Stephen Ireland

[LeeB]

That problem with Ireland we know there a good player in there but he does not want to show it.

His performance at home v Bradford was appalling

Ireland is hopeless but he's been turned into a bit of a scapegoat for the Bradford game which is wrong because the blame should be aimed at no one other than Lambert and his appalling tactics.
Anyway, that's a bit off topic for here.

So, the whole episode was down to Lambert and in no way the fault of the players who played in both games? Are you sure Lerner didn't play a significant part? That he didn't tell the players to go easy so he could save on cup final suits?

[saunders_heroes]

That problem with Ireland we know there a good player in there but he does not want to show it.

His performance at home v Bradford was appalling

Ireland is hopeless but he's been turned into a bit of a scapegoat for the Bradford game which is wrong because the blame should be aimed at no one other than Lambert and his appalling tactics.
Anyway, that's a bit off topic for here.

So, the whole episode was down to Lambert and in no way the fault of the players who played in both games? Are you sure Lerner didn't play a significant part? That he didn't tell the players to go easy so he could save on cup final suits?

The tactics after Bradford equalised we're so baffling, so amateurish, so diabolical that you can only blame the manager for the outcome. It was one of the worst managerial decisions I've ever seen at Villa. Look if you want to blame the players for those tactics that's up to you. I'll blame the man who initiated them though - Paul Lambert.

[Clampy]

However poor the tactics were against Bradford (and they were a bit of a mess in the second half) you'd expect a player earning a shit load of money to look interested, especially in a Semi Final of a cup.

[saunders_heroes]

However poor the tactics were against Bradford (and they were a bit of a mess in the second half) you'd expect a player earning a shit load of money to look interested, especially in a Semi Final of a cup.

True, but to blame one player and make him the scapegoat for the Bradford debacle just isn't on. Lambert was to blame for the Cup exit, not Ireland.

[Clampy]

However poor the tactics were against Bradford (and they were a bit of a mess in the second half) you'd expect a player earning a shit load of money to look interested, especially in a Semi Final of a cup.

True, but to blame one player and make him the scapegoat for the Bradford debacle just isn't on. Lambert was to blame for the Cup exit, not Ireland.

I did'nt make anyone a scapegoat. Lambert made a total mess of the 2nd leg, his tactics were all over the place. That said, the fact that he has'nt played Ireland since then (i'm right in thinking) says a lot.

[Toronto Villa]

Lambert's tactics became desperate in the second leg. They wouldn't have need to be that way though had our players buried their numerous chances during both ties, especially the first leg when we should have been home and dry before they even scored. To point the finger at any one person is simply wrong. They are all to blame as to why we have a free weekend coming up. Ireland has had his chances, and as a "senior" member of the squad he could have done a lot more when given the opportunity. Like the others he didn't and he hasn't been for a while now. His Villa career is over, and most of that is down to him. N'Zogbia has shown that with application you can come back and be a real impact player again. Ireland clearly has other priorities.

[Chris Smith]

However poor the tactics were against Bradford (and they were a bit of a mess in the second half) you'd expect a player earning a shit load of money to look interested, especially in a Semi Final of a cup.

True, but to blame one player and make him the scapegoat for the Bradford debacle just isn't on. Lambert was to blame for the Cup exit, not Ireland.

Have you ever played football? It's not a game of chess, with the manager moving inert pieces around the pitch. He picks the side then it's up to them. Against Bradford they did everything right in the first half and then crumbled, mentally, after their goal. The selection might or might not have been the best available but a Premier League Team should have been able to remain composed against a League 2 side. 

[saunders_heroes]

However poor the tactics were against Bradford (and they were a bit of a mess in the second half) you'd expect a player earning a shit load of money to look interested, especially in a Semi Final of a cup.

True, but to blame one player and make him the scapegoat for the Bradford debacle just isn't on. Lambert was to blame for the Cup exit, not Ireland.

Have you ever played football? It's not a game of chess, with the manager moving inert pieces around the pitch. He picks the side then it's up to them. Against Bradford they did everything right in the first half and then crumbled, mentally, after their goal. The selection might or might not have been the best available but a Premier League Team should have been able to remain composed against a League 2 side. 

There was around 30 mins to play after Bradford scored, yet from that moment onwards our forwards all played like there were 30 seconds to play and they ran around the penalty box like the Ant Hill Mob with balls launched forward from the centre circle with absolutely no width. That's not the fault of the players that's the fault of the manager. Just absolutely appalling from Lambert.

