BEFORE this, the first of his matches in charge of the Irish side Mick McCarthy made it clear that he viewed soccer management as a learning experience. Day to day, match to match, on the pitch and off, he admits that there is a lot to take in. But if the new man holds the Irish reins for as long as his predecessor he will never receive a starker lesson, about the task he faces than he did in the first" 45 minutes of last night's match against the Russians.
Given the withdrawals from the squad the way we were intending to play had, on the face of it, a positive ring about it and in the build up to this match that was what grabbed the" attention. On the night, though, we came up against a very good Russian side against whom merely switching our tactics was never going, to make up the obvious deficiencies in our team. This was a night when the lack of interest in the Russians' prospects in the forthcoming European Championship seemed something of a mystery while the reasons for our absence were starkly underlined.
The warning signs were there from early on with Vladislav Radimov, Valeri Karpin and Alexander Mostovoi linking up and moving the ball with alarming ease around their opposite numbers in midfield. Kennedy, picked to roam around behind the front men, was finding it difficult to get to grips with his defensive responsibilities. Consequently Keane and Townsend were being picked off at will and the movement of the two Russian striker caused repeated problems for McGrath and Co at the back.
The first goal was inevitable, although somewhat slow in coming considering the number of chances that the visitors created for themselves through the opening period. Mostovoi it was who delivered the blow but by that stage it was just a matter of who got them off the mark and when the first setback would come for the home side.
Tactically it was the Russians who were in complete control. They had a tried and tested formula which gave their hosts a serious examination virtually from the first kick of the game. The speed of thought of the Russians, their pace on the ball and their universally excellent first touch immediately gave them a firm grip on a game in which McCarthy must have been hoping for a strong start.
The result was that, while, the match plan had looked good on paper, in reality it made, us look sluggish. Against a side of this ability we appeared to be devoid of ideas one paced and at times, even naive. This was no more evident than in the person of Alan Kernaghan. If he is to continue his international career he must realise that it is a prerequisite of international defending to stay on your feet at all
It's long been documented that we need a new injection of speed up front. As it is the personnel at out disposal allow us to play only one way. Without the ability to turn the opposition back line around, opposing teams have" learned to play the odds against us. With Aldridge and Quinn leading our attack opposing defences know just what to expect and know that they can take chances in terms of winning possession as the chance of being punished for the error by a quick break towards coal are next to none.
The problem, therefore, is compounded because in that situation the service into the front players has to be perfect, there is no margin for error. It requires the man in possession to create effectively on every occasion but the reality is that he is never given the options and this is something that appears to be a our last few games of the European qualifiers.
Our weaknesses at the front are causing a strong midfield to look ponderous and take a touch too many on receipt of the ball. While once we were the side known for closing our, opponents down we are now a side who can be closed down ourselves and from that point on we are always struggling to make anything of our attacks.
Few players will have too much to contemplate on the positive side. Given, Phelan, Staunton, Keane (until his unnecessary and, in view of his captain's role, particularly disappointing ejection from the game) and McAteer will have reason to reflect with some degree of satisfaction but for the majority of the others there must be disappointment that the chance to curry favour with a new boss was allowed to slip away.
For Townsend, at least, an early injury robbed the match of any real meaning while, Kennedy mixed some good touches and ideas with a healthy helping of naivety in defensive situations while not playing in the first team for so long must also count for something but the remaining few players will feel fortunate that McCarthy has seen them in action on considerably better days.
The failure to heed the first half's lessons was all too apparent in the early stages of the second and Kolyvanov's goal, when it came, was as predictable as the first. From that moment on the Russians began to cruise. They made changes throughout the side and began to allow us back into the game by easing up themselves. From that point on we began to enjoy a few chances but, in reality, it was merely a false dawn.
Even the receipt of a dubious looking penalty against Viktor Onopko, who had been outstanding for his side all night, could not haul us back into the game. Overall the last 20 minutes, while giving the crowd something to shout about in the cold night air, will not cloud Mick McCarthy's judgment about what was basically a pretty poor first night.
For him the enormity of the task over the next couple of years is now more clear than ever. Until the emergence or appearance of one, but preferably two, strikers blessed with the pace we so desperately need all his tactical manoeuvres amount to no more than a bit of papering over the cracks.
