. I don't Rate McGeady at all at all! But Lawrence is no.1 there and rightly so.

Eathrin

WallyGUFC wrote: »

No Hunt is 2nd imo, ahead of McGeady. I don't Rate McGeady at all at all! But Lawrence is no.1 there and rightly so.

McGeady and Hunt both have more flair than Lawrence though...imo
I do like lawrence tbf, but i prefer when mcgeady is subbed on (over hunt)
Such a pity three decent ireland players all play the same position. I'd like to see McGeady play Left in Duff's absence.

IRISHSPORTSGUY

I think McGeady is clearly the more skilful of the three, plus a lot more pace to burn, but when it comes to Ireland his end product lags a long way behind Lawrence and Hunt.

However the talent is obviously there and in time he will be indispensable to Ireland IMO.

Eathrin

What do we think of Gibson-McCarthy?
Armenia away too much of a risk?
Personally i see too little in Whelan-Andrews.
And on that note would anyone like to see the unlikely pair of Reid-Ireland in CM
in the near future. We know Trap isn't forgetting about the S.Ireland possibility
http://www.irishexaminer.com/world/trap-fighting-fit-ahead-of-european-showdowns-128180.html

IRISHSPORTSGUY

Cian A wrote: »

What do we think of Gibson-McCarthy?
Armenia away too much of a risk?
Personally i see too little in Whelan-Andrews.
And on that note would anyone like to see the unlikely pair of Reid-Ireland in CM
in the near future. We know Trap isn't forgetting about the S.Ireland possibility
http://www.irishexaminer.com/world/trap-fighting-fit-ahead-of-european-showdowns-128180.html

An Ireland - Reid would be a dream come true, will never happen mind. If we had them in central midfield during the last campaign we'd have qualified.

James McCarthy - will go on to be a top quality player providing no serious injuries IMO.

Darron Gibson - don't rate him. Doesn't impose himself enough on a game, lacks mobility and I don't really see what standout attributes he offers apart from a thunderous shot. He must have something about him seeing as SAF thinks he's worth keeping, surely. Worth a run-out purely because of his youth instead of Keith Andrews (what the hell does he bring to the team anyway?) regardless.

IRISHSPORTSGUY

Cheers for the Examiner link. Hmm....I hope Trap isn't implying Folan is in his plans.