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Lewandowski has four goals in as many games during this campaign. Francisco Seco/AP/Press Association Images

'Lewandowski is a top player but Poland aren't a one-man team' - O'Neill

The Ireland boss says it would be foolish to get carried away worrying about the Bayern Munich striker.

POLAND ARE FAR from a one-man team, according to Martin O’Neill.

The visitors will be led out at the Aviva Stadium by captain Robert Lewandowski tonight and the Bayern Munich hitman is seen as the biggest threat to Ireland’s chances of earning a positive result.

However, with the likes of 21-year-old striker Arkadiusz Milik (who has four goals in qualifying) and Seville midfielder Grzegorz Krychowiak also in their ranks, O’Neill believes there is talent throughout the team.

“He is a top class player and one of the best strikers in European football, playing for a side who are capable of winning any competition in European football,” O’Neill said at his pre-match press conference.

“He’s very important to them but he’s not the only player. We’ve seen in the group that they are not a one-man player and they have got a number of top quality individuals playing in the side. I wouldn’t get carried away with one player.”

One matching the opponents, O’Neill added: ”They possess some really good players. When we have the ball we need to be really positive but when we don’t have it we have to be able to close down quickly and prevent the quality players getting on top of us.

“It’s about winning the ball, using it and trying to create something. The onus is on as the home side to do that. The minute we lose the ball we will try get it back as quickly as possible.”

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Author
Ben Blake
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