Gavin Bazunu has not had the best of starts to the season while surrounded by a Southampton defence that has leaked goals — with 21 conceded, only one team in the Championship has an inferior record (Rotherham).
However, the Saints have started to look more solid in recent weeks, with only two goals conceded in their last three matches.
So Bazunu is expected to retain the Ireland number one jersey, with decent back-up in the form of Mark Travers and Max O’Leary, who are both playing regularly in the Championship for Stoke and Bristol City respectively.
Defence
Having not played for Ireland since June 2022 against Scotland, Shane Duffy was recalled to the starting XI for the vital qualifiers against France and Netherlands. The Derry native did okay on the former occasion but was partially at fault for both goals against the Dutch, albeit his header also won the penalty from which Adam Idah scored down the other end. However, he has been playing regularly in the Championship since joining Norwich and when that’s been the case, Kenny has generally used him for Ireland.
Nathan Collins has had a decent start to his Brentford career, featuring in all of their Premier League games so far and consequently is expected to be involved against the Greeks.
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The other spot in the team is more difficult to predict.
Since the last international window, Dara O’Shea and Andrew Omobamidele have played just 45 minutes of Premier League football between them — in fact, the latter is still waiting to make his debut after Nottingham Forest made him the second-most-expensive Irish player of all time on Transfer Deadline Day.
If Kenny opts for experience, he will give O’Shea the nod, as the 24-year-old has 20 caps — 14 more than Omobamidele at present.
However, if he chooses to go on club form alone, then Liam Scales will likely be in line to make his international debut. Having looked surplus to requirements at Parkhead last season, the former Shamrock Rovers defender made has been a revelation this year after an injury crisis at the back gave him a chance to impress new boss Brendan Rodgers.
If Scales does feature in this window, he would become the 21st Irish player to make his debut under Stephen Kenny, assuming fellow uncapped squad members O’Leary or Sammie Szmodics don’t get there ahead of him.
Wing-backs
With both James McClean and Enda Stevens not in the squad, there will definitely be a change to the starting left wing-back (assuming Kenny sticks with that system) from the last international window.
Matt Doherty, Festy Ebosele, Ryan Manning and Liam Scales appear to be the obvious candidates, though it’s not inconceivable that he picks Alan Browne there, as he did recently in the away France game.
It is expected that Doherty as the most experienced of the quartet is likely to start. Scales may be needed at centre-back, so it is probably going to come down to a tight choice between Ebosele and Manning for the other place. Picking the latter would allow Doherty to play in his more natural position, but Kenny has not been afraid to slot the Dubliner — who has made four substitute appearances for Wolves in the top flight this season — in on the left, as he did during the narrow loss to France at home. Ebosele has been playing regularly in Serie A with Udinese and appeared off the bench in both the recent France and Netherlands games, so he could be set to pip Galway native Manning for a starting spot and earn a full international debut on Friday.
Midfield
Josh Cullen has been a virtual ever-present for Ireland during this campaign and at Burnley since joining Vincent Kompany’s side at the beginning of last season, so he will likely feature once more. It would not be a surprise to see Kenny sticking with the same midfield that caused the Netherlands so many problems during the first half of the unfortunate 2-1 home loss.
Alan Browne came into the midfield in place of Jayson Molumby that night and did well against the Dutch. His recent form is better at club level too, with Browne appearing in 10 out of 11 Championships for third-place Preston, while Molumby has been an unused sub for West Brom’s last two Championship outings.
Jason Knight, by contrast, has featured in 11 out of 11 of Bristol City’s Championship matches. Greece away has been the only match so far of this qualification campaign that the former Cabinteely youngster did not start and the visitors struggled in his absence, so do not expect history to repeat itself in relation to Friday’s selection.
The likes of Will Smallbone, Sammie Szmodics, Mark Sykes and Jamie McGrath have all been playing regularly and are in encouraging form at club level, but these peripheral squad members appear more likely to start in Monday’s game against Gibraltar where Ireland are expected to be the dominant side and will need all their creative outlets to break down a potentially stubborn defensive unit. Against Greece, a team closer to Ireland’s level, a more conservative approach is anticipated.
