Bent - Ireland deserves 'hole' role

[Chipsticks]

Completely agree with Darren, I reckon we should build the team around him next season.

[adrenachrome]

I would venture to suggest that bug-eyed baldy has no problem getting his hole.

[Damo70]

Firstly in Bent we without doubt have one of the best strikers in the PL if we give him the right service. Secondly, if the new manager can get the best out of players like Gabby, N'Zogbia and Ireland it would be like having three big new signings compared to what they showed for most of last season. The problem is I'm not sure you can play all of those three in their favourite positions. Whether it's playing Ireland or N'Zogbia in the hole or N'Zogbia wide and Ireland in the centre of midfield or leaving one of them out I think Paul Lambert might have to choose who he thinks is of most value to him in their strongest position.   

[rutski]

Completely agree with Darren, I reckon we should build the team around him next season.

what has stephen ireland done for aston villa that deserves a team to be built round him?

[garyshawsknee]

Not sure about building a team around him. But he deserves to have a run in the hole or behind the strikers. Too often last season he was played on the left,Bristol in the cup comes to mind,he was itching to get involved and link up,but TSM wasted him out wide.

[rutski]

i dont get this hole position that has been created for someone? why not just be a hard working creative midfielder??

[teamvillage]

A right-back who could attack would give us this option. 4-2-3-1, with Gabby wide right + cutting in, with new RB overlapping, Ireland in the hole and Zog out left.

[pestria]

Not sure about building a team around him. But he deserves to have a run in the hole or behind the strikers. Too often last season he was played on the left,Bristol in the cup comes to mind,he was itching to get involved and link up,but TSM wasted him out wide.

He played pretty much the final 1/3rd of last season playing in an advanced midfield position.

[Chipsticks]

Completely agree with Darren, I reckon we should build the team around him next season.

what has stephen ireland done for aston villa that deserves a team to be built round him?

Well we know what a fantastic player he can be, and I think a lack of confidence may be the issue. If I was Stephen, and Lambert sat me down and said "I know you can be a great player, and a hero for this club. I believe in you, and we're going to build this team around you." I'd be over the moon.

On a side note, I've got no idea how he won Supporter's player of the year with all the stick I've seen him get on here.

[pestria]

A right-back who could attack would give us this option. 4-2-3-1, with Gabby wide right + cutting in, with new RB overlapping, Ireland in the hole and Zog out left.

The concern I've got with this set up is that these guys simply won't score enough goals.

I've looked up their average goals per game and apart from Bent none of them are anywhere near prolific enough.

N'zogbia score 0.15 goals per game (4.5 goals per 30 match season), Ireland 0.10 goals per game (3 per season), Gabby 0.25 (7.5) and  Bent 0.57 (17).  In total that makes 32 goals a season from the front 4.

OK when they're injured etc someone else will take their place, so maybe you could add another 5 goals from replacements making it 37 in total.

Unfortunately none of the other midfielders score heavily either and we only get the occassion goal from a defender - optimistically you might add say 10 goals from the rest of the team.

So that makes us a 45-50 goal a season team - on par with Sunderland, Fulham, Baggies, Norwich & co - and that's assuming Bent only misses 8 games. 

I just don't think it works ....

[Ross]

I think Darren Bent should leave the management of the team to the manager.

[Legion]

[PeterWithesShin]

You git Leeg. I was just about to post that!

[PeterWithesShin]

As for Ireland, there's possibly a player in there but i'm not convinced. His one good year with Citeh was 3 years ago, he did okay for us last season  but nowhere near well enough to justify building a team around him.

[Chipsticks]

Well, personally I think it could work. I understand completely why you might think differently though.