Groundhog day has landed in Dublin as Gus Poyet’s Greeks are back in town and Paddy is on hand with the latest Ireland v Greece betting tips for Tuesday night’s reunion.
Out tipster Feargal Brennan is on the hunt for positive Green Shoots (and shots) at the Aviva as Heimir Halgrimsson looks to banish the memory of that England defeat.
Ireland v Greece Betting tips
Nathan Collins to score
Sammie Szmodics to have 1+ shots on target
Will Smallbone to commit 2+ fouls
WHEN: Tuesday, September 9th, 7.45pm
WHERE: Aviva Stadium, Dublin
TV: RTE2 and Viaplay
Nathan Collins to score
Ireland have little choice but to park their 2-0 loss to England and move on to the incoming challenge of facing Greece for the third time in 15 months.
Heimir Halgrimsson was firm in his assessment of Ireland being firmly second best against the Three Lions as Jack Grealish and Declan Rice enjoyed goal scoring returns to Dublin.
A clash with Greece will give Halgrimsson a measure of his squad, both tactically and mentally, and there will be extra pressure on the broad shoulders of Nathan Collins.
The Brentford star is set captain Ireland in the absence of Seamus Coleman, and his aerial power will be key from set pieces, as Ireland grabble for a foothold.
Ireland have scored a painfully low amount of goals in the last year, but Collins was on target against the Greeks in June 2023, and three efforts on target was the highest of any player likely to start this game for Ireland.
Sammie Szmodics to have 1+ shots on target
Irish positives were few and far between over the weekend as England strolled to victory with little resistance.
Caoimhín Kelleher’s shot stopping and Chiedozie Ogbene’s threat on the break caused a few ripples of excitement for the home fans on a miserable afternoon.
However, the bee-like industry of Sammie Szmodics will have pleased Halgrimsson, who flagged up the Ipswich Town star as a key player in his plans.
Szmodics tested Jordan Pickford with Ireland’s only effort on target and fizzed a second half effort just past the post.
He has already registered his first Premier League goal with the Tractor Boys and he is strongly fancied to hit the Greek target at least once.
Will Smallbone to commit 2+ fouls
Ireland’s midfielders were left chasing shadows at times against England as Rice and Kobbie Mainoo took control of the engine room.
Southampton’s Will Smallbone cut a particularly frustrated figure as the game wore on, with three fouls overall, joint top with Robbie Brady.
Halgrimsson is expected to stick with him, with changes not expected to be wholesale despite the England result, and he will be tasked with making his mark on the Greek midfield.
He also committed three fouls across his two games against Greece in Euro 2024 qualifying.
Nathan Collins to score
Sammie Szmodics to have 1+ shots on target
Will Smallbone to commit 2+ fouls
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
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