Trust in Marty.
We’re a long way from June but everything and anything that happens in the football world over the next six months will somehow affect our trip to France. That’s all we care about now. (Especially when your beloved Aston Villa are a write-off)
Martin O’Neill has finally found his team and his team has finally been stamped in true Martin O’Neill fashion.
Defensively, we look controlled and organised and, in attack, we have just about enough of the ball and forward glances to nick goals. Plus, we have Jon Walters.
But, with a tight-looking group ahead, those coughs for the manager to let the team off the leash will have softened. Ireland can ill-afford to take many risks. Their first game will probably be the most crucial. The two games after that? More difficult.
Ireland’s fixtures
June 13 v Sweden (Paris)
June 18 v Belgium (Bordeaux)
June 22 v Italy (Lille)
So the team for France should show consistency with what has been working. But it should also show some improvements.
Shane Long gave the country its best moment in a decade. He gives the team drive, he worries defenders, he goes direct. His two most important contributions during qualification were from the bench. For all intents and purposes, Daryl Murphy could still do that job from the start that O’Neill has been deploying.
You could argue that Long’s goal against Germany would not have come if he wasn’t sitting readying to attack their tiring legs for over an hour.
His goal against Poland? Injury time.
He nearly scored against Bosnia too through nothing else but pure raw pace which is utilised fully from the bench
But…
But he showed against top-of-the-table Arsenal over the festive period that he can be downright relentless for over 90 minutes. He isn’t just pace. He’s smart, he’s sharp, he’s direct and he’ll create chances for a full game if he’s given the chance.
Here’s why O’Neill should choose this 11.
Darren Randolph
Because, for the legend and servant that he is, Shay Given’s best days are far behind him and Randolph is confident between the sticks for his country.
Seamus Coleman
Because he’s class.
Richard Keogh
Keogh has proved himself as the squad’s best centre back. His club form has been unwaveringly sky high and, given the chances, he has excelled for Ireland. Should now be the first choice – on merit.
Ciaran Clark
He, too, has grabbed his opportunity with both hands. Suffers peaks and troughs with Villa but, with O’Shea not getting any younger and Wilson out of favour with Stoke, the mincing, left-footed Ciaran Clark looks best to sit alongside King Keogh.
Robbie Brady
Because we don’t have any other left backs and because, by the time the summer rolls around, he’ll have played a full Premier League season at left back. And because he’s good there now.
James McCarthy
He doesn’t need Whelan sitting alongside him. He’s agile and aggressive enough to cover in front of his backline and, if anything, he does it better when he is directly assigned to do so. Really coming good for the side.
Harry Arter
Playing a key role for Bournemouth in the Premier League and is proving to be an exciting talent. It would be interesting to see how he would fit in the current system in the coming friendlies. Deserves a chance. Alongside McCarthy and Hendrick, offers energy and enough agility to not just help out in defence, but drive forward with class.
Jeff Hendrick
Offers a bit more flair and spring in the middle of the park.
Wes Hoolahan
Obviously.
Jon Walters
The most important player in the team. The man who puts in the biggest shift, the scoring threat, the hold-up player, the winger, the defensive aid and the leader. The beauty of having Walters in your team is that he allows the manager to deploy a diamond when in possession. And that quickly become five across the middle in defence.
Shane Long
Genuine potency.
Wildcards
Marc Wilson
If he proved that he could deputise at left back and do it well, it would not only strengthen the side defensively, but it would free up Brady to push into midfield where he played so well against Germany.
James McClean
Always worth consideration because he is a crowd favourite for a reason. With the current narrow set-up from the start though, there’s no place for the Derry man and he’s nearly a victim of his own success off the bench – just like Long. He has proven to be a game-changer though and both him and the Southampton striker are two of the best impact subs that will travel to France – with any team.
Darron Gibson
Being introduced back to the Everton side game by game and it’s already telling that we all forgot that he was a good player. Plays quick ball, his momentum is always taking him forward and he’ll lash one at the goals given half an inch to do so. He would just give us more than what Whelan does at present.
Daryl Murphy
When Daryl Murphy plays up top from the start, he lets the side feel their way into the game. He offers an out from a pressured ball up in the air and he barges defenders backwards and forwards with a serious shift. His form is returning in the Championship too. Allows Shane Long to be best utilised coming from the bench, fresh and sharp. Murphy coming from the bench isn’t an exciting prospect.
