Subject: Ireland Vs...

I've never really noticed this before (at least not to the extent seen in this match). It makes me think that normally that passing lane (between the far offensive mid & winger) is occupied (and that the usual pass is far O-mid to near O-mid to winger).

I think I'll keep my better passer on the winger side for now, but it's something I'll be watching. :)

i disagree. how many good juniors did we had in last seasons? and how many whould have country with 900 users? they are progressing faster than us.

Interesting post! ;-)

I thought Dean really struggled.
Yep, his defense skill isn't good enough for a def-mid. But the counter attacks often started with a good pass of him. He's our best midfielder, and because he's well balanced he plays where I need him.
As he's my player I can show you his skills.

Dean:
formidable stamina tragic keeper
outstanding pace excellent defender
outstanding technique outstanding playmaker
incredible passing weak striker



Makes me think the better passing offensive mid should perhaps be on the opposite side as compared to the winger? Do you agree? Or was this match a bit of an aberration?

Hmm ... hard to say. If I play with a winger, I normally place the better passing midfielder on the same side.
I think it depends a little bit on how the opponent is playing. Scotland's def-mid wasn't in the passing lane of Coyne-Lizrraga but in the passing lane of Coyne-Matthews. That's why Coyne chose to pass to Lizrraga instead of Matthews, where he mostly passes in this situation. I think it's a matter of how the opponent's def-mids are playing ...

For Ireland it doesn't matter if Coyne or Crossley is playing on the wingers side. They both have the same skills except defender, where Coyne is better. Passing skills are the same, there shouldn't be much difference.

I never put my wingers on the touchline for 2 reasons. Firstly passes to them are more likely to go out and secondly, it's harder for them to cross the ball from that position.

I agree with you. I'll never do this again. I tried it once, but the tactics completely failed, the winger didn't get any balls. I still don't know why ...

And I remember that I read a post - I think it was 3 seasons ago - where the former Italian NT coach told the Norwegian NT coach that it's a newbie mistake to put the wingers on the touchline ...

It's because they see managers doing it in the Ekstraklasa and don't realise their players can't make the same pinpoint passes :)

Thats something i've been meaning to say for ages. So many people copy the Ekstraklasa system and completely fail to understand that you can only play it sucessfully if you've got an exceptionally good winger. Geg did it brilliantly with Switzerland but it hasn't worked for us.

Thanks for the reply. :) (I think we agreed on the analysis. :D)

I didn't mean to dump on Dean - he's a super young player. Just didn't think this was one of his better matches. I'm often torn between using a player like him in that role, or giving up some creativity for a little more grit (usually the opponent dictates).

I also have the better passing MID on wingers side and have been tempted to switch them and see how it works. I always try to adjust the tactics to who i play so that the far MID has a free "passway" to a striker.

as for touchline positioning, i use 1 position from touchline for A team. when i use this tactics with B team, its a complete failure, because most passes go off. touchline obviously is an option for throwins.
(edited)

Tomorrow we'll play with our B-team against Belarus. They're as good as we are, but if they play with their first team they'll probably have a little advantage.
There are two reasons. Firstly some of the players have two yellow card. I don't wanna risk that they'll be suspended next week (except Sanabria, he's gonna play).
Secondly I've mostly played with the same players, and the manager of the other players might be a little frustrated if they're training their players without seeing them playing a NT match.

They'll be familiar names though, most of the players were substitutes in several matches.


The match will be at 11am SK-time, I'm not sure if I'm online because I'm one of the lucky ones who got a ticket for the match Switzerland vs. Czech Republic ;-)

What are the expectations in Switzerland before todays game? The Czechs believe in victory, but have great respect for Switzerland since nobody really knows what to expect and how much the home advantage is going help you.

Anyway lets hope it will be a great and fair game.

PS>
and of course all the best in the your last game against Belarus :)

If based on anything in the recent past, the Czechs will attack, the Swiss will defend and everyone watching will be bored. I hope the Swiss actually play the game, unlike in the world cup where they got knocked out without conceding a goal.

What are the expectations in Switzerland before todays game?
Everywhere in the newspaper it's written that we need a perfect day to have a chance against you ...
We only had friendies in the last two years, so it's hard to say where we really are.

---


Line-up for todays match:


1 Philip Cryan
2 Andy MacTause
3 Ray Larkin
4 Andrew McCauley
5 William Brunton
6 Derek Sanabria
7 Kieran MacKeamish
8 Robbie Shevlin
9 Gerard Crossley
10 Dave Donegan
11 Corey Curley


12 Derek Reidy
13 Richard Hanrahan
14 Steven Dean
15 Christian Colbert
16 Gerard Lynch

fun match!
grats for the victory...as soon as Dean was sent off, i felt the gameplay would improve. the offmid was preventing passes to the open wings. In my eyes of course.

too bad for Dean and McKiemish, shane might miss them next week...but im sure he will manege.

They're both important players, Dean in particular, and our squad isnt that big at the moment. Really could have done without that.

Dean will be missed alright but I'm not too worried, it would have been worse if he got a 28 day injury like MacTause. We can still put out a midfield that will trouble Israel, I'm guessing Donegan isn't far off Dean for example and I know Colbert and Shevlin are pretty similar to MacKeamish.

Aside from all that I thought it was a good game today. Full marks to Geg for putting together a formation that easily coped with a better team. Thanks again for all your work this season mate.

One question, for Geg and anybody else, who would be your player of the season? Matthews and Dean came close for me but I thought Docherty seemed to save us in defence week after week.

The match was a good-watch, and a well deserved result.

Thought Belarus' defense was a case of zigging when they should have zagged. 4 in a wall against a lone striker is (IMO) clearly overkill. If the wide Irish players could have made more of their positional advantage, the margin may have been much greater.

Curley played well as the lone striker. He has a little tackling and passing, so he's a decent target-man. Missed a few he probably should have made, but overall a good performance.