Rubbish isn't he? that was only the reputed best defence in the world he bagged a brace against tonight, playing for Birmingham. For those keeping count, that's two premiership starts in his career, three goals (Got one on his debut for Palace after coming on in the 80th or so minute) and that's one international start and three goals.
Did you see his second? Real special header, the kind nobody, and I mean nobody, on our team is capable of putting in. Mick can no longer justify leaving him out, much less throwing Connolly on ahead of him.
Show me where anyone actually said that. Its great he scored two goals to win a big point for his club. However, I think your assertion about Liverpool's defence sounds a bit "2001/02"! I would be surprised if anyone thinks he lacks real potential. I think those who found fault with him last Saturday did so because he looked a bit raw at that level. Russia's defence was hardly awe-inspiring, yet they contained him pretty well. He also gave possession away a bit too easily in the run-up to the Russians' second goal - the one that really put them in a match-winning position. (On the other hand, he had one straight-forward chance and he gobbled it up. Fair play for that.) However, these are normal criticisms of a young and still relatively inexperienced player and they are certainly things a player who hopes to play at the top will be able to eliminate. The question is should he be let make some of these mistakes in an Irish shirt or should we wait for him to become a bit more polished, as would be the ideal situation? In all probability, if he puts in consistently eye-catching performances for his club (and I don't necessarily mean banging in a lot of goals), it may well be worth the gamble. In any case, Damien Duff's injury may make any debate academic as far as the next game goes! A more interesting debate really is IF Morrison plays, do you dare go into a competitive game with a left-hand side made up of Ian Harte and Damien Duff or do you leave Duff on the bench for the defensively reliable, but limited attacking potenial of Kevin Kilbane? The answer to which may ultimately decide Ireland's fate in this group and how long more McCarthy remains in the job...
Clinton I'm not one of Clinton's fans but he did have a good game last night although lets wait and see how he develops over the course of the season. i'm more than happy to be proved wrong on this one so i've baked a humble pie just in case and i plan to wash it down with a pint of 'i told you so!'
More to the point alternatives at left back must be found to accomadate Duffer, Steven Carrs fitness will prove a huge factor here, the propsed switch of Finnan to left back to accomadate him, if works, and it should given Finnan used ot play left wing, has a great left foot and is incredbley versatile this may not be a problem anymore. Unfortunitly, Carrs fitness is not something anybody can safely bank on, and another alternatvie must be found. Putting Kilbane there is risky, a little too risky in an important match, same with Phil Babb, all to inexpereinced at this level, maybe at the moment putting Duff on the right, like the Spain match, when we must play with Harte at left back gives us the best options. We're not totally exposed down the left side as Kilbane will bail out Ian Harte, Duffers talents aren't being wasted and we have the natural goal scorer Robbie Keane so desperately needs to play along side him. Then try Finnan out left if/when Carr gets back.
Carr is a bother. He seems to have a real problem getting properly fit and I am concerned he will be a "might have done so much, but was crocked too often"-type player. That would be an unspeakable shame... I saw highlights of Phil Babb playing at left-back for Sunderland against Man United. He looked pretty awkward with Beckham running at him. Imagine how he would cope with a decent right-wing taking him on... At best, he offers cover there. I have never seen Finnan play on the left. However, you are not the only person to think he can play there. Does he ever play for Fulham in this position? However, I would not give up on Hartey just yet. El Tel has done wonders for other players in the past and might be able to do something for Ian. Whichever way it ends up, without a solid back four, it seems a bit risky to talk of putting attack-minded players into midfield...
Don, since I know well a lifelong Fulham fan so I knew of Finnan long before he became an international, and he is a former left winger. The expereince has done him good, the two examples I keep bringing up are McAteers goal V Holland and Keanes goal V Russia were crosses off the left boot of Steve Finnan, although he been an ever present right back since Fulham got promoted I've no doubt he's more then up to the job. He reminds me more and more of Dennis Irwin by the day, a right footer who played one side for country and the other for club and did it to perfection, and Finnan plays so like Irwin. there's not much more I can say about it really, we'll just have to try it against one of the minnows or in a friendly but I'm convinced he'd be upto it. The main worry is Steve Carrs fitness.
