Rep. of Ireland v Andorra, Tue 7 September 2010 [RTE2: 7pm, KO: 7.45pm]

Michael Collins

This will be the first competitive soccer international in the new stadium. I'm heading along myself, hopefully I'll get to see some goals.

Most likely starting 11:

Given
JOS - Dunne - St. Ledger - Kilbane
Lawrence - Whelan - Green/Gibson - McGeady
Keane - Doyle

The only question is will Trap stick with Green or include Gibson? He seemed to say after the Armenia match that Green got into the game towards the end, so maybe he'll give him another try in a less testing match? The rest seems fairly standard.

It's a shame Duff is still injured, he could be useful in breaking down what will probably an 11-men behind the ball situation for large periods, our skill from set pieces could come in useful in that regard too.

Pinturicchio

Michael Collins wrote: »

Most likely starting 11:

Given
JOS - Dunne - St. Ledger - Kilbane
Lawrence - Whelan - Green/Gibson - McGeady
Keane - Doyle

I'd like Fahey to get that position for this match but I'd say it'll be Green.

tolosenc

Anyone else see another 1-0? :P

Against teams like this, you really need to be aiming to score a half-dozen.

Would like to see Gibson in for Green, Fahey in for McGeady and Cunningham in for Kilbane.

Prediction: 4-0

IRISHSPORTSGUY

I have absolutely no doubt we'll win, but I can see us making heavy weather of beating a vastly inferior team yet again due to a lack of a creative minded central midfielder.

2-0 (Keane 7, 85)

The_B_Man

I'll be heading along too. Got tickets in the disabled looking north stand! At least I'll get a good view of the rest of the stadium!!

An optimistic 3-0 to Ireland!

RichTea

Same old story. 1-0 or 2-0 (I'd be surprised but not massively impressed if we managed 3).

That's just the way Ireland play. Not a criticism, just a reflection of how things are.

Johnny Utah

Now, I said it before, but this is precisely the sort of game you need Andy Reid or another similar attacking midfielder in the team.

Nevertheless, it'll be the same old stuff with Trap, grinding out a result..... you can't teach an old dog new tricks!

Let's hope qualification doesn't come down to goal difference! :eek:

Royale with Cheese

Have a ticket myself. Am hoping for some goals and a better atmosphere than there was at the Argentina game. Not expecting either though.

mike65

The way Trap sets Ireland up you'd swear he'd prefer there to be no ball at all.

SlickRic

we know what we're going to get, and i'm usually delighted with the pragmatic approach; we don't have the players to play another way against most teams.

but this game will annoy me i reckon.

we should play a midfield of...

Lawrence----Fahey----Gibson

---

McGeady

against this lot; or at least play in a more expansive way.

but we won't.

we'll just have to deal with it.

CSF

IRISHSPORTSGUY wrote: »

I have absolutely no doubt we'll win, but I can see us making heavy weather of beating a vastly inferior team yet again due to a lack of a creative minded central midfielder.

2-0 (Keane 7, 85)

You're not being specific enough, what second do you expect the goals to come in?

Mister men

mike65 wrote: »

The way Trap sets Ireland up you'd swear he'd prefer there to be no ball at all.

Could'nt care less if we make it to the Euro's. It's been far to long a wait.

IRISHSPORTSGUY

CSF wrote: »

You're not being specific enough, what second do you expect the goals to come in?

LOL well the sentiment of the post was clear, as opposed to me going all Derren Brown on you all.

We'll score early, struggle to break down Andorra due to way Trap sets us up against poor nations, yet we'll eventually tire them out because they're essentially a pub team.

Vincent Vega

Great news guys!
McShane has rejoined the Irish squad ahead of this match
Not a religious man by any strech of the word, but think i'll be crackin out the rosary beads for this one.

FlawedGenius

Im sort of more looking forward to seeing the result of the Russia Slovakia match. I reckon wel beat Andorra by more than 2 anyway.

DH2K9

Ireland wiil struggle ad scrape through 1-0.

tolosenc

Paddy Power is backing 3-0, only slightly over 2-0 and 4-0. 5-0 has the same odds as 1-0. 6-0 is 11/1. Paddy was right for just about everything from the Armenia match (1-0, goal in the second half, goal after 71 mins...)

None of the bookies seem to have done their homework on Andorra though. Ildefons Lima is way off as a goal scorer, despite the fact that he's the most prolific scorer in Andorran history (with 7 in 61 matches)

Kidchameleon

Mister men wrote: »

Could'nt care less if we make it to the Euro's. It's been far to long a wait.

