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Under-21 Euro 2023 Qualifying
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Robbie Keane
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Originally posted by Left foot Left foot wrote:

At any level, our best performing midfielder is probably Kilkenny at the moment. He's doing considerably better than Molumby, knight, hendrick, hourihane and mcgrath,  with the exception of maybe only Cullen but even then would Cullen get into that Bournemouth midfield.

Slight caveat for Knight and Molumby as they are just returning from injuries.

I dont really buy the too early for him argument when omobamidele and mcgrath were both thrown into the deep end and both have really kicked on since.

Hes played at a very high level for Bournemouth who will probably walk the league and I think coming on for 30mins at senior level for ireland is more beneficial to his development than another 2 games with the u21s 

We are not going to qualify for WC. U21 have big games. Best leave him where he is and build on last month with the current players. There is a much of a muchness at this stage between kilkenny and Knight on current form for example but Knight has been around senior team so stick with him and let kilkenny help the u21.
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Originally posted by Greenie50 Greenie50 wrote:

Originally posted by Hotlips_Hoolahan Hotlips_Hoolahan wrote:

Originally posted by Greenie50 Greenie50 wrote:

Good to see Johansson, Smallbone & Ebosele back in.

Obafemi isn't fully fit. Had been out injured from September 18th to October 23, has just played 30mins in each of the last 3 games.

I'm pretty sure he's been making himself unavailable for U21 squads a lot longer than that.


When? He was injured from January up into May, so wasn't available for the March & June games.
He only signed for Swansea on Deadline Day, so wasn't ready for the September window.
Then he got injured mid-September & missed the October Window.
That brings us to this window, where he's only back from injury & hasn't played more than 30mins in the last 3 games, so probably isn't fit enough.

He played 3 games (74', 74', 11') for us last Oct/Nov, when he wasn't getting any games at all at Southampton. Since then it's been all injuries.

Am glad someone pulled the facts out to dispel nonsense that he has been making himself unavailable.  
The reality is he has never really had a run of games at senior level.  Even in his breakout club season, he was a bit-part mostly substitute player.
This whole calendar year has been start stop with more stopping than starting.

There is no evidence to suggest he is anything but committed but simply being overlooked for better options.
If he were to come out with a statement to the contrary, then we should begin to question his loyalties but until then, it's just people projecting their own opinions on the lad.
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500 Club la la la
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Originally posted by t_rAndy t_rAndy wrote:

Originally posted by Left foot Left foot wrote:

At any level, our best performing midfielder is probably Kilkenny at the moment. He's doing considerably better than Molumby, knight, hendrick, hourihane and mcgrath,  with the exception of maybe only Cullen but even then would Cullen get into that Bournemouth midfield.

Slight caveat for Knight and Molumby as they are just returning from injuries.

I dont really buy the too early for him argument when omobamidele and mcgrath were both thrown into the deep end and both have really kicked on since.

Hes played at a very high level for Bournemouth who will probably walk the league and I think coming on for 30mins at senior level for ireland is more beneficial to his development than another 2 games with the u21s 

We are not going to qualify for WC. U21 have big games. Best leave him where he is and build on last month with the current players. There is a much of a muchness at this stage between kilkenny and Knight on current form for example but Knight has been around senior team so stick with him and let kilkenny help the u21.


It would be a similar test for Gavin playing against an extremely strong Italian u21 team or the Luxembourg senior team I would imagine. 
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Judging from previous teamsheets, we could be looking at 4-5-1 or 4-3-3 formation?
Maher
O Connor McGuinness O Brien Bagan
Tierney Covenry Kilkenny Smallbone Ferry
Ferguson
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Originally posted by Fozz Fozz wrote:

Originally posted by Greenie50 Greenie50 wrote:

Originally posted by Hotlips_Hoolahan Hotlips_Hoolahan wrote:

Originally posted by Greenie50 Greenie50 wrote:

Good to see Johansson, Smallbone & Ebosele back in.

Obafemi isn't fully fit. Had been out injured from September 18th to October 23, has just played 30mins in each of the last 3 games.

I'm pretty sure he's been making himself unavailable for U21 squads a lot longer than that.


