Is Wilson our most likely centre back in the absence of O’Shea for the first leg?
Just saw him making 3 calamitous errors in the space of a few minutes on Match of the Day. I really really don’t rate him. Is Clark fit and playing for Villa at the moment?
How’s Shane Duffy getting on these days?.
He seems to be playing away anyway. Has he been in squads under O’Neill yet?
He was in the extended squad for the Germany game but was cut.
I don’t think I’ve seen much of him in my life, he was pretty highly rated when he broke through as a youngster. Looks to have gotten a decent amount of football in the past few seasons though.
Have a horrible feeling we could be out of this tie after the first leg. 
O’Shea will be a huge loss.
Their squad is infinitely superior. We could be in trouble alright.
I think O’Shea is long finished and his constant fouling in our box will catch up on him eventually, but he’s not bad in a rearguard effort in fairness and we could certainly use his experience. I presume Keogh will start after doing well in the last 2 games. Left back will be a problem - Ward still hasn’t played since the Germany game I don’t think and Brady can be hit and miss there. Brady obviously needs to start but a back 4 of Coleman, Keogh, Wilson, Brady would be extremely unconvincing and really lacking on height and physical dominance.
Played for Blackburn Rovers today at home to Burnley.
Match report here,
Ireland won’t get through this because O’Neill has no balls.
In a two-leg knockout tie I always feel the underdog has a better chance with the first leg at home where they can nick a 1-0 or even better, a 2-0 victory, then hang on in the return leg.
I expect favourites Bosnia to win the first leg 1-0 or 2-0, then as Eire chase the game in the second leg, to nick a sucker punch away goal to kill the tie.
O’Shea just done his hamstring. Out of second leg now aswell I’d say
O’Shea after going off injured for Sunderland. Pulled up after a sprint. Probable hamstring injury. Could be him out of the second leg now too.
Fuck
well no criticism of the team then if we lose
They lost it already. MON’s lack of balls after Germany cost them. Back into the little box of irish fear.
I hope Bosnia put it beyond doubt esrly and we can stop discussing this rubbish.
they were beatin in Poland by a better team,no shame in that
Yet they beat an even better team in dublin.
No matter what way you spin it, they lost their bottle. The safety trap of a play-off was the problem. And its a typical irish response to such a situation. The Poles knew what way to go.
Huge oppurtunity list by MON to push on, even if they still lost a bit of adventure and balls would empower the players.
This is gloriously stupid.
When the safety net of the playoffs was a factor we beat the world champions. When we had the playoffs secured and had nothing to lose we lost to a far more talented team. Kev had his sports psychology pseudo analysis all backwards.
There was nothing assured before germany but we gave it a go.
As soon as that happened we got back into our box.
Its absolutely hilarious to defend one defeat based on a more talented side (that of course is probably tru and i am not saying a different approach would yield a win) but to then downplay beating the best team in the world. Now thats stupid.
Its exactly the short term thinking you accused me of. No thought to the ling term confidence that could have been gained.
You said the safety net was a problem. When the safety net was a factor, when we could have been conservative to preserve 3rd place we beat the world champions. So when there was something to lose we won.
You’ve got yourself all in a muddle because you think the results determine everything. The playoffs were irrelevant when we played Poland. We didn’t lose to Poland because we thought we needed to preserve our playoff spot which we already had secured. We lost because they’re a better team and we missed one great chance to go through with a few minutes left.
I’m luke warm on O’Neill but I’m happy to defend him in the face of stupid criticIsm. Lose a match and Kev is sure to blame the manager and the psychology. Win a match and we’ve done everything right. And to think you apparently make a living from sport is frightening. I’d go back to delivering leaflets if I was you. Far less complex.
Good example of completely ignoring what i said now and at the time.
My whole point is long term. Pressure was off v. Germany. Nobody expected anything. Most people had thrown their hat at qualification. As soon as thing racheted up again we went back into our shell. I have pointed out maybe 5 times it was not about the result. It was about the performance and the approach.
But you can’t see the wood from the trees now.