It’s over a year since I was in France watching Ireland compete in Euro 2016. The tournament was a culmination of travelling and support throughout the qualifying campaign that saw me attend 10 out of Irelands 12 qualifiers. After everything settled down, my bank account was very light. I was planning on moving to Dublin in less than two months and had to accept that any chance I had of attending the away games in Serbia, Moldova and Austria in our next campaign were slim to none. It was ludicrous to have 3 away games so soon after a major tournament anyways but then again, its not often we qualify for them for the fixture makers to worry about it. As it was, from the comforts of my new surroundings in Dublin, I watched us secure 7 points out of 9. A positive if uncommon return for Irish football. There are people I know who attended all three trips, many more who attended one. They waxed lyrical about their time away which had positive brilliant results to add to their experience.
I had every intention of travelling to Georgia this weekend. I had my flights out booked, ticket ordered, the time off sheet at work requested and was in the midst of ongoing research of how to come home the morning after the game in time for the All-Ireland Hurling Final in Dublin the next day. If it was possible, and if Galway were to qualify, I was doing it. Sadly at the end of the July I suffered a pretty nasty broken ankle along with ruptured ligaments that has left me on crutches and painkillers as I write this. I reluctantly decided that flying to the other side of Europe for an away game would be too much in my current state. I can’t even get a train, 15 minutes walk from my house (without crutches), to Balbriggan from Skerries without it being a tortuous journey. I’ll be home this weekend watching it on TV, saving my strength for the All-Ireland final and the home qualifier against Serbia on Tuesday.
Speaking of home, my attendance in the Aviva remains ever present. Moving to Dublin has been an interesting adjustment going to Ireland games. Not necessarily better but different. The games themselves have not been memorable occasions. They have been memorable for the wrong reasons if nothing else. Two draws and a turgid 1-0 win against Georgia, the national team that must be sick of us by now. We’ve played Georgia 7 times in the last 14 years and we’ve won all seven. A statistic like that would surely give you confidence going into the eighth encounter. However, in a series of games that has produced dodgy penalties, a pen-knife thrown from the crowd, a qualifier played in Mainz, a sublime last minute winner, and other goals scored from distance no greater than 3 yards out, doing things the easy way just would not be in the Irish make-up.
Georgia are not a bad team. They’re not a very good one but they are difficult to beat. This is a country that has recorded a friendly victory over Spain, held France to a draw in a qualifier, only lost to Germany by two goals to one in another. More importantly from an Irish perspective, they held Wales to a point in Cardiff in 2016 in this campaign. Georgia have done us massive favours in recent years that in return, we end breaking their hearts with narrow narrow victories. This time two years ago, it was Scotland who went to Tbilisi with momentum firmly on their side in the race for Euro 2016. I was sat in the Erins Isle pub in Albufeira, with another hundred Irish fans, watching that game. A huge roar went up when Valeri Kazaishvili put the Georgians one nil up and we spent the next hour enroute to Faro for our own qualifier wondering what the outcome was. It remained 1-0, we won by the same scoreline 3 nights later and the rest was history.
History has shown these games to be close and hard fought. It can take a moment of brilliance or stubbornness to decide it. Our winning goals have come from Gary Doherty playing up front to Robbie Keane diving full length to head home. The McGeady turn in injury time or Seamus Coleman beating three defenders and the keeper in one attack only to toe-poke the ball home from one yard.
Yes we’ve done it the hard way in style but we’ve won every time. And I honestly couldn’t care if the ball ricocheted off Shanes Duffy backside, from a Cyrus Christie overhead kick, to roll over the goal-line in the first minute. And if 89 minutes of backs to the wall, classic Irish panic-possession football ensued there-in after. Three points against Georgia are valued but those gained in Tbilisi are a precious currency we have a knack of obtaining.
Much like my last two Ireland related articles on this blog, we enter the International week in a position of strength, joint-top of Group D with Serbia edging in front only on goal difference. Austria and Wales came to the Aviva in our last two games four points adrift and left Dublin in the same position. Both games left a lot to be desired, we scored one goal in total and offered very little going forward. Our captain Seamus Coleman suffered a horrific leg break against the Welsh and we failed to make an extra man advantage for the remaining 20 minutes count. A win against either side would have eliminated them from the running. As it stands, permutations and predictions are becoming increasingly difficult to decide in determining what the best possible outcome is for Ireland is. Obviously six points from in our next two games is the best outcome. However when there are doubts being raised over your ability to beat Georgia in Tbilisi, do your expectations rise for the arrival of Serbia in what will be a campaign defining match 3 days later.
