‘Every day we debate how to get the best out of Katie’
THERE’S no more margin for error. Last Thursday night’s deflating, if gritty, draw against an aggressive Slovakian side did, at least, ensure that everyone knows there is plenty of work for this team to do if they want to become the first Ireland side to qualify for a major championship.
Still, they should do the job against Georgia this evening. The bottom seeds have found life pretty tough in Group A thus far.
They have been conceding an average of three goals a game and have had troubles in attack, evident in that they have yet to score.
It could be a relatively quiet night for Ireland’s rearguard, which Courtney Brosnan and her defence might need. The goalkeeper appeared beside Vera Pauw in the pre-match press conference, perhaps as a sign that the manager still has full trust in the Everton custodian despite her mistake last Thursday and Megan Walsh finally being cleared by FIFA to represent Ireland.
‘Obviously, I have watched it back about 100 times now,’ Brosnan says of the momentary lapse of concentration as she passed the ball out from the back that could have resulted in a Slovakia winner, but for Louise Quinn’s goal-line intervention.
‘I was very thankful for Louise to have my back there, but that is why you play team sports.
‘We are all there to support each other and pick each other up when mistakes do happen. It was just a bad touch and I’m happy it didn’t go in the net.’
While Pauw is insistent that there is no goalkeeping issue, the biggest talking point around this Ireland team remains Katie McCabe and how they can get the most out of their captain and best player. The Ireland manager acknowledged yesterday that there have been plenty of opinions aired on where to play the Arsenal star, with some former players even suggesting that she should be made into a No 10.
‘There is a lot of debate about Katie’s role and I appreciate that because we are debating it every single day also, how to get the best out of her and every player,’ the manager said. McCabe is reluctant to rock the boat, and will lead the team wherever she plays, but it can’t be ignored that she has been one of the most creative forces in the WSL this year and curbing her influence in next Sunday’s FA Cup final will be to the forefront of Chelsea manager Emma Hayes’ mind this week
‘Some players are more serving and other players are more leading in that, and Katie is definitely a player that leads.
‘And we don’t want to take her creativity away and we don’t want to take her driving force forward away, but it is not for nothing that the new coach of Arsenal has tried her on the left wing, has tried her attacking, at right striker and she ends up as the left defender again, because Katie is so strong in getting there.
‘If she is already there we don’t get half as much out of her or even somebody suggesting in the centre, believe it. We have tried that of course. We want to win too.
‘But in this moment, it [left wing-back] really is the best position for her, to get the best out of her,’ Pauw says. It’s likely we will see McCabe further up the field and combining more with Denise O’Sullivan this evening – it was that axis that created the equaliser against Slovakia.
Heather Payne had to return to
Florida State for college exams and that has robbed Pauw of the perfect outlet for the system that she has developed for this Ireland team, but even if the Ballinasloe native’s energy and work-rate will be missed, it will open the door for others, including Kyra Carusa, the San Diego native who has won just two caps since switching allegiance from the US a couple of years ago.
Carusa is a talented forward, who has Champions League experience with Danish side FC Hoge. This could be the perfect opposition for a striker who wants to impress. Pauw suggested that there may be other changes, but was keeping her cards close to her chest as to what they will be.
It has been a very settled team that Pauw has played in the
“I’m thankful for Louise to have my back” “We can’t get caught out by long balls”
opening three games of this qualifying campaign and she may be reluctant to upset that balance too much. But all indications are that this should be a night when Ireland can end an encouraging year on a high note.
As is her way, though, the Dutchwoman was keen to emphasise how Georgia might cause her team problems. ‘We have to be careful not to get caught out with long balls out of their defence,’ she said.
‘We think of the space we have to defend behind us and the space we have to conquer, the space we have to get into. You might need some different players for that who can bring something different to the game.’
But after the reality check of Thursday night, we need to see a strong performance. And a convincing result. And maybe Katie McCabe a bit further up the pitch. IRELAND (POSSIBLE): Brosnan; O’Gorman, Fahey, Quinn, McCarthy, McCabe; Finn, Connolly, O’Sullivan, Barrett, Carusa. WORLD CUP 2023 QUALIFIER: Ireland v Georgia, Tallaght Stadium, 7pm, LIVE on RTÉ 2. @bailemg