He's scored his fourth of the season today with Oxford in the playoff positions.

Good to see he's finally started adding goals to his game.

I would like to see him in the squad

Hotlips_Hoolahan wrote: According to reports, Huddersfield are one of several teams chasing his signature as his contract winds down.

Dr. Richard Kimble is also chasing him

ffs 

There were reports that he had been close to a call up just after he declared for us, but narrowly missed out at the time. He has kicked on since then at club level though.

Looks a decent player at L1 level but hopfully it won't be long before we won't have to dip down that low for our squad.

Yeah, he said the thought of playing for Ireland was "breathtaking" as well. Would love to see him get the call. 

In fact looking at it again he has turned into Ronaldinho for about 30 seconds, incredible.

https://twitter.com/ConnorGiltrap/status/1488616456208146432?t=KuESxIzXH8px0Rw_GjQcEw&s=19" rel="nofollow - https://twitter.com/ConnorGiltrap/status/1488616456208146432?t=KuESxIzXH8px0Rw_GjQcEw&s=19

Glad to see after he switched from the North without any guarantees of anything from us, looks like it could work out for him.

Explains his reasons here: https://www.google.com/amp/s/punditarena.com/irish-football/robredmond/mark-sykes-republic-of-ireland-northern-ireland-1/%3famp" rel="nofollow - https://www.google.com/amp/s/punditarena.com/irish-football/robredmond/mark-sykes-republic-of-ireland-northern-ireland-1/%3famp

In what other line of work, would an employer or someone in an authoritative position be allowed to interrogate someone about religious beliefs BTW? How on earth would a conversation about football matters go into a tangent about what denomination his girlfriend is? 

The actions of knuckledraggers is not what HH referenced. Of course religion should not be a factor. Nobody said it should.

Green Cockade wrote: The subject came up, it matters little who raised it and Sykes got his share of sectarian abuse from the usual knuckleheads for his decision. A couple of capped players, Liam Boyce and Michael Smith of Hearts, have since left the NI squad though their reasons have not been publicised.

"Michael Smith"?

Are you making an assumption there?

I was expressing my bemusement at how Mark Sykes felt the need to justify declaring for RoI by using his partner's religious denomination as mitigation.

It shouldn't have come into the conversation at all. Yet it's a talking point virtually every single time.

MON and Baraclough have continuously brought players religious faiths into the conversation about this topic.

MON accused IRL of initiating contact with Paddy McNair because he has an Irish sounding name (there's no proof of this whatsoever, much like his assertion that the FAI tapped up the McEneff brothers). 

It's absurd just typing that out. Are Gibson, Wilson and Sykes Irish sounding names as well?

So you think Sykes brought his partner's religion up for no reason with no context? If that's what you think, fair enough but I beg to differ.

Especially given Baraclough's predecessor's obsession with discussing footballers religions.

And getting them wrong - Eunan O'Kane is a humanist.

Not that it should matter.

I know for a fact from a friend who lived in Ballyclare at the time and who knows the family well, that the FAI did enquire about Paddy, before suddenly withdrawing.

He laughed out loud at the very thought of Paddy entertaining the approach.

Not quite as bad as Terri's anecdote above then, which is clearly a figment of his imagination.

You'd swear there isn't a pattern of  players defecting to us who feel the need to explain their religious background has nothing to do with them declaring for us or something.

I’d say he brought it up in relation to the abuse he got from NI fans after declaring for us.

He can laugh all he wants but we all know that Northern Ireland will no longer exist as an international side, maybe not within McNair's football career but probably his lifetime. 

He’s not really a centre midfielder 

Write to the FAI there & tell them that.

Why don't you now I've given you the idea. 

He's some midfielder isn't he 

A Roy Keane or more of a Kinsella type  ?

https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/glenavon-boss-gary-hamilton-tips-24027286?int_source=mantis_rec&int_medium=web&int_campaign=more_like_this" rel="nofollow - https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/glenavon-boss-gary-hamilton-tips-24027286?int_source=mantis_rec&int_medium=web&int_campaign=more_like_this

Hopefully he's on Kenny's stand-by list and is ready whenever someone drops out. 

he's injured

Yes, I questioned whether he was injured when the squad came out.  But, unlike Ronan, I didn't see it independently verified.  

