Yap About Football: 2011

The true value of a player - The story of Andy Carroll and Shane Long

Just before the Premier League January transfer window of 2011 closed Liverpool paid Newcastle United £35 million for striker Andy Carroll.At that time Carroll had only a half a season top flight experience behind him but Liverpool were still prepared to fork out a fee that would make Carroll the eight most expensive...

Trapattoni gets good return from available resources

On Friday evening in Tallinn the Republic of Ireland will be 180 minutes from qualifying for their first major tournament since 2002 and only their second ever appearance at the European Championships.Regardless of whether qualification is achieved or not the performance of manager Giovanni Trapattoni will be...

Trapattoni’s destination trumps the journey

Two games left, two points behind the group leaders and one point clear of second place. Ireland’s passage to a play-off spot is now in their own hands. If that scenario was presented to Giovanni Trapattoni and most Irish football fans last September when Ireland started out on this qualification campaign it...

Ireland’s destiny in their own hands

With just Tuesday’s friendly in Liege against Italy to negotiate before their Summer break, Giovanni Trapattoni’s Republic of Ireland squad can feel satisfied with their weekend’s work. With six games played and four left to contest in their campaign in Group B of qualifying for the 2012 European Championships...

Manchester United in Pole Position to Claim Premier League Title

Five points clear with eight games remaining. That is the enviable position Manchester United find themselves in as the Premier League gears up for action this weekend following the recent International break. Granted second place Arsenal do have a game in hand but Manchester United must be clear favourites...

Ireland fail to get the best out of McCarthy

After 65 minutes of Tuesdays international friendly against World Cup semi –finalists Uruguay at the Aviva Stadium James McCarthy was withdrawn from the action. It had been a frustrating night for McCarthy who was deployed as an advanced midfielder playing behind front man Shane Long.All too often McCarthy dropped...

Midfield Central to Trapattoni’s Task

If the Republic of Ireland are to progress from Group B and qualify for 2012 European Championship the future composition of the middle of midfield will be central. This may appear obvious but five games into the qualifying campaign the Irish central midfield is still the most erratic and inconsistent area of...

Barcelona Brilliance Overshadowed by Red Card

In the aftermath of Tuesday’s Champions League last sixteen tie between Arsenal and Barcelona a large proportion of the analysis focussed on the second half dismissal of Robin Van Persie. The incident was replayed on the TV coverage immediately after the game to see if the moment the sound waves of the referees...

Andres Iniesta - Europe's Finest

On Wednesday night Barcelona and Andres Iniesta visit The Emirates Stadium for the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie with Arsenal. Barcelona and most of the other big guns of Europe have survived to fight it out at the business end of the continents premier club competition. It is at this stage...

Clark Claims Left Back Berth

After 90 plus minutes of tonight’s Carling Nations Cup tie at the Aviva Stadium two questions appear to have been answered. The first is who should be Ireland’s first choice left back after Kevin Kilbane’s extended caretaker occupation of that role, the answer is Ciaran Clark. The second question is what sort...

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