Jayson Molumby aiming to work smarter to stifle French

Jayson Molumby, with his Duracell bunny energy and appetite for hard work, has the capacity to set the tone for the Republic of Ireland against France on Monday.

But by his own admission, the Waterford man will need to harness his running power to avoid chasing shadows.

The likes of Adrien Rabiot and Aurelien Tchouameni could anchor France in the middle of the park at the Aviva Stadium, embellished by the creative brilliance of Antoine Griezmann.

Their technical excellence means committed pressing must be married with smart thinking or else Molumby and the rest of his Irish team-mates will spend the bulk of the evening out of possession; not ideal against a team so loaded with attacking weapons.

It's something that 23-year-old Molumby is very aware of. He's had a fine campaign in the Championship with West Brom but Carlos Corberan's decision to take him off with less than an hour gone against Wigan earlier this month was telling.

"We understand that [Nathaniel] Chalobah could give us more stability with the ball and more calm with the ball, to help better the team to counter their game," the Baggies boss said. "That's why we did the change."

Control is the name of the game, and Molumby is taking it on board.

"He's been fantastic for us and the football club," Molumby said of Corberan, who has revitalised West Brom since taking over from Steve Bruce last October.

"Obviously he likes players with intensity and high energy. He's taught me way more about understanding the game and maybe adding different elements to my game.

"I’ve been getting into the box a lot more, getting a couple more assists, a goal here and there. I should probably have a few more goals this season from the areas I’ve been getting into so for me that’s been