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Shane Duffy of Republic of Ireland reacts after conceding his side's second goal
BE OURSELVES

‘Ireland can still make Euro 2020 – but they need to be themselves, warts and all’

IRELAND can still make Euro 2020 – but they need to be themselves, warts and all.

Because pretending to be something they are not cost them the chance of already securing their place.

 Shane Duffy of Republic of Ireland reacts after conceding his side's second goal
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Shane Duffy of Republic of Ireland reacts after conceding his side's second goalCredit: Sportsfile

A 2-0 defeat to Switzerland in Geneva puts it all on next month’s clash with Denmark in the Aviva Stadium.

With Denmark facing Gibraltar before then, they will likely to be coming to Dublin needing a draw when Ireland will need a win.

It is something that is okay by boss Mick McCarthy.

He has said it is a position he would take all along so it is a case of “F the begrudgers” – as he said in the build-up – who say Ireland could and should be in a better position.

But the lesson of last night is that, if Ireland are to make the Euros, it is going to be by being Ireland rather than the last week when they spent too much time mimicking their opponents.

GEORGIA RESULT WAS COSTLY

McCarthy spoke of the need for Ireland to keep possession against Georgia because it is what they do, and then watched his team fail to even do that.

Georgia are not very good. There is a reason they are ranked 91st in the world. But Ireland made them look like world beaters.

Then Ireland went local again last night as they tried to fit-in in uber-rich Geneva by doing as the Swiss do and playing a 3-5-2 formation.

Geneva has signs for Swiss tailoring everywhere. But, with Ireland, it was the emperor’s new clothes.

Or old clothes actually as Mick McCarthy has been here before. 3-5-2 was his formation when he took the Ireland job for the first time in 1996 before being jettisoned when they “had a Macedonia.”

And it was laid bare once again.

WING BACKS DID NOT WORK

Seamus Coleman and James McClean never looked comfortable at wing backs under Martin O’Neill last year and, McClean, looked lost.

Coleman had the worst game of his Ireland career that led his sending off on 75 minutes when he gave away the penalty that was, mercifully, missed by Ricardo Rodriguez.

They were not the only ones struggling either. There were more balls knocked over the top for James Collins to chase than Aaron Connolly when he is clearly more suited to that role.

That the pitch was a quagmire was also not helping Ireland.

McCarthy hoped it would be forehand as he told Sky Sports, the conditions: “May give us a bit more advantage than if it were a proper bowling green.”

But it also did not help Ireland. Connolly attempted to set off on one run midway through the first half but left the ball behind him in the muck.

To be fair, it was not that bad. Two hours before kick-off when referee Szymon Marciniak was carrying out his inspection, the rain that had been pouring all day had flooded it in patches.

The official certainly did not look the look of it tip toeing around as if that would keep his trainers clean.

But with the rain easing off and ground staff removing surface water, the game went ahead.

POOR CONDITIONS

The pitch was muddy. Ireland’s performance was muck and Haris Seferovic deservedly gave Switzerland the lead.

That Ireland had gifted them possession in the build-up to the goal when, under no pressure, James McClean chipped the ball into touch highlighted how uncomfortable Ireland were playing 3-5-2.

After 28 minutes and 12 minutes after Ireland had deservedly fallen behind, the new look was ditched as Ireland got back to a 4-3-3 formation.

Straight away, Ireland looked more comfortable.

It is not pretty but it is what this team does well.

NO OPPORTUNITIES

There were still no real opportunities created from open play but that is not a problem that is not going to be solved by one manager, in one-eight game campaign.

His efforts in the last week to rectify that has produced the worst 118 minutes of his second coming – the 90 against Georgia and the opening 28 in Geneva.

Set-pieces still look the way to go and John Egan, James Collins and Shane Duffy all had opportunities from dead balls.

Ireland’s strong finish against Switzerland last month that earned a 1-1 draw – a result, remember, that now likely keeps the boys in green in the qualification hunt – was done with brute force.

Tuesday night was gearing up for another one where they huffed and they puffed until they blew the Swiss house down until the rocky foundations were undone.

COLEMAN HAD A POOR GAME

Coleman had a bad game and seemed to be targeted by Switzerland following his early booking for tangling with Granit Xhaka and the second yellow for hand ball arrived when he blocked Breel Embolo’s shot.

Darren Randolph touched Rodriquez’s penalty onto the post and it looked like it could be one of those days when Ireland could snatch an unlikely draw.

The Swiss were nervous as defending late goals has become a feature of their team in this campaign and, they knew, a draw for them would leave them needing a favour from Denmark to qualify.

But, down to ten-men, Ireland simply ran out of legs as Switzerland put some polish on their win when Shane Duffy could only turn Edimilson Fernandez shot into his own net.

Ireland are down. But they are still not out.

Euro 2020 qualification remains in their own hands – once they just be themselves against Denmark.