In a year that started with uncertainty, the Republic of Ireland have a chance to finish out the 2024 schedule on a positive note as they welcome Finland to the Aviva Stadium for tonight’s Nations League encounter.
Managerless in January and in FIFA rankings freefall, the national team finally found a new head coach, following a brief John O’Shea stint in the interim, as Heimir Hallgrimsson was appointed during the summer.
Thrown straight into competitive action, the Icelander opted for a back seat in September, allowing the aforementioned O’Shea, who remained in a coaching role, and Paddy McCarthy to prepare the teams for two home games against England and Greece.
And the new manager was soon well versed on the size of the task in hand as two Lansdowne Road defeats soon showed Hallgrimsson the reasons behind the team’s continuing downward spiral.
On the road in October, Helsinki brought joy with a hard-fought win, but the momentum could not be maintained and the team were outplayed in Athens, notably in the opening 45 minutes before finishing the night off with another gift of a goal in concession.
Now, at least, a chance to show that the team is capable of beating those of similar rankings as they look to make it a double over Finland – a result that would ensure Ireland avoid automatic relegation from League B.
For Finland, it is a must-win game to remain competitive going into Sunday’s final round of games, and as a result, it sets things up to be a lively affair at the Aviva.
Ireland took the three points in Finland, and their strong finish to the game was rewarded by Robbie Brady’s late, late winner. However, there really was not too much between the teams on the night.
In fact, with the game finely poised midway through the second half, Finland missed two gilt-edged opportunities to get back in front, and had either hit the net, it would surely have seen Ireland revert to type and continue the recent tradition of coming out the wrong side of tight encounters.
Hallgrimsson has taken note, however, and is emphasising the need for players to win their physical battles and their duels, while getting the basics right.
A reference, perhaps, to Nathan Collins’ awful error in Helsinki which handed the hosts the lead, while CaoimhÃn Kelleher suffered a similar fate in those closing moments of the Athens away game.
The manager called upon Shane Duffy to lead the way in terms of bringing physicality back as a major trait of this Ireland team, but no sooner had the big Derry man been recalled than he had to withdraw through injury.
“I said we lost a lot of duels in the last camp,” said Hallgrimsson, speaking at the pre-match press conference.
“He (Duffy) is one who doesn’t lose many of his. Both in a sense of set-pieces and the physicality you’re talking about.
“The Finland team is a really organised team; they know what they’re doing and they pin up with the striker a lot so it’s going to be a fight for the likes of Nathan and those who are playing in the centre of defence.
“There’s going to be a lot of fights in this game.”
Hallgrimsson’s aspiration to be in a position to maintain real consistency in his starting eleven has taken a major hit for this international window as he must plan without key players like Robbie Brady, Chiedozie Ogbene and Will Smallbone, while there are doubts over Dara O’Shea and Festy Ebosele.
The manager puts it down to the nature of international football, and envisages a time when the system is so well drilled that players will slot in and out a lot more easily.
Ogbene’s absence takes away a dynamic option out wide on the right where his pace has threatened consistently, and Hallgrimsson admitted that it is a key factor in the type of team that he is trying to establish.
“I think we’ve counted ten players that we have already selected or would have selected if not injured, but that’s just how it is at international football, you never know what team you will have available,” he said.
“Pace is always good,” added Hallgrimsson. “Nothing beats pace. You cannot coach pace. You cannot coach height. So these things, you need to have in your team of course. We have a lot of other fast players as well.”
If Ireland have pace and energy, their opponents bring vast experience into this encounter having played together for many years while qualifying for a major tournament in the process.
Finland caused Ireland a range of problems in the first game with their physical forward play, while their own pace out wide caused problems throughout the contest, and they will surely come into the game believing that a victory is well within their grasp.
Ireland’s shape, at least, should be familiar enough, as Hallgrimsson likes to line out with a fluid formation that can adjust accordingly whether in attack or defence.
The flat back four should again be on show when out of possession and with Collins captaining the side, he will again surely line up alongside Liam Scales, who was immense in Helsinki and grabbed the equalising goal to help set up the push for the three points.
Doubts over O’Shea and Ebosele offer Hallgrimsson the chance to repay Matt Doherty for answering the call and name him at right-back, while Callum O’Dowda and Ryan Manning look set to battle it out for the left-back role.
In midfield, Josh Cullen and Jason Knight are likely to start, with Finn Azaz set to come back in and act as the playmaking link between midfield and attack.
Sammie Szmodics will surely resume his busy role, coming in off the flanks and running in behind, while the manager has to make a call on his attack, with the in-form Tom Cannon handing Hallgrimsson a selection headache.
Evan Ferguson and Troy Parrott were linked up front in Athens, however, the nature of the game forced Hallgrimsson to move the AZ Alkmaar man back into midfield to help slow down the ever-attacking Greeks, so this home game offers the perfect opportunity to offer the two a chance of striking up a new partnership.
Avoiding defeat catapults Ireland into a two-legged Nations League play-off in March, and those games could prove vital in terms of gaining some extra preparation for the start of the World Cup qualifying campaign.
It also allows Ireland to completely forget about Sunday’s trip to Wembley, treat tonight’s game like a cup final and sign off the home schedule with a rip-roaring display to offer those fans that did not make it to Helsinki the chance to witness this oft-beleaguered side revelling in victory.
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Watch Republic of Ireland v Finland on Thursday from 7pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app and listen to live commentary with 2fm’s Game On.