Shamrock Rovers Preview

Thursday night, Channel 5. It’s Europa League time and Shamrock Rovers, with ex-Spur Rohan Ricketts in tow, come to town. Who needs the Champions League eh?

Instead of trying to prize a £250,000-a-week striker off the bench in Munich, we will have a group of eager, fresh-faced youths champing at the bit for a crack at the Irish. Whilst I would obviously prefer to be playing Champions League football this week, the whole Tevez affair has been a disgrace and shows that while City’s money has bought them Champions League football, they remain a disharmonious group of mercenaries. I’d much rather watch my team’s kids desperate to impress while we have another organically created crack at the big time.

Harry has announced that we will field a slightly stronger side tonight, given the potential return to action of a handful of our walking wounded. Lennon, Rose and Pienaar look set to return, while Defoe has shaken off his mysterious illness.
I’d expect Cudicini to return in goal, with a probable back four of Walker, Corluka, Bassong and Rose. The return of Rose at LB could push Townsend back into his more familiar left wing role, although he may start on the bench if Harry wants to start with Pienaar. Lennon will start on the right, whilst I would like a central midfield of Livermore and Carroll. Both have impressed me this season and Carroll in particular, despite looking like a ball boy, could become a real talent. Up front, Kane, Pav and Defoe will battle for the two starting places. I would be tempted to go for Defoe and Kane given Pav’s general awfulness this season, but dropping him to the bench for a game like this is hardly going to improve his form and I’d give him a go alongside Defoe from the start, maybe hauling him off at half-time if he continues in his terrible vein of form. On the bench, expect the likes of Fredericks, Nicholson and Luongo, maybe with someone like Kranjcar babysitting.

Harry clearly has most of his focus on the NLD on Sunday and tonight’s game will be another case of avoiding injuries, blooding youngsters and easing injured players back into the fold. With all due respect to Shamrock Rovers, we should win this one easily. Let’s get behind the kids and show them what it means to wear Lilywhite on a European night. It doesn’t matter if it’s Shamrock Rovers or Bayern Munich. Let’s enjoy it.