It's been a while since Ireland have played an international fixture, but not so long that the below-par performances of their last two outings against Norway and Malta in November have left the memory bank.
Two games in four days during the World Cup pre-tournament international window, but it was largely uneventful from an Irish perspective as they lost to a late strike against Norway in Dublin before scraping a 1-0 victory away in Malta.
Far from inspiring, Stephen Kenny’s scouting mission to Qatar will have allowed him to draw a line under those games and start focusing on the start of the Euro 2024 qualifying campaign.
France come to Dublin on Monday night, but first up, a home tie against Latvia, shoehorned into a vacant space on the first international window of the year.
A game that many felt would disrupt an extended period of time to prepare properly for the arrival of the beaten World Cup finalists, however, in the current circumstances, the friendly fixture, albeit against one of the lowest ranked sides in Europe, is set to help more than hinder the build-up for France.
The usual chestnut of Ireland squad players lacking club football minutes once again rears its head for this gathering and as a result, the 90-minute run out will prove priceless for a few key players.
But the main benefit of the game will be to help the manager see the players who are most motivated to play their way into his thoughts for the arrival of the side that Kenny calls "the most consistent team in the world".
On top of that, Kenny will use this game to determine who can complement Evan Ferguson up front, as the teenager has spent the international dormant months moving from prospect to contender, and is now surely the number one choice to lead the line against France.
"No, I don’t really. No," said Kenny, when asked if he would have to change much tactically with Ferguson confirmed to start against Latvia.
In the absence of a tried and tested number 10 in the squad, Kenny will be looking to link Ferguson up with players that he can build a quick rapport with, and it is likely that in such a situation the young striker will be best utilised in attack, with energetic players either side of him.
Yet can Kenny afford to opt for a three-man attack against France? Is he brave enough to do so?
Questions for later in the week, no doubt, but the manager could play Michael Obafemi and Chiedozie Ogbene either side of the central striker, which could prove a real explosive option for this ever-changing Ireland team.
There will certainly be an element of continuity in the team that plays tonight and the one that lines out on Monday against France, and that will probably be spearheaded by the midfield unit, which could see Josh Cullen, Jayson Molumby and Jason Knight start both games.
In defence, with Matt Doherty confirmed as captain, it looks like both John Egan and Seamus Coleman will be rested, while Nathan Collins will be another to benefit from the additional tune-up game, having spent a long period on the bench at Wolves – he will have benefitted from his 45-minute run-out at the weekend.
The three-man defence has become Kenny’s go-to set-up, but he may be contemplating a flat back-four against France, which would allow an extra man in midfield or attack, and it was a formation that caused Didier Deschamps’ side problems at the World Cup when England’s full-backs neutralised the wide threats for large parts of the game.
Andrew Omobamidele and Dara O’Shea, coupled with the aforementioned duo of Egan and Collins show Ireland’s strength in the heart of the defence, and it may sway the manager’s decision to stick with a three for France - Coleman, of course, can also play in a three at the back.
Whether a three, four- or five-man defence, Kenny has seen welcome competition arrive on the left side with Callum O’Dowda now offering a real option, but probably still sitting just behind James McClean to start the campaign.
In goal, Kenny may give Caoimhin Kelleher more international experience, with Southampton regular Gavin Bazunu likely to start the main event on Monday night.
Elsewhere, the squad has enjoyed another boost during those barren months with the arrival of John O’Shea onto the coaching ticket.
A popular choice with players and staff alike, O’Shea’s appointment shows that Kenny is happy to bring in players with arguably a higher status in the game and someone who will challenge the manager, but ultimately improve the Ireland team overall.
"He’s been brilliant, John has great humility," said Kenny. "He gets on great with staff and players. He’s very popular.
"That’s not why we appointed him. We appointed him because he can make decisive contributions to all aspects of everything we do.
"We want him to contribute and speak his mind. We want him to disagree if he disagrees. We encourage open dialogue and we encourage debate on issues. He’s a good coach."
The manager has already confirmed that Ferguson would get his first start tonight against Latvia, and the way that Kenny was speaking about his qualities, it would not be a surprise if his name was already indelibly added to the teamsheet for Monday night.
"We are not shy about playing young players, and we haven't been shy about that," said Kenny, when asked whether age was a factor ahead of such a big game.
"When it gets to the games against France, which are important games, it’s about the impact a player can have and the level of performance.
"The age then becomes irrelevant. It’s about who’s in form and who isn’t."
Watch Republic of Ireland v Latvia in an international friendly on Wednesday from 7pm live on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player, follow a live blog on RTÉ.ie/Sport and the RTÉ News app and listen to live commentary on RTÉ Radio 1 Extra
