IT’S TIME TO GET ON FRONT FOOT
With Bale and Co out, there are no excuses ahead of Wales clash
ON Sunday night in Chorzow, Poland became the first team to be relegated from the UEFA Nations League when they conceded a stoppage time goal to Italy in League A.
When Cristiano Biraghi slid in at the far post to score, the celebrations among the Italian management, players and fans was immense — you could see what it meant to them.
Having missed out on qualification for the World Cup finals, the Italians are pumped up to make amends and pursue every route open them to reach Euro 2020.
Others, it could be argued, appear less concerned about the merits of the new tournament which offers four automatic passes to the finals, as well as promotion and some decent dosh.
For all of Martin O’Neill’s bullishness yesterday that a win over Wales in Dublin tonight and the Republic of Ireland are ‘right back in it’ in League B (Group 4), the Ireland manager again spoke of rebuilding and revealed he was contemplating reverting to 4-4-2 from 3-5-2 to face Wales.
From the press benches, this could be interpreted that O’Neill has half an eye on Euro 2020 and is prepared to dabble with his selections and strategy to ensure readiness when the qualifiers get going in March.
Maybe that’s fine with the FAI top brass, who are paying O’Neill €1.9million-a-year.
Others might argue that allowing a 15-month overhaul between crashing out of the World Cup in November 2017, until the Euro qualifiers begin in March 2019, is more than generous.
Maybe it might be more productive for O’Neill to make the Nations League a priority, to stoke up momentum and re-capture a winning vibe.
As it is, Ireland have used 21 players and two systems so far, for a yield of one point and one goal — and even that was a gift from the Welsh at 4-0.
Against a Denmark team shorn of Christian Eriksen on Saturday, Ireland managed one chance from play and while O’Neill insisted yesterday he had selected an ‘attacking side’ it didn’t look that way.
Shane Long was left on his own in attack, while James McClean, a left-winger, spent more time funnelling back in defence than getting forward and whipping in crosses.
A golden opportunity to bounce back from the 4-1 calamity in Cardiff, of getting up and running in the Nations League, was passed up.
Afterwards, O’Neill stressed the importance of keeping a clean sheet as if that’s what mattered most. What about the absence of creativity, of goal chances, of two strikers on the pitch?
A 2-1 win or 3-2 would have been more acceptable than 0-0 and the Danes, vulnerable without Eriksen, were more than content to head down the Dodder in their longboats with a plundered point.
We move on, to the visit of a weakened Welsh team. Shorn of Gareth Bale, Aaron Ramsey, Kwame Ampadu and Chris Mepham, who all played last month, they are worse off for star players than the Danes.
This is a team which Ireland should not fear, for all the youthful promise of Connor Roberts, David Brooks, Tyler Roberts, and Harry Wilson — he, of the wondrous freekick for Derby against Manchester United last month.
This is a team that Ireland, for all the dearth of high-grade Premier League quality in the ranks, should be capable of seeing off the premises with a cuff about the ears.
They can do so, but much responsibility rests with O‘Neill in terms of his team, his tactics and his ability to extract an overdue performance on home turf.
O’Neill was asked a question yesterday equivalent to a volley at the net for Roger Federer, or a tap-in putt for Rory McIlroy: ‘Martin, could anyone have done any better with these players?’
In fairness, he didn’t nod in agreement before replying.
Instead, he stressed the desire of his players to put on the green shirt — which most of us take as a given — and acknowledged that while Ireland may not lack heart, the levels of technical ability are that bit ‘short.’
‘We have a lot of players playing here who don’t play regularly for their sides in the Championship. That’s a tough ask for them to come in overnight and raise it. To be fair to them, for most of the time, they’ve done so.’
He agreed that the Irish defensive line could be a bit higher up the park. ‘I think that we can try to push out and get up the field a little bit so that the distances between the centre back positions and midfield are not that far.
‘It’s a very big pitch, the Aviva, and maybe we are shorn of a bit of phenomenal athletic ability but when the danger is cleared, for a start, let’s get up those extra six or seven yards so it gives everybody a better chance.’
Another key aspect in Ireland’s play tonight is the evidence of much-needed guile and vision.
To be reliant on set-pieces for a goal threat should not be the summit of the team’s ambitions, which O’Neill recognises.
‘We’ve got to try and be more creative if we can be. We’ve got to try and use the ball in the final third and be confident on it,’ he said.
Irish goals, and an Irish win too, are much-needed tonight but for that to happen, the team must be positive from the off, unlike Saturday when they stood off Denmark, their guard firmly in place.
To drop points at home for the second time in three days would be carelessness indeed, and prompt more questions about where the team is headed under O’Neill. The time for excuses is over.