Mark Sykes

84ccfc84 wrote:

yeah SK needs to move to 4 at the back v poorer sides. no excuses to stick with the 5 added to the fact its latvia. 5 at the back is the 'best' way to stifle mbappe though so ive no real issue with it being used v france. time to mix things up tactically and personnel wise SK, show us something.

Better to look at it as a three at the back against weaker teams. We can't really switch to a four because we don't have the full backs to play that system, they're all wing backs that get found out in a back four.

Dived there to try and win a penalty

Fozz wrote:

Gotta admit I'd not be anticipating a switch to a back 4 v Latvia.
Nor a plethora of new faces.

That last window soured me on Kenny's decision-making and even his ambition.
We had Browne, Robinson and Cullen start both games.
Why? What were we going to learn?
We played three CBs versus Malta.
MALTA FFS!
McLean started v Malta also...to learn what?
Hendrick came on as a sub...unbelievable.

It was a very frustrating time and it looked like a manager desperate to keep his job. Risk-averse.

What has changed between then and now?
Nothing that tells me he'll behave any different in this window, or treat Latvia as a test-bed for a new (old) formation or new players.

I hate to pick on Hourihane but the lad fooked us bad v Armenia.
No idea why he was introduced, and his performance could have cost Kenny his job.
If he's named then it shows us Kenny has learned nothing.

I like McGrath but not sure he has done anything like enough to warrant a call-up.

I wish we didn't have to dip into L1 for players but if we are, it's to pick one or two who have potential futures at higher levels - Knight and Azaz are the two there.

Cashin also, but we're stacked at CB.

Overall I have the fear growing as we approach these matches.
I can't see past a turgid win over Latvia and then a battling but ultimately conclusive loss to France.

Look, maybe young Evan wil light up Landsdown...of what a night that would be so we live in hope Shocked

What else is there.

Absolutely agree & if we see a Browne / Hendrick / Hourihane led squad & team ahead of a Sykes / Smallbone / Molumby / Knight / Coventry / Hodge rollover in midfield, he will use any scrap of goodwill he has left.

All those players are around the same level, they will deliver broadly the same set of results in the group. One are getting on and have failed repeatedly, one have improvement and maybe higher career ceilings & their careers ahead of them

We will fail in this group either way, we won't qualify, but let's gain valuable experience doing so & constantly learn.

Roberto Baggio wrote:

The O'Shea wrote:

Definitely not a dive. He had cut across Lewis and there was clear contact on his back. Desperately unlucky as he'd done great to get in the position.

Ah come on, played for it and initiated the contact 100%

There was contact but was still a dive

The commentators didn't agree, "could very easily have been give" was their phrasing. Sykes was ahead of Lewis and Lewis' leg made contact with Sykes (intentional or not), as well as putting his hand into Sykes back. You can argue about whether it was enough for a peno, but a dive it definitely was not.

We're decent enough..

Excellent defending to deny what likely would have been City's second just there.

SeaSharp wrote:

Got a fair bit of pace does the lad, deceptively fast because his strides are on the shorter side.

Thought he got caught ball watching badly for the 3rd, lost Ake completely.

He has to be fast to escape the fugitive Richard Kimble

Pied Piper to: Baldrick, Brendan 88, 9Fingers, Borussia and more...

97.6% chance this post will be replied to by Baldrick (source: PWC)

You Tell Me wrote:

Has been given a four game ban at club level for kicking out at Ryan Manning in a league game between Bristol and Swansea last week. Hopefully no bad blood between them longer term, could have been awkward if Manning had been in the Ireland squad.

Can't imagine any bad blood, happens all the time in club football. Him and McClean have got stuck into each other and squared up a few times.

Scores!

(I'm late noticing though, haha!)

Gets the assist for their second.