Gavin Cooney reports from Republican Stadium, Yerevan

CHIEDOZIE OGBENE LAMENTED Ireland’s opening-day Nations League defeat to Armenia, focusing on his side’s mentality and speed of play. 

Ireland toiled in Yerevan, creating few chances against a packed Armenian defence and then sucker-punched by Eduard Spertsyan’s long-range strike in the 16 minutes from the end of normal time. 

“We’re frustrated”, said Ogbene.  “Today has taught us a lot about football, that we have to take our chances and we need to have that win at all costs mentality, I felt in the first half we dominated possession, we had everything under control but in the second half we took our foot off the pedal, we didn’t do the things we’d done in the first half. And they had a long-range shot which was the difference today.

“We just have to be ruthless, it’s a results-based business, we experienced it in the hardest way [today] and we need to change our mentality, to win-at-all-costs. We need to put on a show. I feel like we dominated possession but the chances we created, we weren’t clinical enough, and that’s why we suffer.

“I don’t know how we do it but we have to review it. It was difficult conditions but they defended our chances very well, we will look back on the clips and see what we can improve on, the ball speed in the second half was quite slow.” 

Ireland’s speed of passing was their biggest issue according to Ogbene, and he called on his side to be less complacent in possession. 

“We can’t be complacent with keeping the ball. Because we are dominating possession, – it’s not that it feels easy – but you feel like you’re in control. Sometimes we have to get the ball forward, penetrate through the lines, and try to get goals as early as possible and then manage it. They made it difficult for us, we can’t just decide these things. Obviously this is international football: no team is easy. We just have to be better in these things.”

Asked whether the 33-degree heat at kick-off affected the Irish performance, Ogbene replied, “I don’t know know, we’re human beings, fatigue can kick in. I felt like we played well in the first half, we were in control but in the second half we weren’t, doing those passes to penetrate the defence as well as we had done in the first half and that’s what we need to look at.” 

He echoed his manager in accepting that Ireland have made life difficult for themselves in fulfilling Kenny’s stated aim of winning the group, with attention now turning to the Dublin clash with Ukraine on Wednesday in a relentless four-game window. 

“They are going to be in good form, they have just beaten Scotland 3-1. Winning mentality, they are going to have momentum. We just have to be better. We have to create a hostile environment for them, make sure the ball speed is quick because if we can lift everyone in the Aviva it’s going to be trouble for the opposition. As I said in the second half, the ball speed wasn’t good enough. If we can make sure it is fast enough in the first half and the second half then we will cause a lot of problems to the opposition.”