Kenny's nailed on starters?

Duffy, Egan, Coleman, Doherty, Cullen, Robinson.

Stevens, Hendrick, McGrath, Browne, Ogbene.

If Randolph had been fit & playing at a good level he would probably still be our no.1, & this time last year we were wondering what we would do without him. But now we have 4 good options.

Bazunu has been great since he came in, but if Kelleher gets a few games for Liverpool between now & the Portugal/Lux games then I think it'd be pretty difficult to argue Bazunu should keep the jersey.

O'Shea, Omobamidele & N.Collins battling it out for the spot next to Duffy & Egan.

With O'Shea out injured, Andy or Nathan play next month & it's probably down to which of them plays more at club level.

Norwich have 4 PL games between now & the international break, but Burnely have 4 PL games + an EFL Cup game & it looks like Collins is getting the Man City game tomorrow, so that's at least 2 for Collins... We'll have to wait & see if Omobamidele gets a game.

Coleman & Doherty nailed on I think, but Coleman is very injury prone at this point, & likely won't be available for every game in a window. Stevens starts if Coleman isn't available. Manning & McClean back ups at LWB, Ogbene & Christie other options at RWB.

Cullen nailed on. His partner for now seems like it'll Hendrick, but that could change quickly if he isn't playing & say Molumby gets a run for WBA he could push in.

Back up is a problem, McCarthy & Arter are injury prone & have had to drop down levels to get games, Hourihane isn't the most mobile or comfortable on the ball, all pushing 31/32 now.

I'd like to see Manning tried alongside Cullen in a friendly, he played the bulk of 3 seasons at CM for QPR, he's quick & technically very good.

McGrath looks very close to being the main guy here, but a fully fit Browne is also a contender along with Ogbene, Knight, Connolly & Horgan. Robinson also would start here if someone else is playing the 9. I think Byrne & Brady will also return & compete for a spot, so we actually look pretty good here.

Robinson is the main man here, even if it's a false 9. I think Ogbene has pushed Idah down the pecking order, Ogbene does the hold up play, runs the channels gets crosses in, but then also gets himself into goal scoring positions & actually scored (which Idah hasn't done).

I don't think Collins has the mobility or hold up play to be much use outside the minnows where we can park him in/around the opposition box, pushing 31, & with Parrott & Idah coming through I don't think he'll be around much longer.

All in all I think we're looking a good bit stronger than we were at the start of the year. CM is still very light on good options though, if Cullen is out injured we'll notice.

He struggled badly against Azer, but was excellent in Faro. He was sick in the lead up to Azer game so maybe we can take that into account. his touch and physicality (for a big lad) was terrible. 

In Faro there was lots of space in the channels and he used his pace really well and relieved a lot of pressure on us. That type of game may suit him until he sorts his touch out.....ie. plenty of space in behind.

Far from a lost cause though. I remember Quinn when he started, he had a first touch like Father Jack at PE!

Games will definitely improve how he uses his body in contact and also improve his touch. Dropping down a level would certainly be a benefit.

Agreed, suggestions that young centre backs making their way in the game can magically be transformed in to ball playing CDMs are fanciful in the extreme.

I think suggesting sticking Omobamidele or O'Shea in midfield is an underestimation of what it takes to be an international midfielder to be honest. Cullen is great, Hendrick is doing better and we have a few good possibilities coming through, at least one of them should make the grade, I think we just need to be patient on that one for now.

Could O'SHEA do the McGrath holding midfield role?

Well everybody keeps banging on about Idah not getting ft football, surely Omabamidele is in the same boat? What happens if Nathan Collins starts the next 4 for Burnley and Andrew doesnt get a sniff?

O'Shea, who is older than the others at 22 established himself in the WBA team a couple of seasons ago and endured a longish spell coming off the bench before doing so. Omobamidele and N. Collins are in pretty much the same position as he was and as Connolly and Idah are and this is borne out by their respective senior minutes played this season. All 4 are on the fringes of the first team, but they all look to be relying on an injury to get that big first team chance.

Idah hasn't done anything in football yet. My comparison was that at least hourihane has 100s of games under his belt and a good few assists and goals to boot. Idah has nothing just potential. 

