Selection key as Ireland take on world champions

Written By Unknown on Selasa, 14 Oktober 2014 | 23.06

By Ed Leahy

Martin O'Neill has some big decisions to make ahead of Ireland's Euro 2016 qualification clash with Germany in Gelsenkirchen.

Almost a year into the job, the Derry man will experience his first real test as Ireland manager as his side takes on the World Cup winners in this vital Group D match at the Veltins Stadium.

O'Neill must decide whether to select Robbie Keane to start tonight's game with many pundits calling for the Irish captain and record goalscorer to be dropped for the energy and pace of Shane Long.

Robbie Keane and Shane Long

But can the Ireland boss drop his captain and the country's best ever marksman?

O'Neill is a very shrewd man and surely the fact that Keane has just bagged a hat-trick at the Aviva, makes it an easier decision to start his captain, than to take a risk on Long leading the attack.

Keane's hat-trick came against the very weakest of oppositions on Saturday as Ireland beat Gibraltar 7-0.

But it was the skipper's influence, skill and composure that allowed the entire team to relax into the game with the points secured after only 18 minutes on the clock.

Such is Ireland's recent record against the so-called minnows of international football, there is every chance that O'Neill's side would have struggled to kill the game off had Keane not started.

Long has a habit of missing more chances than he converts, while other attackers may not have made the runs or had the ability to finish with the ease that Keane finds the back of the net.

Daryl Murphy and Kevin Doyle came on for the final 30 minutes on Saturday and, if anything, the threat on goal diminished with no composure or link-up play of note for the goalless final third of the game.

While Keane took all the plaudits for grabbing that early hat-trick, the man pulling the strings was, of course, Wes Hoolahan who had a role in all three of the captain's goals.

And while it would not be fair to deem either role more important than the other, the most obvious thing to note from that opening period was to observe how wonderfully well the two players linked up with each other.

It is a very rare commodity in football to get two players totally on the same wavelength, but when it works, it can prove to be a match-winner time and time again.

Which brings us to O'Neill's next big selection headache. To Wes or not to Wes?

The manager appears to have answered that question in his post-match comments about how Hoolahan always performs at the Aviva. Stressing his home form on more than one occasion.

Wes Hoolahan

But perhaps too much has been read into the team selection for that Gibraltar match with many believing that players like Glenn Whelan, Stephen Quinn, Jonathan Walters and Long were rested so they will be primed and ready to go for the clash with the world champions.

Certainly, Whelan was worth resting as he could have easily picked up an injury or mistimed a tackle and landed an unnecessary suspension.

But surely if Long was being kept back for the Germany game, the manager would still have given him the last 20 minutes to boost his confidence and grab a goal or two against that terrible Gibraltar defence.

Long has fallen out of favour with Ireland managers in the past and perhaps O'Neill doesn't see the Southampton striker as a match-winner, while his recent club form has certainly not helped his cause either.

Another bonus that O'Neill will have noted from Saturday night will be the form of James McClean who looked strong, energetic and brimming with confidence as he bagged a brace in the 7-0 victory.

"We are going with some confidence into the game," said O'Neill.

"If we are pressed back, then okay, but if we deliberately sit in, then Germany will eventually pick you off.

"We want to try to attack as well. It's a game to relish. It's one where we want to go out and do something about the game, not just let the game disappear."

Could O'Neill be ready to gamble by naming an attacking side away to the world champions?

Can he possibly name McGeady, McClean, Keane and Hoolahan?

It is certainly unlikely that all four would get the nod but it would be a very bold statement after many years of negative Ireland formations, especially away from home.

One area of the pitch that the Ireland boss does not have much room for manoeuvre is in his back four and it is for this reason that Hoolahan will most likely be sidelined, with the manager linking Whelan with Darron Gibson and Hull City's Quinn in midfield to sit in and help out the defence.

Glenn Whelan

The German manager Joachim Loew was quick to point out Ireland's strengths ahead of the game as he praised the fighting spirit and referenced the attacking threat of McGeady, McClean and Keane.

But he must be looking at the Ireland back four thinking that his side will have too much quality for that makeshift quartet as the Germans look to bounce back from their shock defeat to Poland.

Karim Bellarabi will certainly relish the chance to run at either full-back, while the other German attacking options will be confident they will pull the Irish back four out of position and enjoy plenty of space and chances on goal.

While there is no disputing the quality of Germany's front men Thomas Muller and Mario Goetze, many chances were spurned in the defeat to Poland.

Max Kruse is Germany's only out and out attacker available and should Loew start the Borussia Mönchengladbach striker, it could well be a sign that the coach is feeling the pressure and straying from his own script.

Germany's main strength en route to winning the World Cup was their midfield unit, which proved dominant in every game; however, injuries and retirements have severely weakened that department ahead of the Ireland game.

Bastian Schweinsteiger and Sami Khedira are both ruled out through injury, while Mesut Ozil's creativity between midfield and attack will also be missing, as the Arsenal man is another on the treatment table.

O'Neill will surely hope his tight midfield trio will ensure that the untested German equivalent cannot put their stamp on the game.

Another major factor which led the Germans to World Cup success in Brazil was their last line of defence, Manuel Neuer.

Manuel Neuer in action in the World Cup final

The athletic Bayern Munich shot-stopper allowed his side to play such a high line as he read the game superbly, playing the sweeper role to perfection at the World Cup.

But a keeper's biggest asset is his confidence and Neuer's self-belief will have taken a bit of a hit after making a huge error for Poland's first goal, coming out for a ball he was never going to get.

The German keeper might second guess himself should Ireland attempt to exploit all that space behind the full-backs and perhaps either one of the visiting wingers might be first to the ball, leading to a goal or a potential red card.

It will be such and similar incidents that Ireland will need to go in their favour to have any chance of a result in Germany tonight.

And with that World Cup hangover still working its way out of the system and the shame of the defeat to Poland still fresh in the memory, Ireland just might arrive home with their unbeaten start still intact.

Verdict: Draw

@Ed_Leahy

Live coverage of Germany v Ireland from 7pm on Tuesday on RTÉ2, RTÉ Player and 2fm.


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