Do we really need four men at the back against Moldova?
Two points from eight games, 20 goals conceded and just four goals scored [three of them against Georgia]. Moldova are no great shakes.
They proved a stern test for Ireland last October – scoring their only other goal against non Georgia opposition – but a James McClean double secured a 3-1 win.
McClean is suspended for tonight’s clash at the Aviva Stadium and he has Robbie Brady [also suspended] and the injured Jon Walters and Seamus Coleman in the stands for company.
Ireland will be seeking to claim all three points and to hit some form before heading into their must-win finalé against Wales, nest Monday.
To that end, we are going with an attacking team formation and selection. Wes Hoolahan starts but that is not our big call.
Instead, that lies with our decision to go with Scott Hogan up front and in partnership with in-form Nottingham Forest forward Daryl Murphy. Shane Long is playing for Southampton again but is in a rut and can’t buy a goal at present.
Hoolahan sits behind that Championship duo and Hull’s David Meyler is in centre midfield. Mercifully, Jeff Hendrick breaks the Championship stranglehold. The 25-year-old scored for Burnley against Everton last weekend and we could do with some of the same this evening.
We are going 3-5-2 and deploying Aiden McGeady, who scored against Preston on Saturday, and Cyrus Christie on either flank. If Ireland get their act together, they won’t have to do much defending and can stretch Moldova by staying tight to the sidelines and supplying quality ball.
That leaves a back three, in front of Darren Randolph, that should be able to cope with the best Moldova can sling – Stephen Ward, Shane Duffy and Ciaran Clark. That trio brings Ireland’s Premier League representatives, in the starting XI to four.
Not a lot but it should do.
Would Martin O’Neill truly go for such a radical departure? He should strongly consider it but we’re thinking Ireland will go with something like this:
PREDICTED IRELAND LINE-UP [4-4-2]: Randolph; Ward, Duffy, Clark, Christie; McGeady, Hendrick, Hoolahan, Meyler; Long, Murphy.
Let us know [on Facebook and Twitter] who you’d go with tonight.