Attack
Chiedozie Ogbene has been one of Ireland’s standout players in this qualifying campaign. The former Cork City player has also been gradually finding his feet at new club Luton Town. Having been an impact sub for the Hatters’ first four Premier League games, the fastest player in the division has started their last four fixtures and looked particularly lively and impressive in the narrow defeat to Tottenham at the weekend.
Meanwhile, Evan Ferguson is almost certain to lead the line barring a last-minute hiccup. As well as Adam Idah performed against France and Netherlands amid the Brighton star’s injury-enforced absence, the 18-year-old is the most promising natural talent that Irish football has seen in quite some time. Despite some inconsistent form at club level — the forward has not scored or completed 90 minutes since the memorable hat-trick against Newcastle at the beginning of September — it would still be a major surprise if Kenny picked anyone ahead of him.
Provided they make the matchday squad, players such as Idah, Callum Robinson and Mikey Johnston will all likely be useful options from the bench.
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Possible Ireland team to face Greece: Gavin Bazunu; Nathan Collins, Shane Duffy, Liam Scales; Matt Doherty, Festy Ebosele; Josh Cullen, Alan Browne; Jason Knight, Chiedozie Ogbene; Evan Ferguson.
Ireland squad
Goalkeepers: Gavin Bazunu (Southampton), Mark Travers (Stoke City, on loan from AFC Bournemouth), Max O’Leary (Bristol City).
Defenders: Matt Doherty (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Festy Ebosele (Udinese), Nathan Collins (Brentford), Shane Duffy (Norwich City), Dara O’Shea (Burnley), Andrew Omobamidele (Nottingham Forest), Liam Scales (Celtic), Ryan Manning (Southampton).
Midfielders: Josh Cullen (Burnley), Jayson Molumby (West Bromwich Albion), Alan Browne (Preston North End), Will Smallbone (Southampton), Jason Knight (Bristol City), Jamie McGrath (Aberdeen), Mark Sykes (Bristol City).
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Goalkeeper
Gavin Bazunu has not had the best of starts to the season while surrounded by a Southampton defence that has leaked goals — with 21 conceded, only one team in the Championship has an inferior record (Rotherham).
However, the Saints have started to look more solid in recent weeks, with only two goals conceded in their last three matches.
So Bazunu is expected to retain the Ireland number one jersey, with decent back-up in the form of Mark Travers and Max O’Leary, who are both playing regularly in the Championship for Stoke and Bristol City respectively.
Defence
Having not played for Ireland since June 2022 against Scotland, Shane Duffy was recalled to the starting XI for the vital qualifiers against France and Netherlands. The Derry native did okay on the former occasion but was partially at fault for both goals against the Dutch, albeit his header also won the penalty from which Adam Idah scored down the other end. However, he has been playing regularly in the Championship since joining Norwich and when that’s been the case, Kenny has generally used him for Ireland.
Nathan Collins has had a decent start to his Brentford career, featuring in all of their Premier League games so far and consequently is expected to be involved against the Greeks.
The other spot in the team is more difficult to predict.
Since the last international window, Dara O’Shea and Andrew Omobamidele have played just 45 minutes of Premier League football between them — in fact, the latter is still waiting to make his debut after Nottingham Forest made him the second-most-expensive Irish player of all time on Transfer Deadline Day.
If Kenny opts for experience, he will give O’Shea the nod, as the 24-year-old has 20 caps — 14 more than Omobamidele at present.
However, if he chooses to go on club form alone, then Liam Scales will likely be in line to make his international debut. Having looked surplus to requirements at Parkhead last season, the former Shamrock Rovers defender made has been a revelation this year after an injury crisis at the back gave him a chance to impress new boss Brendan Rodgers.
If Scales does feature in this window, he would become the 21st Irish player to make his debut under Stephen Kenny, assuming fellow uncapped squad members O’Leary or Sammie Szmodics don’t get there ahead of him.
Wing-backs
With both James McClean and Enda Stevens not in the squad, there will definitely be a change to the starting left wing-back (assuming Kenny sticks with that system) from the last international window.
Matt Doherty, Festy Ebosele, Ryan Manning and Liam Scales appear to be the obvious candidates, though it’s not inconceivable that he picks Alan Browne there, as he did recently in the away France game.
