If we didn't know it for certain before, last night's defeat against Greece confirmed that Stephen Kenny was coming towards the end of his reign as Ireland manager. The performance was abysmal, and while the game against Gibraltar means very little in the grand scheme of things, the fans deserve to see the players show a bit of pride in Faro.
This is a fixture that Ireland should win comfortably, although recent form would leave you nervous about the prospect of an embarrassing result. Introducing some young and hungry players might be a way to combat that fear, something Kenny must consider.
With that in mind, and sticking with the 4-2-3-1 formation used last night, here's the team we would like to see selected against Gibraltar.
Ireland Team We Want Against Gibraltar
GK: Gavin Bazunu
Bazunu made a couple of good saves in the loss to Greece, with there being little he could do about either of their goals.
He seems to have found his feet again after a difficult start to the season at club level.
RB: Festy Ebosele
Matt Doherty was incredibly poor against Greece, continuing what has been a lengthy run of poor form at club and international level. In fact, he has probably played as many minutes for Ireland as he has at club level in 2023.
In contrast, Ebosele has come on in leaps and bounds after getting into the Udinese side. A game against Gibraltar seems like the ideal time to give him his first international start.
CB: Nathan Collins
It was strange to see Nathan Collins taken off at halftime against Greece considering his form for Ireland over the last 18 months, even if he did have a part to play in conceding both goals.
He will be the lynchpin of the Ireland defence for years to come and it would be interesting to see how he performed in a back four.
CB: Liam Scales
With this campaign all but over, it makes absolutely no sense to persist with Shane Duffy in the Ireland defence. The move to recall him in the first place was an odd one, and while he was played okay last night, youth needs to be prioritised over the next few games.
Liam Scales showed flashes on the ball against Greece, and even if he did struggle at times, he should be given the opportunity to start alongside Collins. Their ball-playing ability would be a big bonus in a game where you would expect the Irish to have the vast majority of possession.
LB: Ryan Manning
Stephen Kenny's hesitancy to use Ryan Manning over the last couple of years has been strange, with the Galway man being one of Ireland's better players after coming on last night.
His ability to create chances is a big bonus at left back, especially against Gibraltar.
CM: Josh Cullen
Josh Cullen was often left to defend the middle of the pitch by himself against the Greeks, something he did admirably considering the circumstances.
He remains a nailed on selection in the first choice XI despite his patchy form this season.
CM: Will Smallbone
Will Smallbone was arguably Ireland's most creative player against Greece, so it seemed an odd decision to take him off in the second half.
We have him in a slightly deeper position in this team, a role he has filled for Southampton this season.
RM: Chiedozie Ogbene
Ogbene was Ireland's only real attacking threat against Greece, causing quite a few problems down the right flank during the first half.
This system arguably suits him more than the 3-5-2 or 3-4-3 that the team has used over the last couple of years.
CAM: Jamie McGrath
This is a more outside the box option, but giving McGrath an opportunity is something that should be considered. He has usually performed well at international level and has the potential to provide the creativity that this team so often lacks in the final third.
He has also been playing well at Aberdeen this season, having a couple of goals to his name already.
LM: Mikey Johnston
Despite playing no club football at all this season, Mikey Johnston looked very sharp after coming on for the final quarter against Greece. His dribbling ability is something nobody else in the squad possesses, offering another type of creativity in dangerous areas.
You would imagine that he would get plenty of joy in Gibraltar.
ST: Evan Ferguson
Evan Ferguson was very quiet against Greece, but that was largely down to a lack of service.
He is clearly Ireland's best striker and you would fancy him to bag a goal or two in this fixture.
The Team In Full
This would be four changes to the team that lost to Greece, introducing a bit more youth to the side in the place of underperforming experienced players.
Considering the team's form during this campaign, such changes would be long overdue.
SEE ALSO: The Night The Stephen Kenny Era Finally Died
