Spain a fearsome prospect... but hopes of a miracle linger

By Alan Smith

As the Irish players trundled off the pitch in Poznan on Sunday evening, a decent sized proportion of the Irish support started singing. Nothing strange about that, you might think, but it was the words which were surprising.

“You’ll never beat Croatia,” some bellowed out in that cheeky Irish manner. It wasn’t a pointed way of letting the team in green know they were well beaten by a superior team, it was more a realisation.

Of course everyone should have known once the draw was made that we would require a miracle to progress, but we all deserved our moment in the sun. To say the high hopes we all shared in the lead-up to the tournament became expectation for the majority would be misguided, however.

Having chased shadows against the mercurial talents of Luka Modric and company on Saturday night, Irish fans were left in little doubt. Getting a result, never mind actually qualifying, was always going to require something extra-special.

That Ireland have never beaten a team higher in the rankings competitively since Trap took over speaks for itself.

However, the hope remains. To a lesser extent perhaps, but there’s certainly a belief within the Irish camp that they can overcome the greatest team in the world, a side that would become immortalised globally if they went on to win this tournament.

Spain, despite the baffling strikerless formation which Vincent del Bosque employed in their draw with Italy on Sunday afternoon, remain the most fearsome prospect in international football. Take a scan through their squad and you’ll be met by some of the great aristocrats of the modern game.

When you throw into the mix that they need a result themselves following the 1-1 stalemate with the Azzurri, things start to look a lot more difficult for Ireland.

For the first time in a very long while, however, there’s some mystery surrounding what Irish team would play. A fortnight before the Croatia game, every man and his dog knew what Irish team would line-out barring injuries.

Tonight, though, we’ll have to wait until an hour before the game to find out who starts.

Simon Cox instead of Kevin Doyle was one rumour doing the rounds from credible sources earlier this morning. Another was that Robbie Keane would be dropped to the bench – something that seems a tad misjudged going on yesterday’s pre-match press conference, where the Tallaght man stated he’d be willing to drop deep or play as a lone striker if required to.

He said: “It depends on what the manager is thinking. We have had a chat and will speak again after training and see the situation of certain players.

“If that is the situation, that I do play as a lone striker, that is something I’ve done plenty of times before.

“It is obviously different to what I am used to, but it is something I enjoy doing. You have to play more on the shoulder and try to get in behind defenders.

“If the manager does decide to do that, it is something I would be very happy to do for the team.”

Most likely is that Trap will pack the midfield in an attempt to cut off the supply from Xavi and Xabi Alonso and then look to play on the break. It will require a much improved performance from Aiden McGeady, who, apart from the delivery for Sean St Ledger’s goal on Sunday, was quite poor.

Defensively, Ireland are likely to remain the same but with Spain expected to make some changes too, it’s going to be a very difficult test for the central partnership of Richard Dunne and St Ledger.

On a half dozen occasions last night during their own pre-match press conference, del Bosque refused to give any hints about what team he’ll send out. On the sixth and final occasion, he admitted he has picked the team – but still wouldn’t utter a word to the press.

It had been said that Spain believe this is their easiest game of the group – taking off the green-tinted specs and looking at it on paper, it most certainly is – but the La Roja manager is also aware of Ireland’s ‘weapons’.

“I know they have lots of weapons and not only with high balls. They have tall players and we have players who have played against them in the Premier League who know all about them. (Kevin) Doyle, for example, is very dangerous and they are very good as individuals. They are aggressive so we will have to be careful and play a good match but I hope that we will win and dominate the game.”

An Irish win would be the team's finest hour but it will require some akin to a miracle.

Verdict: Spain 2-0 Ireland