International friendly: Northern Ireland v USA (Windsor Park, Sunday, 5.05pm)
THE focus is understandably more on Wednesday night than tomorrow but Stuart Dallas is still setting sights on victory against the USA.
The friendly against the Americans pales into insignificance for Northern Ireland compared to the World Cup qualifier against Bulgaria on Wednesday, but the versatile Leeds man declares: "We have to start winning games again."
NI have only won once in nine outings now under Ian Baraclough after Thursday evening's anticipated defeat in Italy, but Dallas knows the boss has a balancing act to conduct for the middle of this international triple-header:
"We have the friendly against the USA and I'm not sure what the manager will do in terms of team selection, whether he'll make changes or not…
"We've always known the games against the likes of Bulgaria are must-win games, and that is not being disrespectful to them."
Italy took charge of the opening qualifier with two first half goals but the visitors performed much better after the break in Parma, which lifted Dallas's hopes going forward:
"We knew coming to Italy was always going to be a tough ask to get something. We can take a lot from the second half performance and know there is a lot we can change from the first half performance…
"It was a difficult night, certainly in the first half. In the end we had chances to get something out of it but in the first half I think we showed them a little too much respect, if I'm being honest. We just couldn't get our press right and we conceded two goals that are avoidable."
With George Saville introduced into midfield for an out-of-sorts Corry Evans, and the NI team pushing higher, Dallas felt they acquitted themselves well in the end:
"In the second half we gave it a good go, we got our press higher up the pitch and we created chances.
"Bailey [Peacock-Farrell] didn't have to do anything in the second half and possibly on another night, we could have gotten something out of the game.
"It's a learning curve for everybody against a top nation. We can all learn from that, not just the younger lads. Moving forward I think it will stand us in good stead."
Manager Baraclough will surely make some changes, including perhaps giving a run-out to striker Dion Charles. The boss explained why Shayne Lavery of Linfield and Kyle Lafferty were preferred as striking options out in Parma:
"It's his first time with the group and it's very, very difficult for someone to come straight in and pick up the pace, first of all with the intensity of the lads in training and getting used to the way we want to play.
"I had in mind that the Italy game would be more of an experience for Dion to be amongst it, and he'll get his chance in one or two of the next two games."
Baraclough is also hoping to have a more familiar Corry Evans available after that half-time withdrawal of the Blackburn man, saying:
"He wasn't feeling himself. You could tell that so I was going to make that substitution from what I'd seen, but he didn't feel himself in there and that definitely made my mind up.
"Players have to be 'on it' to do anything against teams like Italy and if you're a man down in that respect, not feeling great, certainly in the engine room, that's his game - energy, getting about - and it wasn't what you'd normally come to expect from Corry. But Corry will be back stronger."
Left-back Jamal Lewis could be involved after being left behind due to a groin problem, with Baraclough saying: "We didn't want to take a chance with the injuries we've got and Jamal, we certainly weren't going to take a chance, but he'll come into contention, maybe for Sunday and certainly for next Wednesday."
Yet whether or not the Newcastle United man returns, NI are likely to stick with their 3-5-2 system, which Baraclough feels brings benefits in several areas:
"I think we're more of a threat when we've got two strikers and the onus is not just on one - certainly against defenders like (Leonardo) Bonucci and (Giorgio) Chiellini.
"I thought the players put in a great effort and caused problems in the second half, but if you've only got one up top you don't give them as many problems and it can be a long shift.
"The lads are good enough to go and defend with three at the back and Stuart Dallas and Michael Smith were very good on both sides, they both get up and down the park."
The USA, ranked 22nd in the world, could pose problems similar to those caused by Italy, especially with quality wide attackers like Chelsea's Christian Pulisic and Giovanni Reyna of Borussia Dortmund.