Martin O’Neill has whittled down his squad from 39 to 25 that has seen key players such as Jeff Hendrick and James McCarthy miss out because of injury. Uncapped players Matt Doherty and Seanie Maguire also missed the cut and will have to wait a bit longer for their first cap. The final squad itself shows no real surprises. Rob Elliot has made a welcome return to club football after missing a year through injury and reclaims his spot in the squad. It is expected however that Darren Randolph will retain the No.1 spot, having moved to Middlesbrough during the summer to ensure first team football. Kevin Long, who was a surprise starter in the game against Austria has cemented his place in the squad with his good start to the season with Burnley. He is one of the 5 Irish players at the Lancashire club, along with the aforementioned Hendrick, Stephen Ward, new summer signing Jon Walters and Robbie Brady. Brady was on hand to deliver a glorious assist in their last game, showing he is in the right kind of form heading into our next two qualifiers. More importantly, the squad has been confirmed as fully fit, allowing O’Neill a full hand to choose from.
Aiden McGeady enjoyed an excellent loan spell at Preston last season, with his form rejuvenated after a torrid time at Everton. He has linked up with his manager last season Simon Grayson at Sunderland, and finds himself scoring and creating goals for the Wearside club at the start of this new season. Given his impact in Tbilisi last time out, it would be foolish not to introduce him at some stage. In our two competitive encounters this year, McGeady appearances for Ireland have come from the bench. Against Austria, he barely had time to make an impact so therefore I’d like to see him start today. His inclusion, along with the likes of Harry Arter, Wes Hoolahan, and Brady on the opposite wing will give Ireland a creative stronghold that will control possession throughout the game. Looking back on each of our games against Georgia, and in some of their own games in this campaign, there is a frequent tendency for them to concede in the second half. Whether this points to a lack of fitness on their part is hard to tell, but with temperatures expected to 30 degrees Celsius, the conditions could be decisive. If we dictated the game and its tempo, forcing Georgia to work harder in order to get the ball, then we can wear them down quicker as the game goes on. The impetus is on Ireland to get the win but there is no way Georgia are laying down a defensive wall in those temperatures without wilting at some point. And that’s where our creativity will punish them.
Shane can run all night Long. However, it would be ridiculous to have him chasing dead ends in that heat. He’ll be sapped before the hour and would prompt a change from the bench. I would happily play two up front this evening, with either Daryl Murphy or Jon Walters partnering him up front. We may have only brought three forwards to Tbilisi but why not give them all game time. Any one is capable of producing the goods tonight and on Tuesday evening. And while James McClean has been arguably our standout performer in the last year, I think in this game, he would be more effective coming off the bench, with his direct running causing Georgia more problems later on. Moldova have scored three goals in their two games against Georgia. And while we have always tended to scrape out narrow victories, we should sell ourselves short. We have the necessary quality in midfield and up front to score goals tonight. It’s why I predicted a 2-0 win on YBIG.ie forum the other day. It may not be pretty but we’ll get the job done.
Defensively, a lot would depend if we are to play open or two up front. If we have one striker, then it’s a certainty Glenn Whelan will sit in front of the back four. I would be in favour of this set-up only in preparation for Tuesdays encounter where a midfield three is guaranteed. It would also give the potential duo of Arter/Hoolahan more freedom to push forward. The back four itself has to remain calm and composed throughout. Against Austria we conceded a poor goal from a set-piece and nearly allowed them through on other occasions. Our distribution of the ball from the back can’t just be lumped up to the front man. In this heat, it will necessitate needless running and invite Georgia onto us. You could put out any combination of defenders and they can handle what the Georgians will throw at them but what we do with the ball when we win it back in our own half will set the tone for this game.
Three points is an absolute must. With Serbia playing Moldova, you can expect them to roll into Dublin on 15 points looking for the knockout punch and their ticket to Russia next summer. Meanwhile, with Wales travelling to Austria, one or both of them will be dropping points that will benefit our situation one way or another. A draw and a win in Tbilisi would be ideal. Four points from our next two games would be good too. Six from Six would be perfect. And we already have a perfect record against Georgia. There is no reason why we can’t be confident and continue that trend this evening. We not set up Tuesday evening for a winner takes all showdown. And have me swinging my crutches in style in the South Stand while I’m there!
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