If so, no worries, just a shame - I imagine he would have been in there if fit. 

Not sure on Sykes I read he was but found no definite answers but Ronan is 100% injured. His loan was cut short and he returned to Wolves for treatment to an ankle injury.

Brady CM again, Maguire hooked on 56 mins, Browne gets off the bench on 70 mins. Cunningham continues to start as LCB in a 3. 

Brady free kick leads to an equaliser for PNE on 82mins

Bristol C win it 2 1. Brady actually started as rwb and switched to LWB when Browne came on in the 77th minute.

Twice.

3 in 2 now 

He seems to be doing a lot better playing at right midfield/winger than when he played Right wing-back.

That's 4 goals and 1 assist since he changed position.

Why? If Kenny plans to play 352 in all competitive games he should also use it in friendlies and get these fringe players used to playing in his system. At least they've some familiarity with it then if they end having to come in

they are pro players, if they cant adjust to a formation change then i give up. plenty of teams change formations/roles based on opponents. what is clear is that our 3 at the back is turgid against any team that sits in deep. lets get more players higher up the pitch and cause them problems, its a friendly for godness sake. if things cant be switched up for them then what hope do we have at all. kenny has to give some good minutes this window to the likes of smallbone and sykes, wasted that malta game showing us what we've already known for years.

Agree with you completely but it looks like Kenny is married to the 352 and its variations, opting for a 1-2 in midfield against strong sides and a 2-1 against similar/weaker sides. I'd be surprised if he goes with anything but a 3-4-1-2 against Latvia, if he wants to give a Sykes a go in a wider role he might go back to the 3-4-3 instead 

He's no good at throw ins though because he only has one arm and one mechanical arm

Went to RB for the last 20 mins or so and did well there too including some great covering behind his center halves. 

Now for me to grumble about the £5.40 pints 

there was a piece done with sykes over the weekend wonder could someone c+p if possible

I would like to see us go with a 4-3-3 vs Latvia (in preparation for Gibralter in June). Good teams should have at least a couple of "go to" formations. Yes we have a plethora of good cb's but Kenny's struggles for the most part have been against the "weaker" teams where we have struggled to create/score. Generally our performances vs higher ranked sides have been mostly ok and I think the 3 CB's works well vs tougher opposition.

There are quite a few lads imo who suit the wider roles in a 4-3-3, Ogbene/Sykes/Connolly/O'Dowda and the 5-2-3 which was tried didnt work at all. I'd like to see us have a go vs Latvia with an attacking 4-3-3 formation.

I think between Idah, Parrott, Cannon and Ferguson, we have lads who can play as the front man in a 4-3-3, but a 4-2-3-1 is fine by me also. I just think we should be looking at a formation that doesnt involve 3 CBs. We need to be able to go out vs weak opposition and really take the game to them, press high and play with a high tempo. I agree we are short in the #10 position and have been for years but either one of Smallbone/Azaz offers a chink of light in that regard. I think one of the bigger problems with playing a 4 is our lack of genuine full backs as opposed to wing backs.

Absolutely think we should stick with the 5 at the back vs stronger opposition, it's worked reasonably well for the most part and we do have a lot of excellent young CB's coming through (has to be the GAA breeding). 

However SK has to be brave now if he is to have any chance of keeping his job. The Latvia result does not matter, nor should it. It's time to show a bit of balls and mix things up, we need to see what else we have to work with and develop another system of play. He tried mixing it up and going 5-2-3 a few times, but it was a disaster, didnt work at all. Stick with the 5-3-2 vs the better teams and have a 4-3-3 or a 4-2-3-1 in the pocket to use vs the weaker teams.

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 
What else is there.

I feel and share your pain, the Malta debacle almost did for me and my support for SK. Last chance saloon as far as I'm concerned. I dont need to see loads of new faces introduced, but I do want to see some of the fringe lads getting decent minutes vs Latvia and I'd like to see Coventry and Azaz in the squad, even if it means a 28 man squad, jsut get them in and get them involved.

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. 

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.

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.

Spades a spade 

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