Former Dundalk manager Vinny Perth believes problems with the number six role in midfield are a significant factor in the Republic of Ireland's trend of conceding goals from long distance.
Stephen Kenny's side put in an impressive performance against 2022 World Cup finalists France in their opening Euro 2024 qualifier at the Aviva Stadium on Monday, losing narrowly by a single goal.
That strike came from long range via the boot of Benjamin Pavard following an errant sideways pass from Ireland's deep-lying midfielder Josh Cullen.
Since Kenny took charge two-and-a-half years ago, 10 of the 24 goals Ireland have conceded have come from outside the box, including Latvia's opening goal in last Wednesday's friendly, a match which Cullen was rested for.
Speaking last Friday in the build-up to the France game, the Ireland manager had said that his team would not become "fixated" over the issue, adding that "maybe because we're an expansive team, that if we do give away possession, it gives an opportunity to the other team to hit it from distance".
Perth, who was Kenny's assistant at Dundalk between 2013 and 2018 before taking on the managerial reins, offered his view on the long-range goals issue on this week's RTÉ Soccer Podcast and highlighted the impact of Cullen's interpretation of his role as a number six.
"We are expansive and one of the arguments people made over the weekend - I pointed this out last week about the goals from distance - (some people said), 'Oh, well Josh Cullen comes in (to the team)'. But we've conceded a lot of those goals with Josh Cullen in there," said Perth.
"My challenge with Josh Cullen is, yes he's done really well at Championship level, but his next level for me, or a player playing in that position, has to make you tick and make forward passes between the lines.
"France pressed us and they don't normally do that. They pressed us quite high, they put us under a little bit of pressure. I don't think our distribution was that good. From the goalkeeper at times, he kicked a couple out of play or back to (France) or 50:50 balls.
"We were under a little bit of pressure and your number six in modern day football needs to break the lines with his passes, whether that was firing them into (Jason) Knight or Evan (Ferguson)."
Perth said he would be surprised if the statistics showed Cullen playing more than two or three of those more penetrative forward passes.
"That's a big problem in how we play," he continued.
"It's sideways, backwards, sideways and that's fine at times. That's where you need to be careful with stats. Sometimes a backwards pass is a good pass. But when we lose that ball, we are so open."
Perth outlined that with a back three, the right and left centre-backs' wider positioning leaves space for the opposition to exploit from range when Ireland are exposed in transition after concession of the ball high up the pitch, as occured on Monday night.
He also explained that given Cullen was in "comfortable possession" of the ball before misplacing his pass, wing-backs and players further forward would have felt confident in moving up the pitch in anticipation of a pass that ultimately went straight into Pavard behind them, leaving the Irish side "on the back foot".
"That has to be a major concern for the staff," he said.
"You've got to remember, take last night in isolation, brilliant goal from Pavard and the manager will chalk that down as 'just one of them things, it's how we play'.
"But statistically, and the trend is coming, that we're conceding too many goals from distance because we're too light in that number six position and it's a massive problem and it's costing us goals and it's costing us points and performances and it doesn't reflect well on the set-up of the team."
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