'It's an easier game plan when you play teams like Portugal' - Ireland must break a cycle against Armenia

HEIMIR HALLGRIMSSON HOARSELY declared his heartbreak at the Estadio Jose Alvalade on Saturday night, and he then told his players to leave their pain and dismay in Portugal so as to be ready to face Armenia on Tuesday night.

The problem is they will have to leave their game-plan in Lisbon too. 

Ireland started in a back five for the first time in 13 months away to Portugal for what was an effort of all-out containment. They diligently kept their shape and hardly lost concentration until the 91st minute, when Francisco Trincao was given too much time to whip in a fabulous cross to meet the perfectly-timed run of Ruben Neves. 

But Ireland must beat Armenia at home to have any chance of prolonging their interest in this campaign into next month’s final window, and for that they will have to play in a completely different way. 

“It was a pretty basic tactical preparation because we knew how this game was going to be played”, said Hallgrimsson. “It’s different when you don’t know how it will pan out, but we kind of knew how this game would pan out, so it’s easier to make a game plan in a game like this. It’s strange to say it, but it’s an easier game plan when you play good teams like Portugal.”

The bitter irony of this Irish team is that they are often at their most comfortable against the strongest opponents, when they take the role of antagonists and their task is simplified.

“As a squad, we do sometimes play a bit better against teams like that”, added Seamus Coleman. “Pressure off, maybe we put our foot on the ball a bit more, or maybe it suits us to defend sometimes when they have more possession. That is why Tuesday night is important in a different way: we are expected to take the game to them.” 

Coleman said Ireland can bring the togetherness and “Irishness” of the Lisbon performance into Tuesday, and certainly the debacle in Yerevan last month needed some of Saturday’s sheer bloody-mindedness. 

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But otherwise Ireland must prove they can snap a dispiriting and years-long cadence of performances and results. Four years ago, for instance, Ireland were also beaten in heartbreaking fashion by Portugal, but could justifiably draw confidence from their result. The problem being that instead they drew with Azerbaijan at home three days later. 

In the same campaign they pushed Serbia in a 3-2 thriller away from home, only to then come home and lose to Luxembourg.

The flinty 1-0 loss at home to France in the subsequent Euros qualifying campaign was followed a couple of months later by the wretched 2-1 loss away to Greece, the result which effectively cost Stephen Kenny his job.

Kenny’s ambition was to control possession and thus make Ireland comfortable as any game’s protagonist, but instead he merely repeated a cycle that began long before him. 

Under Mick McCarthy in Euro 2020 qualifying, Ireland dramatically rescued a late draw away to top seeds Denmark and then drew 0-0 away to Georgia. 

Under Martin O’Neill in 2018 World Cup qualifying, Ireland dramatically rescued a draw at home to second seeds Austria and then drew 1-1 away to Georgia. 

At least we’re not playing Georgia tomorrow night. 

Under Hallgrimsson, Ireland have continually failed to put two good performances back-to-back in the same window, bar perhaps the Nations League play-off wins over Bulgaria in March. 

“If we go back, win in Finland, lose in Greece; win against Finland, lose against England; played well against Senegal and not so good against Luxembourg; and in my opinion well against Hungary and losing in Armenia”, said Hallgrimsson ahead of the Portugal game.
“So it’s a trend.”

This pattern is partly borne out of the above issue of Ireland simply lacking the quality to control games and break down the defensive teams they face, but it’s also partly rooted in sheer fatigue. Turnarounds are now quicker than ever given the unprecedented compression of the calendar. 

Hallgrimsson made only two changes to his starting line-up for the away game to Armenia last month, and so will surely make more for the sides’ reunion in Dublin. Josh Cullen’s suspension means he has to make at least one. Conor Coventry has been called into the squad, with Will Smallbone the strongest contender to come back into the starting team. 

Hallgrimsson says Coleman came through the Portugal game without injury, replying “we’ll see” when asked if the 37-year-old can go again tomorrow night. 

“He hasn’t played two games in three days, but he’s fit and fresh”, said Hallgrimsson. “Not injured, but definitely he’s going to be tired.” 

He meanwhile confirmed that all of Festy Ebosele, Evan Ferguson, and Chiedozie Ogbene were withdrawn before the end of the game in Lisbon with a view to preserving some energy for the Armenia game. Troy Parrott’s cameo in Lisbon was quiet but it at least offered proof he is fit to start tomorrow, while Adam Idah is chafing uncomfortably on the bench.

Liam Scales remains unavailable so there is little scope to change the left side of the Irish defence, with left-back Will Ferry uncapped and untested.

Ryan Manning impressed at left-back in Lisbon, but he was wasted in that position in Yerevan. As one of Ireland’s few conventionally creative players, playing him at left-back would seem counter-productive in a game in which, as Coleman tells us, Ireland will have to take the game to Armenia. 

“We’ll go with more confidence into that game”, insisted Hallgrimsson of tomorrow night. “There’s going to be no underestimation [of] Armenia, after the loss there.”

Ireland will certainly not underestimate Armenia ever again.

Victory on Tuesday night moreso rests on whether they will continue to underestimate themselves.