Match philosophy
Dundalk is the back-to-back title holders in Ireland and also sits atop the league table in a season that is nearing its end. Head Coach Stephen Kenny is the man responsible for the changes in the club that up until four years ago were languishing in league play. The 44-year old not only changed the way the players performed on the pitch but also instituted a philosophical change as well. The Irish squad plays a 4-5-1 formation both in league and European action as Kenny’s side actually enjoys controlling the ball and the tempo of the game with the defenders relying much less on sending long balls to the striker.
In reality, if you analyze the system in place it works more like a 4-2-3-1 where the two defensive midfielders play very close to the central defenders. In their first Europa League group stage match against AZ Alkmaar, the Dutch side had a very small advantage in ball possession while in the qualification round versus Legia Warsaw the Lilywhites dictated the pace of the game. Maccabi can take advantage of this statistic as the Irish outfit loses possession deep in their territory and with a bit of ball pressure the Yellow & Blue may see some fruits from their labor.
The Irish version of Tal Ben Chaim
Damien Duff & Philippe Coutinho. These are the two players that the journalists like to compare Daryl Horgan to. The 24-year old plays the wing for Stephen Kenny’s crew and at 1.80 meters he has terrific speed, quickness and technique with a not too bad shot that has led to seven league goals and five assists.
The Maccabi players will have to keep a keen eye on the winger who plies his trade on the left side of the pitch. Against Alkmaar, Horgan registered five successful dribbles. Check out the highlight package to see some of Horgan’s moves for yourself.
Striker in the hole
David McMillan is another Irishman that the Yellow & Blue will have to keep tabs on. Dundalk’s striker in the hole has scored 15 goals and leads the league in this category. McMillan’s left foot is lethal but this true number 9 also has a wonderful head game. To get a complete understanding as to how this striker ranks up there with the rest of Europe’s strikers, then just take a look at the goal scoring leaders during Europa League qualification as he tops the list tied with three other players who scored five goals a piece.
The small details
- Dundalk’s captain, Stephen O’Donnell won’t be available for tonight’s match due to a red card that he received against Alkmaar. It will be interesting to see who will take the leadership role as the defensive midfielder was an important piece to the Dundalk defensive scheme.
- Daryl Horgan may be fleet footed on offense but the Yellow & Blue may want to check him out on the defensive side where his percentages are low when battling for the ball.
- The Irish outfit won’t enjoy the advantage of their home ground but instead will be playing in Dublin at the home of Shamrock Rovers. If you are familiar with the name, you may recall that back in 2010, Bnei Yehuda played at the same Tallaght Stadium.
