Republic of Ireland Team 2023/24 [old thread]

How in the name of god would you pick that back 4?

If Ukraine make changes and rest people it would suits. Not that they'll have a weaker starting XI, but the fresh legs will want to impress and play ball which should leave gaps to attack when we get the ball.

.........................Kelleher

..............Collins - Egan - O'Shea

Christie - Hendrick - Cullen - McClean

......Robinson - Obafemi - Knight

I'd go with that front three because I think we'd do better with Knight and Robinson playing narrower and allowing our WBs room out wide. You've also got the pace of Obafemi to make up for the pace you'd lose from Ogbene. Would like Obafemi to start because I think he's someone that would do better starting rather than being thrown in when we're chasing the game.

That was Duffy's first game since the last internationals and Kenny did talk about getting him in early for the training match as Duffy is someone that feeds off momentum from playing regularly. He looked rusty at the weekend and it's no surprise with the lack of games. Hopefully he does move if Brighton now view him as cover. We need him playing regularly to be at his best. Could leave him in to get those run of games but think we could do with one change in the back three.

If Obafemi was to start could make a good case for maybe giving Manning a start at LWB. If Christie starts then you'd have the two WBs used to playing with Obafemi, and it was Manning who put the ball on a plate for Ogbene against Lithuania who couldn't keep himself onside. Manning would be the better at crossing and picking out long passes.

I’d love to go back over previous posts by some here looking for McClean to play given the slagging he’s got here.

Fandymos selection is unreal

I'm gonna assume you read the line up and straight away replied "wHy Is DuFfY dRoPpEd", and didn't bother to read the anything else.

He's also struggled with injuries this year and as mentioned hadn't played since the last internationals. Four games in ten days could be asking a bit, and I'd rather him being fit to start for Scotland than play another 90 mins and end up knackered after two games as he isn't match fit.

Stephen Kenny's little finger would have more football knowledge than some people on here. He has the full pro licence ffs, he eats, drinks, sleeps football. He took over a complete basket case, throw in a bankrupt Football Association, no national league to speak of. A raft of League One and championship players.

Big Sam mentioned.....fcking laughable. Yes last Saturday was a phish poor performance but shoiit happens despite best plans.

Well, no, it's not blasphemy - you're just making questionable points.

For justifying your call to start Ebosele at right back in a back 4, you said he; "played there very effectively for a poor Derby team.", which is just not the case - Nathan Byrne is Derby's right back, and starts nigh on every game there. Festy covered for 3 games at RB last season. He played primarily as a right mid, and can manage wing back. But right back in a back 4 does him no favours, and stops him playing his natural game. He got some great press this season, so I understand the desire to shoe-horn him in, but he's much better off being played in his own position further up the field where he's actually been playing and impressing this season.

Elsewhere, Hogan is just not a lone back-to-goal target man, and it'd be doing him a disservice to play him in that sort of role. Put him in a partnership - like he plays in at club level - and he might be an option.

It's great to give young players who are impressing some game time - we've seen plenty such players come in and do well. And Smallbone has tonnes of potential and with a bit of luck will have a career we can all look forward to - but what are you starting him on the back of? He's played 2 hours of football this year after bad cruciate and calf injuries - what is your reference point for why he should be starting for the senior team right now? Surely the decision for him to be in the U21's for this window has been justified by him finally getting a bit of time and space to impress at a (much) lower level. It's exactly the sort of stepping stone he needed to start finding his footing again.

Travers

Collins Duffy Egan

Festy Cullen abh knight manning

Obafemi Robinson

I had zero time for Hendrick a year ago, but in fairness he's been at the heart of a lot of the better aspects of our performances over the past 9 months. Been hugely improved in an Ireland shirt.

With his lack of game time more recently though, would be up for someone else in midfield beside Cullen and Knight alright, either Browne or Molumby.

Let’s just hope he starts getting a few results. But to be perfectly clear on all of this: he absolutely needs some results. There are four games against Ukraine and Scotland, losing both on aggregate would be very disappointing. We will also expect a good win against Armenia at home.

All the excuses have been well worn. Time for him to produce the goods or walk.

Some talk that they were paid but not by the guy who was trying to buy the club so someone has probably just covered May's wages only.

Think when Limerick were at it they had to miss two months in a row of unpaid wages before players became free agents I think, not 100% sure and things could be different in UK. Either way I doubt Knight is sticking around in League 1 whatsoever. Think I read Derby fans talking about quotes from his recent presser talking about how he loves the club but needs to do what's best for his career

A loss tonight will put Kenny under serious pressure after Saturday's debacle. Any goodwill he might have had after performances and results partially improved imploded after that. He had a campaign to iron things out I think we all accepted that to an extent. But it's not going to be acceptable to be out of a group again after two games.

We need to win at all costs.

Surprised Jeff Hendrick didn't get any blame already if things go poorly. Only one to actually make penetrative passes to get players in behind against Armenia but seems he's assumed the Glen Whelan role of "it's all your fault when bad things happen and sod anything positive that you may have contributed to".