Bent - Ireland deserves 'hole' role

[tomd2103]

In addition to the creativity Bent talks about, Ireland is also really good at making runs beyond the forward and getting goals from midfield himself, something we haven't always been the best at at Villa.

He's scored one goal in the two seasons he has been at Villa.  Robbie Keane had treble that amount after just two league starts for us.     

[Neil Hawkes]

FAO Neil Hawkes re Sid: can't remember his debut, but he took to international football like a duck to water and looked exactly what he was: better than Wilkins, Hoddle and Robson. Got 9 caps and was establishing himself in the side before he broke his leg and that's what did for him. Years later SGT picked him for one game v. Ireland, you may be thinking of that game.

Thanks Percy, that must be the one - I vaguely remember some comments from Sid saying he spent most of the game watching the ball being pinged back and forward over his head. Then again I could have imagined that as well!

[Big Dick Edwards]

Ireland is a class player. Yes, he's temperamentally flawed but his brain and technique is miles in advance of the rest of the team at times. If Lambert can get him onside and use him effectively to maximise his creativity, Bent would get lots more chances to convert into goals.

[N'Zimidy]

In addition to the creativity Bent talks about, Ireland is also really good at making runs beyond the forward and getting goals from midfield himself, something we haven't always been the best at at Villa.

He's scored one goal in the two seasons he has been at Villa.  Robbie Keane had treble that amount after just two league starts for us.     

This is the stupidest point I've ever seen. Congratulations.

[villa `cross the mersey]

Keep Ireland off the dole, play him in the Barrie Hole "hole role" - The Mirror gets wind and reports that an individual club source - yes a sole mole, states we are after an Eastern European deep holding midfielder - a Pole who holds the hole. This is subject to the movement of a former Liverpool and West Ham star - Joe  Cole, who has apparantly vanished into thin air - perhaps a black hole.- This could all be nothing but hyperbole, however the club state that the cost of a ham roll will remain the same this season except who those who have their wedding at the club....i.e. for who  the bells toll .
Things could be worse we could see the return of DOL ....LOL

I`ll get me coat  or better still..........nurse

[rutski]

Keep Ireland off the dole, play him in the Barrie Hole "hole role" - The Mirror gets wind and reports that an individual club source - yes a sole mole, states we are after an Eastern European deep holding midfielder - a Pole who holds the hole. This is subject to the movement of a former Liverpool and West Ham star - Joe  Cole, who has apparantly vanished into thin air - perhaps a black hole.- This could all be nothing but hyperbole, however the club state that the cost of a ham roll will remain the same this season except who those who have their wedding at the club....i.e. for who  the bells toll .
Things could be worse we could see the return of DOL ....LOL

I`ll get me coat  or better still..........nurse

quick, call simon cowl we have a star!

[adrenachrome]

Ireland is a class player. Yes, he's temperamentally flawed but his brain and technique is miles in advance of the rest of the team at times. If Lambert can get him onside and use him effectively to maximise his creativity, Bent would get lots more chances to convert into goals.

That sums it up for me. He is a very good player with very deep flaws; if he did not have those flaws he would not be with us. Lambert is capable of getting the best out of him, so he has to make the decision of whether it is worth the agg.

[PeterWithesShin]

In addition to the creativity Bent talks about, Ireland is also really good at making runs beyond the forward and getting goals from midfield himself, something we haven't always been the best at at Villa.

He's scored one goal in the two seasons he has been at Villa.  Robbie Keane had treble that amount after just two league starts for us.     

This is the stupidest point I've ever seen. Congratulations.

Surely it's valid when someone says he can score goals to point out he's managed 1 in 2 years?

[spaf]

Ireland is a class player. Yes, he's temperamentally flawed but his brain and technique is miles in advance of the rest of the team at times. If Lambert can get him onside and use him effectively to maximise his creativity, Bent would get lots more chances to convert into goals.

That sums it up for me. He is a very good player with very deep flaws; if he did not have those flaws he would not be with us. Lambert is capable of getting the best out of him, so he has to make the decision of whether it is worth the agg.

I'm with you two on this one. His vision, technique, first time plays and the way he uses the ball to give lesser players so much time and space on the ball is nothing short of brilliant.

[eamonn]

In addition to the creativity Bent talks about, Ireland is also really good at making runs beyond the forward and getting goals from midfield himself, something we haven't always been the best at at Villa.

He's scored one goal in the two seasons he has been at Villa.  Robbie Keane had treble that amount after just two league starts for us.     

How many games did he play in his first season? About five? In fact he's yet to play a full season's worth of games for us. And he's not a striker like Keane. I find it strange that people can't see how he's our one genuine quality player.

[tomd2103]

In addition to the creativity Bent talks about, Ireland is also really good at making runs beyond the forward and getting goals from midfield himself, something we haven't always been the best at at Villa.

He's scored one goal in the two seasons he has been at Villa.  Robbie Keane had treble that amount after just two league starts for us.     

How many games did he play in his first season? About five? In fact he's yet to play a full season's worth of games for us. And he's not a striker like Keane. I find it strange that people can't see how he's our one genuine quality player.

Robbie Keane played that role when he was on loan with us and was far more effective in there than Ireland.  Keane scored goals from that position, played through balls for Bent and was far more active in there than Ireland.  That is why Ireland was shifted out wide when Keane came to the club.  The majority of time he played in that position last season, Ireland had a few nice touches here and there, but rarely looked a genuine threat.  There is a definite talent there, but for the past two seasons he has been an expensive luxury.       

[tomd2103]

In addition to the creativity Bent talks about, Ireland is also really good at making runs beyond the forward and getting goals from midfield himself, something we haven't always been the best at at Villa.

He's scored one goal in the two seasons he has been at Villa.  Robbie Keane had treble that amount after just two league starts for us.     

This is the stupidest point I've ever seen. Congratulations.

Thanks.  Do you award a trophy for that?

Just to clear it up, which part of the argument do you find particularly stupid?  The part that questions whether Ireland can really be classed as someone who gets goals from midfield when he has only scored once for us or was it the part that suggested that Ireland's poor scoring record was put into context by the fact that Robbie Keane scored three goals in his first two games playing in the position Ireland does?

[Mazrim]

I won't criticise anybody for questioning Ireland. He's one of those enigmatic players that you either get the best out of, in which case he is absolute class, or he's a bit of a passenger. We saw flashes of it last season with a team that were lost and tentative. Ireland needs the other players around him to fire in order to get the best from him. He needs canny quick thinking players who know how to exploit space, because Ireland knows how to find them. Bent is such a player. We need a few more.

[Hookeysmith]

I won't criticise anybody for questioning Ireland. He's one of those enigmatic players that you either get the best out of, in which case he is absolute class, or he's a bit of a passenger. We saw flashes of it last season with a team that were lost and tentative. Ireland needs the other players around him to fire in order to get the best from him. He needs canny quick thinking players who know how to exploit space, because Ireland knows how to find them. Bent is such a player. We need a few more.

Agree maz 100% - there were times he moved into space or played balls into space that were fantatstic it was just the others could not play with that intelligence

[pedro25]

Unless we have genuine goalscoring centre mids in the Lampard/Gerrard mould and likewise wingers in the Ronaldo mould plus goals coming from defence then I think the hole player has to be a forward not a midfielder.  A Keane/Sheringham/Rooney type, as we will be relying on that player to chip in with at least 10-12 goals next season, I just can't see Ireland getting close to even half that no. based on the last 2 seasons performances