Macedonia v Ireland [4th June - KO: 20:30 - RTE2/SS1]

IRISHSPORTSGUY

Predictions? Thought the Macedonians had some decent technical players in Dublin. They should be tougher on home soil. I fear the usual 4-4-2 would be a mistake like Russia.

1-1. I'm hopeful the Slovaks (who looked appalling against us and Armenia) will drop points here as well though.

Chnandler Bong

2-0 Ireland
Keane, Long.

NUTZZ

The match is at 8:30pm Irish time everybody!

IRISHSPORTSGUY

NUTZZ wrote: »

The match is at 8:30pm Irish time everybody!

Dang, could a mod change the title? Ta.

I'd feel a lot more confident if I was sure Kilbane wasn't on that starting XI team sheet.

NUTZZ

IRISHSPORTSGUY wrote: »

Dang, could a mod change the title? Ta.

I'd feel a lot more confident if I was sure Kilbane wasn't on that starting XI team sheet.

You can change it yourself, just click edit your post and then change it in the title!

briany

I'll have to go ahead and predict an all too familiar away 1-1. A goal to come for us in the first fifteen minutes followed by ten minutes of non possession, an equalizer and a white knuckle yet dreary (in retrospect) second half.

730 Irish time yeah 830 local. Looking forward to it 2-1 Long with the winner

Frisbee

So is it 19.30 or 20.30 Irish time?

Aidric

Frisbee wrote: »

So is it 19.30 or 20.30 Irish time?

PM Fittle. She is well up on times for Internationals.

Frisbee

Frisbee wrote: »

So is it 19.30 or 20.30 Irish time?

Lad in my work is going and he was told 1930 irish time by FAI

IRISHSPORTSGUY

Have a dreadful feeling the dynamic duo Kilbane and McShane will start.

Trap will use 'height', 'experience' and 'trust' as the reasons.

Redsoxfan

Anyone know of a bar in Manhattan or Jersey City that would show this game?

Kiwi_knock

Nearly certain it is half 8 Irish time, saw an ad on RTÉ for it earlier.

Paully D

Must win game if we have serious ambitions of qualifying IMO. I feel a point here won't be good enough come the end of the campaign.

eigrod

8.30pm according to BBC website

Vincent Vega

20:30 kick off

UEFA's site says 'All times CET' and they have it listed as 21:30

noodler

So many players missing - massive test for O'Shea and O'Dea in the centre (assume it will be them).

Ferris_Bueller

Big game for us, must win really if we intend on qualifying. I'm going 2-1 Ireland, hopefully the fact it's at 9:30 local time won't effect our lads too much weather wise.

The Volt

I think we'll win this one. It'll prove to be similar to Armenia away. Hoping these internationals will have us nice and fresh for the game. 1-0 to us.

noodler

A draw would still give us a pretty good chance at a play-off to be honest but yeah, if we want to win the group we will need to win.

TheRedDevil10

Full Squad that is available to play against Macedonia:

Goalkeepers
David Forde
Shay Given
Darren Randolph
Defenders
Damien Delaney
Kevin Foley
Stephen Kelly
Kevin Kilbane
Paul McShane
Darren O'Dea
John O'Shea
Sean St. Ledger
Stephen Ward
Midfielders
Keith Andrews
Seamus Coleman
Keith Fahey
Stephen Hunt
Liam Lawrence
Aiden McGeady
Keith Treacy
Glenn Whelan
Forwards
Simon Cox
Robbie Keane
Andy Keogh
Shane Long

TaosHum

Will be interested to see who he plays in midfield. Also I can see Hunt getting the nod to replace Duff.

