ON THE HOUR mark of Friday night’s fog-affected Bosnia-Ireland Euro 2016 play-off first-leg, Martin O’Neill made a substitution that would significantly influence the subsequent half hour, as well as this evening’s forthcoming encounter.
Although clear-cut chances had been few and far between, and the Irish team for the most part looked relatively solid, the Bosnians had clearly identified the Boys in Green’s left-hand side as a weakness.
Ireland’s problematic left-hand side
In the first-half, Bosnia right-back Mensur Mujdža (Freiburg) and right-winger Edin Višća (İstanbul Başakşehir) continually exposed Stephen Ward, and Robbie Brady ahead of him.
Ward looked nervy all night and made some poor decisions, though it’s easy to sympathise with him to an extent, as the 30-year-old Burnley player has played just 12 minutes in the league with his club, in addition to making one Capital One Cup appearance.
Ireland’s left-back wasn’t always helped by Brady, who tended to be lax in possession and at times did not provide his teammate with adequate cover
Mujdža gave a sign of what was to come on 10 minutes, getting the better of Brady, before delivering to Miralem Pjanić (Roma), who blazed his shot well over the bar.
Three minutes later, Višća, for the first but by no means last time found space on the right to deliver a cross in, with Ciaran Clark needing to be alert to clear the danger.
Bosnia’s right side was a problem all night, and it wasn’t just Mujdža and Višća who caused chaos. In the clip below, Vedad Ibišević (Hertha) robs Brady of possession and Bosnia launch a counter-attack, ending with Senad Lulić (Lazio) making an incisive run through on goal and unsuccessfully attempting to win a penalty.
In the clip below, Brady again loses possession, but Ibišević can only find the side-netting from Višća’s cross.
An awkward situation became even more perilous on 26 minutes, when Stephen Ward was booked for a cynical pull-back on the increasingly influential Višća.
After 28 minutes, Višća was again involved, linking up with Edin Džeko, with the latter’s cross stopped by a timely interception from Seamus Coleman.
The speedy winger Višća was released down the wing again shortly thereafter, but Zukanovic’s ensuing header from his teammate’s cross was straight at Darren Randolph.
Bosnia’s failure to fully capitalise on their superiority in this area of the field could be attributed to a mixture of inept finishing, strong Irish defending and, as we see below, poor delivery (though Mujdža wasn’t helped by an unfortunately timed bobble).
Despite Ireland’s obvious defensive issues, the teams went in at the break with the score at 0-0. The right side had been the Bosnians’ one clear area of joy, with the hosts otherwise struggling to create much of note, and the Irish for the most part coping comfortably with long balls played up to strike duo Džeko and Ibišević.
It was telling that Bosnia’s first genuinely clear-cut chance, early in the second half, came about as a result of an Irish mistake rather than the home side’s own ingenuity. Jeff Hendrick’s clearance ricocheted off Džeko and fell kindly to Lulić, but Randolph got down well to save smartly.
On 60 minutes, Martin O’Neill made the substitution that changed the match entirely. James McClean replaced the ineffectual and isolated Wes Hoolahan, with the Derry native slotting in to the left-wing position and allowing Brady to move into a more attacking role just behind lone striker Daryl Murphy.
O’Neil’s ongoing experimentation with different number 10s
Martin O’Neill has experimented with the number 10 position ever since Ireland’s first match of the Euro 2016 qualifying campaign against Georgia.
Back in September 2014, with Aiden McGeady having started the match more or less as an orthodox left winger, in the final 14 minutes, Robbie Brady was introduced to play on the left flank. The change allowed McGeady to go behind the striker, as Ireland went in desperate search of a winner in Tblisi.
O’Neill’s substitution paid off in injury time, as McGeady scored a spectacular winner to hand Ireland all three points (see video above). Following this exquisite attacking high point, the Boys in Green haven’t scored twice in a competitive international, excluding games against Gibraltar, since then.
Given these late heroics, it was no surprise that for Ireland’s next big game (let’s overlook the 7-0 hammering over Gibraltar in Dublin) away to Germany, McGeady started in the number 10 position behind Robbie Keane. But with the Scottish-born winger struggling to have an impact on the match, Wes Hoolahan was introduced on 76 minutes and positioned behind the striker. McGeady, meanwhile, moved to a more familiar left-wing role, and the team performed considerably better as a result. The Everton outcast has seldom featured for Ireland since, though he did come off the bench to play at number 10 for the dying minutes of last Friday’s match.
And since the disappointing 1-0 loss to Scotland at Celtic Park — a rare instance during this campaign of Ireland playing a pretty straightforward 4-4-2 perhaps owing partially to Hoolahan’s unavailability through injury — the Norwich playmaker has been trusted fairly regularly in the number 10 position.
