Goalkeeper
If he can overcome the illness that saw him not involved with Liverpool’s squad over the weekend, Caoimhín Kelleher will likely retain his place as Ireland’s number one. Like Mark Travers, the 25-year-old has made one Premier League appearance this season and appeared in the Reds’ 5-1 League Cup win over West Ham.
Max O’Leary is the only goalkeeper in the squad who has been playing regularly this campaign, featuring nine times for Bristol City in the Championship, but is probably currently third-choice behind Travers.
Defence
Andrew Omobamidele started at right-back in the last home match against Greece. With Seamus Coleman injured and Matt Doherty dropped, the 22-year-old might retain his place assuming Heimir Hallgrímsson persists with a four-man backline that he reverted to following the England defeat.
The only obvious alternative is Festy Ebosele and given that the Wexford native originally did not make Hallgrímsson’s first squad, he appears to be not at the top of the pecking order.
Neither player has had extensive game time at club level — Ebosele has started only twice in the Championship for Watford since joining the club on loan from Udinese. Meanwhile, Omobamidele’s move to Nottingham Forest has not really worked out. His only minutes for the team this season were in the League Cup clash with Newcastle, which they lost on penalties.
By contrast, Nathan Collins has been getting plenty of game time in the Premier League with Brentford, making seven appearances and scoring once. In addition, Dara O’Shea has started four of Ipswich’s seven league fixtures.
Both centre-backs have played every minute of the Hallgrímsson era and should start again on Thursday.
Mark McGuinness has played in seven of 21st-place Luton’s nine Championship matches but is uncapped at senior international level so unlikely to be risked from the start.
It will be fascinating to see what Hallgrímsson does at left-back. The Icelandic boss has started Robbie Brady in both previous Nations League games, but the Preston star — who has played four out of nine Championship games for the Lilywhites from the outset — hardly excelled in the last window.
Ahead of two tough away matches, the Ireland manager might be tempted to pick a player with more natural defensive instincts. Liam Scales is the only Irish player who has been starting regularly in the Champions League this season as well as performing for a Celtic side who have only conceded once in seven Scottish Premiership matches.
Midfield
Given that he was a virtual ever-present for a large portion of Stephen Kenny’s reign, it would be no surprise to see Josh Cullen come straight back into the starting XI after he was unavailable for the last window.
The 28-year-old has been in decent form at club level, starting six of third-place Burnley’s nine Championship fixtures.
Who plays alongside Cullen is harder to predict.
West Brom’s Jayson Molumby started both games in the last window. The 25-year-old didn’t exactly nail down his place. But the Waterford native has had an encouraging beginning to the season, starting six out of nine Championships for a team currently in the playoff spots.
Jason Knight and Jack Taylor are the two most obvious viable alternatives.
Ipswich’s Taylor is playing a division above Molumby, though the 26-year-old has yet to win a senior cap. Moreover, all five of his Premier League appearances have come off the bench.
Jason Knight meanwhile has started all nine of 16th-place Bristol City’s Championship matches, though he only came off the bench in the England encounter and started wide left versus Greece at home.
On the right, Chiedozie Ogbene will likely retain his place. It hasn’t been a great beginning to life at Ipswich for the 27-year-old. He has only started twice in the Premier League since joining from Luton Town and the club are winless in their first seven matches.
Nevertheless, Ogbene has tended to be among the first names on the teamsheet with Ireland and the former Cork City youngster was one of the better performers in the last window, winning the man-of-the-match award against England.
On the left, it will be interesting to see whether Hallgrímsson goes with a more natural winger like Mikey Johnston — the 25-year-old has only started once in the Championship for West Brom — or opts for someone who conceivably has more defensive instincts like Knight.
Kasey McAteer is another exciting young winger. However, the 22-year-old is used sparingly by Leicester City, with all three of his Premier League appearances late cameos.
Attack
Another area where the selection calls are less than straightforward.
It will depend to an extent on what formation Hallgrímsson goes for.
Against England, it was Adam Idah up top with Sammie Szmodics and Chiedozie Ogbene offering support on the flanks.
In the Greece match, it was more of a 4-4-1-1, with Szmodics entrusted in the lone forward role and Will Smallbone, injured for this camp, operating as the advanced midfielder.
In an ideal world, hugely promising teenager Evan Ferguson would have established himself as an undisputed starter by now.
Yet Brighton have been slow to re-integrate him into their Premier League starting XI following an injury layoff.
The Meath native has made only three substitute appearances in the top flight this season, all after the 80th-minute mark.
Adam Idah has also had to settle for a bit-part role at Celtic. Out of his 10 appearances in all competitions this season, seven have been from the bench.
Similarly, Szmodics has had to be somewhat patient, making four Premier League starts since joining Ipswich from Blackburn.
The Irish boss could play both Idah and Szmodics slightly behind him, though that would mean overlooking Troy Parrott, the squad’s most prolific striker at club level.
Nonetheless, Parrott’s goals have tended to come in bunches. Of his six, four were in a single game as he has failed to find the target in seven of his 10 appearances for the Dutch side.
Hallgrímsson could pair a striker with a more natural attacking midfielder such as Jamie McGrath or Finn Azaz.
Azaz and McGrath have both had decent starts to the season — the latter has three goals in 13 appearances for an Aberdeen side who have won seven out of seven league matches and the former has featured in all nine of Middlesbrough’s Championship fixtures.
That said, both players were left out of the 57-year-old coach’s last squad, so it would be a surprise if they were suddenly thrown straight into the starting XI.
Possible Ireland XI: Kelleher; Omobamidele, Collins, O’Shea, Scales; Ogbene, Cullen, Molumby, Knight; Szmodics; Idah.
Ireland squad
Goalkeepers: Caoimhin Kelleher (Liverpool), Mark Travers (AFC Bournemouth), Max O’Leary (Bristol City)
Defenders: Festy Ebosele (Watford, on loan from Udinese), Andrew Omobamidele (Nottingham Forest), Nathan Collins (Brentford), Mark McGuinness (Luton Town), Dara O’Shea (Ipswich Town), Liam Scales (Celtic), Robbie Brady (Preston North End).
Midfielders: Josh Cullen (Burnley), Jason Knight (Bristol City), Jayson Molumby (West Bromwich Albion), Finn Azaz (Middlesbrough), Jack Taylor (Ipswich Town), Jamie McGrath (Aberdeen).
Forwards: Adam Idah (Celtic), Evan Ferguson (Brighton and Hove Albion), Chiedozie Ogbene (Ipswich Town), Kasey McAteer (Leicester City), Sammie Szmodics (Ipswich Town), Mikey Johnston (West Bromwich Albion), Troy Parrott (AZ Alkmaar).
