Martin O'Neill's side have come under fire for the way they played during the first leg of their World Cup play-off with Denmark.
Despite coming away with a 0-0 draw and having home advantage for the second leg on Tuesday night, the display in Copenhagen has been widely criticised for its negativity.
However, former Republic of Ireland internationals Stephen Hunt and Jason McAteer believe O'Neill got the result he wanted, and won't care about the display.
Speaking to Off the Ball's Joe Molloy, the former Liverpool player said: "I think we're better than the media make us out to be. We've got some talent in the team but you've got to manage a two-legged play-off...and to go away from home, it's alright saying the advantage is with us because we play the second leg at home, but if you get beat three or four-nil in an away first leg...you've got to stay in the game. You've got to give yourselves the opportunity."
"We are very, very organised - very committed and disciplined in the way we shape up and defend," McAteer added. "We can do it very, very well. We were always going to go away from home and make it very awkward for the Danes to score," he added.
Looking ahead to the return leg, Hunt thinks the Danes will be a different prospect because Irelandwill have to go at them.
"Now the table turns a little bit," he said. "Denmark will have a bit more space to play because we will be pressing. It'll be different for them too.
"Their shackles will be off a little bit without the home pressure, so we'll have something different to deal with."
We'll have live commentary of Ireland's crucial playoff on Off the Ball on Tuesday night, and will be dissecting the result - whatever it may be - on Off The Ball: am on Wednesday morning.
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