Current Squad Depth

What has Shipley been like? He’s played for our 21s 

O Hare would have to get his papers sorted if he declares 

shakeyshamrock wrote: said it before, but I think a 3-5-2/5-3-2 is the answer with the players we have - we can set that up as a defensive one or a more attacking one.. either way it protects us in midfield and still gives us 2 up front.  defensive: GK O'Shea Duffy Clark Coleman Ward McCarthy Whelan Hendrick Walters Murphy (very) attacking: GK Coleman Clark Ward McGeady McClean McCarthy Arter Hoolohan Long Murphy

I'm all for a consistent system across all age groups, and a long-term plan. It's just a pity that Ruud Dokter and the rest went for a 4-3-3 when they were choosing what we would play. For years we've had good centre backs, good full backs, runners/dogs in midfield, and strikers who don't play well up front on their own.. 3-5-2 takes advantage of the strengths that we consistently seem to have (centre-backs, full-backs, midfield runners) and mitigates against the weaknesses by getting us an extra body a bit further up the pitch. 

It also helps you to get more of your best players on the pitch - both Coleman and Doherty can start in this system, and it suits more of your regularly playing players - all 3 of Egan, Doherty and Stevens have played their best football at club level in this system. Put as many of your best players as you can in their best positions. And get as many of your best players on the pitch as you can. If you do that, it stands to reason that you'll win more games than if you don't. 

3-5-2 also makes up for the lack of pace we normally have in defence. I feel like it's the best cultural fit for us with the kinds of players we normally produce - shame it's not what they chose back then to implement across all age groups - nothing to say you can't play nice football with 3 at the back.... 

Also, just looking at those teams there, it shows that where we've really lost players over the past 3 years has been up front - only Long and Hendrick are still playing for us out of any of the front players, and only Hendrick is making squads... we're in bad need of one or two of those young lads who play up front to come good.. unless they do it won't matter what system we play! 

I think he has been nibbling around that approach with Ireland. He’s already discussed using Doherty in midfield, and v Bulgaria he had pushed O’Shea way up on the right.

With our full complement of players, that approach would have us defending like this (example line up)

              Randolph

Coleman Duffy Egan Stevens

     Doherty McCarthy Brady

      Horgan Idah Connolly

And attacking like this (with Stevens pushed way up and Doherty wide on the right supporting Horgan) and more bodies in the box.

                   Randolph

         Coleman Duffy Egan

Doherty McCarthy Brady Stevens

           Horgan Idah Connolly

Coleman excels at that sweeping up role when we commit a lot of players forward (think corners and free kicks) and he would give us the pace at the back that we don’t have when we are overcommitted in attack

Everything points towards moving towards a 352. Almost all of our defensive players play it at club level, and it would fix most of our main issues:

We have good full backs but poor wingers

We have no creativity in midfield but plenty of legs

We have goal-shy strikers playing up front on their own.

You could play something like the following, which would be pretty balanced all over the pitch:

Randolph

Coleman Egan Clark

Doherty                         Stevens

McCarthy Molumby Hendrick

Long Connolly

Players like O'Shea, Williams could play in the wide CB positions also. I have Hendrick in midfield for his energy, but you could play Byrne there, at least against weaker teams. I left Long in up front as for all his faults, im still not sure any of the alternatives are better, at least for now.

Also this team wouldnt include Duffy and McClean - two great players for us under the last two managers but they really don't fit a possession style - especially Duffy, who is holding us back a lot at the moment. He plays around 5-10 yards behind the rest of the defence, and most teams let him have the ball as they know his distribution isnt good enough.

Disclaimer: We won't do any of the above  - Kenny loves his wingers.

What did Mick say about him after he was injured in the Denmark game? Something like: Judgey, if he has any luck it is hard luck. 

Rodneytrotter wrote: Alan judge the forgotten man , how’s he doing currently ?

Forgot he existed.  Haven't a scoobie.

What about Conor Sammon?