The substitution that changed the game
On Friday night, with little going right for the isolated Hoolahan, Brady was given an opportunity to play behind the striker and duly grasped his chance with a superb goal.
Yet placing Brady centrally was not the only important element of O’Neill’s substitution. Bringing James McClean on was also key. O’Neill gave McClean his debut as a youngster at Sunderland, and his introduction to proceedings on Friday clearly made a difference. It gave Ireland some much-needed energy down the flanks, with McClean also being one of the few players in the squad capable of carrying the ball and taking on defenders — his impressive pace and power contrasting with Brady’s more subtle qualities.
After 67 minutes, O’Neill also brought on Marc Wilson for the tiring Ward, who had continued to be exposed down Bosnia’s right in the early parts of the second half, and came close to picking up a second booking for another rash challenge.
These changes were implemented conceivably to make Ireland defensively stronger on their left-hand side, so it was ironic that Bosnia’s goal again emanated from this flank.
Surprisingly, Bosnia’s right side had been altered completely by the time they equalised on 85 minutes. Mujdža, so effective in the first half, had to come off after just six minutes of the second period, having picked up an injury. More surprisingly given that he had been probably Bosnia’s man-of-the-match up to that point, Višća was sacrificed with 17 minutes remaining, in order to accommodate a third striker, Milan Đurić (Cesena), whose arrival prompted Ibišević’s shift to the right.
After Ireland had secured an unlikely lead, Lulić played through substitute right-back Ognjen Vranješ (Gaziantepspor), who had taken advantage of a lapse in concentration from James McClean, and Džeko made no mistake with a simple finish from close range after the defender’s pinpoint cross.
So just as O’Neill’s substitution had directly impacted on Ireland’s goal, it also played a big part in Bosnia’s equaliser, with McClean culpable to a degree, while Džeko showed excellent movement to evade Richard Keogh, who was magnificent on the night apart from that one blip.
What significance does it all have in the context of tonight’s game?
One of the few issues that was clear from Friday’s fog-affected clash was Bosnia’s superiority down their right-hand side.
Whether it was Mujdža and Višća, or Vranješ and Ibišević, the Bosnians posed a conspicuous threat to Ireland’s vulnerable left flank.
Despite coming away from Zenica with an encouraging 1-1 result, O’Neill will know Ireland cannot risk affording the aforementioned Bosnian players so much room to play this evening.
Yet combating the issue is easier said than done. O’Neill has a number of options at his disposal, though none of them look entirely risk-free.
Does he place faith in Ward despite his lack of match sharpness, or bring in the Marc Wilson, who also lacks game time of late (or even someone entirely different such as John O’Shea, who could still potentially return from injury tonight)?
On the left wing, the Ireland boss could opt for Robbie Brady, who is fantastic going forward, but at times looked ill-disciplined and defensively vulnerable in the first leg. Or does he start with James McClean, who provided the team with greater solidity for the most part, but also was primarily responsible for the concession of Bosnia’s equaliser?
And if O’Neill picks McClean, does that mean starting as Ireland almost finished with Brady at number 10 following his superb strike? Alternatively, does he keep faith with Wes Hoolahan, who has been fantastic for much of the campaign, but whose fitness issues have been well documented, behind the striker?
Whatever happens tonight, you get the sense that Martin O’Neill, with the many tight and potentially game-changing decisions he has to make, will have to go some way towards justifying his lucrative salary if Ireland are to progress.
Seen better acting in Fair City
Wow! I didn’t see the game but I don’t think there is any coming back from that comment and I don’t think hyperbole is in your nature John… It must’ve been bad!
Think you were a bit over the top there alright John. I mean, sure it was a dive and a terrible one at that…but Fair City terrible?
Don’t take it too seriously lads, Just wanted throw a dig at the Fair City cast lol
We were joking too John. Now let’s all be friends and go for pints.
Hey… I wasn’t f’n joking… By the power of Bella Doyle I will strike ye down like Aidan O’Shea today! Anyway… Whoever said Mayo were contenders for the all Ireland… Ha ha! That’s more unreal than the fair city set!
The headline should not be tricks the referee it should be O’shea cheats to earn his side a penalty
Cheating is for losers kids, Dont do it.
where you there
But I thought only soccer players dived! Be a few GAA climbing off their high horse now. It’s actually happening a lot these days.
Yep, it’s creeping in and being called “professional” play, or being clever. The GAA should nip it in the bud. Soccer let it get to a stage where it’s now endemic. A couple of retrospective four week bans for bringing the game into disrepute would soon sort it.
