Fuck off. Others put their shoulder to the wheel for their country. They don’t cut and run. Fuck him
I’m slightly concerned about our depth & ability to put back to back results together in these play-off games. You could be looking at extra time & needing to empty the bench & then going again a few days later.
Obviously Cullen is a big loss, I was resigned to Ferguson’s absence for a while but Idah hasn’t played since December & is just back in training after a bad hamstring strain - I generally think players who’ve been out for an extended spell need 3 or 4 games to be anywhere close to match sharp & you don’t want lads to be trying to find their feet in these games.
We’ve very little options upfront to support Parrott now. I guess Johnny Kenny is the next striker in line, although that’s probably why Heimir visited Derby to speak with Szmodics & McGoldrick has been linked with a call up 5/6 years after retiring.
Mikey Johnston is out too, I believe. The likes of Bosun Lawal is also on the injury comeback trail but hasn’t played in a month or more. I don’t think Coleman has been playing much at all. Smallbone returned to first team football lately after being out for ages. Scales & Festy are suspended for the first game too afaik.
I don’t see us deviating from that 541 but who knows who’ll come into midfield?
Is Rocco Vata starting for Watford these days?
Came back from a long injury lay off & got injured again. Saw it reported as a recurrence & out for the season.
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Sinclair Armstrong? 4 goals in 34 appearances in the Championship for Bristol City this season, mostly off the bench.
His four goals have all been absolute smashers, however.
Alan Browne is starting for Middlesbrough. EFL Championship Player of the Month for January 2026.
Actually I hope Heimir was at Ayresome Park yesterday for the 1-1 between Middlesbrough and Bristol City as we had Browne, Knight, Armstrong and Mark Sykes all starting in that game.
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I forgot about Knight. He was starting alongside Cullen in the September double header (possibly even October double header too - can’t remember) but was injured by the time the Portugal/Hungary November heroics came around. He’ll be there or thereabouts. Would expect Browne to come in too - my understanding is he’s playing multiple positions as a kind of utility/fill in option for Middlesboro.
Jack Moylan seems to be going well for Lincoln in League One #bolter
Jamie mcgrath? Going well at hibs
Alan Browne is likely to come back in but we are threadbare everywhere and I actually think we’ll feel the loss of the suspended Scales who’s become someone you want in the trenches for a big match. It’s a sad state of affairs when we’re considering recalling McGoldrick 5-6yrs after his retirement, he must be 38yrs old and he wasn’t exactly pulling up any trees when he retired. The whole thing rests solely on Parrot remaining at 100% fit for our upcoming matches. I can’t remember a time in a long while where we are so much struggling for squad depth, ironically at a time when we have reached a World Cup play off stage. I’ve become extremely pessimistic about the likelihood of us overturning the Czechs.
What’s the story with Szmodics has he committed again? Could do with him bringing an X Factor.
Callum O’Dowda seems to be doing well out in Hungary. He’s not been in the squad for a while.
Sobowale must be in with a shout
Brenann too
Fuck it I never knew scales was out. So Collins O se and O Brien as the three at the back?
I’d have McGrath as an Azaz back up in a kind of attacking mid option, if he makes the squad (@Galaxy).
I don’t think Szmodics ever officially removed himself from selection or anything, @Smark. Just a couple of instances where he withdrew from Ireland duty but played for his club the next weekend. He played in the September double header.
O’Dowda played for Ferencvaros in their win against Braga in the Europa League the other night. He played a couple of league games recently too & was another one who’d been injured for a while. I’d say Manning will be front runner for that left back/left wing back slot though, @Declan_Moffat.
Did we formally announce a provisional squad last week or was that just paper talk that Heimir had 3 Shamrock players plus Dawson Devoy in his thoughts, @Little_Lord_Fauntleroy?
We defend in a 541 shape with Azaz left of the midfield four even though he plays inside when we have it & vacates the space for the left back to push on. We play with a more out & out wide player on the right (probably Ogbene despite his lack of first team minutes) & Coleman naturally isn’t expected to overlap as much as his counterpart on the left. The middle two in midfield is the real conundrum without Cullen - two of Knight, Taylor from Ipswich who’s played a good bit lately, the returning Browne or Smallbone, other midfielders I’m forgetting & a centre back or two who @neilld would convert into midfielders.
I think it’ll be
Kelleher;
Coleman, O’Brien, Collins, O’Shea, Manning;
Ogbene, Knight, Taylor, Azaz;
Parrott.
Goal threat from Ogbene’s pace, Azaz’s vision, Parrott’s genius or a dirty set piece.
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At this stage I wouldn’t bring anyone new in. Most certainly lads who only figured that they were Irish in the last week or two. Kills any dynamic that they have between them in the squad.
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I’d be inclined to go Brown in the middle as he’s a hard running player, not withstanding the emergence of a versatile centre back with athleticism like Bos Lawal @Perez2017
Would agree bar Taylor and Knight would be very open. Be like having Darragh Fitzgibbon and Tim O’Mahony in there… without the pace or talent. Taylor is a good player mind.
I think Taylor has been really terrible in an Irish jersey. It’s a pity Browne hasn’t been more involved the last 12 months. It’s hard to come in now from the cold and potentially start, which is why they’re more likely to go with Taylor over Browne. But I assume as long as he’s playing regularly it’ll be Knight beside Molumby.
Knight and Molumby is the way to go in that case, I had it in my head he (Molumby) was injured. Molumby is tidy on the ball and knows what he is doing at least. Taylor is more of a guy to get on the end of things than play in a 2.
Browne has very little football, but he is athletic and very game. I was kind of surprised he had been discarded. He can be very erratic though and is the type to give up free kicks and pens.
Knight and Molumby should be okay. There’ll be 3 very strong centre backs behind them anyway.
Definitely Knight & Molumby for me.
I don’t think Taylor is a bad player but he’s not really done anything to deserve a start, he doesn’t look suited to a midfield 2 at all tbh. Molumby at least gives you a bit of work rate & energy.
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Then in options if/when we have to chase it late in
Big Ev - injured
Jinxy Johnston - injured
Long throw specialist Festy - suspended
Sticks a centre half up front Scalesy - suspended
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