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14th October 2020
08:03pm BST
Jeff Hendrick in action against Tim Sparv of Finland during the UEFA Nations League match at Helsingin Olympiastadion in Helsinki. (Photo by Jussi Eskola/Sportsfile)[/caption]
In his past five seasons, Hendrick has scored 12 goals and made nine assists. He has scored one international goal since 2016 and it was in the abhorrent 1-0 soul-tester against Gibraltar. That is the return of a sitting centre midfielder, not the guy who is the driving force for his team's attack.
Ireland have not replaced Wes Hoolahan [when they played him] since he stepped away from international in 2017. Hendrick, as a consistent Premier League performer, has been tasked with filling that hole but there are three other options available.
Stephen Kenny [and McCarthy before him] has tasked Hendrick with being that No.10, but the way he's going, even Conor Hourihane or Robbie Brady would be better choices. Neither player is the complete answer but they would be better suited than Hendrick.
Against Finland, Hendrick did not show he was aware of the requirements of the role. He rarely showed for the ball in advanced positions and often ploughed forward, out of passing range, when his full-backs darted forward. Too often, he drifted back into the Irish half and he was careless in position in the second half. His best 10 minutes were right before Kenny withdrew him for Adam Idah.
Brady and Hourihane, as they have shown in the past, are hungry for possession. They call the ball on themselves and they want to be the problem-solvers. See Hourihane making the brave passes he did against Slovakia or Brady running at the Welsh defence before curling a shot just wide.
David McGoldrick would even be better suited to the No.10 role. He is not a prolific striker but has shown, time and again, how he can take hold of the ball just inside the opposition half and instigate attacks. McGoldrick behind a Long, Idah or Parrott would be a prospect that would put it up to opposition defences and make them uncomfortable.
And then we have Jack Byrne. Again, we are not calling him a world-beater but you have to feel he would have created a few chances for the Irish attackers and been brave enough to try one-twos and take on shots from distance.
Instead, against Finland, we had Hourihane and Molumby both tidy but none too threatening. And then we had Hendrick, a man lost in what he has been told to do and what he wants to do.
Hendrick is a good soldier. He is doing what he has been asked but, in reality, it is helping no-one.
It is time to end the Hendrick No.10 experiment and come up with a better plan in 2021.
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