Stephen Ireland

[briny_ear]

We're not really playing to Ireland's strengths yet.

Sorry, if he can't play well whatever is happening in the game, he's not much use to us. I thought the idea was that Ireland would help the team raise its game. Not that the team had to change the way it plays to help Ireland.

[smetrov]

Not convinced he wants to be here.

Fastest I seem him move tonight was he was being substituted - Kick his Ass GH !

[claret75]

Didn't go to the game, but I doubt Ireland will look at his best playing up front with Ashley Young, he needs someone like Heskey to partner him.

[Wof]

This Amazing deal which we all convinced ourselves with in the summer has yet to come to fruition.

We were all convinced that Milner / Ireland + £16m was the steal of the century, and not only that but Milner would do no well at City and that it was a poor move for him.

Looking at it without my C&B spectacles, it appears that we are the ones who have significantly lost out, whilst City and Milner are enjoying a title push.

Obviously things can change, but I think we need to stop convincing ourselves every year that Villa Park is the Mecca of football and that players like Barry, Milner and Young are being / would be foolish to seek a move away.

i'm sure i'm not the only one to admit to wishful thinking about this being an amazing deal for the club, but what is this about 'us' thinking villa is football's mecca? and our players being foolish to look to move on when more money and a swifter likelihood of medals comes knocking?

if anything more people on here understand than don't the reasons why barry and milner decided to leave, we just don't like it, and it's natural to hate on the judas, money grabbing, ambitious, talented bastards.

city have had all the luck with refs and linesmen so far. they're not that much better than us and they've spent well over £1/2billion for crying out loud. at least we're in the league cup stilll, they have 17 or whatever games to get to a final in the europa and we've got 3 in the league cup. i know what i'd rather.

back on topic, stephen ireland will come good; as others have said, young, milner and downing were shit when they joined.

form is temporary, class is permanent.

[villa4europe]

showed his ability in flashes again tonight IMO couple of through balls and one or two bits of tenacity, i still think he needs gabby not just for the runs but the deeper line that the opposition is more likely to play giving him more space

certainly wasnt the worst midfielder on the pitch tonight

[Neil]

at least we're in the league cup stilll, they have 17 or whatever games to get to a final in the europa and we've got 3 in the league cup. i know what i'd rather.

europa cup for me, following villa in europe is fantastic.

[Wof]

at least we're in the league cup stilll, they have 17 or whatever games to get to a final in the europa and we've got 3 in the league cup. i know what i'd rather.

europa cup for me, following villa in europe is fantastic.

fair point, it is more meaningful once you play someone who you've heard of with a crowd of more than 25k but it does take a lot out of the players to get anywhere in the competition.

league cup to me means a lot, it's all i've ever seen villa win and it takes 1/3 the games to win than the europa - hence my overall preference.

i bet that game the other year against ajax was amazing live. the 2-1 loss to msk zilina was a right disappointment for me, especially as delfouneso hasn't kicked on since scoring that awesome left foot volley.

[tismyk]

showed his ability in flashes again tonight IMO couple of through balls and one or two bits of tenacity, i still think he needs gabby not just for the runs but the deeper line that the opposition is more likely to play giving him more space

certainly wasnt the worst midfielder on the pitch tonight

Sorry but yes he was.

[bannedfromHandV]

We're not really playing to Ireland's strengths yet. Although we are playing a more expansive game than under MON, it's still not to the level of pass and move that would get the best out of him. I haven't seen any of tonight's game to comment, but in the Chelsea/Sunderland games he was coming short to try and receive from Young, but getting frustrated as Young cut back in or out and tried to cross. There's only so many times you can make yourself available, only to be ignored.

It will come though, once they get an understanding they'll be scary.

Why on earth do WE have to play to HIS strengths?

Surely it should be the other way around!!!

[bannedfromHandV]

This Amazing deal which we all convinced ourselves with in the summer has yet to come to fruition.

We were all convinced that Milner / Ireland + £16m was the steal of the century, and not only that but Milner would do no well at City and that it was a poor move for him.

Looking at it without my C&B spectacles, it appears that we are the ones who have significantly lost out, whilst City and Milner are enjoying a title push.

Obviously things can change, but I think we need to stop convincing ourselves every year that Villa Park is the Mecca of football and that players like Barry, Milner and Young are being / would be foolish to seek a move away.

i'm sure i'm not the only one to admit to wishful thinking about this being an amazing deal for the club, but what is this about 'us' thinking villa is football's mecca? and our players being foolish to look to move on when more money and a swifter likelihood of medals comes knocking?

if anything more people on here understand than don't the reasons why barry and milner decided to leave, we just don't like it, and it's natural to hate on the judas, money grabbing, ambitious, talented bastards.

city have had all the luck with refs and linesmen so far. they're not that much better than us and they've spent well over £1/2billion for crying out loud. at least we're in the league cup stilll, they have 17 or whatever games to get to a final in the europa and we've got 3 in the league cup. i know what i'd rather.

back on topic, stephen ireland will come good; as others have said, young, milner and downing were shit when they joined.

form is temporary, class is permanent.

