The point Brian Kerr made about team shape and leaving things to chance was a key narrative to touch on when we were joined by Richard Dunne to discuss Ireland's horrendous result at the hands of Denmark in the 2018 FIFA World Cup playoff second leg.
How much work is done on team shape in the Ireland setup before and between games is unclear but one way or another a lack of fluidity and a sense of uncertainty emanate from some of the performances of the players.
"All the players play different formation at club level," said ex-Ireland defender Dunne on that point of having a knowledge of different shapes and formations.
"So they all understand how to play different formations, so I think that's a very easy excuse to say we've not worked on it because whether it is at club level. They know how to play formations.
"The problem, and it looks like, is a fear. They look terrified and they don't want to make a mistake and they just think as long as the ball's far up the pitch as possible, we're not going to concede, and 'that's our best option' and it just seems Robbie Brady doesn't get involved in the game, Jeff Hendrick finds it very difficult to get involved in the game and Harry Arter plays a completely different game to what he plays at Bournemouth. And they'd be three decent ball players for us but we don't get them involved in the game because we just tell them to get it forward."
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