Ashley Young interview in today's Guardian

[Olneythelonely]

...........................A good striker

It's spelt 'Agbonlahor'.

[PaulTheVillan]

...........................A good striker

It's spelt 'Agbonlahor'.

Unless we sign someone better.

Let's hope he gets back fully fit and on form soon.

[Chris Smith]

I think the Blackburn game demonstrated the opposite of what you suggest.

Yes, it may have suggested it, but we're talking about 1 game against a weakened Blackburn side and we need to look at the bigger picture.  I'm not saying he should never play there again, just that we shoudn't be married to him behind the striker to the detriment of all other options and formations.

At the moment he's our best option in that position and he's more involved than out wide. He's our best player and I really don't see the point of moving him just to find a way of accomodating Ireland.

[PaulTheVillan]

Can't we try Ireland and NRC in the middle? We've been accomodating Petrov for a little too long....

[Monty]

Can't we try Ireland and NRC in the middle? We've been accomodating Petrov for a little too long....

So you'd play either Ireland in deep midfield or one defensive midfield scrapper and essentially five forward players? Those are the options currently facing us if we drop Petrov (Sidwell is not an option) - the latter scenario essentially what happened to Argentina at the World Cup when they dropped Veron: one defensive midfielder totally exposed without the ball. In fact, both scenarios happened simulataneously as Messi came deep to collect the ball, way out of his most effective area, like Ireland would be.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

Is Ashley playing from the start tonight?

I never normally give a stuff about the national side, but i'll make an exception if he's in there.

[Concrete John]

At the moment he's our best option in that position and he's more involved than out wide. He's our best player and I really don't see the point of moving him just to find a way of accomodating Ireland.

I don't agree he's more involved than out wide.

And it isn't a matter of accomodating anyone.  What is is is trying to improve the side, which lost it's last game and is facing the best side in the country next, and asking is there a better side to be picked. 

[Chris Smith]

At the moment he's our best option in that position and he's more involved than out wide. He's our best player and I really don't see the point of moving him just to find a way of accomodating Ireland.

I don't agree he's more involved than out wide.

And it isn't a matter of accomodating anyone.  What is is is trying to improve the side, which lost it's last game and is facing the best side in the country next, and asking is there a better side to be picked. 

It seems to me that, if we're going to play that way, we have a straight choice between Ireland and Young for that support striker role. Ashley is the better player both in terms of ability and current form and I can't see any justification other than trying to find a role for Ireland to make the change.

Leave it until the Burnely game to start experimenting.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

Smudger is right.
Ashley is at his best behind the striker, it's where he is happiest and it would be wise to keep him happy at this moment in time.

Ireland may well have to put up with being his under study.

[Dante Lavelli]

...for me Young is equally good as an AML and as AMC, however the benefit of getting Ireland engaged and playing something like how he did for Man City (a few years ago) is justification enough for moving Young to the left of an attacking three.

Ireland looked amazing playing alongside Robinho and I'd like to see him and Young trying to recreate that.

Maybe not for the Chelsea match but long term I see that as our best team.

[Concrete John]

It seems to me that, if we're going to play that way, we have a straight choice between Ireland and Young for that support striker role. Ashley is the better player both in terms of ability and current form and I can't see any justification other than trying to find a role for Ireland to make the change.

Leave it until the Burnely game to start experimenting.

I have nothing against trying it against Burnley.

But the issue is that although both players can play THAT role, one can also play wide so both could be in the side in a 4-4-1-1 together.  Ultimately I'd like a new and dominating DCM, which would allow both with Ireland coming from deep and Ash dropping off the striker.

[Rigadon]

According to Adrian Durham, tonight's the night when Ashley Young needs to 'prove he's 'better than Villa's level'.

I turned off before angry-of-Birmingham called up to reinforce the thick Brummie stereotype.

[adrenachrome]

Smudger is right.
Ashley is at his best behind the striker, it's where he is happiest and it would be wise to keep him happy at this moment in time.

Ireland may well have to put up with being his under study.

Yes. Teams have found that if you put a decent specialist full back against Ash who shows him the outside and stops him from cutting in, or stick two players on him to ensure the same thing, then his effectiveness is drastically reduced.

[SoccerHQ]

Well I've watched us live twice this season at Stoke and at home to Bolton.

Young had a good first half at Stoke but then disappeared totally in the second half and after scoring against Bolton again to me he didn't get into the game at all in the free role.

The key for me is Ireland. I think we're all forgetting how good he was for Man. City two seasons ago, as good as Milner was for us last season. He also scored 9 goals for Man. City in the league from open play so again more than Milner with half his being penalties.

[hilts_coolerking]

"If you're young enough, you're old enough."

Wise words, there. Wise words.

Harry Pearson agrees with you.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2010/oct/15/ashley-young-england-tricks