Back off Ireland. & Hutton, too.

[Summers]

I'm already fed up of seeing people slate Ireland. He was good today. He's, if anything, too clever at times. He and Bannan play fantastically together, which is no surprise because they're both clever-creative-footballers.

At the game today there were plenty of individuals slating everything he did. Even if it was something good, they had a complaint. And I've already seen people on here saying he was shit today.

He used the ball well, picked out passes, kept us moving and tried to make something happen. He also did his fair share defensively, winning the ball in midfield a couple of times.

Maybe if some of the fans insulting him took the time to get behind him, that chance he had today would have rocketed in.

On a lesser-note, the same about Hutton. He was solid today. Defended well, and was happy to venture forward. When moving up, he stretched Wigan, allowing more space across the pitch. Yet, he's still shit to some. I don't get it.

[Mister E]

The great thing about both BB and SI is that they see what Bent and Gabby are capable of - I'm not a fan of SI but I acknowledge that there's a good footballer lurking in there, even if he is an obnoxious psychopath.
I don't think it's any accident that Gabby is scoring and looking so good right now: he has players behind him who can play him in, and he has the energy and commitment to make it happen.
Re Bent, he will score goals - okay, he's been slow to take off this season but he will carry on soing what he does best; score.

So I agree that SI is worth giving some time to.

[Mister E]

Hutton ain't that bad: he is certainly an attacking FB; gets into good positions. But I hope that both Lichaj and Herd push really hard to break into the team; 'cos that will force Hutton to 'up' his game or concede that he ain't first-choice.

[Chipsticks]

I like Ireland due to the player he can be, though I do great frustrated when he comes across as 'lazy' or 'uninterested' to me, he did have a good game today, mind.

As for Hutton, he's a bit too similar to Warnock to me; in the sense that I never feel completely comfortable with him at the back - despite his impressive attacking prowess. he's more competent in the air than Warnock, though I just feel like his marking and determination's a bit off at times.

hey, prove me wrong lads.

[Dante Lavelli]

I'd be delighted if Ireland got a run in the team.  He'll be a bit hit and miss but - thinking back to his man city days - he can be outrageously good. 

Someone mentioned on the post match thread that he seemed surprised by the ovation he received.  Well hopefully that will boost his brittle confidence as I think he needs to feel loved to get the best out of him.

[DrGonzo]

I really hope that Ireland can put his past behind him.  If he becomes the player he clearly has the talent to be then he will be an amazing asset for Villa for years to come. He needs time, after almost 2 years without a steady football career. 
My only concern with Hutton so far is that he looks like a penalty waiting to happen. 1of those 2 hand balls last week should have been given and the challenge today looked as if it was as bad.

[Michel Sibble]

I've seen little glimpses of his genius today and last week, enough for him to warrant a few more games. He also hasn't played regular football in months, so he is going to be a bit rusty.

Thing is, when you employ someone 'creative', you get a creative mind: one which lives aside the more logical brain.
This mind is fluid, messy, and is subject to disruption.

Stephen Ireland has this type of mind. Whilst some of his off-field behaviour reflects the more disruptive facets of it, he is potentially a very creative footballer.

It is because of his creative mind that some label him a "nutter" and "mentalist", calling him "lazy". They fail to recognise that creative minds sometimes don't think in a rigid, logical way.

In other words, give him time, he'll come good.


As for Hutton, he's a lucky man...

[Brend'Watkins]

He made that one 'blind' ball today that in any other attacking side like Man u or Spurs possibly would have been seen as total class.  We had no one anywhere near it, crowd rumbled their dissaproval, Ireland went into his shell.

There is a player there.

[Ad@m]

I know this is a 'We love Stephen Ireland' thread but there's a huge amount of generosity being given about his performance today.  It took me 20 minutes to realise he was on the pitch.  As soon as Heskey put his shirt on it was obvious who was coming off - the player who'd contributed the least throughout the game.

Wigan were terrible today and a game like that, at home, is the sort of game he should be all over.  Instead, he drifted through far too much of it as a passenger, and then the one glorious chance he did get was stuffed up awfully.

I don't deny that in his first season at Man City he was sensational.  But ever since he's done literally sod all.  I think Bannan is showing much more potential to be that creative spark we need in midfield.

[Can Gana Be Bettered!?!?]

Like Paul Merson, Stephen Ireland is capable of great things. Like Stephen Ireland, he's a lazy fucker. Unlike Paul Merson, he hasn't won many games for Villa, and whilst this is combined with being a lazy fucker, it doesn't look good.

It's down to him and his attitude. He certainly hasn't endeared himself to the fans with his comments and general performances.

Hutton hasn't looked the greatest, nor has he looked terrible, but he puts the effort in, which you can appreciate. When Ireland does this, then maybe he'll win a few more fans and get people off his back.

Whilst he still ambles around the pitch like he's Messi, but playing anything but like Messi, people, including me, will find him to be incredibly frustrating because clearly he could be a very good player, but he'll only do what he wants to do. Barry Bannan on the other hand ran his socks off today when we had and didn't have the ball. I'm not asking Ireland to do as much as Bannan (not many players do), but if he carried a greater attitude onto the pitch, he'd be helping himself a lot more.

The thing with Ireland is that he's the archetypal modern footballer. A flash fucker who thinks he's "it" and us peasants should bow down to his superior bank account.

[Ad@m]

Like Paul Merson, Stephen Ireland is capable of great things. Like Stephen Ireland, he's a lazy fucker. Unlike Paul Merson, he hasn't won many games for Villa, and whilst this is combined with being a lazy fucker, it doesn't look good.

It's down to him and his attitude. He certainly hasn't endeared himself to the fans with his comments and general performances.

Hutton hasn't looked the greatest, nor has he looked terrible, but he puts the effort in, which you can appreciate. When Ireland does this, then maybe he'll win a few more fans and get people off his back.

Whilst he still ambles around the pitch like he's Messi, but playing anything but like Messi, people, including me, will find him to be incredibly frustrating because clearly he could be a very good player, but he'll only do what he wants to do. Barry Bannan on the other hand ran his socks off today when we had and didn't have the ball. I'm not asking Ireland to do as much as Bannan (not many players do), but if he carried a greater attitude onto the pitch, he'd be helping himself a lot more.

The thing with Ireland is that he's the archetypal modern footballer. A flash fucker who thinks he's "it" and us peasants should bow down to his superior bank account.

Perfectly summed up.

[Woofles The Wonder Dog]

As soon as Heskey put his shirt on it was obvious who was coming off - the player who'd contributed the least throughout the game.

So not the fact that he was injured and the first thing the physio did was strap a huge ice bag to his foot?

[Can Gana Be Bettered!?!?]

As soon as Heskey put his shirt on it was obvious who was coming off - the player who'd contributed the least throughout the game.

So not the fact that he was injured and the first thing the physio did was strap a huge ice bag to his foot?

No, because he'd put the least effort in.

[spangley1812]

As soon as Heskey put his shirt on it was obvious who was coming off - the player who'd contributed the least throughout the game.

Your wrong he was injured


So not the fact that he was injured and the first thing the physio did was strap a huge ice bag to his foot?

No, because he'd put the least effort in.

[CJ]

Ireland got crunched by someone just before half time and I was surprised he came out for the second half. In his post-match interview McLeish said he had to take him off as he had a knock.