Oct 12,2024
A Jekyll and Hyde performance was how Heimir Hallgrimsson analysed Thursday night's hard-fought 2-1 victory over Finland in Helsinki.
Up against it from the 17th minute when a "silly mistake" gifted the home side the initiative as Joel Pohjanpalo capitalised on Nathan Collins’ mishit backpass to fire Finland into the lead.
Ireland were already struggling to find their feet in the game and suddenly left themselves with a mountain to climb as this team’s misfortune reared its ugly head once again.
But gradually they got going and improved considerably as the half progressed with some good attacking play instilling confidence by half-time.
Hallgrimsson pressed the reset button at the break as they immediately put Collins’ blunder behind them and the coach sent them out for the second half with a real urgency about their play.
Jason Knight fired a warning shot at the hosts within two minutes of the break, while the coach directed proceedings from the touchline, encouraging the adjacent Chiedozie Ogbene to attack that right flank with pace and power, while Robbie Brady was also noticeably playing with the confidence to move further up the left wing.
Ireland clearly started to move the ball quicker, were happy to go more direct at times and were getting numbers forward by the time Ogbene secured a valuable free-kick wide on the right.
There has not been too much time to work on the training ground this week, however, enough to plot for such a scenario, and while it almost paid off in the first half, directing the setpiece deep for the disallowed goal, it reaped rewards at the second time of asking as Liam Scales arrived to guide the ball back across the face and beyond the keeper’s grasp to level matters.
Finland, to their credit, made a few changes and started to dominate as Ireland’s four-year-old frailties reappeared; the team losing their cohesion while indecision and poor communication offered the home side a couple of opportunities to snatch the points – Glen Kamara and Benjamin Kallman both missing gilt-edged opportunities.
Ireland’s attack-minded substitutions ensured that they remained a threat going forward, but it would take a quality combination of confidence and conviction from Festy Ebosele to take on the Finnish rearguard before picking out Brady at the back post to fire home the winner.
After so many Jekyll and Hyde performances going against this side in recent years, it could be argued that Ireland finally got the roll of the dice this time around.
And while the coach was quick to admit that the result could easily have gone against his team, Hallgrimsson must get credit for the work that he has done since taking over for the September games.
The Icelander wasted no time making real changes to his squad as he brought in players who he felt could have made a difference during the September games; the coach lamented the fact that space was not exploited against Greece in last month’s 2-0 defeat, while clever runs went unnoticed.
Players like Finn Azaz, Jamie McGrath and Jack Taylor were selected this time to help the team attempt to play with real intent going forward.
Middlesbrough’s Azaz went straight into the starting XI and constantly wanted the ball in his advanced midfield position, looking to link up with Sammie Szmodics and Evan Ferguson.
Both players benefitted from Azaz’s involvement, and while things didn’t completely click in that department, there were several moments to enjoy throughout the first half with Szmodics a real live wire, proving very difficult to pick up, while Ferguson almost conjured up a couple of chances showing great strength and close control in and around the penalty area.
Hallgrimsson has also employed a very fluid formation, utilising the central defenders as full-backs with Dara O’Shea and Liam Scales – and Andrew Omobamidele in the last game - able to move out wide when required, which allows midfielders like Jason Knight, Ogbene and Brady to add numbers forward.
The manager also had no hesitation bringing Josh Cullen straight back into the side knowing that he could be relied upon to sit in front of the defence and anchor the performance, while Knight’s energetic outing offered the requisite support when needed.
"It’s a game of margins," said Hallgrimsson, speaking to the media after the game, and it would appear that enough of those little margins stacked up to get Ireland across the line on Thursday night.
Aside from the introduction of players suited to his style, Hallgrimsson appears to be getting the rewards for his overall approach, which has included a plethora of meetings, a movement of training time on the eve of the game, and whatever other changes he has made behind the scenes aimed at creating a winning mentality in his squad.
Granted the Helsinki victory is only the first step of Hallgrimsson’s journey with the national side, however, getting a first competitive win in what was only his third game in charge, coupled with the fact that it was an away game and one where his side came from behind suggests that there is more than good fortune behind the win.
Hallgrimsson is well aware that there needs to be similar levels reached in Athens on Sunday night to maintain momentum into the November games as Ireland take on Finland at home and travel to Wembley to face England.
"It’s always better to win, it will help us grow in confidence and have more belief in what we are doing," he said.
"For me, that’s the biggest thing. It’s not how I feel. It’s about what we are doing and giving belief in what we are doing. Hopefully we can build on what we did well here and onto the next game."
There will be more difficult decisions for the manager to make for Sunday’s selection and for future squads, and while Collins’ calamitous error could place the captain’s position up for discussion, it would appear that Hallgrimsson has given a vote of confidence to the Brentford man.
"He apologised after the game, but was really happy with team-mates and how they reacted to his mistake," said Hallgrimsson.
"He took the blame for this, and life goes on. That is how professional players do it. They will not go through life or football without making mistakes. It’s part of who we are."