When? He was injured from January up into May, so wasn't available for the March & June games.
He only signed for Swansea on Deadline Day, so wasn't ready for the September window.
Then he got injured mid-September & missed the October Window.
That brings us to this window, where he's only back from injury & hasn't played more than 30mins in the last 3 games, so probably isn't fit enough.

He played 3 games (74', 74', 11') for us last Oct/Nov, when he wasn't getting any games at all at Southampton. Since then it's been all injuries.

Am glad someone pulled the facts out to dispel nonsense that he has been making himself unavailable.  
The reality is he has never really had a run of games at senior level.  Even in his breakout club season, he was a bit-part mostly substitute player.
This whole calendar year has been start stop with more stopping than starting.

There is no evidence to suggest he is anything but committed but simply being overlooked for better options.
If he were to come out with a statement to the contrary, then we should begin to question his loyalties but until then, it's just people projecting their own opinions on the lad.





According to Jim Crawford, Obafemi made himself unavailable for selection for the U21s as he was focused on a PL breakthrough. There was no mention of injuries being the reason behind him pulling out.
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Liam Brady
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Originally posted by Hotlips_Hoolahan Hotlips_Hoolahan wrote:


According to Jim Crawford, Obafemi made himself unavailable for selection for the U21s as he was focused on a PL breakthrough. There was no mention of injuries being the reason behind him pulling out.


Fair enough, although I'd question his fitness for that last window.
Now if he has made himself unavailavble for this window (I'd argue he is fit enough to show if Smallbone and a few others are) then you have a case.

Be interesting to see if this is raised in the next JC interview.
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Ray Houghton
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Originally posted by greenshoots greenshoots wrote:





Judging from previous teamsheets, we could be looking at 4-5-1 or 4-3-3 formation?
Maher
O Connor McGuinness O Brien Bagan
Tierney Covenry Kilkenny Smallbone Ferry
Ferguson


There's still enough talent in that squad to cause any team problems. Noss, kilkenny,  Coventry, Smallbone, ebosele to name a few. 

Crawford should be doing well with what's available.
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Luca Connell has really fallen of the radar
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Jack Charlton
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Lack of fire power up front is the big problem with this squad. It's missing our five best eligible forwards at this level - very hard to fill that gap with a playing pool of our size, which is why we're seeing Ferguson in there when he has just turned 17.

I think the squad would fit a 3-5-2 (or 3-4-2-1 like the seniors) much better than the 4-3-3 but it's clear enough from the squad picked that he's planning on sticking with a back 4.

Something like:

                       Maher
   McEntee McGuinness O'Brien
Ebosele Coventry Kilkenny Bagan
                   Smallbone
            Ferguson Kayode

would work better I think.

But he'll probably go with something like:

                           Maher
O'Connor McEntee McGuinness Bagan
          Kilkenny Coventry Noss
              Wright Kayode Ferry
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Jack Charlton
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Originally posted by Howdo Howdo wrote:

Luca Connell has really fallen of the radar

Jamie Bowden is another one that has fallen away badly. But their competition in central midfield are playing in the Championship (Kilkenny and Coventry), the Eredivisie (Johansson starting to break through there) and Noss is making the bench in the bundesliga from time to time. Playing Scottish League 1 isn't going to cut it against those lads.
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Originally posted by Howdo Howdo wrote:

Luca Connell has really fallen of the radar

'74-'75 was his only good song anyway.
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Liam Brady
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I see what lads are saying about all our eligible players missing. From what I count if we had senior players up to scratch we have been missing 8 of our best U21 first 11 and potentially 12/13 of our best 23 U21 squad throughout the campaign. 

Only Bagan Kilkenny and possibly Coventry have been playing for them. Yet still I think they have under achieved relative to the squads ability. They have been awful and even against Luxembourg at home the quality of our 2 CMs got us through. I hope he changes the formation up for the next games at that one up top is blatantly not working.
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Liam Brady
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Originally posted by kevin100 kevin100 wrote:

I see what lads are saying about all our eligible players missing. From what I count if we had senior players up to scratch we have been missing 8 of our best U21 first 11 and potentially 12/13 of our best 23 U21 squad throughout the campaign. 

