Stephen Ireland injury

[pedro25]

Petrov wasn't a tackler, but he was great at interceptions, KEA should do fine holding , but given we have a new, young defence and the fact most other teams play 2 holding midfielders and 4 attack minded players it would help him if he had someone else alongside him, Delph maybe, who has the ability to break forward well also.

[Concrete John]

I think KEA is perfectly capable of playing at the base of a midfield diamond.

He's probably capable but it's not his natural position and he's not a tackler from what I've seen. We just miss someone who is a natural fit for the role.

Tackling becomes less and less important as the rules evolve.  What a modern day DCM needs to do is read the game, pick up runs and make interceptions.

[Concrete John]

Petrov wasn't a tackler, but he was great at interceptions, KEA should do fine holding , but given we have a new, young defence and the fact most other teams play 2 holding midfielders and 4 attack minded players it would help him if he had someone else alongside him, Delph maybe, who has the ability to break forward well also.

Most sides play one upfront and then some variation of 4-3-3/4-5-1/4-2-3-1.  What this usually means is two deep sitting players and 3 more attack minded behind the lobe striker.  In playing two strikers we're sacrificing that extra DCM type, which is effectively being more attacking, and trying to compensate by having a narrow mifield that allows us to remain competitive centrally. 

If we did play an extra one alongside KEA I think that would mean sacrificing a striker and going more like a narrow 4-2-3-1.

[barrysleftfoot]

  KEA and Holman are fine as holding midfielders atm, KEA has good passing ability, and Holman has the energy.Ireland , for me, is the best link player we have, and we need a player who can beat players as our 4th midfielder, and for me that is N'Zog.
 
  Bannan for me is no more than a squad player, but for us to get better, we need a better player in the middle than Holman.

 Would'nt mind seeing Weimann and Benteke together as well.

[N'ZMAV]

I think we should perservere with Weimann and Bent up front. It gives us no temptation to hoof it forward.

[PaulWinch again]

I think we should perservere with Weimann and Bent up front. It gives us no temptation to hoof it forward.

There is truth to that, but I'd also hope that the team can be a bit smarter than to just hoof it to Benteke.

[Phil from the upper holte]

Does anyone know what's going on with Ireland?

[VillaAlways]

He's out for tonight

[Ron Manager]

He's out for tonight

I think his arms just heavily bruised not a break at all. As ive put on another thread you would think he would have been sent for an X Ray as soon as we got home Sat night, or even at Southampton General.

A little strange dont you think?

[VillaAlways]

I still can't work out how he sustained the injury in the first place ??

[willywombat]

I still can't work out how he sustained the injury in the first place ??

Picking up his wages

[not3bad]

Are Delph and Herd injured?

They were but both available now.

[onje_villa]

I still can't work out how he sustained the injury in the first place ??

Picking up his wages

[Karlos96]

His missus has posted on twitter that he has broken his arm.

[Legion]