I would start Slab here too as albeit Long is clearly a lot better he’d be more effective coming on with 30mins left with things level after Slab has rough housed them for 60mins. Long would be the game-changer if you will. I think that’s the only way we’d nick 3pts tonight, keep it level until our match winners come on with an injection of pace/energy.
I believe the Swedish centre halves are not blessed with pace at all. I’d bring Long on earlier though, maybe at half time. Tell Slab to absolutely batter them for the first half, then bring on Long and give him a decent length of time to make a difference.
I’ll fuck you up.
id have slab starting
1 Like
It’d be thoroughly bizarre behaviour not to start your perceived number 1 striker in the first game of the tournament. It’d be ballsy as fuck to assume that we can afford to wait til half time or later to bring him on as well. Were it a case that Long was suspect physically, perhaps, but he has to start really.
1 Like
I’m with @Phil_Leotardo however, I have a very bad feeling about this tournament, as a result of 4 years ago also. An aging squad, with little changed now, apart from some of them having gotten older, and perhaps the emergence of a Coleman, BRady and development of Long. Are we more solid at the back? Unlikely. Are we better in midfield? I doubt it. We’re still looking at Ward at left back FFS. Even McGeady has fallen off the face of the planet.
Are we hoping we’re better set up from a tactical point of view? More fluid than we were under Trap? Originally I’d hoped we’d at least not be starting players carrying knocks, as in Given, Dunne, Keane last time out, but with question marks over Walters and McCarthy we look to be in the same boat again, especially with both players pretty vital to what we do. A 5 man midfield seems to be the reason for optimism, and with some more pace up front in Long. But again we seem to be aiming at set pieces for our goals, with talk of Duffy starting giving even more credence to that.
Maybe I should have more faith, but I’m incredibly wary to be honest. I’ll reserve the right to change my mind later tonight perhaps.
1 Like
I think on the plus side morale will be better than 4 years ago and the group is nowhere near as daunting but this is far from a vintage side and I would see Walters lack of fitness as a big minus against us. He really sets a tone for us and a lot of our better play comes through his directness and harrying.
The 2012 Euros were two years too late for that group of players unfortunately, they would have done well at the 2010 WC had they had there but Duff, Keane, O’Shea and Dunne were two years further past their best while Given was was a massive player for us back then as well was massively out of form in 2012.
This team has little expectation on them. If they get out of the group it would be seen as a great success.
This is Everest.
We’ll fuck these Lutheran fucks up later on.
1 Like
I’ve been overcome by the wild optimism that always overcomes me on these occasions. We’re in much better nick than last year ffs sake. Our manager has an excellent track record of making average sides good and the squad are behind d him. We’re gonna win this 2-1.
whats the team?
is Slab playing?
Ireland XI: Randolph, Coleman, Clark, O’Shea, Brady; Whelan, McCarthy, Hendrick, Hoolahan, Long, Walters
To say the least, Hendricks needs to be far better than he was against Belarus. Please God Walters is fit. Tough on Keogh.
'Hon ta fuck
Ireland to win 1-0, Brady with a free kick. It is written.
Other than Zlatan, do the Swedes have anyone else worth a shit? Not that we have either, but kick lumps out of him for 90 minutes and we should at least secure a tie you would think.
1 Like
John Cummins on the BBC opening coverage
Ballsy team from mon. hes targeting this game and is going for it. Hon ta fuck
1 Like