IT DEPENDS ON how you look at it, says Heimir Hallgrimsson of Saturday’s 2-2 draw against Hungary.
“Is the glass half-full or is the glass half-empty?”
For many years the Irish football glass has been a quarter-full and three-quarters empty, so we’ll take that. That draw was a real Rorschach test for this team: within it you’ll see their courage and honesty in battling back from two goals down, but in falling two goals down in the first place you’ll find the frailty endemic to their structure and their mental approach.
But ultimately this campaign is still alive, and in surviving its first game, this qualifier group can consider itself among the longest-living of recent memory. The next hurdle to navigate is Armenia in Yerevan tonight. Realistically, Ireland have to beat Armenia twice to have any hope of forcing an effective play-off for a play-off in Budapest in November’s final fixture.
Armenia, though, are dab hands at exposing the folly of our national optimism. It was in 2022 that Stephen Kenny spoke about winning Ireland’s Nations League group, and so his team started with a 1-0 defeat in Yerevan than marked another launch-pad blow up.
Josh Cullen is one of four current squad members to have started on that hideous afternoon – Caoimhín Kelleher, Nathan Collins, and Chiedozie Ogbene are the others – and he told yesterday’s pre-match press conference that he hasn’t been thinking back on it in advance of today’s return visit. He then spoke of a team with a “new mindset”, shaped by the slings and arrows thrown at them over these many years of misery and defeat.
“Through those experiences we know what to expect and what we need to do tomorrow night to come here and get a result”, said Cullen.
All of this accumulated Irish wisdom is appearing theoretical, though, as they continually fail to put it to use when it matters. For instance, Hallgrimsson spoke of building the side around an identity consisting of principles that include “best at set pieces”, “focus/discipline”, and “fast-attacking.” Ireland then lost focus for the first goal, conceded from a set piece on the second goal, and then attacked painfully slowly for most of the rest of the first half.
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Tonight, Ireland must not be found slumbering in the starting blocks. Ireland have conceded the first goal in eight of Hallgrimsson’s nine competitive matches in charge to date, and that goal has come within the first 20 minutes in half of those games. While Ireland had to fly five hours on Sunday afternoon and swot up on their opponents yesterday, Armenia have had the comfort of staying at home after their 5-0 pummelling at the hands of Portugal.
“They will have more power in the beginning, I would guess, with an extra day to recover”, said Hallgrimsson at his pre-match press conference. “We just need to be ready for that.”
While everyone in the squad is fit, Hallgrimsson said he would assess fatigue levels at training before making his team selection. Given everyone is making a virtue of the consistency of his message, he is unlikely to make wholesale changes. Ryan Manning may drop back to left-back to buttress Ireland’s creativity, while also providing relief for Matt Doherty, who struggled badly in an uncomfortable position against Hungary.
Mikey Johnston’s cameo off the bench against Hungary showed that he deserves a start tonight: his dribbling and close-control qualities will be vital against an Armenian side likely to sit deep. Kasey McAteer has a similar skill-set, and thus will vie with Chiedozie Ogbene to nab the starting slot vacated by the injured Sammie Szmodics.
Ireland’s structure won’t dramatically change, either. Asked to pinpoint Armenia’s strengths, he pointed to their ability on the counter attack and accentuated the importance of his side’s rest defence – effectively how they are structured to defend while they have the ball.
That structure is a back three with two midfielders sitting in front, with one full-back allowed to join the attack. Against Hungary that freedom was afforded to Jake O’Brien at right-back, but tonight it makes more sense to start Manning deeper and then allow him to push on and construct Ireland’s attacks.
His linking with Finn Azaz was sufficient to beat Bulgaria in March, and it should be good enough again tonight. Besides, Ireland tonight have the benefit of a match-fit Evan Ferguson, who helped to sway the Hungary game back Ireland’s way by winning the free-kick from which he ultimately scored.
Armenia also looked hopelessly weak on crosses in their defeat to Portugal, and so they might have been watching the Irish barrage against Hungary with a sense of quease.
Eduard Spertsyan celebrates his winning goal against Ireland in 2022. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
Their main threat will once again be Eduard Spertsyan, who scored the winning goal three years ago. He will be supported in attack by the veteran Tigran Barseghyan, while Edgar Sevikyan is another Irish opponent currently playing for Robbie Keane at Ferencvaros.
Ireland have no option but to win tonight, though have too often followed up rousing performances against high-ranking opponents by failing to turn up against the supposed minnows.
“I don’t know the past but if we have a clear identity how we want to play, it should be against everyone”, said Hallgrimsson yesterday. “It shouldn’t be up and down.
“A lot of wins for my nation and your nation has come against teams ranked above us, that probably at some point underestimated us. So it would be kind of silly to underestimate anyone when we are playing, and I think we know that from experience that we shouldn’t.”
The glass is a quarter-full: it’s been a long time since Ireland had the basic dignity to be allowed underestimate anybody.
The last time Ireland actually took four points from a two-game window while still in with a realistic chance of qualifying was June 2019, when Mick McCarthy’s side headed in a dramatic late equaliser against Denmark before struggling to a 2-0 win against Gibraltar.
A repeat sequence tonight would be gratefully received, so as to allow our hopes and ambitions hurtle and stumble on to October.
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Ireland cannot repeat past failures in must-win clash against Armenia
IT DEPENDS ON how you look at it, says Heimir Hallgrimsson of Saturday’s 2-2 draw against Hungary.
