Oct 10,2024
Heimir Hallgrimsson has been compiling Ireland's best bits from September’s games as a tool to motivate and educate the players, however, whether there were enough positives from the double defeat to conjure a result in Helsinki tonight remains to be seen.
Highlights from that England debacle are sure to include a string of fine Caoimhín Kelleher saves, however, there will be more to select from the opening 45 minutes of the Greece game to instil a modicum of confidence ahead of the visit to the Olympic Stadium.
The manager also added that there was a revision of what went wrong in those two fixtures, and it is from this analysis that the players are likely to get better plan of attack going into this October double-header, with Greece to follow in Athens on Sunday.
The manager believes that the squad are already in a better place than they were four weeks ago, based on one training session back together and a plethora of team meetings; Hallgrimsson spoke with real confidence and conviction at the pre-match press conference in relation to the players’ understanding of what is expected of them going into these games.
Knowing their roles will lead to confidence on the ball and better decision-making, and as a result, it will allow the players to play with no fear against their fellow strugglers tonight.
The manager’s message was backed up by captain Nathan Collins, who joined Hallgrimsson at the press conference, stating that the players were ready to take responsibility and create a winning mentality.
Hallgrimsson, once again, challenged the players, individually and collectively to step up and stand out in these games as he looks to establish a consistent starting eleven with a strong spine.
As things stand, the manager has probably just a handful of players that he has decided on, with the aforementioned Kelleher and Collins two who appear to be in line with what Hallgrimsson is looking for.
Sammie Szmodics and Chiedozie Ogbene are the two attacking players who have stood out over the two games, however, it is perhaps the midfield unit that is most pressing for the manager to get right.
Hallgrimsson will surely be keen to get a good look at Josh Cullen this week in training and in the Finland game, having missed out on the September games through injury.
Cullen was a mainstay of the Stephen Kenny era and was considered the first player on the team sheet under the previous manager’s time in charge, so it will be interesting to see how Hallgrimsson utilises the Burnley man.
Expect the manager to maintain his flat back four, with Dara O’Shea set to line up in the middle of defence alongside Collins, while it would appear that Hallgrimsson will again ask Andrew Omobamidele to slot in at right-back.
On the left, Robbie Brady may be retained in that position, however, Hallgrimsson could yet change it up and see if Liam Scales offers better defensive stability in that role – such a scenario could see four centre-halves line out across the back.
Festy Obosele is pushing for a place, however, and there is every chance that Hallgrimsson will give him an extended run to impress over either of the two matches.
With four at the back, Hallgrimsson has the luxury of going with three midfielders and should Cullen start, he will have to make a call as to whether he can include both Jason Knight and Jayson Molumby.
The manager has brought new options into the squad specifically in this department, and he must surely be tempted to see if Finn Azaz or Jack Taylor can slot in and control possession in and around the middle of the park.
And in attack, with Szmodics and Ogbene likely to be included, the manager must make a call as to go with what he knows – albeit over two games – and include the pace and power of Adam Idah, opt for club form and select Troy Parrott, who has scored six since the September window, or take a chance on Evan Ferguson, who is not considered fully match fit due to a lack of action at Brighton.
As for their opponents, Finland will take confidence from the fact that they beat Ireland twice in 2020, facing many of the players who were involved in those previous encounters, while they will also be looking to bounce back from two defeats last month.
And it is in that department where Finland have the experience of righting those wrongs, compared to Ireland who have not enjoyed a positive run of results in quite some time.
Like Ireland, the home side can call on several players from Europe’s top leagues, and while they similarly do not have any true world-class stars, they have the benefit of playing, and winning, over the eight-year tenure of coach Markku Kanerva.
Goalkeeper and captain Lukas Hradecky plays for Bayer Leverkusen 04, while Rasmus Schuller and Glen Kamara, who are both expected to start, play for Djurgardens and Rennes. Topi Keskinen is a young Aberdeen winger and is also expected to line up in attack alongside dangerman Joel Pohjanpalo, who plies his trade in Serie A with Venezia.
Overall, there will not be much to choose between these two sides tonight, just like the two games in 2020, which finished 1-0 to Finland, and will really come down to which team is further along in their process with the respective managers.
Finland will look to make the most of that experience and hometown advantage, while Ireland will hope to blossom away from the pressure of the Aviva anxiety and put in a more cohesive and complete performance.
There was an element of coyness amidst the words of both coaches ahead of the game, with Hallgrimsson just looking for an improved performance, while his Finnish counterpart stated that he had a plan to win the match and hoped to implement it.
Either way - and in inclement conditions – a classic is not expected to break out at the Helsinki arena, with a war of attrition set to decide a game between two sides desperately attempting to improve and build towards next year’s World Cup qualifying campaign.
