Big Aviva crowd could do with Michael Obafemi bagging his third international goal of the year
Ireland manager Stephen Kenny downplayed the chances of Ferguson being capped tonight or in Malta on Sunday as much as he has talked up Callum O’Dowda’s recent form for Cardiff City. That indicates a slight adjustment to the current 3-5-2 approach, with Chiedozie Ogbene and O’Dowda sitting behind Obafemi.
“It is premature, he has come in early, he hasn’t played that many games for Brighton’s first team,” said Kenny, before telling us what he really thinks of Ferguson. “We rate him highly, he has come through the underage international teams and he has been very, very good: he is a different profile to the strikers we have. He is strong and aggressive in the air, he scores different types of goals, headed goals. He is someone who has achieved a lot in his tender years.
Jason Knight’s absence — this international window is not official enough for League One club Derby County to release the midfielder — means Kenny might put Jayson Molumby alongside Ireland’s footballer of the year Josh Cullen, with Matt Doherty and Robbie Brady as wing backs. Norway come without two strikers, Haaland and Aelxander Sorloth of Real Sociedad, with 35 international goals between them, and while Arsenal’s Martin Ødegaard will lead from midfield, the Irish players may feel the need to reward their patient and loyal supporters with an end of year performance in Dublin to atone for the mini-collapse against Armenia last September.
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