Daryl Murphy ruled out of Wales game with calf injury. Coleman, Long & Hayes not training but will be ok for Friday. McCarthy still a doubt
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Long night for Shane so. Would have been a nice sub to bring on at the end when he tired.
We really need Coleman to be fit, McCarthy would be a loss but I think himself and Whelan are too similar to play together anyway. If we’ve no Long we’ve Walters and fuck all else for upfront.
We have Jimmy McLean, and I’m picturing a very fucking fired up Jimmy this Friday night. That could have its own perils, but by God I think we’ll get a good response from whoever takes to the field this weekend.
I would go:
--------------------------Randolph
Coleman--------Keogh------O’Shea---------Ward
--------------------Hendrick------McCarthy
Walters-----------------McGeady-------------McClean
--------------------------------Long
I presume the Welsh will line out something like this:
------------------------Hennessy
-----------Gunter-----Williams------Davies
Richards-------------------------------------------Taylor
-----------------Allen-----Ramsey-----Ledley
------------------------------------------Bale
--------------------------------Vokes
I could live with that. I don’t see O’Neill not playing Whelan though, particularly with our weakness at the back. Hendrick, McCarthy, Whelan in the middle with McGeady losing out. If McCarthy is out it’s likely Whelan will replace him and that will be the team. The thoughts of Bale running down on top of Ward all night, is very worrying. We’ll need Coleman to make hay on the otherside to balance it out.
I think Ward has shown himself to be a very solid defender in the last year or so, he did have his jittery performances early in his international career at full back but he was a late comer to the role and seems much more accomplished there now.
Big step up to Bale though, any left back in the world would be worried. Need Jimmy to McClean bale early on
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I don’t think Bale is very effective cutting inside so he’s more likely to be direct up against Coleman.
That’s what I’d do if I was Wales our main attacking threat would be nullified minding bale. I presume he’ll sort of drift around though try and get himself one on one with our centre halves
Bale will surely play through the middle as much as possible, his pace vs O’Shea could be something to exploit.
Would Glenn be up to the task of chasing him around for the night? Let McCarthy hold the centre.
Clog the middle up, McCarthy being fit is very important as he has developed a nice nasty streak of late and does his defensive duties very well.
Keane has said that McCarthy is most likely out. I think Whelan, Meyler and Hendrick will be the midfield three. Meyler did very well against Austria from the bench.
@Julio_Geordio, I think Wales set up with a 3-4-2-1* so Bale might get running at Ward at times but I don’t think he’ll be on their right throughout.
Coleman was on Sky earlier in the season outlining how he’s such a managerial genius and that Conte borrowed his set up. Three centre backs, two wing backs, 2 holders (Ledley and Allen), 2 in kind of free roles (Ramsey and Bale) who can move around behind the lone striker. He was saying it provides good attacking options but you also have a stable defensive base of three centre backs and the two midfield holders.
In that sense, and not wanting to place too much emphasis on what Wales do, it could be that O’Neill decides to play with 2 at the base of midfield rather than 1*. That would increase Whelan’s chances of featuring.
*boards.ie readers might have already seen me suggesting this possibility.
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I already made that suggestion a few posts back mate, but always nice to have your opinion echoed by a fellow admired poster.
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suprised you dont have McGeady in at center half instead of O’Shea
I think the nation is agreed that Walters and McClean will be on the flanks with Long through the middle.
It’s just that midfield three then and whether he goes for a 2-1, 1-2, flat 3 or some lopsided concoction.
Say if we go with Whelan and McCarthy or Meyler holding with Hendrick in front to complement that front 3 then there’d a fairly chronic lack of guile/creativity.
It’s why McGeady may be given a chance in the middle of the 3 behind the striker but he’s usually useless in that position. Who’s remaining in the squad that would be capable of playing centre attacking midfield and whose qualities include dribbling, passing, receiving the ball under pressure and retaining possession?
Hourihane is the only one near that description. But he won’t be thrown in for his debut in a role like that in a qualifier.
Hendrick will fill that role.
You’re thinking Whelan, Meyler and Hendrick?
Would you be concerned about lack of creativity?