Hoolahan and McGeady the key men who can cause Scotland problems

Decisions, decisions. A damp squib is better than the fire and brimstone of 1995 but this scoreless draw with England proves the overall plan and shape shouldn’t be exposed by Scotland’s visit to Dublin next Saturday evening.

Now, who to pick, where to play them and how to set up to get the three points against Gordon Strachan’s settled side.

The mind games of the former Celtic manager have already begun. Good look climbing into Martin O’Neill’s head. He’s unreadable.

Still, I’ll give it a go.

Wesley Hoolahan carried a niggle into the camp last week so they seem happy to run him at training and hope to see his sharpness returning by tomorrow.

I would accommodate Wesley behind Shane Long simply because he links play like nobody else in the squad. He can deliver that defence-splitting pass that was lacking yesterday. He's our man.

Tough call

That makes it a decision between who to leave out from Aiden McGeady, James McClean and

Jon Walters

. That’s a desperately tough call. I feel McGeady, after the vitriol showered upon him at his boyhood club last November, should be trusted to run the Scots ragged in Dublin. His present-day home patch.

He was crossing with both feet here, almost skinning Gary Cahill, seemingly trying to prove a point. I think he did.

That leaves it between McClean and Walters. Roy Keane will surely have a say. That would be a great fly on the wall scenario – Roy and Martiin discussing the Irish midfield plan.

McClean may be damaged by his own impact off the bench against Poland and England. That’s a tempting weapon to launch after half-time. Also, Walters looks in great shape. He seems rested yet sharp after the Premier League season.

The McClean-Hoolahan-McGeady holy trinity puts too much emphasis on an attacking strategy, which may be punished by Scotland’s proven ability to counter- attack (as seen in Germany).

And what does O'Neill think about Robbie Keane at this stage of his career? Again, he seems of greater value in the last 15 minutes when we need a goal. No better man to turn to.

Nor would I go with Walters and Long as two battering rams up front.

We need to get amongst the Scots by targeting Steven Naismith and Shaun Maloney. They had the run of us in Glasgow. Someone needs to hassle them. There has to be a plan that includes Glenn Whelan and Marc Wilson with John O'Shea marking the striker.

What we can be sure about is the Ireland XI that lost 1-0 to Scotland will be much changed. There could be six different faces in the side. We were favourites that night but they out played us man for man. We must flip that around.

I think Shay Given will be in goal. Wilson appears to have done enough to partner O’Shea at centre half even though he’s almost guaranteed to make one mistake on the ball every match.

O'Neill seems ready to trust Robbie Brady. He is still adjusting to life as an international left back and probably needs more time with McGeady (or McClean), to develop a greater understanding, but his set piece delivery, intelligence on the ball and range of passing makes him worth the risk. He has easily been Hull City's best player every time I go to see them play.

Brady’s still a defender that can be exposed but his strengths out weigh the obvious weakness. He’s like a great fighter, with all the tools, and a glass jaw. His talent is worth the risk.

Midfield? With Long on his own up front it means we have the nailed down pair of James McCarthy and Glenn Whelan releasing McGeady on the left and Walters drifting right.

Valued target

So Hoolahan slots in behind. There is a fluidity to all this as McGeady can pop up in the middle or right wing. Hoolahan can drift wide as well to cause Scotland problems. Walters can barrel through the middle and remains a valued target for Brady to aim for from set piece.

It means we start the game with a genuine intent to attack. I wouldn’t like to have to tell McClean though. He doesn’t deserve to be benched.

He seems like a mature enough man to channel his anger into the last half hour. Remember his introduction against Poland? Somebody Scottish will pay.

This is a healthy debate though.

Now all we need is the type of controlled fury delivered by Scotland against us. Payback time.