Ok, after last night's good performances, how is the team shaping up? The good..... Goal : Given is still first choice, and a great one, but Kiely is a more than able substitute. So we're looking good here. Defence: O'Shea is the future of our centre at the back. The postition is his for the next 10 years if he wants it. He could be another Paul McGrath. Carr owns the right back spot, man it's so good to see him back in action. Almost a shame that Finnan is also a left back. Midfield: Reid would appear to be 1st choice on the right. Hard to see McAteer or Kelly overtaking him here in the near future. I suppose Finnan could play here too if need be. Duff of course owns the left side.... when not injured, fingers crossed here. Forwards: Keane and Morrison seem to be the obvious choice to start up front. Keane with all his skill and Morrison with his goal poaching opportunism. So that leaves us with 4 postitons to fill.... One central defense spot to fill..... O'Brien, Dunne, Cunningham, Breen..... all are capable of good performance on a given day, but could also let us down. Will come down to a combo of form and injury I suppose. Left back.... Harte still doesn't inspire a great deal of confidence. But who else is there without switching Finnan, a right fullback, to the left? Centre of Midfield: Holland and Kinsella are capable when on form, but Russia and Switzerland left a lot to be desired. Delap has yet to establish himself internatinally, it's a pity he couldn't play last night. Lots of other Journeymen, Carsley, Healy, McPhail, and even Kilbane, I think he is more suited to the centre anyway... but no real standouts.... no real Roy Keane like player. Could be our weakest link.
Left back for me has to be Finnan, right footed right backs switching before has produced some fine preformances in an Ireland shirt and in others, I can't see a problem with it given Finnan has two good feet anyway. Central Mid field for me is Holland, who looks a bit like getting back on form on evidence of last night, and Delap. Delap may be unestablished, but his form this season has been emmence, could be a good partnership, a very good partnership. Central defence alongside O'Shea, Cunningham all the way for me. Very experienced cool head and the sides current skipper make him the obvious choice unless Dunne or O'Brien can press the issue a bit more, they're quite handy but O'Shea and Cunningham for me are the ideal partnership. Breen showed last night he's worth a squad place too. For the positions you've already picked, I'd agree 100%.
trivia who said... "Holland has been quite frankly absolute rubbish in our last two games and most Ipswich fans want shot at him, he is so over rated it is unreal, he's just not motivated anymore" ...a mere month ago? the word 'reactionary' springs immediately to mind.
I wise we had more options up front, like when we had Quinn and Cascarino. It's great to have a big man ready to throw in when we're in trouble and we've seen this work for us before. Doherty is not the answer but maybe Sadlier?
Not really, I still think his form was very poor prior to that match, when he was decent, it's just we've nobody else unless Healy finally moves.
Why not use finnan on the right and carr on the left? Carr has got an amazin shot so he could cause nightmares coming inside onto his right foot. It would be a devastating combination - Carr and Duff.
I was thinking the same but Carr also loves getting right down the touchline and putting crosses in, it may not suit that part of his game as well, whereas Finnan normally plays slightly deeper and has a good left foot anyway, but it's an option alright.
When I saw this title I hoped you were talking Sean Thornton and Thomas Butler... Seems nobody like Kilbane but he does produce when called on...not a fan either but he's been decent recently..
I would agree with you on the first choices, but on the second choices I would be a bit critical. I would play O'Shea at Left Back (his favoured position at Old Trafford) and play Cunningham and Dunne at Centre back. Delap's had a good season with Southampton (but they've all had a good season, Beattie's in the England side ). My Starting XI; Goal 1. Given Defence 2. Carr 4. Cunningham (C) 5. Dunne 3. O'Shea Midfield 7. Reid 6. Delap 8. Kinsella 11. Duff Foward 9. Keane 10. Morrison
Re: Re: The future O'Shea is a centre-half, not a fullback. That's where he's played for most of his (short) career, and that's where his long term future is. I know that he's filled in admirably on both sides (and even in midfield) this season at Old Trafford, but like I said in a previous thread (the infamous "Steve Finnan is a god" thread, I think ), I don't think it'd be a great idea to play a youngster, in his first full season of senior football, and still settling in at international level, out of position.