Shit. Another couple of injuries and this game could be a close run thing.
I shall be heading along anyway.
4-1 to ze Germans I think with these injuries-an absolute ocean in the gulf in class in these two teams unfortunately.
I have my usual batch of free corporate tickets to give away so I’ll probably head along alright.
James McClean is also out
I have a terrible feeling that this will be like the Russia game in the last campaign except worse and with the final scoreline more accurately reflecting our inferiority.
I will be heading along though. Our tickets are right up at the back of the upper stand apparently, quite close to halfway though.
I was unusually optimistic for some reason up til today but with injuries and opposition I fear a hammering. This German side are a good but better than Russia and we are probably a good bit worse then tomorrow two years ago.
We were working on a three in midfield set up for part of training today. Keane is unsuited to playing a lone frontman role so it’ll be interesting to see how this pans out during the week.
So what is our team going to look like for this?
Westwood,
Kelly, O’Shea, O’Dea, Ward
McGeady, Andrews, McCarthy, McClean
Keane, Long / Cox
??
McClean is injured
Fahey will be in centre, Cox on wing and Keane up front.
He might put Paul Green in the middle and Paul McShane in goals.
Germany squad: Neuer (Bayern Munich), Zieler (Hannover), Ter Stegen (Monchengladbach); Badstuber, Boateng, Lahm (all Bayern Munich), Hummels, Schmelzer (both Dortmund), Howedes (Schalke), Mertesacker (Arsenal); Gotze, Gundogan, Reus (all Dortmund), Kroos, Muller, Schweinsteiger (all Bayern Munich), Bender, Schurrle (both Leverkusen), Khedira, Ozil (both Real Madrid); Podolski (Arsenal), Klose (Lazio).
Team that started against Austria:
Neuer
Schmelzer
Hummels
Badstuber
Lahm
Khedeira
Muller
Kroos
Ozil
Reus
Klose
Pretty sure Hummels is out
Hummels is definately out.Westermann was drafted in.The german defensive pairing can be got at.Badstuber never really convinces me anytime I have seen him for Bayern or Germany.Shane long is playing excellently lately and might be an option.
Germany at 4/9 is value though.
Definitely their weakest area though they’ve finally started playing two full backs which will improve them.
No idea who’ll play out of Howedes, Boateng and Mertesacker.
Hopefully Mertesacker.He is tall and gangly and has no pace.As tall as he is he also cant defend set pieces.
We trained today with Kelly at right back, Fahey supporting McCarthy and Andrews in a 3-man midfield and McGeady and Cox in the wide positions with Keane upfront. It’s rare he goes back on something once he sets the team out in training early in the week so it looks like the likes of Coleman, Meyler and Walters will miss out.
I don’t think even robbie’s biggest fans would argue he’s suited to playing on his own up front at this stage of his career. Would ye lads?
I don’t think it’s ideal for him but I think there’s often too much made of that particular trait in a player and it becomes accepted as a truth about someone that they can only play in a partnership or whatever. Much depends on how much support he gets from the wings and from a central midfielder breaking forward to support him.
Team seems logical anyway. Walters is probably the one most unlucky to be not starting but he has been poor enough in recent games (as has Cox but Cox has been in better form at club level).
Shane Long should be starting if we’re playing a lone front player. Robbie still deserves his place in a 4-4-2 but he’s not mobile enough, strong enough or good enough in the air to function in a 4-5-1. Fine if we’re going to play a short passing, possession game through midfield but we’re not capable of that and there’s no point in punting long balls in Keane’s direction if he’s isolated.