[mrfuse]

Scapegoat or not and to be honest I don't really care, Ireland has never been good enough for us. I've always thought Nzogbia was a more dangerous creative player and Im glad he is getting a chance rather than Ireland who seems to want to just pose.

[saunders_heroes]

Scapegoat or not and to be honest I don't really care, Ireland has never been good enough for us. I've always thought Nzogbia was a more dangerous creative player and Im glad he is getting a chance rather than Ireland who seems to want to just pose.

Agreed. Ireland is a waste of space. I've said it many times, he's pound for pound one of the worst signings this club has ever made. Still doesn't make him the one to blame for the Bradford debacle though.

[Chris Smith]

However poor the tactics were against Bradford (and they were a bit of a mess in the second half) you'd expect a player earning a shit load of money to look interested, especially in a Semi Final of a cup.

True, but to blame one player and make him the scapegoat for the Bradford debacle just isn't on. Lambert was to blame for the Cup exit, not Ireland.

Have you ever played football? It's not a game of chess, with the manager moving inert pieces around the pitch. He picks the side then it's up to them. Against Bradford they did everything right in the first half and then crumbled, mentally, after their goal. The selection might or might not have been the best available but a Premier League Team should have been able to remain composed against a League 2 side. 

There was around 30 mins to play after Bradford scored, yet from that moment onwards our forwards all played like there were 30 seconds to play and they ran around the penalty box like the Ant Hill Mob with balls launched forward from the centre circle with absolutely no width. That's not the fault of the players that's the fault of the manager. Just absolutely appalling from Lambert.

If the players are bunching, it's their fault not the manager's. He might have made the wrong substitutions but they're professional footballers and they should have a little more wit then to continually get in each others way - you learn that when you're a kid.

[Chris Smith]

Scapegoat or not and to be honest I don't really care, Ireland has never been good enough for us. I've always thought Nzogbia was a more dangerous creative player and Im glad he is getting a chance rather than Ireland who seems to want to just pose.

Agreed. Ireland is a waste of space. I've said it many times, he's pound for pound one of the worst signings this club has ever made. Still doesn't make him the one to blame for the Bradford debacle though.

That's a different argument though, this is a thread about Ireland and he was shit in that game as he has been the vast majority of times he's played for us. That is entirely his own fault. Others were similarly poor in the second half, the point is though they've shown promise in other games. Ireland has had plenty of opportunities and has repeatedly failed to deliver.

[saunders_heroes]

However poor the tactics were against Bradford (and they were a bit of a mess in the second half) you'd expect a player earning a shit load of money to look interested, especially in a Semi Final of a cup.

True, but to blame one player and make him the scapegoat for the Bradford debacle just isn't on. Lambert was to blame for the Cup exit, not Ireland.

Have you ever played football? It's not a game of chess, with the manager moving inert pieces around the pitch. He picks the side then it's up to them. Against Bradford they did everything right in the first half and then crumbled, mentally, after their goal. The selection might or might not have been the best available but a Premier League Team should have been able to remain composed against a League 2 side. 

There was around 30 mins to play after Bradford scored, yet from that moment onwards our forwards all played like there were 30 seconds to play and they ran around the penalty box like the Ant Hill Mob with balls launched forward from the centre circle with absolutely no width. That's not the fault of the players that's the fault of the manager. Just absolutely appalling from Lambert.

If the players are bunching, it's their fault not the manager's. He might have made the wrong substitutions but they're professional footballers and they should have a little more wit then to continually get in each others way - you learn that when you're a kid.

You'd be right if it was for the last 30 seconds, but it wasn't. It went on for 30 minutes. Lambert was at fault. It was amateurish.

[Ads]

Managers get players fired. As much as you can blame Lambert- and you can, you also have to look at Benteke and Bent etc for missing a hatful of chances.

If we had have won the first leg 5 or 6, then nobody would have blinked.

[Merv]

Listen, those last 30 mins against Bradford were us throwing everything we had to try and score the two goals (or three to win in normal time) we needed to reach Wembley. It was desperate and a gamble. It was a one-off. Lambert hadn't set the team up before like that, hasn't done it since.

Ireland isn’t being phased out because of that game, he’s being phased out because he’s been poor over three seasons; Houllier couldn’t wait to get rid of him, McLeish used him selectively, never really trusted him, Lambert gave him a decent run during the first half of the season but he’s plainly been found wanting.

I think he was only playing against Bradford because, at the time, we had barely any fit or available central midfield players.

We’ve been waiting for him to come good for three seasons. It’s not going to happen.