Don't get comments like this, OF COURSE YOU'D CARE! You would be delighted (I'm assuming your Irish)

Anyhow,

Ireland to win 3 nill and Russia to draw, boys in green top the group

ArmaniJeanss

Kidchameleon wrote: »

Don't get comments like this, OF COURSE YOU'D CARE! You would be delighted (I'm assuming your Irish)

I think the poster meant that he wouldn't care how Trapp sets the team up, just so long as we qualify. If he'd put a comma between 'less' and 'if' it would have been clearer

Anyway, it'd be nice if for once we could put one of these games to bed early, not be a) looking at 0-0 in the run up half time, or not be b) in a state of mild panic with a 1-0 lead in the 70th minute and them starting to get a few corners.

2-0 after 20 minutes, too much to ask for?

Kidchameleon

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

I think the poster meant that he wouldn't care how Trapp sets the team up, just so long as we qualify. If he'd put a comma between 'less' and 'if' it would have been clearer

Ah I see, sorry Mister men my mistake. I think Ive been exposed to too much Irish soccer bashing lately...

Michael Collins

Kidchameleon wrote: »

Ah I see, sorry Mister men my mistake. I think Ive been exposed to too much Irish soccer bashing lately...

Funny, I read it the way you did initially too. There does seem to be an attitude of not caring about the international teams these days, which I just don't get.

tolosenc wrote: »

...None of the bookies seem to have done their homework on Andorra though. Ildefons Lima is way off as a goal scorer, despite the fact that he's the most prolific scorer in Andorran history (with 7 in 61 matches)

On fire. Wasn't he the guy who put one past us the last time Andorra were at Lansdowne in 2001? I recall them running to the corner in a huddle celebrating as if they won the match...I suppose they probably haven't been 1 nil up too often against so called bigger side.

It ended up 3-1. Not an amazing scoreline, and that was a pretty decent Ireland side back then. When a team puts 11 men behind the ball they can be hard to break down.

tolosenc

Michael Collins wrote: »

On fire. Wasn't he the guy who put one past us the last time Andorra were at Lansdowne in 2001? I recall them running to the corner in a huddle celebrating as if they won the match...I suppose they probably haven't been 1 nil up too often against so called bigger side.

It ended up 3-1. Not an amazing scoreline, and that was a pretty decent Ireland side back then. When a team puts 11 men behind the ball they can be hard to break down.

He was, yeah. IIRC, that sparked us into playing, and we were 2-1 up within 5 minutes.

Yakult

1-0 to Ireland. I can see it being similar to the Armenia game but maybe holding the ball more. Will be a great boost to win the first two openers.

GLaDOS

Tight win, more than likely the same team that started against Armenia, though Green and Kilbane should be dropped imo.

Coillte_Bhoy

Royale with Cheese wrote: »

Have a ticket myself. Am hoping for some goals and a better atmosphere than there was at the Argentina game. Not expecting either though.

Well, what do you yourself, contribute to the atmpsphere?

parker kent

Would be nice to score at least one more than Russia did last Friday against Andorra. They key in these games is to get an early lead. Andorra seem to be getting better at killing games and keeping the score low. England had a very tough time getting into the lead against them in the WC qualification campaign.

I think Gibson should start this as different things will be required from the midfield. Whelan should push up whenever possible to and try a few more shots from distance.

Patser

I'd figure on a 5-0 win for Ireland, with Robbie to get a hat-trick (including at least 1 peno). Our last game at Landsdowne was a 5-0 win over San Marino, so hopefully the 1st in the new Landsdowne will fire the lads up again against a similar level team to San Marino.

Also Kilbane to miss at least one sitter and also hit a very, very dodgy back pass to Shay but otherwise be ok.

The Rooster

According to interviews with both Green and Whelan during the week, Green plays a much more attacking role for Derby but Trapsasks him to play a different, more defensive role, for Ireland. So perhaps we'd see a different Green playing his more natural game against Andorra.

CorkMan

I hope we don't draw.

Its been 2002 since Ireland were in a major tournament, DAMN.

tolosenc

CorkMan wrote: »

I hope we don't draw.

Its been 2002 since Ireland were in a major tournament, DAMN.

Fear not, last time we had Andorra in qualifying group B, we qualified.

IRISHSPORTSGUY

CorkMan wrote: »

I hope we don't draw.

Its been 2002 since Ireland were in a major tournament, DAMN.

Even the biggest Trap fanboys on here wouldn't be able to defend dropping points at home to Andorra. That would be just utterly pathetic and humiliating.

We'll win though. It's never pretty under Trap but we'll get the job done.

The Volt

tolosenc wrote: »

Fear not, last time we had Andorra in qualifying group B, we qualified.

They also scored first against us if I remember correctly :pac:

Dun laoire

A scuttery 2-0. Doyler to bag one, and yer man Lawrenson to get the other. Superb player that lad

The Volt

Dun laoire wrote: »

A scuttery 2-0. Doyler to bag one, and yer man Lawrenson to get the other. Superb player that lad

briany

I like the nickname that Ireland's midfield pairing are being given by a certain paper - "The bash brothers" Sums it up pretty well for me.

