Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine

Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: CorkVilla on September 01, 2014, 05:05:10 PM

Title: Ciaran Clark
Post by: CorkVilla on September 01, 2014, 05:05:10 PM
Is he ever going to be good enough to play regularly for us? Does he have a long term future at Villa?

I thought he showed great promise initially but I'm not so sure anymore. He just looks too slight and is too prone to mistakes to make it as a defender at PL level. I hope I am wrong...
Title: Re: Ciaran Clark
Post by: OCD on September 01, 2014, 05:09:55 PM
I prefer him over Baker. He should be 4th choice for when there's a problem with Vlaar, Senderos or Okore.
Title: Re: Ciaran Clark
Post by: JUAN PABLO on September 01, 2014, 05:10:28 PM
Surprised Tesco bags  not in for him

Doesn't look good for him at moment , was expecting him to be a top player who ended up at manure
Title: Re: Ciaran Clark
Post by: LeeB on September 01, 2014, 05:11:16 PM
He comes up short in every department required, a sort of defensive Karim El Ahmadi.
Title: Re: Ciaran Clark
Post by: richardhubbard on September 01, 2014, 05:55:36 PM
I always thought he end up in barry role in midfield as he quiet a cultured player but I am probably wrong

Title: Re: Ciaran Clark
Post by: Pete3206 on September 01, 2014, 06:24:38 PM
No
Title: Re: Ciaran Clark
Post by: john e on September 01, 2014, 06:32:40 PM
He comes up short in every department required, a sort of defensive Karim El Ahmadi.

He's gone, .....let it go
Title: Re: Ciaran Clark
Post by: sirlordbaltimore on September 01, 2014, 06:52:30 PM

How he's below Baker in the pecking order is truly beyond me
Title: Re: Ciaran Clark
Post by: PaulWinch again on September 01, 2014, 06:58:28 PM
Agreed he's not great but Baker is woeful.
Title: Re: Ciaran Clark
Post by: Legion on September 01, 2014, 08:14:37 PM
He hasn't lived up to his potential. A shame, really.
Title: Re: Ciaran Clark
Post by: SoccerHQ on September 01, 2014, 08:17:32 PM
Think it's time to look for a new club if he's below Baker in the order.

I actually don't think he was that bad at CB last year. There was improvement.
Title: Re: Ciaran Clark
Post by: Legion on September 01, 2014, 08:20:35 PM
Alongside an accomplished CH he did not look too bad at all. Alongside Baker it was awful. I used to have high hopes for Baker, but not any more. Championship player at best. Clark would be a fairly decent squad player for us, but something seems to have happened in order to elevate Baker above him.
Title: Re: Ciaran Clark
Post by: Louzie0 on September 01, 2014, 08:22:57 PM
I am not writing off Ciaran Clark. He's a lovely player.
Title: Re: Ciaran Clark
Post by: old man villa fan on September 01, 2014, 08:27:30 PM
Alongside an accomplished CH he did not look too bad at all. Alongside Baker it was awful. I used to have high hopes for Baker, but not any more. Championship player at best. Clark would be a fairly decent squad player for us, but something seems to have happened in order to elevate Baker above him.

I would much prefer Clark alongside an experienced player than Baker.  Baker just does not seem to be learning anything with the more experience he has been getting.  He should be going out on loan for the season in the Championship to see if he can improve.
Title: Re: Ciaran Clark
Post by: RussellC on September 02, 2014, 09:24:46 AM
I honestly think Clark's progress was stunted by having to learn his trade in a poor team. He was made to grow-up too quickly. If you look back at our youth-team products that have really 'made it', they've all been afforded the luxury of being brought into decent teams and play alongside experienced players.

By the time Vlaar arrived to play with Clark, his confidence was gone and his nerves were shot-to-shit, which is fatal for a centre-back. It's a great shame as he looked a real prospect under Houllier. Who knows, maybe a spell as a squad-player will help him recover and find his feet again, but if Lambert and Keane currently rate Baker as a better bet, I would think he's up against it.
Title: Re: Ciaran Clark
Post by: Holte L2 on September 02, 2014, 10:00:41 AM
I'd like to see him in midfield.  He did a job there well under Houllier.
Title: Re: Ciaran Clark
Post by: garyshawsknee on September 02, 2014, 10:12:52 AM
Yeah, I think he's got the qualities to make a good defensive midfielder. If we get a couple of injuries he may have to.
Title: Re: Ciaran Clark
Post by: dave.woodhall on September 02, 2014, 11:16:26 AM
I agree about the midfielder qualities but our manager doesn't, sadly.
Title: Re: Ciaran Clark
Post by: silhillvilla on September 02, 2014, 11:20:51 AM
He played well as a dcm under Eck aswell. Scored a decent goal v spurs too in the 1-1 last home game.
Title: Re: Ciaran Clark
Post by: ROBBO on September 02, 2014, 11:22:15 AM
I agree with Russel C, Clark and Baker came into a struggling side and were expected to play like seasoned proffessionals, it doesn't happen. I would keep Clark and get rid of Baker.
Title: Re: Ciaran Clark
Post by: Clampy on September 02, 2014, 11:26:11 AM
I've always had Clark down as a midfielder rather than a defender. To be honest, because he can play both roles, having him on the bench ahead of Baker would make sense.
Title: Re: Ciaran Clark
Post by: PaulWinch again on September 02, 2014, 11:26:57 AM
Plus he's better than Baker.
Title: Re: Ciaran Clark
Post by: sirlordbaltimore on September 02, 2014, 11:47:08 AM
Plus he's better than Baker.

By miles
Title: Re: Ciaran Clark
Post by: DaveD on September 02, 2014, 11:53:09 AM
He's a useful utility player. Not good enough in any position to start, but can cover a few from the bench. I'd keep him, but he's going to have to drop a division if he wants to be a starter. Hopefully not with us...
Title: Re: Ciaran Clark
Post by: ozzjim on September 02, 2014, 12:27:37 PM
I think he is a good footballer, and should be groomed to play in the middle of the park. He would be fine in back 3, but struggles in a 2 without a leader. I actually think he would be ok with Senderos or Vlaar, but he and Baker don't work, a bit like Ridgewell and Cahill didn't all those years ago. He is the better player out of him and Baker though, why Lambert thinks differently mystifies me as much as MON thinking Cahill was not as good as Curtis Davies.
Title: Re: Ciaran Clark
Post by: rob_bridge on September 02, 2014, 01:05:40 PM
Not good enough as a defender - better than Baker but then again he would make my own worst ever Villa 11.

Not good enough as a midfielder either.

Early promise disipated quickly.

I think the regular change in manager / exposure to pretty poor coaching (what there was of it)  and like many others from 08-11 period given a ridiculously lucratvie contract.

Not a Premiership player.

He would be a good Championship player worth about 20% of what he is currently on.

Baker would be a good League One player.
Title: Re: Ciaran Clark
Post by: passitsideways on September 02, 2014, 02:43:57 PM
Think he's too slow to be a competent midfielder in this league. Don't think he'd be good enough on the ball to counter that either; though I suppose that could just be distorted by the dire shit we've played for the majority of the past three years.
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