IRELAND BOSS Stephen Kenny basically has two options for Wednesday’s international friendly with Latvia.
He could go with a highly experimental lineup and give individuals who are on the periphery of the team a chance, like Will Smallbone and Caoimhin Kelleher, or he could essentially use it as a test run for France and pick as close to the starting XI as possible that he intends to use for the upcoming Euros qualifier.
Kenny has generally selected strong sides for friendlies rather than ringing the changes, so there is no reason why it will be any different on this occasion — the team picked below is very close to the side he opted for back in November against Norway.
Of course, there will always be the risk of picking up injuries, but to play twice in five days should not be a huge ask, so it doesn’t seem unrealistic to expect that he will go with an experienced team on Wednesday.
Goalkeeper/Defence
Unlike Kelleher and Mark Travers, Gavin Bazunu has been playing regular Premier League football so the goalkeeping call would appear to be a straightforward one.
That is less so the case with the centre-backs. That said, John Egan is a virtual certainty to start — he has been having a good season with Sheffield United, playing regularly for a side who are on course for promotion to the Premier League and in the semi-finals of the FA Cup.
The fact that Nathan Collins has not started for Wolves since January puts a question mark over his inclusion. He may be tempted to instead go with Seamus Coleman, who has been playing for Everton in recent weeks, albeit at right-back rather than the right centre-back position where he would likely slot in under Kenny.
Dara O’Shea, meanwhile, has had an encouraging season with West Brom, making 41 appearances in all competitions. Andrew Omobamidele, by contrast, has struggled to get into the Norwich XI, having last started a game on 18 February.
Wing-backs
Matt Doherty has made just one substitute appearance since his January move from Tottenham to Atletico Madrid, so his lack of first-team football is far from ideal for someone who has generally been one of the first names on the teamsheet under Kenny.
However, it’s hard to envisage anyone other than Doherty starting for these games. Seamus Coleman, Alan Browne, and Chiedozie Ogbene have all shown an ability to play the role, but dropping the man who started more games than anyone else during the first 28 games of the Kenny era would be a controversial call ahead of a huge qualifier.
It seems a tighter decision on the other side of the pitch between James McClean and Callum O’Dowda. Does Kenny go with McClean, who offers experience, work rate and defensive solidity, or O’Dowda, who arguably gives more from an attacking perspective and is better technically? McClean is probably the favourite to start against France given that he is more tried and trusted, though that does not necessarily mean he will play in the Latvia match — O’Dowda, who Kenny recently suggested was Cardiff’s player of the season so far, may well be given a chance to audition in the friendly, whereas there is little new the manager can learn about the Derry native at this stage. Also, an interesting stat — McClean has started 15 out of 30 matches under Kenny, so there is a good chance he will play in at least one of these matches on the basis of what we have seen so far.
Midfield
Since breaking into the side at the start of the World Cup qualifying campaign, Josh Cullen has been more or less a guaranteed starter under Kenny, so it should be no different on this occasion — the fact that he has been a virtual ever-present in a team that is top of the Championship and almost assured of Premier League promotion certainly doesn’t harm his cause either.
Otherwise, the midfield positions are slightly less clear-cut. Recently, in the big games, he has opted for the pace and energy of Jason Knight and Jayson Molumby. However, both Jeff Hendrick and Jamie McGrath are in better form and starting more regularly at club level than was the case in previous windows. Mark Sykes has had a decent season too with Bristol City in the Championship but is probably still viewed as a squad player at present.
McGrath is a potential surprise inclusion. He impressed for Kenny in the World Cup qualifiers before losing his place in the squad on account of an unsuccessful move to Wigan. The Dundee United star appears back in the good books now though and started Ireland’s last game against Malta.
However, probably the best result of Kenny’s reign so far — the 3-0 Nations League win over Scotland — came with a midfield of Knight, Molumby, and Cullen, so it would be no surprise if he sticks with that trio again.
Attack
Adam Idah and Callum Robinson being ruled out for Latvia simplifies the situation to an extent, but Kenny still has some decent options. Evan Ferguson, with seven goals in 16 appearances for Brighton this season, will be expected to make his full Ireland debut in one of these games. He’s still only 18, however, so there needs to be a degree of caution in how he is treated and talked about. Kenny may be tempted to save the youngster for France though and use him off the bench against the Latvians.
The Irish boss has tended to introduce new faces gradually, so it would be a surprise if uncapped Mikey Johnston is included from the start. Troy Parrott and Michael Obafemi have done well for Kenny in the recent past, though neither have been starting regularly at club level of late. With 10 goals for Championship outfit Wigan, no player in the squad has scored more than Will Keane this season.
Ogbene, by his own admission, has had a difficult campaign having been linked with a move away from Rotherham in January, but has been an important player for Kenny at times and is likely to feature at some point during this window, whether it’s from the outset or off the bench.
Possible Ireland XI to face Latvia: Bazunu; O’Shea, Egan, Collins; Doherty, O’Dowda; Cullen, Knight, Molumby; Obafemi, Ferguson.
Ireland squad
Goalkeepers: Gavin Bazunu (Southampton), Caoimhin Kelleher (Liverpool), Mark Travers (AFC Bournemouth).
Defenders: Seamus Coleman (Everton), Matt Doherty (Atletico Madrid), Andrew Omobamidele (Norwich City), Nathan Collins (Wolverhampton Wanderers), John Egan (Sheffield United), Dara O’Shea (West Bromwich Albion), Callum O’Dowda (Cardiff City), James McClean (Wigan Athletic).
Midfielders: Josh Cullen (Burnley), Jayson Molumby (West Bromwich Albion), Jeff Hendrick (Reading), Alan Browne (Preston North End), Jason Knight (Derby County), Will Smallbone (Stoke City, on loan from Southampton), Jamie McGrath (Dundee United), Mark Sykes (Bristol City).
Forwards: Chiedozie Ogbene (Rotherham United), Michael Obafemi (Burnley), Evan Ferguson (Brighton and Hove Albion), Adam Idah (Norwich City), Troy Parrott (Preston North End, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur), Will Keane (Wigan Athletic), Mikey Johnston (Vitoria, on loan from Celtic).