It’s always been there to an extent though. Not as cringey as soccer but players always went down under contact to “buy” a free and like you said it was considered clever. In soccer it is just sickeningly outrageous. I’m a huge soccer fan but it’s indefensible, embarrassing stuff.
Still very rare in hurling to be fair
It’s creeping into hurling as well. Lads looking for the soft free. As the poster said above. Come down hard with retrospective bans to stop it progressing from here
Shouldn’t have been on the field in the first place. Mayo shouldve been down to 14 when he should’ve gotten a black card while already on a yellow. Fermanagh should feel like they were robbed.
That wasn’t a black card offence
Deliberately pulling someone down in a cynical challenge is a black card. That’s exactly what he did. Incase you need the rule clarified check out the gaa rule book http://www.gaa.ie/the-gaa/rules-regulations/
Would have been 6 on 6 come the end…
Terrible carry on. At least the Mayo canp won’t have a leg to stand on when the try to reignite their usual “Aidan O’Shea gets nothing from the ref because he’s a big fella”. That dive will come back to bite him the arse down the road.
As a neutral I have to say Joe mcquillen ia the worst referee I’ve ever seen. Made a lot of home town decisions and gave some very soft frees to mayo to bring them back into the game
I would argue he let Fermanagh away with slot but then he let both teams away with a lot of pulling and dragging………and the penalty but the. There’s linesmen and umpires who are there as well did they see different and he over ruled them?
Yeah and Tommy Cooper… Sorry Tommy Carr saying he had a great game up until that! Give me a break. There were another 3 black cards in the last 5 minutes and nothing done about it! Joke!
Agree spoddgy but it’s every game he refs
That’s it every game maybe two refs on the pitch would improve the standards
AOS got two frees from dives in front of goal too that led to two points in first half. I doubt real Mayo supporters will enjoy a victory earned by such blatant cheating and would hope GAA will do something to punish this but won’t hold my breath.
I didn’t enjoy the victory but that’s for other reasons there were blatant dives from Fermanagh to that’s part and parcel of the sport anyone who doesn’t see that either never played the game or a very innocent or blind to the gaa! We have been robbed by bad refereeing enough times and got told to take our beating! Is it one rule for Mayo and another for everyone else?
Tom Daley would have been proud of that.
Cheats…He wasn’t the only Mayo diver either, his brother dived repeatedly as did the O Connor brothers
You can say what you want about aidan o shea as a footballer but as a man you can forget it..
Ref was really poor all day…no idea what a foul is and isn’t
Hope they lose another All Ireland
He dived a few times during the game he goes down like a sack a spuds anytime he’s touched and then wonders why he doesn’t get much frees. Shocking from the ref that changed the whole game and o’shea should have been off at that stage if the ref had any balls . As for mayos hopes of winning Sam they have no chance at all I hope the dubs get them it will be a cake walk for us. Fermanagh will be sick ,great effort by them
Ya your from Dublin and what I’ve seen before any excuse to spread your anti Mayo opinion! He had three your lads dragging him to the ground in the semi final last year but got nothing so you can go jump!
If Mayo draw monaghan in the next round, Mayo’s summer will be over. They’ve gone backwards from last year.
O’Shea is a cheat
They way they are playing the will definitely be out!
Monaghan a serious outfit to be fair, if they had got past longford, theyd have slaughtered mayo!
What’s that Declan?
Wow, didn’t expect that especially with monaghan in clones. Massive shock, fair play Longford!!
There’s no defending the dive. It’s wrong, it shouldn’t happen. It wasn’t even bound clever a out it, cant believe it was given. But, O’Shea gets very hard to win legitimate frees because if his size. Just because he’s a big powerful lad shouldn’t mean he can get rougher treatment than anyone else
Have been watching Joe McQuillen making poor and extremely soft decisions for years. He is a poor referee that will always go on the side of caution and make no big calls. Poor referee
A shame GAA doesn’t have a Nigel Owens type official…
Pat mcenaney was considered the best ref I’d say that too myself but then he did feck us up in the 96 replay
Is the black card gone again or what? So many times in this match the ref let a drag down or a trip go with either a yellow or just a free. Fermanagh were under serious pressure in that 2nd half but may have held out were it not for the ref. They had just scored a crucial point but the penalty was a killer blow.
They could have got a black card or two themselves they done the same amount of pulling and dragging as Mayo
AOS Colm Boyle Lee Keegan…. 3 fellas that would sour milk. Horrible footballers with their antics time and again. Cant wait for the dubs or kerry to embarrass them again. Always good for a laugh when mayo are put back in their box Spectacularly every year. Hope they get Monaghan…… Up the Farney
Hon Mayo. Haters gonna hate. Think we beat yiz in clones already this year.
