It's stating the obvious to say Heimir Hallgrimsson's main task as Republic of Ireland head coach is to make the team harder to beat.
However, the back line is not his biggest concern in that regard.
If you want to avoid losing games, scoring goals helps - and that's a much tougher fix than solidifying a defence.
In their last 14 games, the Boys in Green have found the net 14 times, which doesn't sound too bad until you note that seven of them came in two games against Gibraltar.
Seven goals in 12 (and that includes a 3-0 win in Luxembourg) is a better reflection of Ireland's creative struggles, and it's something that has to change if they are to enjoy a good Nations League or harbour any genuine hope of making the 2026 World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the USA.
Set-pieces are, and always will be, a massively important part of the game and there should be no shame in trying to maximise the advantages Ireland have in that area - tall, strong players who are good in the air.
But an over-reliance on frees and corners is unhealthy; simply put, the Boys in Green need more of an X-factor.
So much expectation has been placed on the young shoulders of Evan Ferguson, whose progress last season was hindered by injury problems and a loss of form.
It's common for a young player to go through the sort of campaign Ferguson endured in 2023/24 as the body continues to develop and opposing defences start to suss you out.
He has too much ability to stay out of the Brighton and Hove Albion side for long once he gets back up to speed, but the 19-year-old hasn't played since March and Hallgrimsson might feel throwing him into the fray against England on Saturday evening is just too big an ask.
So what are the alternatives?
Perhaps salvation lies in Portman Road. Premier League new boys Ipswich Town are building their own Irish army, having signed Sammie Szmodics, Chiedozie Ogbene and Dara O'Shea in the summer. Irish-eligible Jack Taylor and Marcus Harness are also on the books there, though they have yet to be capped.
Certainly Ogbene and Szmodics will carry a big responsibility against England and Greece in the coming week. There were positive signs in the scoreless draw against Belgium last March when the pair played off Ferguson really well at times.
Adam Idah is the man who will likely lead the line against the English, with Szmodics potentially playing behind him and Ogbene stationed wide.
Ogbene has been consistently excellent for his country, and Szmodics has shown enough in his four caps to date to suggest he can take at least a fraction of his club goal-scoring exploits on to the international stage.
He bagged 27 goals in the Championship last season with Blackburn, a brilliant return, and he's already off the mark in the Premier League with Ipswich having squeezed home their goal in a 4-1 loss to Manchester City.
Szmodics knows how to find the net; just how advanced he'll be against England and the Greeks remains to be seen.
The inclusion of Leicester City man Kasey McAteer could be significant too. McAteer is mostly used as a winger with the Foxes but he has operated in several positions, including as a No 10 where - interestingly - Hallgrimsson has used him in training this week.
"In training I've been playing on the wing, or in the middle, in the 10 role, but like I said I’ll play wherever the gaffer wants to play for me," said McAteer who scored six goals in 22 Championship appearances for Leicester last season.
"I'll always give my best for the country and hopefully I can deliver the things I can bring to the team."
Cardiff City's Callum Robinson comes into camp buoyed by his derby equaliser against Swansea City a couple of weeks ago, while Troy Parrott is hopefully happy and settled now he's made a permanent move from Tottenham to AZ Alkmaar.
Parrott's decision to head to the Netherlands on loan at Excelsior last year may prove the turning point in his career - he racked up 17 goals and five assists in a side that suffered relegation.
In truth, talk of how Ireland can hurt England sounds fanciful when you compare the two squads. Lee Carsley is without Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden, Ollie Watkins and Cole Palmer for the trip to Dublin but will still travel with an embarrassment of riches.
In their last three major tournaments England have made two finals and a quarter-final. The last time Ireland made it to the quarters of a World Cup you could buy a pint and a packet of crisps for less than two punts.
Our fortunes have faded just as England have seriously gotten their house in order. Pretty much from the moment he got the gig Hallgrimsson has been gently dropping truth bombs around Irish hopes against the Three Lions.
Greece at home the following Tuesday is the game Ireland are really targeting.
But a spirited showing with a few moments of attacking thrust would at least offer some encouragement that Hallgrimsson has the means to get the wheels moving in the right direction. Two Tractor Boys could hold the key to the ignition.
Watch Republic of Ireland v England in the UEFA Nations League on Saturday from 4pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app and listen to commentary on RTÉ Radio 1.
