Ireland

[olaftab]

I've noticed that he makes runs/plays balls that actually seem too clever for the rest of the team to anticipate. Hopefully they will get on the same wavelength sooner rather than later.

Savo was a bit like that!

[JD]

He is an intelligent player and he will come right in time. Give him time to settle in. It's must be more difficult for him than others, new team, a new manager & style, he's been injured and hasn't played a lot in the last year. He will get better, I'm convinced of it.

[Mazrim]

As Alan Partridge would say: "Dez moar tuh Oylund, tan tis!"

[Dante Lavelli]

An interesting quote from the Guardian's match report.  This sums up what I have suspected with Ireland.  He needs to feel loved in order to fulfill his potential.  The whole superman thing at Man City would have suited him and encouraged him to play, whereas the international retirement thing never struck me as quite right.

I digress the quote:

Ireland – described by insiders at his former club, Manchester City as "in the top 5% talent wise, but the bottom 5% mental-strength wise"

If we can transfer the carew lovin towards Ireland then we'll be quids in.

[villa1]

He's a good player, as he demonstrated at Man City before they started spending.

I think he's just lacking confidence at the moment and is therefore hiding sometimes in matches.

[Concrete John]

Ladies and gentlemen, presenting the latest fan's scapegoat.

Nah.  It's gonna be a toss up between Dunne and Warnock this season I reckon.

[villa1]

I don't buy this scapegoat thing. The players mentioned have been criticised when they've performed poorly. I have no idea why this makes them scapegoats.

[Concrete John]

I don't buy this scapegoat thing. The players mentioned have been criticised when they've performed poorly. I have no idea why this makes them scapegoats.

I can't remember what game it was, but last season we lost a match where the goals against came down our left hand side and most people blamed it on Cuellar being at RB.

[villa1]

I can see why that is scapegoating someone as he was blamed for losing when it wasn't necessarily his fault. I still fail to see how criticising someone when they have actually performed poorly is
making them a scapegoat.

[Concrete John]

Because it becomes the fashionable thing to do and people will start automatically blaming player x no matter what actually happens during the game.

For instance, why is a thread starting about Stephen Ireland when we lost a game due to a stupid own goal by Dunne?

[john robsons sideburns]

I think that maybe playing him a little deeper in the Petrov role alongside NRC role may be worth looking at.  We seem to be pigeon-holing him a bit as being a player who is a luxury in midfield and therefore can only play in a three-man midfield, but i seem to recall him playing in a central midfield two with relative success at City.

He will get plenty of the ball playing in that role, and won't have to get up and down the pitch quite as much so may last a bit longer than an hour before flagging, and he has Reo-Cokes to do his tackling.  All he has to do is post a position to protect back four, be available to receive the ball regularly and then show off his passing skills and vision, which are two of his strengths.

I'm not saying that ultimately that would be his position, but think that it may be worth a look whilst he's 'acclimatising' to see what he can offer.  i can only see a place on the bench for him otherwise at the moment, as surely Downing, Albrighton and Ash Young are the first choice trio behind the main striker.

[VillaZogmariner]

Ireland was at his best at Man City as part of a quick front three along with Bellamy and Robinho. I think we could re-create that here with Gabby and Young, with a midfield/attack of -

--------------------Reo-Coker--------------------
------------Petrov-------------Sidwell-----------
---Ireland------------------------------Young---
--------------------Agbonlahor-------------------

Obviously just based on who we have available until January 1st.

[Concrete John]

That would mean dropping either Albrighton or Downing for Sidwell, which I think would weaken us.

I think the present 4-4-1-1 is OK, we just need to get Gabby back so we have a greater goal threat. 

[ronshirt]

Next time Heskey twists something or other I'd try Ireland and Young up front in a sort of 4-6-0 (the Brazil version rather than the Scottish).

[adrenachrome]

Next time Heskey twists something or other I'd try Ireland and Young up front in a sort of 4-6-0 (the Brazil version rather than the Scottish).

Captain Black on MOTD is always going on about the effectiveness of 2 banks of four, so a bank of four and a bank of six could be just what the doctor ordered. Don't rule out two banks of five or my earlier revolutionary idea of revolving diamonds.