Why would they sour milk , they are top players & all stars , how many have monaghan? Be careful what you wish for , we would hammer ye
It’s looking like Longford rather than Monaghan with 6 mins to go!
LOL liam!!! Go on longford
Don’t think we can get monaghan now
Aidan O’Shea, an embarassment to real GAA players all over the world!
Time for the anti-Mayo keyboard warrior tramps to get typing!
Are there alot of tramps on the streets of Ireland with anti Mayo agendas that have access to the Internet? I would argue that there aren’t.
In between the gaa and Enda Kenny! What chance there aren’t??
And the ‘tramps’ you are on about are referred to as the homeless whereas I’ve met plenty of ‘tramps’ that live in flats or houses have jobs and have plenty of Internet access that come on here or hoganstand and call an amateur gaa player a tramp and that extends to all counties!
Mayo have been without doubt the most supported county by neutrals for the last few years… But its clowns like you that make me have a lot less sympathy for Mayo when they inevitably sh*t their togs at the business end of the championship year in year out!
Most supported teams? Mayo are one of the most hated team in Ireland. Look at the
Amount of comments on this thread for a qualifier. All anti Mayo. Your pathetic childish comment reinforces it you waking cliche.
Ah lad, Dont be bitter, your great grandchildren will get to hear of how Mayo won an All Ireland over a century before and how they bottled every attempt since…. Look forward to seeing Dublin sending Mayo packing again… and im sure it hurts more every year ;-)
Mayo were everyone’s second team for a long time, but now they’ve built a reputation as bottleless divers that will blame the manager when things go wrong.
Sure they won’t bate shit out of a shed after tonight, pure muck o Shea is with his big Castlebar handball alley head on him
Mayo cheating their way to the top…. anyways Dublin will knock spots off them when the time comes.
If Monaghan won they’d have slaughtered Mayo. If my aunt had balls….
Elaborate Damien…
Haha an NFL contract…..my hairy arse…..hilarious….the man can hardly run
I know, its a bit like the Ronan O’ Gara to the Miami Dolphin’s rumour all those years ago or about as likely as me not destroying the toilet bowl after a night out on the Guinness.
Was it same ref that gave Gooch penalty for falling over laces v limerick if so time to give him red card.
Missed the game today as I had to bring my dog to the vet, but having been at every Connacht final, all Ireland semi final and all Ireland final since I was 22 I can safely say I am one of the biggest Mayo fans going, I’d be shocked if he did dive!!! To see some of the hits the man took while turning down a full time contact in the NFL I can’t see how any Fermanagh man could take him down
His contract should be in Hollywood. After all he told us he was born for the big time.
Prepare to be shocked then.
And what contract did be turn down wjth the NFL?!
He turned down a rookie contract to play grind iron as a running back, 100,000 dollars a year but he said no, he had a real feeling that Sam was coming home to Mayo in 16
Where’d ya get that nugget of information from?!
Too slow to be a running back.
His brother goes out with my cousin
He’ll probably dive as well.
Ah well then it must be true…
I don’t see why his brother would lie to my cousin, he is a fairly big lad, and I say o,Shea would have teams falling over themselves to sign him, a PR teams dream…
So he spent a few days running drills when filming the Toughest Trade and was offered a 100k contract off the back of it? Right you are then….
Your fairly naive if you think they showed his best bits in that show!! Of course they will keep a few bits back, especially when a team shows an interest in signing him as a pro!!! Why would you show the other teams what he has in his locker??? Plus 100k might buy and sell you over and over again but in the states it’s chump change, so not much of a risk
I’m naive?! Says the man that believe AOS was offered an NFL contract with zero experience of the game! This just keeps getting better…
Pretty sure they would try their utmost to make him come across well. The whole point of the show is to make gaa players look good when playing a new sport to show they are just as good athletes as the pros. It would make no sense to make him look bad. What gaa player would sign up to something like that?
Just shows you the treatment usually handed out to him when the lad hadn’t watched the match couldn’t believe it!
The times AOS ran at the combine he was at were too slow for a tight end never mind a running back and he has no knowledge of the game. But since the ppl of Mayo believe yee are gonna win Sam every year then yee must be a gullible bunch!
Frankie you’re a troll. That’s utter nonsense. For one thing 100k is well below the NFL league minimum.
The sad thing is, I don’t think he’s a troll, I think he genuinely believes it to be true!
Aideen, he is winding you up and making a mug of you. Stop responding.
Feck them Aideen, Up The Dubs
Frankie stop talking out of your fart hole….
Should be ashamed of himself