No creativity, no plan B, contentious player selection. Familiar complaints levelled at Giovanni Trapattoni and once again Irish fans wonder what might have been with a more adventurous approach. Some of the Irish players admitted last night that their lack of a creative spark, and the Swedish side forcing them into long ball tactics, proved to be their undoing at the Aviva stadium last night.
John O’Shea told reporters after the game that Ireland were lacking in “imagination” when it was most needed, and bemoaned Ireland’s inability to better protect a lead.
It all felt depressingly familiar for Irish fans last night. Unable to hold a lead against top opposition and even more unsuited to chasing a lead when the most direct route to goal was securely blocked. As long ball after long ball was rained in on top of the tall Swedish defence the lack of any creative spark in the Irish midfield was an all too familiar problem.
With Wes Hoolahan on the bench - and a seemingly interminable recycle of long ball, return, long ball, playing out between the desperate Irish side and the calm Swedes – the sight of Simon Cox entering the fray of a clogged Swedish half had some home fans holding their heads in their hands. Ireland were set up perfectly for the Swedish defensive action, and Robbie Keane admitted after the game the only option had been the long ball into the visitors’ back line. Keane did however express a belief that the tactic had worked before.
“They kind of made us hit that long ball, if you like. It certainly has been a good weapon for us in the past...It’s something we’ve had a lot of joy from. We can stand here and say ifs and buts but in the end of the day we lost the game,” the captain said.
O’Shea admitted after the game that there was a need for a creative approach from Ireland as they hunted the equalising goal, but it was an approach they weren’t able to take effectively.
“In the second half then to show that bit more imagination to get the equalising goal, you know after they go 2-1 up. That’s something that we need to improve on and hopefully we can salvage something on Tuesday night against Austria. Who knows where that will take us,” O’Shea said.
An goal midway through the first half from Robbie Keane – his record 60th international goal – was the highlight of a first half hour when Ireland looked much the better side and three points seemed to be a very real possibility. However, with Johan Elmander’s equaliser shortly after the half hour mark the tide turned and Ireland never properly regained control of the match on their terms. O’Shea admits there needs to be a more professional mental attitude to the side when in the lead, and the lack of a killer instinct was costly last night.
“We need to be professional enough to kill teams off, you know, especially from that first half point of view when we go the goal up, be able to keep possession that bit better,” he said.
