OK, give us your thoughts on how it will go... I'm not very optimistic that we can get a win, but I don't think we will lose either. A lot depends on the midfield, whether Holland and whoever can be good enough defensively to twart Yakin and co and at the same time get involved in attacking. We know that Duff and Keane can do the business but they can't do it all on their own. My guess: 1-1 and a summer of cheering on Wales.
I really don't know what to think... I'll go with 2-1 to Ireland, Keane and Duff. But anything is possible.
I think Ireland are at a low ebb. the worst they have been for years. I can see us getting a right pasting. 3-0 or 4-0 with a man sent off too.(probably Robbie)
My Prediction. I'll go the whole hog with my prediction. Kerr will name a starting line-up of: Given Carr Breen O'Shea harte Finnan Healy Holland Duff Keane Morrison With, Connolly, Reid, Kinsella, Killa, Colgan, Doc Kavanagh, O'Brien the options on the bench. I think it will be quite an even match, but we will be a goal behind at half-time. Knowing that we have to win, early in the 2nd half Kerr will decide to go for broke and throw all caution to the wind. He will take off harte and healy and replace them with Killa and kav. We will then play 3 at the back with Duff moving to the right, While Kav will be told to get forward as much as possible and play as a midfield link-man (like scholes for utd) Given Carr Breen O'Shea Finnan Holland Killa Kav Duff Morrison Keano Ireland will then look very dangerous in attack but will have some scary momments in defence. Keane will then pull a deserved goal back. Connolly will replace a tiring Morrison and thier will a frantic last 10 or so minutes where we will apply constant pressure looking for that vital goal. The swiss will think they have almost weathered the storm when Kav will score a blockbuster to seal the match. Swiss 1-2 Ireland Jonah
Quite a prediction. I think its going to be a great occasion and we can pull this one out fo the bag with a great Irish performance, either that or we'll fall flat on our face. Always when we've faced tricky fixtures though we never let ourselves down.
Hey. We're Irish. We perform well under crunch time situations. 2-1 Ireland. One goal from returning Robbie, and I haven't decided who the other comes from. Duff may continue his streak, maybe Conolly, Maybe O'Shea, Maybe Morrison. Doesn't matter, as we are bound for Portugal!
i think the team will be: given carr (Right) breen O'Shea finan (Left) duff (right) holland healy kilbane (left) keane connolly bench: Doherty,Morrison,Carsley,Harte,O'Brien, although i don't know why he picked kavanagh now. kavanagh has been around for years and playing really well at first and second division level. strange decision to include him and not liam millar. still we must trust brian kerr.
It depends on the team picked really, either way it's a close one. I've heard he'll pick Kilbane, Holland, Kinsella, Carsley with Duff up front with Keane and if he does I can't see us scoring the goals we'll need to win, but if our big players are on form and people like Connolly rise to the occasion we can hopefully sneak a 2-1 win, but it really could go either way.
I would pick that team with one change, Healy out and Kavanagh in. Kavanagh said yesterday that if he gets his chance he will take it. Kavanagh has about 7 or 8 years more experience than both Healy and Miller and he also got the player of the month award in Division 1. He has 3 caps under his belt and an international goal and if he said he will take his chance this time I have no doubt he will try a lot more than anyone else in the centre of midfield. How could you put him down for playing the first division. Holland was playing there for years and he still got his game for Ireland and where is Healy playing now. if you saw Kavanagh play you would certainly want him in the sqaud. He is a bit like Carr, a real leader and an aggressive player when he needs to be. If Kerr likes what he see's of Kavanagh in training I think he has a good chance of starting. Anyway, I can see us getting 2 goals in the first half and we will be lucky to hang on to it.
for starters, the place shouldn't be too hostile, its the swiss for goodness sake. They're netural with everything. maybe they wont even root for anyone and just sit back and relax.....kidding as we all know it'll be tough. no matter which way it goes, we'll all be on the edge of our bar stools for 90+ minutes. wheter we talk about the games Ireland have pulled through for us and also blown it. We'll probably pissed off at half time for being 0-0. will get an early goal in the second half, but will concede one right after. then we'll all be hoping for another ball to drop at robbies feet at the end of the 88-90 minutes. (* Al la Germany *) if it falls, we're off to play in england in the playoffs. 'nother question, Will the swiss really play for a win? If they draw they should be golden. There is no way Georgia is beating russia.
"I would pick that team with one change, Healy out and Kavanagh in. Kavanagh said yesterday that if he gets his chance he will take it. Kavanagh has about 7 or 8 years more experience than both Healy and Miller and he also got the player of the month award in Division 1. He has 3 caps under his belt and an international goal and if he said he will take his chance this time I have no doubt he will try a lot more than anyone else in the centre of midfield. How could you put him down for playing the first division. Holland was playing there for years and he still got his game for Ireland and where is Healy playing now. if you saw Kavanagh play you would certainly want him in the sqaud. He is a bit like Carr, a real leader and an aggressive player when he needs to be. If Kerr likes what he see's of Kavanagh in training I think he has a good chance of starting" You ain't wrong there. There is a lot of well informed fan's who use this board, therefore I'm amazed that their isn't many more people who appreciate Kavanagh's abilty. I become convinced the season before last after watching the cardiff-leeds cup match when I saw Kav totally controlled the midfield and scored a tremendous free-kick. Since then I have followed Kav's career and seen quite a few of cardiff's games. I remember that same season Kav score around 18 goals (in all games) from midfield. When Cardiff were promoted this season there was always a slight doubt that he may not be able to compete as well in a higher division. But infact he looks better. He looks much more fitter. The thing about watching Cardiff is that everything they do goes through Kav, his presence is awesome. In resent years the only other player I have seen who has totally commanded the centre of the pitch as much is, Roy Keane. I know Keano is in different class but the simularities are self evident. The aggression, the size, the workrate, the leadership. While Keano is a more defencive player, Kav like's to get forward and has much better shooting abilty. For me, based on what I have seen of the current Ireland central midfielders, non of them brings more to the game than Kavanagh. Jonah
1) Playing for a draw can really come back to bite a team in the butt, especially against such an opportunistic side as Ireland. Unless the Swiss went and signed Frank Solich as their new manager, they'll likely be playing for the win. 2) Russia is to Georgia what England is to Ireland ... this is Rivalry No. 1 for the Georgians and there's little chance they'll come out flat, IMO. Russia's just as capable of tanking, too, so I wouldn't give the Russians three points just yet.
Perhaps, but I read somewhere recently that as the USSR, the CIS and Russia, they have lost 1 competitive home game in 70 years! Georgia has played 3 games away in this group so far and lost 3. 3 points looks as close to certain as possible for Russia, but...........
"That still leaves one time...." OK, maybe that's a bit of a stretch. If Israel can go into Moscow and get a result, though, then I still believe anything could happen on Saturday.
luck of the draw Ireland to draw-----out of Europe finals England to draw-----into Europe Finals (Jammy B's. again). "You will never beat the Irish"
i was right about the team and unfortunately nearly right about the result. it stands to reason that if we can't beat either russia or switz at home and if we can't manage to comprehensively beat albania or georgia then what hope have we of beating the swiss (who need to win) in their back yard. our midfield are too weak. and we lack options up front. but don't slate kerr. he can now start afresh for the next world cup. and finally ditch the likes of Breen,harte,Kilbane,Kinsella,carsley, who have all given loyal service to their country or chosen country as the case may be.