My heart says Giovanni Trapattoni’s new-look team are good enough to get something out of tonight’s game. A draw would be welcome, a win wonderful, but defeat still seems the most likely outcome. My head says the Italian’s mismanagement of players and the old world methods both he and Marco Tardelli continue to employ are leading us nowhere.

Last summer’s Euros, followed by the 6-1 pounding at home to Germany, appeared to force some change by the manager, but it doesn’t feel or look like nearly enough. History brings yet another foreboding lesson.

Trapattoni crested his managerial career by guiding Italy to the European Championships in 2004, only for the wave to break against Sweden in their second group match. It was typical Italian football, typical Trapattoni.

Having taken the lead via Antonio Cassano on 37 minutes, the catenaccio “door-bolt” came into effect. Trap made defensive decisions in the second half, replacing attacking midfielder Cassano then Gennaro Gattuso, while three minutes after Mauro Camoranesi came on for Alessandro Del Piero, that man Zlatan Ibrahimovíc back-flicked an equaliser.

Sweden and Denmark solidified Scandinavian relations by playing out a 2-2 in the last round to end Trapattoni’s reign over the Azzurri.

Same Swedes, same Ibrahimovíc, except this time the manager has already lasted a year longer than his own people would tolerate. It's crunch time tonight in Stockholm. Defeat will end realistic hopes of qualification for Brazil 2014 after just four matches.

Demise and departure
The demise and departure of Shay Given, Richard Dunne, Damien Duff and exclusion of Kevin Doyle ensures an untested Republic of Ireland side takes the field. Keith Andrews is another costly absentee. This is hardly the right night for new beginnings. I doubt the tameness of the recent home friendly win over Poland went any way to healing the mental scars of the 6-1 thrashing by Germany in October.

I’ve argued consistently, like others, against Trapattoni’s strict adherence to a 4-4-2 formation against continental opposition and their modern tactics. Even in the first half against Poland we were out-played and out-numbered with Shane Long’s attempts at helping to stymie Poland’s three-man midfield largely ineffective. Everything changed when Wes Hoolahan’s arrival on the hour, combined surprisingly with Paul Green’s impact as a half-time replacement for Glenn Whelan.

Again, tonight, it looks like Long or Robbie Keane will be deployed in the same role, dropping deep to lend a defensive hand which neither do well or consistently at club level. To see Green, Hoolahan and James McCarthy in a middle three would be encouraging, but that would break with the Trapattoni way. Yet, when we saw this trio against Poland it only served to emphasise Whelan’s lack of mobility and speed – fairly essential traits to be an international midfielder.

Sweden play close to the traditional British 4-4-2 system but recent coaches have made them more adaptable. This allows Ibrahimovíc to play behind Tobias Hysén. Their supporting cast is adequate but not spectacular. Sebastian Larsson, the Sunderland midfielder, will provide quality deliveries off set-pieces but their defence lacks pace.

However, they score goals for fun. The incredible recovery in Berlin, coming from four down to snatch a draw, shocked the football world. That and another four goals against England in November, including Ibrahimovíc's overhead kick, suggests a very good team spirit.

Close the space
Green and Whelan must ensure they close the space, in front of the Irish back four, where Ibrahimovíc will want to play in.

The abandonment of McCarthy is puzzling, but many things our manager does leaves me frustrated. James may not be physically imposing but a player who passes the ball with such guile and accuracy should be an automatic selection.

I still have doubts about David Forde while the back four in front of him have never played a competitive fixture together. All five must be excellent tonight, especially Forde, but at least the Ciaran Clark-John O’Shea partnership looks better equipped than the O’Shea-O’Dea disaster against Germany.

Robbie Brady and James McClean will have a huge job, defensively, dealing with overlapping fullbacks. Brady brings a weapon off set-pieces Irish teams have lacked since Andy Reid was in favour, but Trap likes to haul him off. I don’t think he trusts him for the nuts and bolts of the game, as shown by his hesitancy to fully support the winger yesterday and two half-time substitutions in previous matches.

This all sounds very grim. Yet Sweden are only slightly above average. We should have a bit of possession, whereby McClean’s dash, Long’s strength and Keane’s wise old head should generate chances. But I would be very enthusiastic if Hoolahan and McCarthy were being permitted to transfer their proven Premier quality to the international arena.

I’d also like to see Jon Walters while Darron Gibson, on current form, would have been a very useful alternative option. That the Swedes have qualified for 11 World Cups suggest they have always had the players and belief to get the job done.

Hopefully, I’m wrong. Hopefully, we’ll see a blood and guts performance that will allow Trap to smile upon the fourth estate once again.