Rigid system not paying off

A DISPIRITINGLY underwhelming night then. In every sense. It’s as you were for both Slovakia and Ireland in the group but, crucially, as you were for Giovanni Trapattoni’s approach.

On an evening when Ireland could have taken control of the group by also taking this game by the scruff of the neck, we saw a typically timid, tepid performance in attack. The proactive, aggressive display that was expected — and, to some degree, promised — never came. Ireland were as uninspired as ever.

The great follow-up to France 2009 still hasn’t arrived.