Conor Hourihane

really should go on and cement his place in the Ireland midfield this year, been solid at club level for a few years

Scores tonight.

Nice to see one of our midfielders getting on the end of things. Fair play to Hourihane for making that run. Great to see.

Wings? They're only the band The Beatles could have been.

great free kick.

BabbsBalls wrote:

He’s not an international level baller but neither is the bulk of our players.

But how do you define that?

There are countless examples of players playing for countries like Northern Ireland, Iceland, Slovenia, Georgia etc who punch above their level when playing for their country.

With all due respect every nation can't have a team made up of players playing for Real Madrid, Barca, United, Bayern etc.

Our problem and I keep saying it, is that our manager who I know has a limited group of players at his disposal doesn't play to our players strengths.

Michael O'Neill has a squad of players at Hourihane's level and below, Davis/Cathcart/Evans the exceptions and yet the likes of Dallas, Lafferty, Magennis, Norwood etc all look so comfortable at international level.

It's not rocket science, that when your team are set up properly and every player knows exactly what their roles are you can get positive results/performances.

Playing Hourihane in a two man midfield against Wales Dead

Edited by Green Devil - 15 Sep 2018 at 8:11pm

"He drives two Ferraris; I think he's a very lucky lad to have 50 caps for Ireland,"

Eamonn Dunphy on Glenn Whelan

Green Devil wrote:

BabbsBalls wrote:

He’s not an international level baller but neither is the bulk of our players.

But how do you define that?

There are countless examples of players playing for countries like Northern Ireland, Iceland, Slovenia, Georgia etc who punch above their level when playing for their country.

With all due respect every nation can't have a team made up of players playing for Real Madrid, Barca, United, Bayern etc.

Our problem and I keep saying it, is that our manager who I know has a limited group of players at his disposal doesn't play to our players strengths.

Michael O'Neill has a squad of players at Hourihane's level and below, Davis/Cathcart/Evans the exceptions and yet the likes of Dallas, Lafferty, Magennis, Norwood etc all look so comfortable at international level.

It's not rocket science, that when your team are set up properly and every player knows exactly what their roles are you can get positive results/performances.

Playing Hourihane in a two man midfield against Wales Dead

Hourihane has to take some responsibility for his anonymous performances for Ireland. It can't always be O'Neill's fault.

He can be an asset for us with his set pieces and long range shots but he needs to impose himself more on games. He has not done enough so far to warrant a starting place.

Wings? They're only the band The Beatles could have been.

He is suited to the no 10 role, play him off the striker in the Wes role. Deffo not a box to box type midfielder.

irishmufc wrote:

Green Devil wrote:

BabbsBalls wrote:

He’s not an international level baller but neither is the bulk of our players.

But how do you define that?

There are countless examples of players playing for countries like Northern Ireland, Iceland, Slovenia, Georgia etc who punch above their level when playing for their country.

With all due respect every nation can't have a team made up of players playing for Real Madrid, Barca, United, Bayern etc.

Our problem and I keep saying it, is that our manager who I know has a limited group of players at his disposal doesn't play to our players strengths.

Michael O'Neill has a squad of players at Hourihane's level and below, Davis/Cathcart/Evans the exceptions and yet the likes of Dallas, Lafferty, Magennis, Norwood etc all look so comfortable at international level.

It's not rocket science, that when your team are set up properly and every player knows exactly what their roles are you can get positive results/performances.

Playing Hourihane in a two man midfield against Wales Dead

Hourihane has to take some responsibility for his anonymous performances for Ireland. It can't always be O'Neill's fault.

He can be an asset for us with his set pieces and long range shots but he needs to impose himself more on games. He has not done enough so far to warrant a starting place.

I don't think anyone suggested otherwise.

My point is wouldn't you think as a manager, if you have a limited group of players you would play to their strengths and try squeeze every last ounce of their ability out of them, instead of sending them out like lambs to the slaughter.

Examples - Playing them out of position, asking them to play unfamiliar roles in a system, tactics completely hampering any sort of possible impact said player could make etc

Again, there are realistically about 3 maybe 4 players maximum who warrant a starting place?

It's hardly surprising it's constantly our midfielders who are pillared on here, with the way we set up it's unsurprising that many rarely bring their club form into playing for Ireland even against the minnows!!!

Edited by Green Devil - 15 Sep 2018 at 9:52pm

"He drives two Ferraris; I think he's a very lucky lad to have 50 caps for Ireland,"

Eamonn Dunphy on Glenn Whelan

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6to8xf

Trap junior wrote:

Is there any player who has shone in the MON era?

Duffy.