Ireland vs. Austria - Review

The dust has just about settled. Enough time has elapsed since last Tuesday for this blog to consider the events and repercussions of Ireland's 2-2 draw with Austria without throwing the laptop out the window in a fit of pique. The writing was on the wall from the time it was leaked that Conor Sammon would be joining Shane Long up front in a direct, static, two-pronged strikeforce, thus abandoning the progressive, fluid shape of the 0-0 draw in Stockholm. On that occasion, Robbie Keane had helped out in midfield, in a similar deep-lying role to that which he performed with such competence during his Aston Villa loan spell. Upon his injury, the natural replacement would have been Wes Hoolahan, but yet again, the Norwich playmaker was left on the bench. Clearly, there would be a sea-change in tactics for Austria; unfortunately, this involved changing a progressive formula to return to the abortive tactics of the first half against Poland.

However, the 'horses for courses' approach almost paid off. Despite going a goal behind, Ireland were worth the half-time lead. The pressure and aggression from the Stockholm game was very much in evidence, and although the go-forward ball  was much more direct, speculative and often more wasteful than the previous Friday, the Austrian back four looked unsettled, and Ireland were winning the loose balls. However, for all their virtues, clear-cut chances were not generally forthcoming from open play, and Ireland's goals came from a penalty and a set-piece. Sammon was 'making a nuisance' of himself off the ball, in his closing down of the Austrian back-line, but Long was doing the same job with a great deal more mobility, control and effect. The West Brom striker was unlucky when an audacious back-heeled attempt hit the post, and deserved the man-of-the-match award with a thoroughly selfless performance.

After the break, Ireland increasingly went into their shells, through an apparent mixture of fatigue and conservatism. Austria - technically sound as expected - began to create chances and dominate possession. Ireland, as has happened so often in the past, sat back and attempted to defend the lead. Austria certainly had more left in the tank; while Ireland had slogged it out with the Swedes the previous Friday, Austria barely broke sweat in dismissing the Faroes. However, Trapattoni could have made it easier for the bedraggled Irish team. Glenn Whelan was just returning from injury, and clearly should not have been left on for ninety minutes. As McCarthy and Whelan tired, the game began to pass them by, yet no changes were made in the centre. Paul Green came on for Long, but with Walters moving up front, Trapattoni failed to reinforce the midfield, and when Bayern Munich's David Alaba evaded the Irish anchormen at the edge of the box in the 93rd minute, there was only going to be one outcome.

Ireland's poor ball retention in the second half did not help - chasing the incessant Austrian possession was only going to tire Ireland out as the game dragged on. Given that Long was doing the work of two men up front, and that Sammon's lack of technique and mobility was rendering him an 'empty jersey', surely the introduction of an extra midfielder could have helped Ireland's cause in closing out the game? Hoolahan or Brady would have brought an extra level of composure, savvy and fluidity to the effort without necessarily compromising on the general aggression and work-rate of the team.

It is easy to talk about 'should haves' after the event, but the inevitability of this performance and result was the most damning indictment. It was all to easy to predict, from Trapattoni's persistence with this static, self-defeating, outdated formation over the last few years, and the narrow escapes against Georgia, Cyprus, Macedonia and Armenia, that Ireland would eventually pay the price and succumb to a lower-ranked side. When it is accepted that we cannot compete with the bigger nations, Ireland's competitive status under Trap's modus operandi depends on sweeping the board against the fourth, fifth and sixth seeds. When these results are not achieved, these miserly tactics - already alienating large sections of support - become wholly indefensible.

Ireland could still qualify, as Sweden and Austria still have to play each other twice, and four points from the return fixtures in the Autumn may be enough to sneak into the playoffs. However, there is a danger that the runner-up from this group could be eliminated as the 'worst second placed' team, and that danger will grow if Ireland are, as expected, to depend on results elsewhere. Getting six points against two teams we have just failed to beat looks like a remote prospect, as does the possibility of winning a playoff against seeded opposition, especially given that the likes of France, Croatia and Portugal could lie in wait.

Trapattoni will not quit, and the FAI will not look to oust him until Ireland are mathematically out of the running. This is standard practice for international sides, regardless of the manager's unpopularity. Trapattoni is a dignified, venerable Italian gentleman, who has devoted a lifetime to football, and achieved a huge level of success with a variety of clubs. It is hard to dislike the man, and there is an ever-present concern that Trapattoni's replacement will just be fished from the managerial maelstrom of lower-EPL/Championship football, and will probably carry some significant stains of mediocrity or failure on their CV. However, as Trapattoni found at Stuttgart and during his tenure of the Italian national team, his conservative ideas do not always work for the players at his disposal. If Trapattoni were to walk tomorrow morning, there would be few tears shed.

No-one is saying that Ireland should be beating all-comers while playing attacking, entertaining football - there is no tradition in Irish football, despite the high-flying ideals of Dunphy and Giles, for remaining competitive while simultaneously appeasing the purists. Directness, attrition and aggression have always been hallmarks of even the more gifted Irish teams - think of Ireland's goal against Germany in Ibaraki. Trapattoni's pragmatism is certainly not at odds with, or any kind of affront to Ireland's (real or imagined) footballing heritage. However, a different manager with any kind of pedigree would surely avoid the kind of bizarre selections and counter-productive tactics which have undermined the perception of the manager since the beginning of his tenure. The positive factors from a promising trip to Sweden - arguably the best Irish performance since 2009 - were simply abandoned for the Austria game. In-form EPL players like Clark, Coleman, Wilson, McCarthy, Hoolahan and Long have waited interminably to break into this Irish team, yet limited players like McShane, Ward, O'Dea, Green, Keogh, Cox and Sammon have been parachuted into big games with negligible experience or club pedigree. Players are asked to fill unfamiliar roles - Cox, Keogh and Walters have found themselves on the wing in this campaign. Trapattoni has unnecessarily alienated a number of players into international exile - certainly Dean Kiely, Steven Reid and Darron Gibson's situations could have been managed with more tact and understanding, given their possible value, and even good pros like Stephen Kelly and Long have had valid reasons to be aggrieved with Trap. The 4-4-2 formation continues to demand Herculean efforts from our outnumbered central midfielders, and crystallizes our reliance on a style of football which can only succeed through exhausting, brutal attrition.

The eccentricities of the manager and his methods could be forgiven as long as Ireland remained competitive. However, the demeanour of the players last week seemed to suggest that a vital chance had been missed. We've been here before, and the margins for qualification are often so thin as to leave no room for error against the lower seeds. Two draws with Israel scuppered Irish qualification for 2006, while dropped points against Lithuania, Iceland, Macedonia, Northern Ireland and Liechtenstein cost Ireland a possible three finals appearances between 1996 and 2000. Unfortunately, this campaign now seems doomed to the same fate, and we find ourselves lumbered with a manager who will persist with a redundant philosophy and indefensibly puzzling loyalties.