Ireland v Armenia: Aerial attack is still smartest gameplan for Ireland

Armenia v Republic of Ireland, Republican Stadium Yerevan, Tuesday, 5pm Irish time - Live on RTÉ Two

After an opening World Cup qualifier that saw the Republic of Ireland launch 47 crosses into the Hungarian box in Dublin, the direction Heimir Hallgrímsson will take his team now seems obvious.

Why would Ireland deny their DNA? Why wait for Hungary, Portugal or even the lowly ranked Armenians to score the first goal before flooding the zone from all angles?

Hallgrímsson wants to turn Ireland into the most ferocious set-piece outfit in Europe. He has stocked the squad with aerial threats – chiefly Evan Ferguson, Nathan Collins and Adam Idah. The Ireland manager could potentially begin the remaining World Cup qualifiers with an aggressive 4-2-4 formation. The up-and-at-them approach had Hungary manager Marco Rossi crying foul last Saturday night in Dublin.

“He killed us in every contact,” moaned Rossi of German referee Harm Osmers. “He began to think it was a wrestling match, not a football match.”

Ireland stretched and battled for those 47 crosses. Their persistence finally secured a 2-2 draw after goals by Ferguson and Idah retrieved the latest nightmarish start to a qualification campaign.

[ Heimir Hallgrímsson backs defensive selections amid Matt Doherty criticismOpens in new window ]

“If you tactically analyse the spaces Hungary closed,” Hallgrímsson explained, “they were really compact. And as the game progressed, they got more and more into protecting the front zone.

“So, the way into the box was outside and in. That was the best way. We tried to go inside, through the middle, but it was really compact. They secured that area.

“We had first contact from 80 per cent of those crosses and should have dealt with it a little better. Did we create them problems? One hundred per cent. If we continue doing that, I think we will improve.

“I know 40-plus crosses is an unusually high number in a game but that is what we wanted to do,” he added. “We have physicality and strength in the air so it is one of the weapons. If we have 40 or more crosses in a game, we will probably score more goals. In [that] game, it didn’t happen. Are we happy with that way of playing? One hundred per cent.”

[ Ken Early: Ireland’s second-half siege of Hungary felt like something from Jack Charlton eraOpens in new window ]

Armenia are a different proposition to Hungary, sitting 67 places lower than them in the FIFA world rankings in 105th. Ireland lie in between, in 60th spot.

They have a new manager in Yegishe Melikyan, who has only coached in the Armenian league. It was from that league that he promoted 29-year-old Pyunik Yerevan goalkeeper Henri Avagyan for his third cap against Portugal on Saturday.

It showed. Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice in the 5-0 rout, a result that compels Ireland to initially target the “front zone” and pepper Avagyan with shots.

This opens up the possibility of adopting a more adventurous approach than usual. Josh Cullen is likely to protect the back four as Finn Azaz and, possibly, Chiedozie Ogbene will be encouraged to get forward.

Around 400 Irish fans are believed to have made the gruelling journey deep into the Caucasus. It was less taxing for the players as a direct, chartered flight took five hours. However, the 30 degree conditions will revive dark memories of the Nations League loss to Armenia in June 2022.

Eduard Spertsyan’s brilliant strike secured the points that day and the Russian-based attacker must be contained as much as their Argentinian-born number 10 Lucas Zelarayan.

“It hurt at the time,” said Cullen before training under a blazing sun on Monday. “But it is a new era now, we have a new mindset as a team.”

How so?

“More just the experiences we have been through as a group. We have a lot more caps. More experience of coming to places like this, knowing that we need to be as fully prepared as if we are playing one of the bigger nations. Obviously that is no disrespect to Armenia . . . we know what we need to do to get a result.”

If in doubt, flood the zone.

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