Maybe we should setup www.thefreekick.cz and campaign for them to be dropped.
Delighted that McGeady is starting but feel Hunt deserves a start also. Stan might see him as the ideal impact substitute based on his last 2 performances though. Think this is only McGeady’s 2nd competitive start after the shambles in Cyprus. From Breaking News:
Ireland manager Steve Staunton is to start Kevin Doyle against Slovakia in the Euro 2008 qualifier at Croke Park tomorrow night.
Celtic’s Aidan McGeady has replaced Jonathan Douglas in midfield and Stephen Ireland, who scored the Republic’s goal against Wales on Saturday, is fit to start tomorrow.
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND v Slovakia: Given, O’Shea, Dunne, McShane, Finnan, Carsley, Kilbane, Ireland, McGeady, Duff, Doyle.
Why has the team been picked already? I think it really deflated the atmosphere on Saturday when people saw the lineup so he’s avoided that.
Surprised McGeady got the nod ahead of Hunt and disappointed Kilbane got the nod ahead of Hunt but pleased enough with the team. My only worry is that he starts Duff up front then swaps him and Aiden because it’s not working and then throws Kilbane up there and puts Aiden on the left and Duff on the right because that’s not working either. No problem with some changes in formation but too often we swap Duff around 3 or 4 times in a game and he just loses impact.
I think Hunt isn’t in because ‘Kilbane has never let us down’ and he’ll be on the left wing. Fair enough but he has a chronic lack of football ability that all his effort can’t compensate for. He reminds me of someone like Stephen Pearson - all action and effort but no ability.
Based on that I presume the front 6 will be:
McGeady; Carsley; Ireland; Kilbane;
Duff; Doyle;
Equally though it could be:
Duff; Carsley; Kilbane; McGeady;
Ireland;
Doyle;
Or:
Duff; Carsley; Ireland; Kilbane;
McGeady;
Doyle;
Who knows with Stan?
Glad McGeady is starting. Well, well overdue. I fear he will be swapped around if things don’t go well though. The team looks a little more balanced. Danger of leaving Doyle isolated would be my worry.
Apebhoy, Star journalist that posts on the huddleboard, says McGeady’s playing behind Doyle with Kilbane and Duff on the left and right respectively.
Is Apebhoy not a Mirror journalist? Stan was talking about McGeady as a winger in the press conference today. Having said that it could be one of his great mind games that terrorises other international managers.
The talk now is Ireland behind Doyle with Duff and McGeady on the flanks. Think Apebhoy is Star but open to correction.
Saw earlier that Slovakia are 3/1 tmrw night. Good value but I don’t think we’ll lose.
Strongly fancy Portugal at 11/8 to win in Serbia.
They’re decent odds on Slovakia but I don’t think they’ll win.
I’ve done:
Turkey to beat Norway 10/11 - Norway are awful at the moment, Turkey had a good win in Greece. Game in Frankfurt, like a home match for the Turks
Portugal to beat Serbia 6/5 - Portugal on fire
Germany to beat Denmark 10/11.
10 Euro returns 82 Euro.
Would you be worried about the last one being a friendly? Who’s at home?
I think the other two are as near to certs as you can get in international football.
Germans are at home. Slightly worried about it being a friendly but it’s still a cracking price I think.
Who said Stan was doing a rubbish job?
'A fourth successive qualifying group win on Wednesday against a team ranked 14 places above them at 37 will see them clinch a place in the history books.
On the three previous occasions the Republic have achieved such a feat they went on to reach the 1990, 1994 and 2002 World Cup finals.’
Think I’ll do that treble also. On your head be it. Remember the last time you gave me a tip (Argentina to beat England at Twickenham and something else I can’t recall) I put 20eur on and made a killing and you put 5 on and were nearly crying.
I stuck on a little accum myself for a bit of interest
Czechs, Italy, Spain, England, Ukraine, Wales, Portugal & Holland. Returns at about 7/1. I think Portugal is the only potential slip up here. Hopefully!
Can’t see England winning in Andorra.
I think tonight has the potential to be a decent game. Should be a far better atmosphere under the lights and we have a much more attacking midfield on show too. Need a big game from McGeady and hope he delivers.
i agree. tonights game should provide much better fare than saturday. Slovakia are a decent side and Ireland will hopefully up their performance accordingly. excuse the cliche but just hope they take the game to the slovaks early on, give the crowd a reason to get behind them, and then we should have a good game.
Plenty of cliches but I’m fully in agreement. They’re a much better team than Wales but they’re not unbeatable by any means. Go out and attack them and get the crowd going and intimidate them. Moravcik reckons they’ve little chance.
They better go out and attack early and get a goal in the first half. I did a HT/FT bet on them.
What were the odds on that Flano?
Cant for the life of me remember, i think it was something like 3.32 on Betfair.
Think I’ll do that treble also. On your head be it. Remember the last time you gave me a tip (Argentina to beat England at Twickenham and something else I can’t recall) I put 20eur on and made a killing and you put 5 on and were nearly crying.
Don’t go jinxing it now - you’ve not been terribly lucky with the bookies recently.
The something else was New Zealand to beat France by more than the spread by the way.