Raskolnikov

The team Trap will play
Shay Given
Kevin Kilbane
Darren O'Dea
John O'Shea
Paul McShane
Keith Andrews
Seamus Coleman
Aiden McGeady
Glenn Whelan
Robbie Keane
Shane Long

Defensively, we are a complete mess.

newballsplease

TheRedDevil10 wrote: »

Full Squad to play Macedonia:

Goalkeepers
David Forde
Shay Given
Darren Randolph
Defenders
Damien Delaney
Kevin Foley
Stephen Kelly
Kevin Kilbane
Paul McShane
Darren O'Dea
John O'Shea
Sean St. Ledger
Stephen Ward
Midfielders
Keith Andrews
Seamus Coleman
Keith Fahey
Darron Gibson
Stephen Hunt
Liam Lawrence
Aiden McGeady
Keith Treacy
Glenn Whelan
Forwards
Simon Cox
Robbie Keane
Andy Keogh
Shane Long

I thought St. Ledger was out of this match??

TheRedDevil10

newballsplease wrote: »

I thought St. Ledger was out of this match??

Preston defender Sean St Ledger continues to defy the sceptics who have opted out of this week's tour of duty and, after returning from his club where he received further treatment to a knee injury, he was again on the bench Sunday night.

His fitness will also be continually monitored throughout the week, and he is due to have a final fitness test on Wednesday, with a decision made on his participation ahead of Thursday's flight to Skopje.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1392293/John-OShea-joins-Ireland-camp-Uniteds-Champions-League-final-defeat.html#ixzz1NrIM3uWM

noodler

Raskolnikov wrote: »

The team Trap will play
Shay Given
Kevin Kilbane
Darren O'Dea
John O'Shea
Paul McShane
Keith Andrews
Seamus Coleman
Aiden McGeady
Glenn Whelan
Robbie Keane
Shane Long

Defensively, we are a complete mess.

I wouldn't rule out Foley starting at RB.

Ward for Kilbane maybe? Only other change I can think of, does Ward play left back much? We really need a new one.

bonerm

Another draw. Ireland to take an early lead only to concede equaliser shortly before HT and then spend the 2nd half hanging on for dear life .... just like always.

orourkeda

One McShane doesnt get on the pitch we should be alright

bonerm

orourkeda wrote: »

One McShane

Don't tell me there's more of them out there? :eek: :pac:

tolosenc

Of the squad listed above, I'd go for:

GK: Given

LB: Ward
CB: St. Ledger
CB: O'Shea
RB: Kelly

LW: Lawrence
CM: Gibson
CM: Whelan
RW: McGeady

CF: Long
CF: Keane

The_Kew_Tour

If Ireland want to top the group this is must win...

Can see 1-1 though:(

stiffler123

Raskolnikov wrote: »

The team Trap will play
Shay Given
Kevin Kilbane
Darren O'Dea
John O'Shea
Paul McShane
Keith Andrews
Seamus Coleman
Aiden McGeady
Glenn Whelan
Robbie Keane
Shane Long

Defensively, we are a complete mess.

I doubt he will start Coleman. Kilbane is to be expected but Ward has been great in the last 2 games so I'd say he has a chance of starting. My predictions Ireland 2-1 without McShane and 2-2 with McShane.

bonerm

I wonder how much of this gets back to McShane, ie the fact that almost anyone who's ever heard of him thinks he's a liability.

briany

bonerm wrote: »

I wonder how much of this gets back to McShane, ie the fact that almost anyone who's ever heard of him thinks he's a liability.

He reads this board almost every day and his bad play is almost certainly a result of massive depression and loss of self confidence from reading the internet snarkery so I wanna just say if you're reading, Mr. McShane, that I have re-evaluated and now I think that you are one brilliant player. The best in the Irish squad by miles.

The_Kew_Tour

briany wrote: »

He reads this board almost every day and his bad play is almost certainly a result of massive depression and loss of self confidence from reading the internet snarkery so I wanna just say if you're reading, Mr. McShane, that I have re-evaluated and now I think that you are one brilliant player. The best in the Irish squad by miles.

