Challenge facing new Ireland manager is how best to use captain Katie McCabe
Republic of Ireland manager Carla Ward during a squad session at Bonifka Stadium in Koper ahead of the Nations League game against Slovenia. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/InphoKatie McCabe was listed up front beside Kyra Carusa in a 3-5-2 line up. The information, for media consumption, was misleading. Ward went with a 4-1-4-1 as, yet again, the second highest Irish goalscorer with 29 goals in 94 caps started at left back.
The prematch team sheet suggested the Irish captain would finally be used the way Wales got 40 goals and 22 assists out of Gareth Bale – a left back who transformed himself into a central forward or coming off the right when bagging 10 goals as the Welsh qualified for Euro 2016 before ultimately reaching the semi-final of the tournament.
Sheva, Anna Patten and Heather Payne are injury concerns for Tuesday’s game while Liverpool’s Leanne Kiernan is out with a calf issue. It’s a start. After Friday’s unimpressive showing on a torn-up surface in Tallaght, it was put to Campbell that people possess plenty of evidence to dispute her belief that Ireland can play ball.
Necla Kiragasi’s side want Ireland to abandon their previous reliance on set piece and breaking ball. Like Turkey, they will press high and seek to punish errors.
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