Only Bagan Kilkenny and possibly Coventry have been playing for them. Yet still I think they have under achieved relative to the squads ability. They have been awful and even against Luxembourg at home the quality of our 2 CMs got us through. I hope he changes the formation up for the next games at that one up top is blatantly not working.

Yeah, it definitely isn't. Against Montenegro we looked like we had 10 men when we had the ball. That's not good enough. I think it's a result of having two midfield schemers that are happy to sit in Kilkenny and Coventry. Tierney was okay but himself and Gilbert didn't provide much support to Kayode or Ferguson. Ferry was launching in crosses and the striker completely crowded out.

I remember it happening at senior level for us too. One game where McClean was left and Brady was right of a front 3 and they absolutely hugged the touchline and then we didn't have the dynamism in midfield either. 

It might just come down to personnel. 
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Originally posted by Eoink21 Eoink21 wrote:

Originally posted by kevin100 kevin100 wrote:

I see what lads are saying about all our eligible players missing. From what I count if we had senior players up to scratch we have been missing 8 of our best U21 first 11 and potentially 12/13 of our best 23 U21 squad throughout the campaign. 

Only Bagan Kilkenny and possibly Coventry have been playing for them. Yet still I think they have under achieved relative to the squads ability. They have been awful and even against Luxembourg at home the quality of our 2 CMs got us through. I hope he changes the formation up for the next games at that one up top is blatantly not working.

Yeah, it definitely isn't. Against Montenegro we looked like we had 10 men when we had the ball. That's not good enough. I think it's a result of having two midfield schemers that are happy to sit in Kilkenny and Coventry. Tierney was okay but himself and Gilbert didn't provide much support to Kayode or Ferguson. Ferry was launching in crosses and the striker completely crowded out.

I remember it happening at senior level for us too. One game where McClean was left and Brady was right of a front 3 and they absolutely hugged the touchline and then we didn't have the dynamism in midfield either. 

It might just come down to personnel. 
 

It just shows it's great to have so many young players around and we are telling lads like Mcnulty Lawal Finn-Benoa Moran real talented lads to go back to the 19s. All very promising. 

The Montenegro game we were a different side when we got Whelan and Kayode up top together in a 2. If Coventry scores the penalty we win it I remember thinking bury this and it's there for us. Montenegro were on the ropes at the time. It will take a bit of a miracle to qualify now certainly need to 12 points if not 13 from our last 6 games. 

Il genuinely choke if I see that formation out again the next game. Switch it up or just get 2 up top. Agreed about the 2 midfielders now they were both exceptional on the ball controlled it against Luxembourg but that's all it was lots of possession but easy to defend against. Let Kilkenny bomb on both lads have a goal in them/are very creative. 


Edited by kevin100 - 03 Nov 2021 at 1:50pm
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Originally posted by Hotlips_Hoolahan Hotlips_Hoolahan wrote:

Originally posted by Fozz Fozz wrote:

Originally posted by Greenie50 Greenie50 wrote:

Originally posted by Hotlips_Hoolahan Hotlips_Hoolahan wrote:

Originally posted by Greenie50 Greenie50 wrote:

Good to see Johansson, Smallbone & Ebosele back in.

Obafemi isn't fully fit. Had been out injured from September 18th to October 23, has just played 30mins in each of the last 3 games.

I'm pretty sure he's been making himself unavailable for U21 squads a lot longer than that.


When? He was injured from January up into May, so wasn't available for the March & June games.
He only signed for Swansea on Deadline Day, so wasn't ready for the September window.
Then he got injured mid-September & missed the October Window.
That brings us to this window, where he's only back from injury & hasn't played more than 30mins in the last 3 games, so probably isn't fit enough.

He played 3 games (74', 74', 11') for us last Oct/Nov, when he wasn't getting any games at all at Southampton. Since then it's been all injuries.

Am glad someone pulled the facts out to dispel nonsense that he has been making himself unavailable.  
The reality is he has never really had a run of games at senior level.  Even in his breakout club season, he was a bit-part mostly substitute player.
This whole calendar year has been start stop with more stopping than starting.

There is no evidence to suggest he is anything but committed but simply being overlooked for better options.
If he were to come out with a statement to the contrary, then we should begin to question his loyalties but until then, it's just people projecting their own opinions on the lad.





