Analysis of Ireland's football strategy under manager Heimir Hallgrimsson, highlighting a defensive bias and lack of attacking firepower, comparing his tactics to previous managers and discussing the limitations of the current squad.
If the primary objective is to win the game, Heimir Hallgrimsson appears to have a grasp of the mechanics - do some attacking! Now, he shares some of the heebie-jeebies previous Ireland managers have had - Stephen Kenny, Brian Kerr, Mick McCarthy spring to mind - a pathological desire to have players behind the ball.
Something that defines our 'shape' is written down as 3-4-2-1 but on the pitch is actually 5-4-1. Nathan Collins, Dara O'Shea, John Egan are suited to this flat, towerblock, set-up; they will attack - but only from a set-piece. While Ireland continues to get value for money in the trade-off that sees Seamus Coleman 's 37 year-old brain - and 37 year-old's pace - slot in at right full-back. Scales and Coleman might want to talk a good game when it comes to counter-attacking at pace of given the opportunity but neither have to the tools. Their reliability is there for all to see and trust, they are part of the 'five' meaning Ireland's Championship-orientated midfield must forage with what's on offer. What was on offer tonight was North Macedonia and their smattering of players who - other than Napoli's Eljif Elmas - play in leagues significantly less competitive and exhausting than the Championship. Players such as Jayson Molumby, Jason Knight, Finn Azaz, Chiedozie Ogebene who started, subs Bosun Lawal, James Abankwah, Harvey Vale and for that matter Alan Browne, Ryan Manning, Johnny Kenny give Ireland something tangible. The problem is that it is the same something, a huff and a puff, effort, tackle, or a chase-down, none of which brings the authority Ireland desperately needs. And it is not that Hallgrímsson is missing the trick; he doesn't have a Roy Keane, an Andy Townsend or a Declan Rice up his sleeve. This, I'm afraid, was never more evident than in Prague last Thursday when the Czech manager finally relented and put Tomas Soucek on at half-time. The West Ham midfielder, who had Premier League instincts and pace, was the best player on the pitch for the subsequent 45 minutes and both periods of extra-time. His box-to-box running made a difference, and he was almost entirely unmarked for his entire time on the pitch. The BBC website which takes viewers/listeners votes on the matter of Man of the Match voted Troy Parrott Man of the Match, the Wolves-based Ladislav Krejci who scored the equaliser was next. Allowing for the Irish bias on BBC and Krejci's headline making goal, it is revealing to note that Soucek was in third place. It was shameful selection from the coach to bring him on only at halftime in such an important game. Back at the ranch in Dublin 4, deserved Man of the Match Troy Parrott was soldiering on almost alone in terms of threat to the North Macedonia goal, unlucky on a number of occasions where he was closed down quickly and maybe snatched at his strikes. Nonetheless, this was a fine display from the young Irishman, suggesting that Evan Ferguson's return can't come soon enough. The Italian based forward is not the finished article yet but he is the definite article needed: big, strong and eye-catching. His presence alone casts a menacing shadow that will serve Parrott well, get him an extra bit of time and space. Ireland's immediate problems rest not with the defence or the attack but with achieving midfield balance. Click here to sign up to our sport newsletter, bringing you the top stories and biggest headlines from Ireland and beyond .
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