Hoolahan's Short Turnaround

Following Ireland's loss to Poland in the final game in UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying Group D, the focus turned on why the players were not able to reproduce the performance from the previous game at home to Germany. Chief among the reasons given was the absence of Norwich playmaker Wes Hoolahan from the starting XI.

In a pre match interview with RTE's Tony O'Donoghue, manager Martin O'Neill stated that the player had told him that he was not fit to start the game, and had been carrying a heel injury going into the Germany game.

At 33, Hoolahan is very much in the autumn of his career, and rarely completes ninety minutes in two consecutive games in such a short turnaround. We have to go back to December 2011 to find the last time he completed two games in four days, when a then 29 year old Hoolahan faced Tottenham Hotspur on the 27th, with compatriot Anthony Pilkington coming off the bench, before lining out alongside Pilkington against Fulham on the 31st.

To find the last time he played two games in three days, we have to go back more than 22 months, to February 2010 when Hoolahan completed 90 minutes against Southampton on the 20th and Southend on the 23rd in League One. In this pair of games, Hoolahan was joined in the starting XI by Donegal's Gary Doherty.

September 2015 Stats

Irish Abroad players appearance statistics for September 2015: http://irish-abroad.appspot.com/MonthlyStats?month=9

Wins

Everton's James McCarthy was the only midfielder to win three games in September, but defenders Joe Shaughnessy, Daniel Devine, Paul McShane, Cyrus Christie and Richard Keogh all finished on the winning side three times. No striker managed the feat.

Draws

In the same month defender Greg Cunningham returned to the Ireland squad, he started three games that finished all square. In addition, all three games were at home.

Losses

Three was also the magic number for losses, with John O'Shea, Alan McCormack, Stephen Gleeson, Alan Judge and Samir Carruthers all starting three losses in September.

 

Starts/Completed Games

Stephen Gleeson started the most games in September, the Birmingham midfielder was named in the starting XI for his side six times, and went on to completed 90 minutes in each one.

 

Substitutions/Introductions

Cardiff City striker Joe Mason was substituted three times in September, twice at home and once away, while Derby County midfielder Jeff Hendrick was introduced from the bench three times.

 

Stayed on bench

Goalkeeper Jack Bonham was named on the substitutes bench five times in September, without being introduced, while outfield players Stephen Ward and Sean Kavanagh started and finished four games on the bench.

 

Goals

Jonathan Walters, Shane Long, Joe Mason and Adam Rooney only needed two strikes to top the scoring charts in September. Rooney and Mason's goals led to wins for their sides, and both of Rooney's strikes came from the penalty spot.

 

Discipline

Alan McCormack was booked three times in his five games in September, all of which came at home.