+1 although Paul Green can be just as excellent

Renn

briany wrote: »

He reads this board almost every day and his bad play is almost certainly a result of massive depression and loss of self confidence from reading the internet snarkery so I wanna just say if you're reading, Mr. McShane, that I have re-evaluated and now I think that you are one brilliant player. The best in the Irish squad by miles.

Saw an a show on one of the channels a couple of months back with him on it and the presenter did actually ask him about this kind of stuff - he said it did get to him at the beginning, he would be reading the papers etc, and was pretty frank about the whole thing. He then went on to laugh at guys like Dunphy etc as it's clear as day what their agenda is - it's just that when he started out he didn't really know any better.

McShane hardly the best defender you'll ever see but a lot better than some of the other ones that have played there. I think people just love knocking him

Browney7

tolosenc wrote: »

Of the squad listed above, I'd go for:

GK: Given

LB: Ward
CB: St. Ledger
CB: O'Shea
RB: Kelly

LW: Lawrence
CM: Gibson
CM: Whelan
RW: McGeady

CF: Long
CF: Keane

This is along the lines of what I think Trap will play if all of them are fully fit. Andrews instead of Gibson though I'd say.

Chnandler Bong

Come on lads theres worse players that have played for Ireland than McShane, granted he's not naturally talented but he's gives 100% whenever he plays for us.

At least he had the decency to turn up for the Northern-Ireland and Scotland games, alot of players could do with his attitude!

And no I'm not a friend, family member or indeed Paul McShane himself..

stiffler123

I don't think anybody disputes that McShane doesn't give 100% but the man is simply a liability in the backs and more often than not makes serious mistakes that could and have led to goals. I would blame him as much as Henry for the hand ball incident.

newballsplease

Poor mcshane gets dogs on this site. If he shaved his head it would help!! That huge ginger head doesnt help. His pace and decision making is ridiculous. Had to laugh against scotland...he had the ball and went to boot it up the line to one of the strikers and hoofed it into the crowd almost!lol

bonerm

Chnandler Bong wrote: »

Come on lads theres worse players that have played for Ireland than McShane

Is there many worse with 23 caps to their name (and prob well on the way to 50)? Not too many I'd reckon. Even Alan Kernaghan got his marching orders on 26.

Renn

Whelan? Hunt? McGeady? And there's a good few catching up with him too that are not far better than McShane.

briany

Renn wrote: »

Whelan? Hunt? McGeady? And there's a good few catching up with him too that are not far better than McShane.

They all have been prone to losing the ball, it's just that because of their positions on the pitch, it's less likely that it will lead directly to the concession of a soft goal.

Liam O

Renn wrote: »

Whelan? Hunt? McGeady? And there's a good few catching up with him too that are not far better than McShane.

Those 3 are on a different planet to McShane. McGeady has been one of the best players in the Russian league this season. Not sure if it's Noel or Stephen Hunt you mean? Stephen has been very solid for both Wolves and Ireland, Noel isn't great but can do a job. Whelan I think has been very good in an Ireland jersey for the last while and gets into a Stoke team that are rapidly improving.

Renn

I'm talking about the Irish team - McGeady may have been that in the Russian league but I've never seen him perform once when playing for Ireland.

Given
Kelly ODea(St Ledger if fit) OShea Kilbane
Hunt Whelan Andrews McGeady
Long Keane

Think the above will be the team. Only possible difference maybe ward in for kilbane but dont think trap will put him in for his one.

PauloMN

Any news on Macedonia, any key players out? (Clutching at straws here!)

TheRedDevil10

Darron Gibson is out

http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/another-one-bites-the-dust-2661614.html

tolosenc

Will the ref be putting up with stuff like this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAdVy4IBoRY

bonerm

tolosenc wrote: »

Will the ref be putting up with stuff like this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAdVy4IBoRY

Well we started it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3X8XnIRkBE&t=1m33s

tolosenc

bonerm wrote: »

Well we started it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3X8XnIRkBE&t=1m33s

In fairness, he got the ball... :P