I dont think hourihane should be included for that matter but I can see why he would, I can't see that with idah.

In the last world cup  internationals idah has 

Portugal 90mins

Azerbaijan  90mins

Serbia 80 muns 

Azerbaijan 60 mins

I watched the game he played vs Liverpool B team in the Cup for Norwich... he was poor. 

He has 5 substitute premier league appearances this year totalling 37mins 

Personally I don't think he should be in the starting 11 until he starts playing football at club level. He's not going to do that this season in the premier league.

Parrot has 64mins total in the same games listed and plays week in week out. I appreciate a a lower level but still playing, he also has 2 senior goals in the friendly vs Andorra and a motm from that game too.

Jesus, we get it, you dont like Idah. Just to provide some perspective here. Idah was widely considered Ireland's best player vs Portugal and when Parrott got his chance vs Azerbaijan at home, he barely touched the ball in the first half and was hooked on 50 odd minutes in a performance at least as bad if not worse than Horgan's first half display vs the same opposition. Kenny played a half fit Idah away to Azerbaijan as he wanted a target man on the pitch, Parrott got a few minutes, looked sharp, then fluffed his lines when confronted with a very presentable chance. I like Troy, so I'm not going to diss the lad at all, he's doing good this season after a poor season last time around. He seems to be progressing well although I don't tune in to MK Dons games regularly. If you are suggesting that Parrott should lead the line ahead of Idah vs Portugal in our next competitive international, then I'll have some of what youre smoking.

If the coaching team see the need to play a target man vs Portugal, which I think they will, then it will be Idah. There is perhaps an argument that if they think tactically they dont need that out ball that Idah provides, he could go with Robinson as a 9 (not his best position), supported by Mc Grath/Knight and Ogbene/Connolly. It's not likely vs Portugal, but possible vs Luxembourg imo. Parrott wont be starting either game barring injuries imo, he's not ready, but thankfully he looks like he's getting there.

As for the Liverpool B game as you insist on calling it, he was playing against 2 top quality CBs in Gomez and Konate. It was also Norwich's B team and they were outplayed for much of the game. He didnt have a great game, but I also watched it and Omobamidele was at least as bad if not worse than Idah. 

Omobamidele, Doherty, Connolly and Hendrick are also all struggling for minutes at their respective clubs, so it's not unique to Idah either. Idah is very close to the first team at Norwich, a team that isnt scoring goals and he is getting regular minutes off the bench. I wouldnt rule out his breaking in to the team at some point and any injury to either Pukki or Sargent will probably see him starting also.

Tricky one. As you say, recency bias and the opposition need to be taken into account. Omobamidele looked great against Qatar and Serbia. He looks a serious prospect. 

The thing for me is that I think he might have a higher ceiling than O'Shea but I don't know if he has looked more assured than O'Shea did. 

We are accumulating options in the back 3. It feels like there will come a natural point in the next few years where our 3 centre halves (assuming it is still a 3) are Omobamidele, O'Shea and Collins. I'm taking into account the age of Duffy and Egan and the potential of that trio. And it won't be for a few years either-  Duffy and Egan have plenty left in them. Similar to the goalkeepers coming at once, it feels like those 3 guys have all come at once for us. 

An interesting little thought I has there was contrasting how O'Shea, Omobamidele and Collins have eased into senior football with the challenges that our trio of young forwards have encountered (Connolly, Idah and Parrott). Plenty nuances involved in that contrast but the trajectory for the defenders seems to have gone in the right direction consistently at senior level for their clubs, to the extent that I wouldn't wish a move on any of them as it wouldn't be necessary to their development. That doesn't look the case for Connolly and Idah and Parrott has already racked up a few clubs with things finally looking to be heading in the right direction for him. 

Bazunu; DOS/Omobamidele, Duffy, Egan; Coleman, Cullen, Hendrick, Doherty/Stevens; McGrath

and then it gets interesting. he really likes idah, so could be mcgrath idah robinson. honestly i think for portugal specifically i wouldnt mind ogbene or even knight, and then robinson playing the role he did against qatar