Would we have taken eight points from five games at the halfway stage of the Euro 2016 qualifiers?
It's hard to say, but a fourth place berth in Group D so far means we have a little bit of work to do to make at least the playoffs in the second portion of the qualifiers.
But there were some encouraging signs from last night's home draw against Poland given that we still have to play the likes of Germany, Georgia and Scotland at home before this group's work is done.
But there are a few talking points I do want to muse about.
Keane shows his frustration against Poland ©INPHO/Donall Farmer
Robbie Keane doesn't thrive in splendid isolation
Granted this was something that we all knew already, but last night only confirmed that it is simply not a job that our record goalscorer is suited to.
Keane developed at a time when front twos were popular and does not have attributes to lead the line alone, even when discounting his age.
However, he was far more effective when he had support up front in the second half and has more cutting edge than the other strikers at our disposal, so ideally you would like to see him in the team. And that requires a formation which allows for a strike pairing - more on that later.
Brady better wing-back in different formation?
Playing Robbie Brady at left-back was a serious risk that initially proved to be the wrong move from Martin O'Neill, with the Hull man caught out a couple of times, most brutally when SÅ‚awomir Peszko fired in his goal.
The winger by trade did improve in the second '45. But perhaps if he is to be deployed in defence it should be in a back-five where he can play as a wing-back with more defensive cover behind him.
Wesley Hoolahan takes on Maciej Rybus and Jakub Wawrzyniak of Poland ©INPHO/Morgan Treacy
Is there a perfect way of accommodating Keane and Hoolahan?
That leads to a wider question about whether a back three would allow Wes Hoolahan and Robbie Keane to be able to take up their best roles in the same team.
A 3-4-1-2 formation would allow Keane to have a strike partner in the Shane Long or Jon Walters mould, while allowing Hoolahan or Wesiesta (as Eamon Dunphy can start calling him) to take up a free role in the hole where he can scheme, prod and conjure.
Easier said than done though, because it would take time on the training field to force a radical change of formation and at international level, time is not a commodity.
Poland far from world beaters
They may be topping the group and did beat Germany earlier in the qualifiers, but based on last night, Poland are not particularly fearsome.
Two shots on target and few testing moments for Shay Given suggest that.
Apart from Robert Lewandowski, they do not have many other elite performers, although his strike partner and the man on the end of that James McClean tackle, Arkadiusz Milik is promising.
So, while it is an uphill task at the moment to qualify for the Euros, there is encouragement for O'Neill that Ireland are not inferior to any of the teams in the group, other than world champions Germany.
