City committed to all out attack
The eircom League leaders bid to progress to the last 64 of the UEFA Cup after leaving Sweden with a valuable 1-1 draw in the first leg at the Rasunda Stadium in Stockholm a fortnight ago, placing the onus on Djurgarden to score tonight.
City manager Damien Richardson knows he could send his team out to play for the scoreless draw which would send the Leesiders through on away goals to tomorrow’s draw for the first round proper but he insisted such a policy was not only dangerous but totally against the grain.
“In many respects you’d be better off knowing you have to do something at home,” Richardson said. “To need a goal at home makes your objective much more straightforward. A no score draw would suit us but it would fly in the face of who both teams are. If you look at the records of both teams, both score goals in almost every game, so I would suggest that a no score draw is the least likely outcome.
“If we went out looking for a no score draw it would be a dangerous gamble on my part to try and ask the players to be careful and unadventurous. If we were and something happened we would find it very difficult to pick up the threads and play our normal game. So we’ll play our normal game, go out and do things our way and, win, lose or draw, I want us to be ourselves and have confidence in our ability. Anything else would counter-productive and bad management. We only play a certain way and that’s the only way we should play.
“The element of surprise has gone. I think we took them by surprise to a certain extent in the first leg. They know what they’ve got to do, they know they have to do something tangible if not substantial.
“Equally I’m under no illusions. The players proved in the first leg that they’re a good team and that they deserve to be on this stage, at this level of European competition. For the next step I’ll be asking them to prove they have the nerve to take the situation here and turn it to their advantage. “I don’t want any fear, or any inferiority, doubt or uncertainty. I want them acclimatised to the game and playing full of confidence.”
Richardson has no injury or suspension concerns to affect his selection, but playmaker George O’Callaghan should return to central midfield having missed the first leg through suspension and he will pose Djurgarden some fresh problems.
“They have seen him play because they mentioned before the first game the fact he was out. So they’re aware of his talents. To have someone like George who didn’t play in the first leg and is of such a calibre is obviously very good for us. So I’ve a difficult decision to make.”
Should he opt to bring O’Callaghan in, Joe Gamble would most likely switch to the right side of midfield with Roy O’Donovan making way. Behind them, though, the City defence looks set for another difficult evening. Richardson was full of praise for the Swedes’ passing and movement in Stockholm and skipper Dan Murray was also impressed.
“That was probably the biggest test we’ve had in Europe and they’re the best team we’ve played in Europe,” Murray said. “Everyone really concentrated on doing their job properly. They keep the ball really well but so do we and we’ll be looking to those same concentration levels and the same intensity.”
City’s 3-1 away loss to Derry on Friday will provide motivation, said Richardson. “Everybody’s raring to go. The defeat last Friday has raised a few hairs on people and, as most professional footballers do, they are looking forward to getting back into action and putting things right. A game like this has come at the right time for us. We’re looking forward to it immensely.”
: M Devine, N Horgan, A Bennett, D Murray - captain, D Murphy, J Gamble, G O’Halloran, G O’Callaghan, L Kearney, N Fenn, J O’Flynn.
: P D Tourray, M Concha, F Stenman, T Kuivasto, M Johannesson - captain, J Arneng, N Rasck, T Hysen, I Ba, J Kusi-Asare, D Sjolund.
: Luc Wilmes, Luxembourg.
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