1. Marc Wilson could do with some game time
HAVING BEEN MORE or less a regular during his Stoke tenure under Tony Pulis, Marc Wilson has had a less happy time under current boss Mark Hughes of late.
A quick glance at the Irish player’s stats do not prompt immediate cause for concern — featuring in 27 out of a possible 38 games is a respectable tally.
However, of Stoke’s last six games, he has failed to feature in three and only completed the 90 minutes in one — the disappointing 2-0 defeat by Swansea.
These figures must be somewhat worrying for O’Neill, as Wilson is consequently unlikely to be quite as match sharp and confident as some of his opponents come the qualifier in June.
That said, there aren’t exactly countless alternatives ready to slot in alongside John O’Shea at centre-back. Ciaran Clark is injured, Paul McShane has proven unreliable in the past, while Richard Keogh — despite impressing against the Scots at Celtic Park — is still relatively inexperienced at international level.
Damien Delaney has had a good season with Crystal Palace, however the Irish management have seemed reluctant to pick the 33-year-old Cork native in the past, so it would be a surprise if the O’Shea-Wilson axis is broken up, irrespective of the latter’s recent indifferent form.
2. James McCarthy has much to offer going forward
James McCarthy is invariably thought of a relatively safe player — someone who will sit in front of the back-four, break up play and produce sideways passes all day long.
Nevertheless, the Scottish-born midfielder appears to have added an extra element to his game in recent times.
Of late, the 24-year-old Everton star seems to have been given extra license to venture forward by coach Roberto Martinez. And this development has been beneficial for both the player and the Everton team, with McCarthy looking particularly impressive in the 3-0 win over Man United — the game in which he grabbed the opening goal.
Martinez says Everton are a much better team with McCarthy in the side, and the same could probably be said of Ireland, in spite of recent criticism aimed at the ex-Wigan player.
However, McCarthy could do with showing some of the dynamism he has displayed with the Toffees, towards the latter half of the season, come the arrival of Scotland at the Aviva Stadium this June.
3. Jon Walters offers a serious goal threat
Jonathan Walters is surely one of the Premier League’s most underrated players. In 28 starts this season, the 31-year-old Merseyside-born attacker has managed four assists and eight goals — a scoring ratio that’s particularly impressive when you consider that he has operated in an unnatural wide position on many occasions.
Indeed, in helping Stoke to a ninth-place finish this term, there is a case to be made for calling him the most effective Ireland player in the Premier League this season.
His robust physique and modest enough technical ability means fans often struggle to warm to Walters, however, his footballing intelligence and work-rate are clearly traits that Martin O’Neill and Roy Keane admire — the Stoke man has completed 90 minutes in all of Ireland’s Euro 2016 qualifiers, apart from the Gibraltar match, so far.
The former Ipswich striker’s Premier League stats show he knows where the goal is, and that may prove a useful characteristic, particularly in an Irish side that tends to be far from prolific in the big games.
4. Hull’s Irish players are not as bad as the table suggests
The table clearly does not reflect well on Hull and their considerable Irish contingent. Their 0-0 draw with Man United last weekend, coupled with Newcastle’s victory over West Ham, consigned Steve Bruce’s men to Premier League relegation.
The fact that Robbie Brady, Paul McShane, David Meyler and Stephen Quinn are expected to ply their trade in the Championship next season is, of course, an issue of concern — O’Neill ideally would like all his squad members to be playing at the highest level possible on a regular basis.
But anyone who watched Sunday’s clash with United closely will probably feel more optimistic than the outcome suggested. Brady was arguably the best player on the pitch with his consistently outstanding set-piece deliveries catching the eye, while McShane was named man-of-the-match for a committed display against his former club, and Meyler and Quinn hardly disgraced themselves either.
The main problems at Hull lay elsewhere, so Martin O’Neill might be best advised to keep faith with the beleaguered quartet.
5. When on form, Shane Long is hard to stop
For many players, being part of a Premier League team that finished seventh would be considered a significant achievement. However, Shane Long may feel somewhat disappointed with his campaign.
Despite Southampton paying as much as £12million for his services, the Irishman was outshone by fellow new signing Graziano Pellè, and ended up coming off the bench in as many games as he started (16).
That said, Long sporadically showed why the Saints paid so much to purchase him from Hull, especially in the club’s recent 6-1 demolition of Aston Villa, in which he contributed a highly impressive two goals and two assists.
With the 28-year-old striker therefore seeming to reach peak form of late, O’Neill must be tempted to start the Tipperary native at home to Scotland, just as he did in the reverse fixture.
