1. Let’s see what we can do with the ball
Belarus don’t exactly seem like ideal preparation to face Belgium, Italy and Sweden, but the team ranked 77th in the world, and who just lost 3-0 to Northern Ireland, will offer perfect preparation in one sense. The Republic of Ireland will be in a rare position in the sense that they will be expected to dominate possession, and how they use the ball in France will prove vital.
No one will be expecting Martin O’Neill’s side to control possession against either Italy or Belgium. But although Ireland proved against The Netherlands that they are compact and energetic without the ball, we can’t expect that alone to be enough see the team through to the knock-out stages.
Belarus had just 39% of possession against Northern Ireland last Friday, and we can expect a similar figure at Turner’s Cross. Ireland will have the chance to control the game and can hopefully be effective in possession and open up their opponents.
These aren’t qualities we usually expect of an Irish team, but Wes Hoolahan has shown himself capable of getting the team playing, and as a unit they need to at least push up and play in their opponents half. If they can draw fouls within 30 yards of their opponent’s goal, Robbie Brady’s set-pieces will be an effective weapon.
The team work tirelessly without the ball, we know that, with Shane Long and Jon Walters setting the tempo up front. However, Ireland will have to capitalise on any spell of possession they have in France as there’s no use spending large chunks of the game chasing the ball if they aren’t going to be effective with it when in possession.
With three games in 10 days, in warm conditions, energy conservation will also be very important. The temperature in Cork this evening, around 20 degrees, will be a good test for the conditions Ireland will face in Bordeaux and Paris next month.
2. Give Keiren Westwood a chance to put pressure on Darren Randolph
Questions over the starting goalkeeper isn’t ideal less than two weeks before Ireland’s first game of Euro 2016, and Darren Randolph has acquitted himself well so far. However, while it may be a little harsh, his positioning and reactions were suspect for the Netherlands’ equaliser last Friday.
The West Ham ‘keeper was also suspect when conceding against Manchester United earlier this month when Anthony Martial’s attempted cross flew past him.
Randolph is a definite upgrade on both Shay Given and David Forde, has performed well when called upon for Ireland, and is most likely to start against Sweden, it’s possible however that Keiren Westwood a better option and should at least be considered.
The Sheffield Wednesday ‘keeper put in an impressive performance in the Championship play-off final loss to Hull City, pulling off a number of excellent saves. Westwood was also named in the Championship team of the season for 2014/15 and has one clear advantage over the other goalkeepers available to O’Neill – he plays regularly for his club.
When Given retired from international football following Euro 2012, it appeared as though Westwood would be his natural successor. He’d been part of the Irish team since 2009, and had generally seen as a more than capable replacement.
WATCH: Keiren Westwood is the talk of the football world after stunning save in Championship playoff final https://t.co/Z4zeKbua6o #SWFC
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) May 28, 2016
Yet, since Ireland’s last appearance at a major tournament, Forde, Given and Randolph have all started competitive games for Ireland, while Westwood has been on the fringes since O’Neill took charge, despite the fact the pair worked together for a spell at Sunderland. He was even omitted from O’Neill’s squad for the friendlies back in March.
However, whatever the reasons for Westwood being on the fringes now seems irrelevant. He played more games than the other three ‘keepers combined and is part of the squad for tonight’s friendly at least. O’Neill should give the 31 year old a start against Belarus with a view to playing him against Sweden.
It’s a late call, and Randolph has hardly put a foot wrong, but form and pragmatism should take precedence over loyalty at this stage.
3. Let Aiden McGeady try and prove the doubters wrong
Most Irish fans would argue a new role for Aiden McGeady would involve him being dropped from the squad and relegated to the role of fan. The winger scored two vital goals in Ireland’s first Euro 2016 qualifying game against Georgia, the second as good a goal as you’re ever likely to see from an Irish player, but since then his career has dramatically declined.
He suffered injuries, was frozen out of Everton’s team, substituted at half-time against Barnsley and became a boo-boy for the Toffees’ fans. McGeady lost his place for Ireland too, as O’Neill changed his starting formation, and his career surely reached a nadir when he was deemed surplus to requirements for Sheffield Wednesday’s play-off final squad.
O’Neill is fond of the player, and was his manager when he broke through at Celtic. However, serious questions need to asked about his usefulness to Ireland’s squad for Euro 2016.
Ireland now use a narrow midfield diamond, with full-backs Robbie Brady and Seamus Coleman providing width, and the other traditional winger in the squad, James McClean, has been used as a striker. If McGeady is to be included, he’ll arguably need to prove his worth at the tip of the diamond, otherwise it’s difficult to make a case for his place in the squad.
With players who aren’t guaranteed starters, versatility should arguably be valued. David Meyler can play in midfield and at full-back, McClean as a striker and a winger and David McGoldrick as a striker or at the tip of the diamond.
If McGeady is going to France as an out of form winger alone then his inclusion is difficult to justify. But if the player can put in a good performance against Belarus at the tip of Ireland’s midfield diamond, in the manner he did when drifting centrally against Georgia back in September 2014, then his case for going to the Euros becomes stronger, despite the poor opposition.
Right now though, it’s difficult to justify the inclusion of an out of form winger in a squad that plays without wide midfielders.
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