Aiden McGeady: Ireland have to beat Russia on Tuesday

Spartak Moscow and the Republic of Ireland midfielder Aiden McGeady summed up his own performance in the Euro 2012 qualifier against Slovakia (0:0) and said the Irish have to beat Russia in Moscow on Tuesday.

«I felt frustrated. Not in terms of how the team is set up, but in terms of how I played myself. I’ve not really played, I didn’t feel match sharp. Everything that could have gone wrong, went wrong for me. That’s just the way I felt tonight. I was probably thrown in at the deep end, but I’m never going to say ‘no’ to a starting place. It’s another 90 minutes under my belt, because I haven’t really played in three months.

«Russia probably aren’t the team everybody thinks they are. They have world-class players but, from what I gather back in Russia, they have a lot of critics and they don’t seem to perform every game.

«We have to win, I’d say so. Four points from the two games would overall be pleasing, but two points you wouldn’t be happy.

«It’s a must-win game. We’re disappointed we didn’t win in the dressing-room, we had a late flurry of chances and we couldn’t take them. The group is still wide open with Russia ahead, but us and Slovakia probably fighting for second.»

«We can’t get too down about tonight. We need to move on and concentrate on Tuesday. We had said four points would be a good haul from these two games, if we win on Tuesday we’ve got them», McGeady said to Independent.ie.