Maguire and Robinson have plenty of room to improve, Browne done well tonight and is slowly but surely finding his feet at this level and Egan/Stevens have been massive finds (since stepping up) and Williams was ok against NZ (granted not a great barometer) 

For all the criticism Mccarthy has had at least he's used the friendlies to bring in new lads unlike MON. 

I think defender wise we're ok

Duffy, Egan, Clark, as you say if long gets a move it would be good. 

Collins will be in there too if he kicks on, Williams can also play CB too. 

Sorry meant to say criticism 

Browne did fine when he came on, Robinson while not highly effective this evening is starting to find his feet and looked more comfortable at this level in this new system, Connolly absence is now seen as a big loss which tells you of his trajectory etc with Molomby and Idah firmly in the managers plans I think it's all very positive.

While it's annoying that we won't be going to the Euro's, I feel the long term growth of the team won't be hampered too much by not making it either. 

Yep. Chance to have set up a few friendlies next summer and try things out. Games between now and then are competitive games so not much room to try things out

Absolutely! Totally agree and am quite positive overall after tonight's performance. Thought Robinson was a bright spark and you could see his confidence from club form. 

We’ll still be waiting on a vaccine and just entering the 17th wave 

the night is bad enough without mentioning Dr Tony and Co 

O'Dowda and Robinson have both been used in the last few games, Long and Brady too for spells. but it's an area for concern as all of the above I believe are better on the left (Long obviously not as he's a CF)

Yeah, this is a long term issue. Kenny favours quick direct wingers who can pose a scoring threat. That’s why he likes O’Dowda, but we really don’t have anybody to own that role. It’s a bit of a weak spot underage also. Unless Kenny changes his way of thinking, I don’t see Robbie Brady playing that role too often. He’s clearly lost some pace. 

You might say Keiran Sadlier, Daryl Horgan, Ogbene, Zac Elbouzedi could play that role, but they’re all scrapping around in middling leagues. The alternative would be to look to Obafemi to play there, or start fishing in the eligibility pool for a Nathan Redmond type. Not promising.

Before anybody mentions Jack Byrne, I still have high hopes for him too. He’s just got to show the consistency to go with his talent.

Watching Hamsik last night was eye-opening. Even at a canter in his retirement years he has the decision making and touch of a top player. That brain is missing from our midfield. Hopefully one of the next crop can step up 

Think Browne will be more than a journeyman based on what i saw against Denmark at home and last night. 

Hendrick, Hourihane, Browne, Cullen, McCarthy, Arter, Molumby, Byrne with the likes Ronan, Knight, Coventry, Smallbone all options from U21's to step up.

Sadly this is spot on. 

We're in a position where we are playing players that have zero or just a few minutes of game time.

Brady should not be selected until he's had any sort of impact at club level. He's played for ireland when he's only played 656mins for his club over the last 2 seasons in all competitions. (Thats 7.2 games)

Odowda again has barely touched a ball for ages.

Shane Long is a bench warmer for the foreseeable future.

Mcclean is not in the Stoke squad some weeks

So whats the answer - dara oshea is playing week in week out, Jason Knight is playing. Thats a start. 

Agreed but I'd keep the U-21s as strong as possible to see if they can qualify. With no Euros for the seniors,  we could send a really strong squad to that u-21 tournament

Why has EIRE never produced good strikers?

Robbie is the only stand out player in our history and maybe Stapleton.  Very few goal scorers from our history.

doherty wrote: England keep poaching our good ones like Rooney and Kane and eeeh Bamford

They are true sons of Ireland

Quinny was a great striker but not a great goalscorer.

It would be a fascinating sports/social experiment if, say, Neymar was born in Ireland where would he go in life. Would they play the sport or end up a hurler, would their talent be spotted and how early, would the quality of coaching he received be good enough for him to realize his potential, would schoolwork get into the way, Would alcohol abuse or even drugs affect him. Jack wilshere was in an academy at 9 I think but that can’t really happen with Irish kids.

Vice versa if Robbie Keane was born in Brazil it’s likely he would have played more football with better opponents and teammates, received more coaching, be able to develop near his home in a academy that was bigger and better than wolves’.

Ireland isn’t really a football country. It’s GAA land especially in the countryside. It’s different to Brazil or even England.

Really need those young lads to come through -

Would be good to get loan moves for Molumby, Smallbone, Coventry and Obafemi.

Nathan Collins, idah, Masterson and parrott need to crack on.

Byrne needs to take the magic plane 

Delap needs to get with the programme.

Wow.Their relationship runs far deeper than I realised...

A minority of two it seems.

Danny Grant for Bohs 19 . Kid is going places

Is there anything to suggest he will play for us? Jordan Shipley seems like he wants to but can’t remember hearing anything about O Hare.

Do we really need another forward/winger named Callum?

Don’t get it 

Totally agree, with respect to Horgan he's never going to play his way back in to the first team. Very little reason to get him involved now.

Smallbone and knight have strong potential to improve the team. 

Im sure he has but he has worked for many a year with Horgan. Knows his game and his qualities to a tee. So im sure he didnt even have to think about calling on him. Daryl is no slouch, direct and can cause defences problems. I dont see it as an issue. Hes a decent player IMO and can score.

That’s it in a nutshell 

Grammatical errors aside :) 

Being back in school. 

This forum is conducted in English, it is basic decency and politeness to make your point as easy to read as possible.

Are you actually for real Madonna?

Yes, it's basic manners. 

The smiley, the last resort of the semi-literate.

Yes, more of a Debbie Harry !

Pre is guilty of making grammatical errors on this forum but for some reason fancies himself the ybig Samuel Johnson. 

Sometimes a smiley is all you need to get your point across.

And also used when you don't have one, such as here.

We all are, but basic decency is very easy. I don't fancy myself as anything other than a **** though, let's be clear about that!

I'd certainly have brought in Obafemi, no question.

There's plenty of strikers left at U21 and that game is even in serious doubt of not happening.

Well we dont have squad depth in any area except right back. I understand we want to put the best u21 squad forward for the Italy game but for me the senior team is the end goal.

Bringing in Hogan, Horgan and Christie instead of Obafemi, Smallbone and o'shea is the wrong approach in my opinion.

As we are now looking to the next world cup id look to leave out the over 30s going forward. That would include mcclean and even mcgoldrick (who was probably one of our stand out players in the last game) 

Get the young lads on the pitch, get them experienced as fast as possible 

These guys have shown where they max out and it's a level below where we want to be, in my opinion.

Obafemi and Smallbone are younger and already at higher levels while Knight looks in every way like a player going places.

I'll give SK a pass on this though as I expect he has an eye on that U21 finals, as it would be a huge deal for our young players to go to such a competition.

You mentioned it but many people making the mistake to keep looking past the U21 game we have this week. It is really good for our team long term if the U21 team can qualify for the Euros. Its also great for Kenny's own C.V. as he basically got them to this point if any of the players you mentioned were going to come in and make a big difference to the senior team this week then I am sure Kenny would have looked more closely at it but I fully agree with him here in keeping a balance and leaving good young players with the U21 for the crucial Italy game while bringing more experienced players into the squad for what is in reality only cover and to make up the numbers 

The point here is that you are a joke , hence the smiley faces.

Funny, I thought only Irish professors would post on here.

How could you! Devastating wit.

i think there is unbelievable benefits to keeping that team together and as strong as possible to get to the Euros and then actually compete to win the thing.

this experience of going to a tournament not simply to make up the numbers could prove invaluable... long term thinking for me seems the smart play here