Why James McCarthy has to win key battle for Ireland to stand a chance against Bosnia

The hopes of a nation rest on the players Ireland selected last week to represent their country in the upcoming Euro 2016 qualifying play-offs. The stand-out tie is arguably Denmark vs Sweden, where rivalries are renewed between the two Scandinavian powerhouses, though it’s a little closer to home where much of the focus has settled, with Republic of Ireland in action.

With Northern Ireland, Wales and England guaranteed a place at France 2016 already, attentions turn to the Boys in Green as Martin O’Neill’s side strive to qualify for back-to-back European Championships. Bosnia and Herzegovina stand between Ireland and a place in the competition, an obstacle that will indeed be difficult to overcome.

There is ample quality running all the way through Mehmed Bazdarevic’s side, with a number of key players plying their trade for a team in Europe’s top 5 leagues. Of course, one of those to stand out is playmaker Miralem Pjanic. The Roma star has gained a WhoScored.com rating of 7.73 this season - only Palermo’s Franco Vazquez (7.80) can better that return in Serie A.

No player has registered more assists in Italy’s top tier this term than the 25-year-old (5), who ranks joint top for key passes (30), second only to Lorenzo Insigne (7) for clear-cut chances created (6) and fourth for successful final-third passes with 198 in Serie A so far. Having made two fewer league appearances than those ahead of him for the latter stats, it’s feasible to suggest he would be higher in both rankings had he featured in all 12 matches.

While he sat out Sunday’s Rome Derby through suspension, Pjanic has rapidly emerged as Roma’s most important player, with the Bosnian I Giallorossi’s creative hub. In short - nigh-on everything goes through Pjanic. He has been directly involved in 10 - five goals and five assists - of their 27 league goals this season. Only the league’s joint-top goalscorers Gonzalo Higuaín and Eder (both 11 - 9 goals each) have directly contributed to more of their team’s goals than the Roma star.

If Ireland are to come away from Zenica with a positive result on Friday, they must stem the flow of chances Pjanic will inevitably create. This is where James McCarthy comes into play. The Everton midfielder has once again established himself as one the club’s most important players, with his average of 2.7 tackles per game second behind teenage left-back Brendan Galloway (3.1) of all Toffees players.

The tenacity he brings to his club will be crucial for his country in their double-header against Bosnia and Herzegovina. Pjanic’s 21 key passes from open play ranks among the top 10 players in Serie A this season, further accentuating the Roma midfielder’s creative expertise. To spot such an opening when play is in full swing is one of Pjanic’s strongest traits and it’s one that is held in such high esteem. Over the 90 minutes, McCarthy must do all he can to hinder Bosnia’s creator-in-chief.

Meanwhile, his ability from set pieces is another quality that Ireland must be wary of. Pjanic has scored more free kicks (3) than any other player in Europe’s top 5 leagues this season. Moreover, his effort in the enthralling 4-4 draw with Bayer Leverkusen last month was another example of his prolificacy from dead-ball situations.

Factor in McCarthy’s ill-discipline - the battling midfielder has received more yellow cards (4) than any other Everton player this season - and Bosnia potentially have another route to goal.

Friday's hosts will look to make their advantage count when they welcome Ireland and it’s Pjanic who has the ability to swing the tie in his side’s favour. In McCarthy, though, the visitors boast an able performer who, on his day, can mark players out of the game, much like he did against Germany last month. If McCarthy plays to expectations, limiting Pjanic’s influence in the process, Ireland stand a much stronger chance of progressing to Euro 2016.