Four points from the next two games and Ireland will be sitting pretty. Six points and, well, they will be scandalously close to automatic qualification.
Ireland may have drawn their last two home games but away wins over Moldova and Austria, and a 2-2 draw in Serbia, have them joint top of Group D.
Martin O’Neill is taking his team to Georgia this weekend and, despite injuries to the likes of Jeff Hendrick and James McCarthy, he has a strong squad of players heading to Tbilisi with him.
The main concern for O’Neill revolves around the fitness of Jon Walters. The Burnley forward sat out training on Tuesday but did take part in some of Wednesday’s session out at Malahide. Even if Walters is declared fit, we can see him stationed out on the right wing for the first half at least.
Wes Hoolahan did not start either of Ireland’s last two competitive games but we feel both he and in-form Aston Villa midfielder Conor Hourihane should partner Harry Arter around centre midfield.
Our first XI is the side we would love to see O’Neill go with from the start. Richard Keogh and Ciarán Clark at centre defence with Keiren Westwood – the best of Ireland’s three goalkeepers – in goal. Stephen Ward and Cyrus Christie are the fullbacks with James McClean and Robbie Brady further up the wings.
If Walters is fit, he leads our line with McClean, Brady, Hoolahan and Hourihane all doing their damnedest to get up in meaningful support. That leaves the likes of Aiden McGeady, Shane Long and Daryl Horgan as bench options should Ireland require an attacking thrust.
Our Ireland XI
We suspect O’Neill will once again turn to many of his trusted lieutenants with Arter getting in and being asked to replicate his assurred showing against the Austrians, in Vienna, last November.
Darren Randolph, Shane Duffy and Glenn Whelan all come in. Daryl Murphy is in scoring form for Nottingham Forest so we suspect he may edge out Shane Long, with Walters being asked to patrol a wing and get up in support as much as possible.
If this team takes to the pitch on Saturday evening, expect the Hoolahan tweets to flow.
Predicted Ireland XI
We will find out O’Neill’s team selection around 4:30pm on Saturday, about an hour before kick-off.
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