I take what you are saying on crosses. On that point though, we have a lad at Shelbourne - Owen Heary. He is a right full-back and is widely considered the best in that position in the league. I mention him because he can cross quite well with his left, but when he played half of last season at left full-back, he was only 70-80% of the player he was on the other side of the pitch. On the other hand, there is the "Denis Irwin" example you mention. My only question is that with Kelly usually fit and in the squad, why hasn't McCarthy tried Finnan there before in a friendly? After all, he has taken a look at Kilbane several times in defence. Also, I can't remember him ever mentionning the possibility of playing Finnan there and its a position that must crop up for questionning in every press conference he gives!
Finnan = Left winger? Finnan never played on the left wing for anyone. The closest he came was when he played in the centre of midfield for Welling United a few years ago before he joined Birmingham where he played on the right side of midfield before being transferred by Barry Fry after less than 10 games to Notts County. Played right back for them and later moved to Fulham. His cross for the goal against Holland was poor but we got lucky when Duff missed his attempted header and it landed at McAteer's feet. Hardly convincing evidence that he could be an international left back. The best left back we have is Ian Harte. If he's good enough for Venables he's good enough for us. The next best option is Clive Clarke. There are no other contenders.
Pat, he was not always a right back at Fulham and definitely, definitely, has played left wing before at some point. The cross wasn't poor, it was just aimed at Duff whos hardly strong in the air, and the Keane one was inch perfect. Harte isn't good enough for Leeds, a full strenght Leeds defence is as follows. Mills, Radabe, Woodgate, Matteo. Just they're rarely fit, why do you think he bought in that left back who hasn't yet figured much? Harte is considered by most, if not all, Leeds worst player by a country mile.
Which begs the question why Matteo hasn't taken his place seeing as he's fit. "That left-back" - Teddy Lucic, by the way, also plays right-back, and centre-half, so that's very misleading. Look, can everyone please get off his back, at least until he does something new to deserve it? It's fair enough if someone deserves criticism, but people seem to be having a go at him now just because they're so used to it. He's not the perfect defender, but very few players don't have some major fault for their position. He had a bad time last season, and a terrible World Cup, but from the Spain match on, he's been decent for us, and for Leeds. He was our best defender against Finland (even though some people STILL came out criticising him), and the only defender against Russia who came out with any kind of small credit. He hasn't suddenly become a terrible player overnight - remember, this is a guy who's been a fixture in the Leeds team for the last 5 seasons - if they'd decided that they needed to replace him they could have done it long ago. And as well as attracting interest from Barca, Inter and Juve, among others, he was in the PFA Team of the Year a couple of seasons ago as the best left-back - the accolade that's done so much for Steve Finnan's reputation, lest we forget. And he's only 24. Until and unless he screws up again, how about we all leave him alone? NEXT WEEK: Why the Keane/McCarthy debate's pissing me off. Coming to a cinema near you.
Because Radabe, Woodgate and Matteo haven't been 100% fit together yet, ask ANY Leeds fan, go over to the Rivals.net Leeds section and find out what they think. If he's so bad that people have to talk about us not being able to play our best player in his best position then there is seriously something wrong.
But combinations or Radebe, Woodgate and Ferdinand have. And Matteo's been fit almost continually since they bought him. The situation's only arisen in the last year while Harte's been going through his confidence crisis.
1. And Matteo was played left back most of the time that combination was available. 2. I do agree with this, and O'Leary is partly to blame. I wont just forget how good he was under Graham and the promise he showed but the fact is he is low on confidence and can be a passenger and a liability in that state, it's not upto the national team to sort this out, it's upto his club form to boost his confidence and to cement his place in our team. If he puts in the preformances he's capable of, sorts out his lack of confidence and concentration and Venebles really sits down and sorts him out, he should be considered, but until that he's not upto it and his old problems remain, positional sense, pace et all, and it's not something an international side can afford to carry on with.
Mick should give a couple of National League players a go in a couple of the upcoming games. Glen Crowe and Kevin McHugh for a start! Morrison (That's Clinton, not Dave!) and Connolly should never be allowed near a green shirt again!