Finnan losing fitness battle
He returned to Liverpool for further treatment on the thigh injury he picked up in the Champions' League Final. "I doubt if he is going to be fit for the weekend," manager Brian Kerr admitted. "He hadn't been back at Liverpool since the day after the Champions' League final and I felt it was important for them to have a look at him and start the rehab there. He still has some chance but he has a lot to do to be ready for Saturday he's got to start running, kicking, jumping."
Norwich's Gary Doherty, who can play at the back or upfront, jarred a knee in training at Malahide but declared himself fit. Certainly Kerr could do without losing any further defensive cover, with Stephen Carr, Gary Breen, Richard Dunne and Alan Maybury already out of the game and Finnan now almost certain to follow suit.
While Kerr could move John O' Shea across to the right back position and re-introduce Ian Harte at left back after an 18 month absence, there is also a strong possibility that he might opt for Blackburn's Steven Reid to start on the right.
"Steven played for Millwall in the full back position a fair bit and he did a very good job on Sunday (in the Jackie McNamara testimonial)," said Kerr.
"He looked very comfortable there. It's disrupting to lose so many players from the one area of the pitch but I wouldn't make a cowboy picture out of it. We've got a good defensive record no matter who's played for us."
Also occupying Kerr's thoughts are his central midfield options where, in the absence of the suspended Roy Keane; Matt Holland and Graham Kavanagh would seem to be the ones in contention for a place alongside Kevin Kilbane.
"We've got a good squad and it's such a fine line between so many of the players now," said Kerr. "Each decision is hard but I'm watching the training very closely, as I watched the match closely on Sunday and I've watched it again since. I want to see exactly how right people are or aren't.
"There was a great buzz about the session this morning great vigour, intensity, passion and desire. And confidence as well. There was no holding back. That's all part of making the last couple of decisions but I've got to wait on the injury thing as well."
Reflecting on the drawn game in Tel Aviv following which the Irish team was criticised for not capitalising on early dominance Kerr continues to insist that many have simply underestimated the Israeli team.
"I knew what to expect, the players knew what to expect (in Tel Aviv)," he said. "The media may have been caught on the hop they may not have been delving into Israeli football as deeply as they were into Irish football. We know that they've a never-say-day die attitude, are a strong physical team, and are confident in their own ability. They have been able to pull matches out of the fire in the group. So there was nothing that really surprised me in terms of learning anything new. They have had good results so far, drawing with us, Switzerland and France twice, and they have a chance in the group with four games to go two of them against the Faroes."
Kerr seemed a little taken aback at a question which wondered if the Irish might play with more "confidence" and attacking "flamboyance" than they had shown in Tel Aviv.
"What do you mean by flamboyance?" he replied. "We have no problem with confidence. Have a look at the game again to see we played with confidence and that we attacked most of the game. We had a lot of possession and we moved it around well, although we didn't create as many chances as we would have liked. On Saturday, I would expect us to play with the same vigour and style that has been successful for us up to now. And has been for Irish teams at home.
"But we can't throw the baby out with the bathwater and dismiss the opposition. Teams that do that get done. I'm sure the fans will have looked at the table and realised that if Israel haven't lost a match out of six they're not going to be easily beaten in this one.
"The points that they've earned they've earned well. And it may take a long time in the game to get the breakthrough that we want."
But it's still a game Ireland should win?
"To get through in tournaments you generally get most of your points in the home games. We've won the two home games so far, so it is a game we should win. It's a crucial game in the group particularly from our point of view. Absolutely crucial."
Newcastle United boss Graeme Souness is expected in Dublin on Saturday to run the rule over Israel playmaker, Yossi Benayoun, while there were reports that their goalkeeper, Dudu Awat, has picked up a knock in training, though it's not yet clear whether his elbow injury will prove to be serious.
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