After the Ireland team was named along expected lines, we wonder about the roles of Jonathan Walters and Simon Cox and the security provided by a creaky-looking central defence.
Jon Walters up front, temporary measure or a more permanent solution?
Once one of the first names on the team sheet, Kevin Doyle’s status as certain starter in the Irish team has been under threat for quite a while now and in fairness to Trap, there hasn’t been much evidence to suggest that he should continue alongside Robbie Keane up front.
Optimistic Irish fans had presumed that Doyle would be able to rediscover his form of old and re-establish himself as to go to man up front – the man was once realistically linked with Arsenal after all – but that appears less and less likely after he stayed at Molineux during the transfer window.
Shane Long and Jonathan Walters will command more attention in the Premier League and, no offence to the man himself, but Simon Cox has become something resembling a teacher’s pet under Trap, hence his appearance in an unfamiliar role against Spain and his inclusion at James McClean’s expense this afternoon.
Long’s history with Trap suggests that the Italian doesn’t quite trust him, meaning that, all things considered, Jonathan Walters’ inclusion in the Ireland attack is likely to become a more permanent development. He’s burly, he’s difficult to play against and he’s done pretty well for Ireland in the past, but he’s not exactly the most dynamic of players.
Still, he deserves a shot and although the opposition might not be up to much, he’ll have a chance to audition for the number nine jersey on a more long-term basis.
Is there any logic at all in playing Simon Cox in midfield?
Irish fans will remember with horror the last time Simon Cox played a competitive game in midfield for Ireland. He didn’t seem to know what he had to do and neither did those around him, but Spain have the ability to make far more exalted opposition look clueless so we’ll forgive him for that one.
At least his role in that game was designed to be an advanced midfield role in support of the main striker (Keane). This time around, Trap has, seemingly at least, selected him on the wing in a 4-4-2, and the way Trap does 4-4-2, his primary duties will include getting up and down the flanks all day long, supporting his full-backs and tucking into midfield when the opposition are in possession.
As far as we can make out, Cox’s main strengths are as a striker and he doesn’t seem to be physically equipped to play the role that Trap has selected him in. Against Kazakhstan Cox mightn’t be found out, but it is against Germany and the more superior teams in the group where the proof will be in the pudding.
Maybe he’ll do enough to convince us otherwise, but we can’t see Cox on the wing working out, certainly not in the long run.
Are we the only ones concerned by the central defensive partnership?
The Kazakhstan attack probably won’t be the most frightening tomorrow, but we would be slightly worried if Sean St. Ledger and Darren O’Dea started against Germany next month.
St. Ledger has acquitted himself very well for Ireland – he was also our top scorer at the Euros with a grand total of one, we hasten to add – but he benefitted from the solidity provided by Dunne alongside him and fingers crossed that big Richie will be alright in time for the Germany game.
Alongside O’Dea, the centre of the defence looks like it could take on a lot more water and as a Premier League regular, Ciaran Clark would be forgiven for wondering why somebody playing in the MLS is starting while he’s not even in the squad.
Trap seems intent on keeping John O’Shea at right back as well so the possibility of bringing in either Stephen Kelly or Marc Wilson (far less likely given his history) and moving O’Shea across looks set to remain unexplored. It could prove costly.
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