It is expected that Doherty as the most experienced of the quartet is likely to start. Scales may be needed at centre-back, so it is probably going to come down to a tight choice between Ebosele and Manning for the other place. Picking the latter would allow Doherty to play in his more natural position, but Kenny has not been afraid to slot the Dubliner — who has made four substitute appearances for Wolves in the top flight this season — in on the left, as he did during the narrow loss to France at home. Ebosele has been playing regularly in Serie A with Udinese and appeared off the bench in both the recent France and Netherlands games, so he could be set to pip Galway native Manning for a starting spot and earn a full international debut on Friday.
Midfield
Josh Cullen has been a virtual ever-present for Ireland during this campaign and at Burnley since joining Vincent Kompany’s side at the beginning of last season, so he will likely feature once more. It would not be a surprise to see Kenny sticking with the same midfield that caused the Netherlands so many problems during the first half of the unfortunate 2-1 home loss.
Alan Browne came into the midfield in place of Jayson Molumby that night and did well against the Dutch. His recent form is better at club level too, with Browne appearing in 10 out of 11 Championships for third-place Preston, while Molumby has been an unused sub for West Brom’s last two Championship outings.
Jason Knight, by contrast, has featured in 11 out of 11 of Bristol City’s Championship matches. Greece away has been the only match so far of this qualification campaign that the former Cabinteely youngster did not start and the visitors struggled in his absence, so do not expect history to repeat itself in relation to Friday’s selection.
The likes of Will Smallbone, Sammie Szmodics, Mark Sykes and Jamie McGrath have all been playing regularly and are in encouraging form at club level, but these peripheral squad members appear more likely to start in Monday’s game against Gibraltar where Ireland are expected to be the dominant side and will need all their creative outlets to break down a potentially stubborn defensive unit. Against Greece, a team closer to Ireland’s level, a more conservative approach is anticipated.
Attack
Chiedozie Ogbene has been one of Ireland’s standout players in this qualifying campaign. The former Cork City player has also been gradually finding his feet at new club Luton Town. Having been an impact sub for the Hatters’ first four Premier League games, the fastest player in the division has started their last four fixtures and looked particularly lively and impressive in the narrow defeat to Tottenham at the weekend.
Meanwhile, Evan Ferguson is almost certain to lead the line barring a last-minute hiccup. As well as Adam Idah performed against France and Netherlands amid the Brighton star’s injury-enforced absence, the 18-year-old is the most promising natural talent that Irish football has seen in quite some time. Despite some inconsistent form at club level — the forward has not scored or completed 90 minutes since the memorable hat-trick against Newcastle at the beginning of September — it would still be a major surprise if Kenny picked anyone ahead of him.
Provided they make the matchday squad, players such as Idah, Callum Robinson and Mikey Johnston will all likely be useful options from the bench.
Possible Ireland team to face Greece: Gavin Bazunu; Nathan Collins, Shane Duffy, Liam Scales; Matt Doherty, Festy Ebosele; Josh Cullen, Alan Browne; Jason Knight, Chiedozie Ogbene; Evan Ferguson.
Ireland squad
Goalkeepers: Gavin Bazunu (Southampton), Mark Travers (Stoke City, on loan from AFC Bournemouth), Max O’Leary (Bristol City).
Defenders: Matt Doherty (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Festy Ebosele (Udinese), Nathan Collins (Brentford), Shane Duffy (Norwich City), Dara O’Shea (Burnley), Andrew Omobamidele (Nottingham Forest), Liam Scales (Celtic), Ryan Manning (Southampton).
Midfielders: Josh Cullen (Burnley), Jayson Molumby (West Bromwich Albion), Alan Browne (Preston North End), Will Smallbone (Southampton), Jason Knight (Bristol City), Jamie McGrath (Aberdeen), Mark Sykes (Bristol City).
Forwards: Evan Ferguson (Brighton and Hove Albion), Adam Idah (Norwich City), Chiedozie Ogbene (Luton Town), Callum Robinson (Cardiff City), Mikey Johnston (Celtic), Sammie Szmodics (Blackburn Rovers).
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