Anyway I'll go for a 3-0 on this one. A goal or two for Robbie if he is playing and one for Liam Lawrence. Provided that Ireland win this game (and they hardly deserve qualification if they don't) it'll leave us sitting pretty enough in the group, perhaps on top depending on what happens in Russia. Early days but always nice to see the name up there.

CSF

Screw the pesimism. We're going to absolutely annihilate these. I'll be backing us (-4) anyway.

nullzero

Voltwad wrote: »

I tell you what....:pac:

monkey9

It's funny the way Trap sets out his side not to lose, first and foremost so that he'd play the likes of Green/Whelan rather than say Reid/Fahey. Yet he then plays Paul McShane!!

Same team for me here, i'd say (barring injuries).

The main thing for Trap will be just to win the game. A one nil would make him happy enough and then hope for the bonus of extra goals.

3-0 Ireland!

WallyGUFC

6-1 Ireland I say. Andorra will take the lead in the Havlock Square end after 3 mins. The silence will then be silenced when Lawrence blasts a 30 yard free kick inot the postage stamp. Kevin Doyle will then go on an amazing run ending in a tap in for Keane for 2-1. We'll score straight from the kickoff after half time and the floodgates will open...Keane to bag 2 more, Dunne from a corner and Doyle will finish it. Trap will be lauded for changing his style of play and all will be well.


As for reality, 2-0 after a long struggle but a win is a win.

tolosenc

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2010/0906/1224278286427.html

Well, at least no Paul McShane...

JerryHandbag

Finally I think this will be Traps first competitive win by more than a 1 goal margin! Only just though, I'll go with 2-0

smallerthanyou

Only just started being able to afford to go to the Ireland games. After Italy, Montenegro, France and Argentina, I deserve, no I demand a win. The main reason I'm going to this one is to see lots of goals. At least 3. Keane to miss at least two sitters, Lawrence to get a scrappy rebound goal towards the end of the first half, a 30y screamer from Whelan around 65 and maybe a last minute third for Keane.

SimpleLogic

briany wrote: »

I like the nickname that Ireland's midfield pairing are being given by a certain paper - "The bash brothers" Sums it up pretty well for me.

I cant agree with this . True they are boring to watch and its negative to play with two holding midfielders. But Andrews and Whelan play a very disciplined game, they dont just go out there with the aim to ruff the opposition up.

Last qualifying campaign, Andrews picked up one yellow in eight games and Whelan two in eleven.

Raskolnikov

4-0 for me.

Diabhal Beag

O'Dea is out. I can see maybe a 2-0 win for Trap's boys.

tolosenc

My €1 bet: Keane to score first & 9-0 (100-1)

KungPao

I'm predicting a slightly surprising easy victory, 4 maybe even 5-0. The win on friday must have gave them some extra confidence, and they know there is a good chance of going top. Playing at the new stadium may help too.

I have a feeling Slovakia will get one over on Russia, and if we beat Andorra and get a few goals, things would be looking good.

KungPao

tolosenc wrote: »

My €1 bet: Keane to score first & 9-0 (100-1)

That would be nice for our goal difference!

IRISHSPORTSGUY

tolosenc wrote: »

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2010/0906/1224278286427.html

Well, at least no Paul McShane...

I sincerely hope Trap doesn't have a 'no need to tinker with a winning team' approach for the Russia/Slovakia tests in October. As much as I like Kevin Kilbane, he MUST be dropped.

It's not like we don't have options either, on the contrary we're actually spoilt for choice!

JOS - Dunne - Sledge - Foley/Kelly/Coleman
Ward/Cunningham - Dunne - Sledge - JOS

tolosenc

IRISHSPORTSGUY wrote: »

I sincerely hope Trap doesn't have a 'no need to tinker with a winning team' approach for the Russia/Slovakia tests in October. As much as I like Kevin Kilbane, he MUST be dropped.

It's not like we don't have options either, on the contrary we're actually spoilt for choice!

JOS - Dunne - Sledge - Foley/Kelly/Coleman
Ward/Cunningham - Dunne - Sledge - JOS

If I were to pitch a strategy to Trap for those games, that I think he'd consider taking me up on, it'd be:

Given - Coleman O'Shea Dunne Cunningham - Duff Whelan Fahey Lawrence - Keane Doyle

then if we have a lead 60 mins in, go to:

Given - Coleman O'Shea St. Ledger Dunne Cunningham - Duff Whelan McGeady - Keane Sheridan

briany

Burner- wrote: »

I cant agree with this . True they are boring to watch and its negative to play with two holding midfielders. But Andrews and Whelan play a very disciplined game, they dont just go out there with the aim to ruff the opposition up.

Last qualifying campaign, Andrews picked up one yellow in eight games and Whelan two in eleven.

I don't think it's referring to their imposing themselves in an aggressive way on the opposition so much as just breaking up the flow of play and being uncreative and unsophisticated in their roles (by design). But hey, if it delivered the European championship then you'd have to be quite the miser to disagree with it.