The Republic of Ireland's dependence on Wes Hoolahan for creativity was never more evident than it was on Sunday.
After 70 minutes of labored, uninspiring football, the introduction of a 35-year-old suddenly saw the boys in green look like they were going to score every time they went forward. He created a chance for Daryl Murphy that really should have been converted within two minutes of being on the pitch, and the tempo of our game was drastically improved for having him around.
Before kick-off, Eamon Dunphy cut a frustrated figure as he hit out at the decision to drop Hoolahan and include Glenn Whelan in the lineup, and it turns out his former long-time RTÉ panel member and good friend John Giles feels exactly the same way.
In his regular column for the Herald [via Independent.ie], John Giles was very much of the opinion that it was two points dropped against Austria, and admitted that the was annoyed by O'Neill's lack of trust in Hoolahan.
I have to admit, I’m weary with this debate about Wes Hoolahan and annoyed that Martin O’Neill cannot see what is obvious to me and many others.
How much evidence does he need to see that Hoolahan is the best thing Ireland has and without him, the team is very, very ordinary?
This was two points dropped and it could have been an awful lot worse if Austria were half a team and had the courage of their convictions.
Giles, like Dunphy, was upset by the inclusion of Glenn Whelan and suggested that had Hoolahan been given the start instead we would have played better football from the word go.
Instead of starting the game on the front foot with Hoolahan doing what he does best and putting Ireland firmly on the offensive, O’Neill chose Glenn Whelan as a holding midfielder and told his players to hit long balls.
This was agricultural stuff and handed the initiative to Austria.
When Hoolahan came on, everything changed. Suddenly, there was a way through to goal and suddenly, the Austrian defence looked like it might give one up every time the ball came anywhere near their penalty area.
He's certainly got a point, although from the positions occupied for the first hour it seems that Jeff Hendrick was given the nod over Hoolahan, and that Whelan and Arter were always going to be partnered in midfield to offer protection to the back four.
The form of the Burnley man has been concerning in recent internationals, which again made Hoolahan look like a far more attractive option for many of the fans and pundits alike.
It seems crazy that we're still having this debate with Wes at 35 years old, and you'd have to imagine we won't see that much more of him, but it's getting harder and harder to ignore the influence he has when he does get to play.
