Mick McCarthy will continue to use Damien Duff as a centre forward in the Republic of Ireland's vital Euro 2004 qualifier against Switzerland. There had been a suggestion that the Blackburn ace would be switched to his more familiar club position of left wing, enabling the Irish boss to bring in Birmingham striker Clinton Morrison to partner Robbie Keane in attack. Morrison has looked increasingly lively at international level and the fact he is performing on the Premiership stage is another plus in his favour. But despite last month's 4-2 defeat in Russia, McCarthy wants to stick with Duff and Keane in attack for a match the Irish must win at Lansdowne Road. McCarthy said: "I have considered playing Clinton up front but I have no doubt in my mind that Ireland's most effective strikeforce is Robbie Keane and Damien Duff. "They have done superb for us since I gave them their first game together just over a year ago." Keane has become one of the game's most effective strikers since enjoying a stunning World Cup and now has 14 goals in 39 games for his country. Duff's return of two goals in 32 games is obviously far more modest but most of his appearances have come on the wing and McCarthy believes that, goalscoring aside, the pairing of the two Premiership stars hands defences huge problems due to their pace and movement. Elsewhere, McCarthy has to decide who to play on the right of midfield following Rory Delap's withdrawal from the squad on Monday, with Gary Kelly, Lee Carsley and Colin Healy all in contention. However, with Kelly expected to start at right-back in the absence of Steve Finnan and Stephen Carr, McCarthy looks set to select between the latter. The Ireland boss, however, expects to be able to call upon goalkeeper Shay Given (ankle), defender Phil Babb (sore throat) and Matt Holland (thigh) after the trio missed training on Monday. Ireland (probable): Given; Kelly, Breen, Cunningham, Harte; Carsley, Holland, Kinsella, Kilbane; Duff, Keane.
Can anybody tell me what playing Carsley on the right wing could possibly offer Ireland? In a home game, with two essentially defence minded central midfielders and a badly off form left winger, surely, surely, McCarthy should look to pick a right winger more renowned for at least thinking about going forward rather than one who gets a nosebleed once beyond the halfway line. I really think picking Carsley will hand the initiative to the Swiss. Where will our attacks come from? For all their talents, Holland and Kinsella are not playmakers. Kilbane...well, once the Swiss full back realises his only trick is to knock it long and run after it, he'll be snookered. And Carsley's contribution to the attack?! I dunno, growl at the keeper maybe? We'll be relying on long balls into the front two, which as we know are not what Duffer and Robbie like. We need to play through the midfield and down the flanks. We need Healy on the right at the very least. I am going for a lie down......the very mention of Carsely on the right has made me thoroughly disillusioned. Sort it out Mick.
I think Carsley played right midfield for Everton the other night against Man Utd and did OK. I know he's not Zico but he always gives 100%. I will be a bit concerned if Mick does start with Duff up front again, as we will then have two players playing out of position. I thought I read somewhere that O'Shea was going to start, possibly at right back?
Team against Switzerland Playing Colin Healy would be risky as he has had very little first team football this season. He had a run out against very poor opposition in the UEFA cup but other than that it's been reserve football. I hope O'Shea plays. Probably at right back as I do not think Mick will break up the Breen/Cunningham partnership. However once O' Shea plays a full competitive game it's going to be very difficult to leave him out. and once Finnan or Carr are available for selection I think O' Shea will be first choice center back. Mick might possibly go for - Given, O Shea Breen Cunningham Harte or Kilbane Kelly Holland Kinsella Duff Keane Morrison
Hmm....I have nothing against Carsley, but as a central midfielder. Defensive. Winger? I think FIFA have it written somewhere that bald people aren't allowed to be wingers......although, if you think about it, they're probably more aerodynamic...
Everything I dislike about McCarthy is right up there in writing, that plus the fact O'Shea will be on the bench again.
Hate myself for saying it, but the possibilty of such a clunky midfield has certain echos of Jack Charlton's infamous use of 4 full-backs against the Dutch in 1995... That said, surely its spoof tactics!
Carsley and Kilbane as wingers! So do ye all want to defend McCarty still? I know we should reserve judgement before the team is announced but if this team is true then it confirms everything I hate about McCarty.
Speculation in the papers this morning that it will be Healy on the right rather than Carsley. Thanks be te Jayzis. Also reading the Swiss papers (can't beat the aul honours French!), they are not confident at all. Their press seems very downbeat about the Albania performance, and would take a point now and run. They're also petrified about "les jumeaux terribles" Duff and Keane up front. Funnily, their press is talking us up far more than ours is.
The german swiss press (tages anzeiger) seem fairly confident of getting at least a draw and blame tiredness as the main factor in their recent 1-1 against Albania. The german sports media in general does tend to be quite arrogant and critical at the same time. They talk about having respect for the irish team but the report contains the tired old line that ireland are an example of what a team of "limited talent" can achieve!
I hate to be so seriously pessimistic, but I think this team is going to start going backwards quickly under McCarthy. A run of poor results could drain confidence from the team quickly if something is not done now. His insistence on playing Duff up front is unbelievable, the lad is way better out on the left wing where he can find a bit of space to use his skills and run at defenders. Kilbane is absolutely terrible, I can't remember the last time he had a good game for club or country. John O'Shea is another example, if he's good enough for Alex Ferguson to put him in at right back when United have defensive problems, surely he can beat Gary Kelly to place. The same Gary Kelly that can't even get a place in the Leeds team ahead of Danny Mills. And how he can play Breen ahead of O'Shea in the centre is beyond me too, just because the lad is young, it doesn't mean he isn't good enough. Breen has started to believe all the hype about himself after the world cup. A bit like Nicky Butt for England. They're both no better than average andthe fact that Breen is playing in a defensively poor West Ham side will do him no favours either.
That's grand as far as it goes, but does no one else think that constant - constant - criticism when they've done everything asked of them will have a bit of an effect on confidence as well....? I mean, if they're gonna have the piss taken out of them even when they win, why bother?