Jason Knight Ireland players must step up to fill Evan Ferguson void
Jason Knight admits Ireland must learn not to depend on the firepower of Evan Ferguson, their rising star goalscorer ruled out of this Euro qualification double-header.
The striker scored against Latvia and Gibraltar, plus set up the equaliser for Nathan Collins in Greece, but a knee injury sustained after scoring his first Premier League hat-trick on Saturday was deemed by FAI medical staff to warrant his withdrawal on Tuesday.
Versatile Knight, this season inhabiting the Championship again after moving from Derby County, has bagged just one goal over his 20 caps but the problematic area is further forward in attack.
Adam Idah is on a single goal too while Will Keane and Aaron Connolly have blanks from a combined dozen outings.
They will be expected to step up in Ferguson’s absence, for goals are imperative against the French and Dutch to rescue Ireland’s qualification tilt.
"That's a bit unfair,” he contended about the notion of Ferguson being the sole threat.
“Evan is doing really, really well, scoring a great hat-trick for Brighton at the weekend, but we've got the boys who can put him in good goalscoring opportunities and others who can score goals as well.
"So, it's not all on Evan. He's a main part of the team but it's not all on him. We've got to score goals from other areas too.”
Knight’s primary task at Parc des Princes entails stopping goals, specifically the supply chain and impeccable finishing prowess from Kylian Mbappé. Séamus Coleman’s injury-enforced absence, coupled with the suspension of Matt Doherty, deprives Stephen Kenny of his two preferred options for right wing-back.
He could opt to assign one of his centre-backs, such as Dara O’Shea, to that station but Alan Browne and Knight have been redeployed from their midfield berths to deputise during the manager’s reign.
In contrast to the last game against minnows Gibraltar, Knight will be busy against the French, should he get the nod but he’s up for the challenge of trying to shackle arguably the best player in the world.
“I wouldn’t say no,” was his response to the proposition, noting the change of initiative.
“As a player you want to play in the big games against the best players. It would be a great opportunity but I’m not the manager so whatever happens, happens.
“We’d a lot of the ball against Gibraltar, as we’d want against France as well, but there’ll be moments when we don’t.
“It would be wrong to pick out individuals. France are a very good team of individuals and collectively. Once we do our own jobs and win our own 1 v 1 battles around the pitch, I think we'll do alright.”
