The Republic of Ireland will return to action this week, with Stephen Kenny's side facing into friendlies against Norway and Malta. While there is no tournament places on the line, the Irish boss will be hoping to get a couple of good performance from his side to close out 2022.
We are likely to see a number of players given an opportunity to impress across the two games, meaning it could be difficult to predict what sort of teams will start.
Despite this, this is the team we would like to see in the Norway game on Thursday evening.
The Ireland team we want vs Norway
GK: Gavin Bazunu
Gavin Bazunu has had some difficult moments during his debut season at Southampton, with the club struggling to keep clean sheets. While he has made one or two mistakes along the way, his form has been largely good.
He remains the clear first choice under Stephen Kenny and is likely to start both games this month.
CB: Nathan Collins
Nathan Collins might well be the first name on the Ireland team sheet at the moment.
He has been largely impressive in a struggling Wolves team this season, while his form at international level has been absolutely exceptional. He will likely be a mainstay in the Irish team for the next decade and already looks like a future captain.
CB: John Egan
John Egan has put together a very impressive campaign at Sheffield United. Captaining the team for long stretches, he played every single minute of the season up to this point as the club sit in the automatic promotion places in the Championship.
The defender remains a favourite under Stephen Kenny and will be part of whatever trio is selected as long as he is available.
CB: Dara O'Shea
Having taken some time to regain his full fitness after suffering that injury against Portugal last year, Dara O'Shea is getting back to his best this season. He has been a mainstay in the West Brom side, and while their results have been very poor, the Dubliner has performed to a high level.
O'Shea played well for Ireland in the September fixtures, playing the full 90 minutes in both games. It would be good to see him get another opportunity here.
RWB: Matt Doherty
Matt Doherty has found minutes hard to come by at Spurs this season, meaning he will be keen to feature in green in the days ahead.
Ireland look like a much better team when he is in it, especially in attack. In a team that often lacks width, his ability to create from out wide is a huge asset.
LWB: Robbie Brady
It will be between James McClean and Robbie Brady for this spot, with both men having valid claims for a start. It is likely that they will split the minutes over the course of the two games.
It has been fantastic to see Brady regain his form since his move to Preston, featuring in every league game up to this point. He should be given another opportunity to start here having impressed in the game against Armenia in September.
CM: Josh Cullen
Josh Cullen has been a pillar of consistency since his move to Burnley. Coming straight into the side under his former Anderlecht manager Vincent Kompany, he has played a massive role as the club moved to the top of the Championship.
He is the only player of his ilk in the Ireland squad at the moment and is a key man under Kenny.
CM: Jayson Molumby
The Ireland midfield usually looks like a much better unit when Jayson Molumby is in it. He brings a huge amount of energy to the side, hassling and harrying the opposition when out of possession.
He can lack a little bit of quality on the ball at times, but he makes up for it in other areas. He will be hoping to nail down a place in the team moving forward.
CM: Will Smallbone
Being called up to the senior squad for the first time, it would be exciting to see him brought straight into the first team. He can bring the type of creativity that has so often been lacking in the Ireland team.
He was fantastic in the U21 Euro qualifying campaign, offering a glimpse as to what he could offer at a higher level. He should be given an opportunity to show that on Thursday night.
ST: Michael Obafemi
Michael Obafemi has overcome his issues earlier in the season to become a key part of Swansea's team once again. While the goals haven't arrived at the rate they were in the second half of last season, his performance have been very good in recent weeks.
The 21-year old has been very good in his limited opportunities for Ireland and looks likely to be the first choice striker moving forward.
ST: Chiedozie Ogbene
Ogbene has had his injury issues in recent weeks, while he has played a large role for Ireland over the last couple of international windows. With Troy Parrott and Adam Idah unavailable and other striking options lacking form, you would expect to see him start against Norway.
His partnership with Obafemi has the potential to be an exciting one, one that would not lack in pace and explosiveness.
The Team In Full
This side would be very close to Ireland's first choice XI, with only a couple of absentees due to injury.
With changes likely to come for the Malta game, you can expect Stephen Kenny to select a strong side for the visit of the Norwegians.
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