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The Republic of Ireland welcomed England to the pristine Aviva Stadium in Dublin for a friendly encounter and although it proved to be quite a lacklustre affair for Martin O’ Neill’s Boys in Green, they did learn one or two things that could help them in the coming weeks.
With important European Championship qualifiers on the horizon for both teams, this was a great opportunity to boost fitness levels following a long and draining club season, and it was clear from the football on show that it was where their focus lay.
Tinkering and experimenting with line-ups, however, it afforded both international managers an opportunity to test out certain weaknesses as well as giving run-outs to players who might not otherwise get a big chance to shine on the international scene.
So, let’s take a look at four of the biggest talking points from the match as the two sides squared off for the first time in over two years.
McGoldrick and Murphy offer viable alternatives up front
Sure, they might not be given a start against Scotland when the two sides meet in Group D, but they have certainly given O’ Neill and Roy Keane something to think about.
With Robbie Keane unavailable for this tie due to his commitments in North America with L.A Galaxy, Ireland were pretty much forced to go with something much different – and it turned out the Ipswich Town pairing of David McGoldrick and Daryl Murphy were a convincing experiment.
Apart from them, Robbie Brady looked good providing a threat from set-pieces, and although they couldn’t score, he’ll be expected to provide a similar level of service to whoever happens to lead the line in the coming weeks.
Offering a decent outlet up front, the Tractor Boys duo combined on a couple of occasions to give the Three Lions something to think about. In particular, they did well to test Joe Hart in between the England goal-posts shortly before the half-hour mark when McGoldrick’s nodded effort found itself perfectly into the path of Murphy whose toe-poked effort forced the Manchester City keeper into a reactionary save.
Unfortunately for the home support, the referee incorrectly gave a goal-kick which robbed Ireland of the chance to cause yet more trouble. That said, the signs were there that they can perform against top teams in testing atmospheres.
England’s Sterling looks a shadow of his former self
Lacking the ingenuity and creative spark which caught so many people’s attentions in the red of Liverpool, it seems as if Raheem Sterling has lost what made him such an attractive prospect, and it’s going to be interesting to see if he has the mental strength to regain it before it’s too late.
His proponents will suggest that his performance against Ireland wasn’t helped by a long and draining club season, but his downfall seemed all the more magnified given his recent troubles which has seen him (and his agent) grab the spotlight for all the wrong reasons.
Indeed, there was little to suggest he had the measure of the Green army’s back-line as even his effort in the 53rd minute, with room and time to properly test Keiren Westwood, saw him fluff his lines with a strike that went well wide of the goal, much to the delight of certain home fans who seemed quite content to cheer his disappointing appearance whenever they could.
Far too laboured and a little bit passive in the final third, there was little for John O’ Shea and company to fret over whenever he got on the ball.
Clearly a player with plenty of self-belief and innate talent when he wants to show it, the travelling contingent will have been unhappy to witness such an underwhelming performance.
No repeat of 1995 riots, but some fun chanting about FIFA
Thankfully, there was to be no repeat of the disgraceful night which saw Ireland’s most recent Landsdowne Road encounter with England 20 years ago abandoned due to rioting by a small number of hardcore England “fans”.
This time around, the tension seemed to have been replaced by something a lot more light-hearted.
Following the recent dramatic revelations of FIFA payments of around €5 million paid to the FAI, the away fans had a little fun with their chanting. At the heart of much of the controversy has been John Delaney, whose position as head of the FAI has been called into serious question over the past number of days.
Before the match kicked-off, certain sections of the crowd could be heard chanting: “He paid for your ground, he paid for your ground. Sepp Blatter, he paid for your ground!”
Of course, while the powers that be will have been happy to see the clash pass without incident in the stands, the spectators will have been disappointed to see a similar story unfold on the pitch as chances were few and far between, in all honesty.
Both sides focused on upcoming Euro qualifiers
It was clear from the intensity and quality of football on display that neither outfit wanted to invest too much into this clash.
Despite sitting top of Group E, Roy Hodgson’s men (Jack Wilshere aside) still clearly had one eye on their remaining matches against Slovenia, San Marino, Switzerland, Estonia and Lithuania. With 15 points to their name, there was a sense of caution and sensibility to their approach against Ireland as they rarely looked like hitting top gear.
The same could very much be said of Ireland’s display, too as they lacked an incisive bite. No doubt, their position ahead of France 2016 is a lot more precarious, and with a hugely vital match-up against Scotland scheduled in the coming days, they had the air of a team who had their minds elsewhere as well.
Simply put, it’s do or die against the Scots – they have to win to keep their hopes alive, anything less and they may as well kiss goodbye to any hopes of qualification.