Ash Young - scored on his debut

Stew Downing - scored on his debut

Milner - had a successful loan period prior to joining permanently

All three actually showed their potential before reaching it, SI has shown little potential thus far so I can't accept bracketing him in with the likes of Young and Downing.

There are a substantial number of people who see football through heavily tinted Claret & Blue glasses on this and other Villa forums, most of them I think as a fallout of the good old days when we could claim to be the best team in Europe, now it's debatable whether we're the best team in Birmingham (at this very moment in time I mean).

City are no miles ahead of us, lucky as they may be they're a class above pretty much, I should imagine this will become evident when we meet them

[roadoftrinity]

All three actually showed their potential before reaching it, SI has shown little potential thus far so I can't accept bracketing him in with the likes of Young and Downing.

Ireland looked decent enough last night to show he has potential to be a good player for us last night.

You seem to have something against him. All of Young, Milner and Downing were relatively disappointing in their first seasons, writing SI Villa career off as such an early stage is ridiculous.

[briny_ear]

All three actually showed their potential before reaching it, SI has shown little potential thus far so I can't accept bracketing him in with the likes of Young and Downing.

Ireland looked decent enough last night to show he has potential to be a good player for us last night.

You seem to have something against him. All of Young, Milner and Downing were relatively disappointing in their first seasons, writing SI Villa career off as such an early stage is ridiculous.

Wromg about Young, I think. His first season is usually recognised as his best. He's struggled a bit to replicate that ever since.

[bannedfromHandV]

All three actually showed their potential before reaching it, SI has shown little potential thus far so I can't accept bracketing him in with the likes of Young and Downing.

Ireland looked decent enough last night to show he has potential to be a good player for us last night.

You seem to have something against him. All of Young, Milner and Downing were relatively disappointing in their first seasons, writing SI Villa career off as such an early stage is ridiculous.

We don't have the squad in place to accommodate him, it was a ridiculous decision to sign him in the first place particularly when we were losing a central midfielder in the process, our priority should have been to find a replacement for Milner, not to bring in a luxury player with an over-inflated opinion of himself (moreso than your usual over inflated opinion of ones self synonomous with Professional footballers).

And as I keep repeating, at least Downing, Young and Milner all showed something during their first few appearances, SI for me, other than nearly scoring against Chelski has shown very little.

[Maradona10]

I think you can only judge Ireland is when he has Gabby running off him. He is a good player and it'll take him a bit of time.

[Woodytom]

Think yesterday is the only time hes played and weve won isnt it? And even then he got taken off before we scored.

Was he on against Blackburn?

Yet to see anything (bar a few glimpses against chelsea) that shows any sign of the player ppl on here were suggesting was beta than Milner

[Woodytom]

I think you can only judge Ireland is when he has Gabby running off him. He is a good player and it'll take him a bit of time.

Pity we dont judge other players based on one thing. If we can only judge him on when gabby is running off him then thqat shows what a limited and poor player he is

[roadoftrinity]

Think yesterday is the only time hes played and weve won isnt it? And even then he got taken off before we scored.

Was he on against Blackburn?

Yet to see anything (bar a few glimpses against chelsea) that shows any sign of the player ppl on here were suggesting was beta than Milner

Lets be realistic here, he isn't likely to be better than Milner, and I dont think many people think he will be. We received 18 million plus Ireland for Milner, do you seriously believe we are going to have got a better player and 18 million?

Lets just judge Ireland over the season, on how he does and not in comparision to Milner.

And I agree with the poster that we will see the best of Ireland with Gabby one the shoulder of the last defender.

[roadoftrinity]

I think you can only judge Ireland is when he has Gabby running off him. He is a good player and it'll take him a bit of time.

Pity we dont judge other players based on one thing. If we can only judge him on when gabby is running off him then thqat shows what a limited and poor player he is

Or the fact that we don't have any decent strikers.

[quizme]

If we sign a really good cm better than Stan and NRC, then i´ll think we will see the best of Ireland. Then we will be able to really rotate the squad.

[Woodytom]

Think yesterday is the only time hes played and weve won isnt it? And even then he got taken off before we scored.

Was he on against Blackburn?

Yet to see anything (bar a few glimpses against chelsea) that shows any sign of the player ppl on here were suggesting was beta than Milner

Lets be realistic here, he isn't likely to be better than Milner, and I dont think many people think he will be. We received 18 million plus Ireland for Milner, do you seriously believe we are going to have got a better player and 18 million?

Lets just judge Ireland over the season, on how he does and not in comparision to Milner.

And I agree with the poster that we will see the best of Ireland with Gabby one the shoulder of the last defender.

I am referring to the posters who tried to tell me he was better than Milner. Because I dont believe wed get 18m and a better player. I totally agree with giving people time, but we dont treat every player like that.

The way ppl were talking about him on here, I was expecting a lot better tbh. So far ive seen basically what i expected.