Stephen Ireland - Still has future.

[Iago]

Alex McLeish today insisted Stephen Ireland has a major part to play this season,  despite failing to establish himself as a regular starter under the Villa boss.

The 25-year-old midfielder has only started three Premier League games as he looks to recapture form and fitness after being frozen out by former manager Gerard Houllier last season.

And McLeish is confident Ireland – who missed Sunday’s draw at Swansea through injury – will make a significant contribution after he praised his attitude in training,

“He’s worked really hard. He’s always one of the star performers on the training ground because of his touch and his vision. I certainly can’t say that he hasn’t applied himself,” said the Villa boss. “Stevie, like everybody else when we’re 13 games into it, has just got to be patient. Players don’t realise sometimes that it just takes the snap of your thumb and fingers to trigger your form again and you are back on top.”

McLeish believes Villa will start to see the best of Ireland when they find a system which can best utilise his talents.

“I’ve still got hopes for Stevie. We probably need to have the right players to play alongside him,” explained McLeish.

“When you see his breaking and counter-attacking. That’s the Stevie Ireland that I remember.”

Discuss.

[PaulWinch again]

Well you wonder if he's been a star in training what else he can do to get a game? It's not like the midfield is pulling up trees. All that suggests is that Mcleish has his favourites and performance doesn't matter.

[Nirog72]

So, forgetting Steven Ireland, we need to find the right system and have the right players. Any chance soon?

[taylorsworkrate]

Well you wonder if he's been a star in training what else he can do to get a game? It's not like the midfield is pulling up trees. All that suggests is that Mcleish has his favourites and performance doesn't matter.

Or that Mcleish has a certain way he likes us to play, and Stephen Ireland's touch and vision don't fit in with that.

Ireland and Bannan are comfortably the 2 most technically gifted players in the squad.  They need to be playing.

[garyshawsknee]

We've heard all this' plays great in training' bullshit stuff before,its a shame then that when he plays a league he goes missing.

Hopefully it won't be long til he's packed off to Doncaster.

[PaulWinch again]

Well you wonder if he's been a star in training what else he can do to get a game? It's not like the midfield is pulling up trees. All that suggests is that Mcleish has his favourites and performance doesn't matter.

Or that Mcleish has a certain way he likes us to play, and Stephen Ireland's touch and vision don't fit in with that.

Ireland and Bannan are comfortably the 2 most technically gifted players in the squad.  They need to be playing.

Well quite either way it doesn't bode particularly well for the style of football we are trying or are going to try to adopt.

[Iago]

Well you wonder if he's been a star in training what else he can do to get a game? It's not like the midfield is pulling up trees. All that suggests is that Mcleish has his favourites and performance doesn't matter.

It is infuriating to see comments from the manager that recognises touch and vision, yet he persists with Heskey who is the complete opposite from that.

[Brend'Watkins]

Well you wonder if he's been a star in training what else he can do to get a game? It's not like the midfield is pulling up trees. All that suggests is that Mcleish has his favourites and performance doesn't matter.

It is infuriating to see comments from the manager that recognises touch and vision, yet he persists with Heskey who is the complete opposite from that.

This is what I find strange about AM.  He says all the right things about ability, technique and the like yet he has us playing a style of football and players in position that appears to suggest he actually wants the opposite.

[Hookeysmith]

“I’ve still got hopes for Stevie. We probably need to have the right players to play alongside him,” explained McLeish.

When you pick a midfield that encorperated Heskey and Hutton you make yourself look what you are  "A complete and utter uselsss twat"

[Iago]

This is what I find strange about AM.  He says all the right things about ability, technique and the like yet he has us playing a style of football and players in position that appears to suggest he actually wants the opposite.

He is a great politician, I believe that is his biggest quality, especially when you compare with GH's media relationship.

[PaulTheVillan]

Ireland could work in the current position filled by Emile Heskey, but I would rather see Bannan given a shot there.

[eastie]

Well you wonder if he's been a star in training what else he can do to get a game? It's not like the midfield is pulling up trees. All that suggests is that Mcleish has his favourites and performance doesn't matter.

It is infuriating to see comments from the manager that recognises touch and vision, yet he persists with Heskey who is the complete opposite from that.

Exactly, why not give him the same run he has given heskey and we maybe will  see a different stephen ireland -the continuing use of heskey is baffling.

[adrenachrome]

Well you wonder if he's been a star in training what else he can do to get a game? It's not like the midfield is pulling up trees. All that suggests is that Mcleish has his favourites and performance doesn't matter.

It is infuriating to see comments from the manager that recognises touch and vision, yet he persists with Heskey who is the complete opposite from that.

Exactly, why not give him the same run he has given heskey and we maybe will  see a different stephen ireland -the continuing use of heskey is baffling.

Unless AM has a thing about players following his instructions, and on this criterion Emule scores 98% while Bald Pink SVU Man comes in around 0%. 

[SO Villa]

It's all well and good having good touch and vision but it's useless unless he can punt the ball 60ft in the air.

[Summers]

It's no surprise that we've seen our best football this season with Ireland and Bannan on the pitch. It's clear as fucking anything that Ireland and Bannan should be part of a midfield 3 if we want to control games and play actual football.