According to Jim Crawford, Obafemi made himself unavailable for selection for the U21s as he was focused on a PL breakthrough. There was no mention of injuries being the reason behind him pulling out.



That article is from August, & as I mentioned, Obafemi only got his move to Swansea in the last hours of Deadline Day. Getting that deal done was hugely important for his career, if he got stuck at Southampton he wouldn't be playing at all.
Don't forget he had a bad injury from January-May, didn't have a pre-season apart from 25mins in a Cup game for S'hampton in August, so he'd barely played in a year.

Even his appearances for Swansea (starting right after the September international window) have only been: 13', 27', 90', [injured for a month], 33', 27', 28'.

His first priority very clearly should be getting fully fit & staying fit.

I see no reason to doubt him at this point.
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That's all well and good but the manager of the team has literally said he doesn't want to be picked for the foreseeable future and the reasons given have nothing to do with injuries.

Will Smallbone has been out injured for almost a year, has played barely any football, and he's named in the squad.
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Originally posted by Hotlips_Hoolahan Hotlips_Hoolahan wrote:

That's all well and good but the manager of the team has literally said he doesn't want to be picked for the foreseeable future and the reasons given have nothing to do with injuries.

Will Smallbone has been out injured for almost a year, has played barely any football, and he's named in the squad.

He literally did not say anything of the sort.

The article states, and I quote:
It should be noted that Ferguson’s promotion was arguably fast-tracked by the agents of Mipo Odubeko (18) at West Ham and Southampton’s Michael Obafemi (21) informing Crawford that the Dublin-born strikers are focused on Premier League breakthroughs this season.

Obafemi has made his club move and won't be focussing on PL football for a long time, if ever.
I believe JC's word thereafter are more about Odubeko, around which there has been much more furore and who has come out and declined call-ups for sure.
Am willing to be corrected, but I've yet to hear JC come out and say that Obafemi has declined a callup.



Edited by Fozz - 03 Nov 2021 at 2:43pm
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Originally posted by kevin100 kevin100 wrote:

Originally posted by Eoink21 Eoink21 wrote:

Originally posted by kevin100 kevin100 wrote:

I see what lads are saying about all our eligible players missing. From what I count if we had senior players up to scratch we have been missing 8 of our best U21 first 11 and potentially 12/13 of our best 23 U21 squad throughout the campaign. 

Only Bagan Kilkenny and possibly Coventry have been playing for them. Yet still I think they have under achieved relative to the squads ability. They have been awful and even against Luxembourg at home the quality of our 2 CMs got us through. I hope he changes the formation up for the next games at that one up top is blatantly not working.

Yeah, it definitely isn't. Against Montenegro we looked like we had 10 men when we had the ball. That's not good enough. I think it's a result of having two midfield schemers that are happy to sit in Kilkenny and Coventry. Tierney was okay but himself and Gilbert didn't provide much support to Kayode or Ferguson. Ferry was launching in crosses and the striker completely crowded out.

I remember it happening at senior level for us too. One game where McClean was left and Brady was right of a front 3 and they absolutely hugged the touchline and then we didn't have the dynamism in midfield either. 

It might just come down to personnel. 
 

It just shows it's great to have so many young players around and we are telling lads like Mcnulty Lawal Finn-Benoa Moran real talented lads to go back to the 19s. All very promising. 

The Montenegro game we were a different side when we got Whelan and Kayode up top together in a 2. If Coventry scores the penalty we win it I remember thinking bury this and it's there for us. Montenegro were on the ropes at the time. It will take a bit of a miracle to qualify now certainly need to 12 points if not 13 from our last 6 games. 

Il genuinely choke if I see that formation out again the next game. Switch it up or just get 2 up top. Agreed about the 2 midfielders now they were both exceptional on the ball controlled it against Luxembourg but that's all it was lots of possession but easy to defend against. Let Kilkenny bomb on both lads have a goal in them/are very creative. 

I can't see him changing the formation based on that squad. He hasn't picked enough recognised centre backs to suggest he's going to go three at the back. If he was he'd have brought in someone like Lawal or Garcia McNulty as centre back cover for the other three. He'd have to play all three centre backs he has picked as things stand and would have no cover on the bench for them.
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