Usual lack of creativity a concern for O’Neill
NEW team, same old problems. Martin O’Neill’s Republic of Ireland don’t just struggle to score goals, they rarely threaten to shoot. That much was evident watching them train here on the Turkish Riviera in recent days, when even a practice match between the squad drifted for long periods without either goalkeeper being troubled. They scored 13 times from 12 games in failing to qualify for this summer’s World Cup and O’Neill has long since spoken of the need to replace the goals lost to Robbie Keane’s retirement. And so here, in trialling a 3-5-2 formation, he paired Aston Villa debutant Scott Hogan and Preston’s Sean Maguire — making his first start — in attack. Turkey captain Mehmet Topal volleyed the only goal on 52 minutes and Ireland did not record a single effort on target. ‘It is a concern. I think we have to try and create more in games, hence the two centre-forwards playing,’ said O’Neill, who highlighted the debut of West Ham’s 19-year-old defender Declan Rice as a positive. In a week when Reading’s Liam Kelly rejected O’Neill’s call-up, there is no doubt over the commitment of London-born Rice. He was one of few positives to emerge from a match in which just three starters survived from November’s World Cup play-off defeat by Denmark. Ireland had the best chance of the first half, even though they spent much of it on the back foot. The opening arrived after 18 minutes when Jeff Hendrick pierced the Turkey backline with a pass for Hogan to chase. He only had the goalkeeper to beat but, after skipping past Volkan Babacan, he could only find the side-netting. The hosts should have led within two minutes of the restart but an unmarked Caglar Soyuncu somehow lifted over the crossbar from four yards. Ireland failed to heed the ease with which that chance came about and they were behind on 52 minutes. From a short corner, captain Topal enjoyed similar freedom and volleyed past Colin Doyle from close range. And that was just about that, no Ireland rally, not even a proper shot on target.