Stephen Kenny says lessons have been learned from Ireland’s friendlies this past week against Norway and Malta.
In the main, it’s his attack that has been put to the test, by two countries that piled bodies into defence, that sat deep and suffocated Ireland’s offensive players.
Kenny says he will rethink how Callum Robinson and Michael Obafemi line out together, after they struggled in the first-half against Norway last Thursday.
And for Chiedozie Ogbene, there are lessons to be taken from a frustrating night in Malta.
“One of the things we probably learned from the game against Norway, obviously Callum and Michael playing together, they are better maybe as split strikers than twin strikers,” said Kenny.
“They played left and right, as a front two, but they are probably better with Callum playing deeper and Michael threatening the last line from a central area all the time.
“I feel that we tried it more in the second half of the game and it worked better.
“And certainly today, I think Chiedozie excels in space.
“He has been a right-winger most of his career and anytime he has played up front for Ireland he has been brilliant as well. But obviously exploiting space is key.
“He is learning about playing against a low block himself as a forward, so it’s different, it requires different attributes at times.
“He gave it everything, he gave 100 percent. He has been brilliant for us since he came in.”
Kenny talked up Callum O’Dowda after the Norway match, but opted last night for James McClean at left-wing back.
When O’Dowda was sprung from the bench, however, he produced a couple of runs from deep that had the Maltese defence rocking.
He even hit the post with an injury-time effort, which came from another blistering surge forward.
“It was a great effort. I thought he’d scored, he was unfortunate,” said Kenny of the Cardiff City ace.
“That would have been his first international goal. So it would have been great for him to get that.
“It’s good to have that element of competition. We need that.
“The nature of games, particularly in the Championship, it’s so relentless that you can’t be certain who will be fit and who will not be fit.
“So you need that element of competition in the squad.”
The competition for midfield places is sure to be fierce next March, with Jamie McGrath bursting back onto the international stage after a year away from the side.
McGrath was Ireland’s best performer on a wet and windy night in Malta - and the conditions affected his set-piece deliveries.
“To be fair, it was a really blustery, windy night and the inswinging corner kicks were blowing right into the goalkeeper,” Kenny commented.
“And their goalkeeper did well, to be fair, he caught everything.
“We changed it at half-time and went with outswingers. We outswung a couple. The wind died a bit at half-time as well. But we weren’t successful on set-plays.”
Kenny added: “I think the pluses for us tonight, Jamie McGrath coming in, doing really well.
“It was an excellent performance from him because he was sort of in the wilderness because his club situation didn't work out in England and he found himself not playing.
“It was great for him to come back and do so well.
“And there was Callum O'Dowda giving us that burst in the last half-hour and the back three with Josh Cullen in front making sure we got the clean sheet.
“We didn't really concede any chances, a bit of a shot early on.
“We're missing some forwards at the moment and those that were there... Callum got his eighth international goal, which was great.”
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