Group D Czech Republic v Republic of IrelandThe change of hotel, city and general environment usually works as a positive trigger for footballers. It provides the management and players with a distraction from the frustration of leading 2-1 against the Slovaks - and it looking like the game was secure - and yet again letting it slip away at the death.

The coaching staff will have watched the tape of the game and identified many of the problems outlined by the media in the aftermath. Occasionally an inexperienced manager, only when he sits in front of a TV screen with the remote control, notices certain aspects and details that he missed when standing on the touchline.

That wasn't the case for myself, but I will admit to standing on that touchline and not being quite sure about every facet of what was unfolding in real time. The tape reveals every single weakness in living colour.

The benefit of being on the move after such a result is the cocoon effect created from the reaction at home. Irish television or press can be kept out of the camp. This is a blessing, but the press conferences soon extinguish this isolation.

The faces of the mournful media (that's what I used to see, anyway. You would be sitting there thinking they are trying to transmit their annoyance and disappointment onto you) convey a good idea of the attitude towards the result.

The players have continued to say the right things, but, deep down, for those that really care the result would be an utter disaster.

Despite references to changing the team because of the heavy pitch, Steve Staunton decided to make only one switch, Stephen Ireland's departure making the inclusion of Andy Reid a formality. This avoids a decision being made about Ireland's correct role in this midfield system.

Reid's inclusion is positive, as at least we now have someone who can dictate the game with his passing and guile. I expect Kevin Kilbane to stay on the left, but the temptation is there to put Reid wide and bring additional muscle to centre midfield by combining Kilbane and Lee Carsley.

Reid played wide right against the Czechs in Dublin with Jonathan Douglas and Carsley in the middle. It worked for long periods of that match.

The back four did not have a collectively good game on Saturday. Their tracking of the movement of Milan Baros and, possibly, the up-and-coming star Martin Fenin will be crucial.

Even with the absence of Jan Koller, I still see the Czechs' attack as a massive threat. There is Tomas Rosicky, for one, while the quality of Milan's Marek Jankulovski and Radoslav Kovac is undeniable.

We require stronger and more ruthless performances from John O'Shea and Stephen Kelly, in particular, allied to a consistent support base from the midfield quartet when the pressure stakes are raised.

While Robbie Keane and Kevin Doyle are an effective attacking duo, with notable goalscoring records, Robbie has not scored a valuable away goal for about six years. He needs to provide more help to feed the ball between midfield and attack. He is well able to drop off Doyle, and it is then that Reid will find him. More industry is also required from the captain.

The Czechs' performance overall has been way below their form in the two previous qualifying campaigns. In many ways, it is a team in transition, having lost Karel Poborsky and Vladimir Smicer, but the continuously excellent work at underage ensures a quality supply of talent. The football-mad, 15-million population also helps.

In a string of mediocre results, they have scored only six goals in the last five games, including the three against San Marino last weekend. Losing at home to Germany, beating Cyprus 1-0 and then drawing 0-0 away to Wales have merely fuelled the rumours of discontent within the camp.

Despite this, manager Karel Bruckner is a shrewd tactician and will have them tuned into Ireland's particular nuances tonight.

That's why the early announcement of the Irish team leaves me dumbfounded. Why would Staunton give a man of Bruckner's experience the advantage of seeing Ireland's line-up so far ahead of kick-off? Most of the players know the team from training, so only one or two are left guessing and they can be pulled aside privately. I was always delighted when a team announced early.

I expect a demanding night in what promises to be a substantially more volatile setting than Saturday's, but if we play with discipline, intelligence and commitment (two from three won't suffice, mind) we have the natural ability to score the goals.

It's at the other end that my real concern exists. Here's hoping Shay Given isn't required to produce a string of miraculous saves, or Dunne and McShane are forced to be constantly diving into harm's way.

But that's probably wishful thinking.

Last week I mentioned the mental block Ireland have in securing a respectable three points on the road. Tonight presents yet another chance to break that 20-year problem.

This team can still go from the doldrums to contenders with one decent performance.

We're in the last-chance saloon as far as Euro 2008 is concerned.