Selection Dilemma: Long or Keane

With many dilemmas before the big kick off, there will be no bigger headache for Martin O’Neill than whether to give the starting striker role to Shane Long or Robbie Keane.

Ireland will need goals in the side tonight and when looking for goals you need look no further than record goal-scorer Robbie Keane who possesses the impressive tally of 65 goals in 135 appearances.

Despite recently overcoming a hamstring injury, Keane says he is fit and ready to go. After his Gibraltar hat-trick the LA Galaxy man will be hoping to keep up the impressive form and Martin O’Neill will find it hard to leave him out.

The other up-front option is Shane Long, who may have got off to a poor start at Southampton but scored two goals at the weekend to give Southampton all 3 points and is sure to be full of confidence, he may not have an as impressive record as Robbie Keane but is still a threat to opposition defences.

In terms of what they offer the team, O’Neill sets up the team to be hard working and despite his great goal-scoring record, at the age of thirty-four Keane does not offer as much in terms of work rate from the front. Shane Long on the other hand is full of energy and his speed could be a massive nuisance for the Scottish defence.

It seems likely Keane will be the one who is giving the starting role although you can expect Shane Long will feature especially if Ireland are in need of a goal late on.