“Is the glass half-full or is the glass half-empty?”
For many years the Irish football glass has been a quarter-full and three-quarters empty, so we’ll take that. That draw was a real Rorschach test for this team: within it you’ll see their courage and honesty in battling back from two goals down, but in falling two goals down in the first place you’ll find the frailty endemic to their structure and their mental approach.
But ultimately this campaign is still alive, and in surviving its first game, this qualifier group can consider itself among the longest-living of recent memory. The next hurdle to navigate is Armenia in Yerevan tonight. Realistically, Ireland have to beat Armenia twice to have any hope of forcing an effective play-off for a play-off in Budapest in November’s final fixture.
Armenia, though, are dab hands at exposing the folly of our national optimism. It was in 2022 that Stephen Kenny spoke about winning Ireland’s Nations League group, and so his team started with a 1-0 defeat in Yerevan than marked another launch-pad blow up.
Josh Cullen is one of four current squad members to have started on that hideous afternoon – Caoimhín Kelleher, Nathan Collins, and Chiedozie Ogbene are the others – and he told yesterday’s pre-match press conference that he hasn’t been thinking back on it in advance of today’s return visit. He then spoke of a team with a “new mindset”, shaped by the slings and arrows thrown at them over these many years of misery and defeat.
“Through those experiences we know what to expect and what we need to do tomorrow night to come here and get a result”, said Cullen.
All of this accumulated Irish wisdom is appearing theoretical, though, as they continually fail to put it to use when it matters. For instance, Hallgrimsson spoke of building the side around an identity consisting of principles that include “best at set pieces”, “focus/discipline”, and “fast-attacking.” Ireland then lost focus for the first goal, conceded from a set piece on the second goal, and then attacked painfully slowly for most of the rest of the first half.
Tonight, Ireland must not be found slumbering in the starting blocks. Ireland have conceded the first goal in eight of Hallgrimsson’s nine competitive matches in charge to date, and that goal has come within the first 20 minutes in half of those games. While Ireland had to fly five hours on Sunday afternoon and swot up on their opponents yesterday, Armenia have had the comfort of staying at home after their 5-0 pummelling at the hands of Portugal.
“They will have more power in the beginning, I would guess, with an extra day to recover”, said Hallgrimsson at his pre-match press conference. “We just need to be ready for that.”
While everyone in the squad is fit, Hallgrimsson said he would assess fatigue levels at training before making his team selection. Given everyone is making a virtue of the consistency of his message, he is unlikely to make wholesale changes. Ryan Manning may drop back to left-back to buttress Ireland’s creativity, while also providing relief for Matt Doherty, who struggled badly in an uncomfortable position against Hungary.
Mikey Johnston’s cameo off the bench against Hungary showed that he deserves a start tonight: his dribbling and close-control qualities will be vital against an Armenian side likely to sit deep. Kasey McAteer has a similar skill-set, and thus will vie with Chiedozie Ogbene to nab the starting slot vacated by the injured Sammie Szmodics.
Ireland’s structure won’t dramatically change, either. Asked to pinpoint Armenia’s strengths, he pointed to their ability on the counter attack and accentuated the importance of his side’s rest defence – effectively how they are structured to defend while they have the ball.
That structure is a back three with two midfielders sitting in front, with one full-back allowed to join the attack. Against Hungary that freedom was afforded to Jake O’Brien at right-back, but tonight it makes more sense to start Manning deeper and then allow him to push on and construct Ireland’s attacks.
His linking with Finn Azaz was sufficient to beat Bulgaria in March, and it should be good enough again tonight. Besides, Ireland tonight have the benefit of a match-fit Evan Ferguson, who helped to sway the Hungary game back Ireland’s way by winning the free-kick from which he ultimately scored.
Armenia also looked hopelessly weak on crosses in their defeat to Portugal, and so they might have been watching the Irish barrage against Hungary with a sense of quease.
Their main threat will once again be Eduard Spertsyan, who scored the winning goal three years ago. He will be supported in attack by the veteran Tigran Barseghyan, while Edgar Sevikyan is another Irish opponent currently playing for Robbie Keane at Ferencvaros.
Ireland have no option but to win tonight, though have too often followed up rousing performances against high-ranking opponents by failing to turn up against the supposed minnows.
“I don’t know the past but if we have a clear identity how we want to play, it should be against everyone”, said Hallgrimsson yesterday. “It shouldn’t be up and down.
“A lot of wins for my nation and your nation has come against teams ranked above us, that probably at some point underestimated us. So it would be kind of silly to underestimate anyone when we are playing, and I think we know that from experience that we shouldn’t.”
The glass is a quarter-full: it’s been a long time since Ireland had the basic dignity to be allowed underestimate anybody.
The last time Ireland actually took four points from a two-game window while still in with a realistic chance of qualifying was June 2019, when Mick McCarthy’s side headed in a dramatic late equaliser against Denmark before struggling to a 2-0 win against Gibraltar.
A repeat sequence tonight would be gratefully received, so as to allow our hopes and ambitions hurtle and stumble on to October.
Ireland (Possible XI): Kelleher; O’Brien, Collins, O’Shea, Manning; Ogbene, Knight, Cullen, Azaz; Johnston, Ferguson
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2026 world cup qualifiers Armenia match preview Republic Of Ireland