February 17, 2011
By Staff Reporter
Does Brian Kerr come in for some criticism? What about the players? How many times did Matt Holland touch the ball? Where was he throughout the game? What was his contribution in a very disappointing 0-0 game that saw Ireland finish 4th in Group 4 and crash out of 2006 World Cup finals in Germany.
What about Ian Harte? All of a sudden he was back in the side. It seemed out of nowhere he was back in favor – back in at left full struggling once again with positional play. Then probably one of the biggest question marks over any player on the day was – how come Kevin Kilbane plays for Ireland? He simply wasn’t effective. Of the three, Harte was perhaps the most constructive. What’s mind-boggling is that a lot of pundits would pick Kilbane. Then again what do we know about the game?
These players are professionals. Playing football is their job. They are expected to know how to go out there and take over the game and carry out a competitive 90 minutes. But they didn’t do that. Did they? One wonders if Brian Kerr motivated them in the pre-game talk. And even if they weren’t moved by their manager to give their all, isn’t that a cop out for such big-time professionals? Because let’s face it, they are getting a hell of a lot more money than most of us.
The actual game that the Irish played is perhaps a better way to get one’s head around understanding what happened rather than naming names. But on the subject of playing the actual game, this final World Cup ’06 effort from the Irish summed up the squad’s overall group play — it lacked attack and a game plan to go for glory. We expected more wing play. We expected more flair when the boys had stopped playing for Mick McCarthy. But in the end it seemed the Irish were back to their old boring game. The last time we saw any trace of an Irish team trying to play attractive football was in the Japan finals in 2002. It’s night and day when one compares that special time when perhaps the green and white rallied because their captain Roy Keane left camp — although they could have done with Keano last week.
There are so many angles that can be addressed from the actual performance to the very selection of the team. Besides the dysfunctional games that Holland, Harte and Kilbane played the same could be said for any Irish player on the day – with the honorable exception of Shay Given. It might be hard to believe now, but when Given made a sensational save and then pounced on the rebound, the Lansdowne crowd were sure it would inspire the 10 outfielders. However, it didn’t and the reality of it all was that Ireland never looked like scoring. The Swiss did.
Those long balls to Robbie Keane and Clinton Morrison were never going to come to any avail. The Swiss defense was head and shoulders over the Irish forward line for starters. In fact the Irish attack was desperate and the overall play was static. It was a motionless 4-4-2 that the Irish played out. The fundamental requirement of flank play, which is getting in to the corners and crossing the ball, was basically non-existent. In fact both wingers looked more frustrated (which explains Reid’s yellow card). The full backs are also expected to become wingbacks and get down the line. Stephen Carr did succeed in the first half and in fact sent over one or two nice deliveries, but those sparks quickly died out. It was predictable and became easy for the Swiss to defend, as little or no trouble came from the opposite flank.
Now given that the wing play became somewhat ineffective, then at least it should have become neutral. That means that while the Irish cannot get down the flanks then the least they can do is stop the Swiss from doing so. Therefore the Irish attack now depends on their central midfielders to combine with forwards. That rarely if at all happened. There was a sign or two that John O’Shea might cause the Swiss some concern but any such central attacks faded as the game wore on.
Ireland’s attack lacked on the wings and in the middle of the park. These are essential offensive strategies that must be challenged if a 4-4-2 is to be successful regardless of the game plan. If that plan is to sit in with low pressure and employ a counter attack the team still has to use the center and the wings to do so. Players have to be able to run almost the length of the field and we all know that never happened.
As for the Irish defensive plan of action. Up top Keane and Morrison did a fare share of running to put pressure on the Swiss back line but where was the Irish team to support this. By 60 minutes the Irish forwards were spent. But would you have taken out Ireland’s leading goal scorer Robbie Keane? It was hectic the way Ireland defended from the top back whereas the Swiss was far more composed and organized in getting numbers behind the ball. The Irish were causing fouls right left and center all over the field. There was no real purpose to their pressure. If anything it tired and frustrated them even more. In fact some Irish players had lost their composure even before the half time whistle.
The Irish style of play was less obvious than the Swiss. The Irish struggled with the fundamentals of the game, never mind any kind of sophistication. The Irish forwards lacked the confidence to take the ball down in the Swiss box. Style of play enhances such individual execution whereas team spirit doesn’t. Rather it has forwards running to defend and closing situations down.
The Irish have the nucleus of a team who are flying high right now in the EPL. Damien Duff plays for the unbeaten Chelsea. Holland plays for Charlton who are right up there. Robbie Keane and Andy Reid play for Spurs who are also table toppers. Roy Keane and John O’Shea play for Manchester United one of the best clubs in the world. And let’s not forget Liverpool’s Steve Finnan, Champions League winner. These players are managed and coached by Jose Mourinho, Alex Ferguson, Alan Curbishley, Martin Jol and Rafael Benitez. One wonders what kind of a job these men would do for Ireland.