markavfc40 Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 "Always the best player in training" according to Benty No surprise really. He is comfortably the most technically gifted player we have and have had for some time. Problem is getting him to perform on match day week in week out. Today and against Arsenal he was excellent. If McLeish can continue to get these kind of performances out of him we will have some player and one we will struggle to keep hold of. Unfortunately getting Ireland to perform to a high level consistently is something many managers have struggled to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxy1 Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 He has done it though for a full season at City under Hughes. I think it's taken him a long time to get over thr rejection of being exited from City soon after being one of their star players. Psychologically I think it killed him. Perhaps now he's realising that these should be his prime years and he still has the chance of a great career at the top level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El_Hierro Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 And it wasn't just the goal, the passing and the running into postions, he got stuck in, tackled, backtracked, basically it was a solid allround performance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mantis Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 Sure to start against Swansea now? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beasley14 Posted January 1, 2012 Share Posted January 1, 2012 He was my MOTM tbh. Had a bit of everything today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laivasse Posted January 1, 2012 Share Posted January 1, 2012 Excellent performance. I know this goes against the conventional wisdom, but for my money this was not that different from some of the performances he has put in already, except for an added bit of confidence. An extra yard here, a slightly sharper pass there - plus the fact that our shape and Chelsea's lethargy meant that they never saw him coming and he won possession for us time and time again, it was like he was some sort of ball-winning, playmaking ubermensch. BUT! Rewind to the first goal! Imagine N'Zog just wasn't putting in the effort... or imagine the rebound didn't fall quite right from the Terry handball... ...and I can easily imagine the same '6/10' Ireland setting in for the rest of the game; the Ireland that we've had for his last few appearances, which some claimed were a cause for optimism and others claimed were a cause for hatred of his idle ways. Overall I feel good, because I feel like he can do this again and has never been far away from doing this. But then again he is not far away from not being able to do this, if you get my meaning. Either way, definitely he needs a run. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattyp_avfc Posted January 1, 2012 Share Posted January 1, 2012 I hope this is the kickstart we need, we have found the formation? and we have the balance back team for Swansea should be ---------------Guzan Cuellar-----------------------Warnock --------Collins------Dunne -------Petrov--------Clark Albrighton---------------------N'zogbia --------------Ireland -------------Gabby Now I'm stuck on the striker part, it would damage Ireland's confidence to drop him for bent after the Chelsea game. Start with Gabbs and if we need too bring DB9 on for Gabby or either of the wingers who hasn't played as well and the switch Gabby to Winger. We need continuity and that will give the side confidence!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mantis Posted January 1, 2012 Share Posted January 1, 2012 Thought it was very good of Ireland to lay the ball off for Bent to score when he could have easily had a shot himself. That's the kind of decision making that can win you games. Had Ireland taken the shot himself he might have missed and Chelsea could have then gone on to equalise. Not only that but it gives Bent some much needed confidence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiegoD Posted January 1, 2012 Share Posted January 1, 2012 Fantastic game for Ireland. Worked very hard defensively and picked out some great passes. Hopefully we can see more of this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ponky Posted January 1, 2012 Share Posted January 1, 2012 Thought it was very good of Ireland to lay the ball off for Bent to score when he could have easily had a shot himself. That's the kind of decision making that can win you games. Had Ireland taken the shot himself he might have missed and Chelsea could have then gone on to equalise. Not only that but it gives Bent some much needed confidence. True, but watching it again you can still see his touch is still not quite there. The ball was to Bent wasn't particularly crisp and in the end Bent only just made it before the keeper and squeezed it through his feet. It shows his brain is still a few weeks ahead of his feet - ie there is still some improvement in him yet - and if his brain and his feet finally get on the same page - look out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu_The_Villan Posted January 1, 2012 Share Posted January 1, 2012 Lets not get carried away here, Ireland had a decent game, no more. But im so **** pleased for him. He looked like he was enjoying himself out there and thats hiw you get the best out of Ireland... Let him do what hr does with no restraints. It certainly wasnt anything special, but the team as a whole played well and Ireland did look like hes getting his confidence back. UTV. And happy new year peeps!!!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted January 1, 2012 Share Posted January 1, 2012 Lets not get carried away here, Ireland had a decent game, no more decent? he was brilliant and not very often i call a player that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
privateer Posted January 1, 2012 Share Posted January 1, 2012 Lets not get carried away here, Ireland had a decent game, no more decent? he was brilliant and not very often i call a player that. I'm between your opinions. He wasn't what I'd call brilliant but he was certainly better than decent. He played very well and I'm glad to see it - it's not like he didn't owe the club and fans that performance. He owes us a lot more of them and if/when he does it consistently I'll be happy because we will win a lot more games and even those we don't win will be much more entertaining. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briny_ear Posted January 1, 2012 Share Posted January 1, 2012 Thought he was excellent yesterday. Whatever was in that pipe did the trick! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demitri_C Posted January 1, 2012 Share Posted January 1, 2012 ireland showed great class by squaring the ball to bent. he easily could have gone alone but he squared it to bent (who has been critised for lack of goals) for a fantastic 3rd goal ireland has to start and mcleish has to be praised for motivating him to play that way Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CI Posted January 1, 2012 Share Posted January 1, 2012 Like a new signing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
under_the_bridge Posted January 1, 2012 Share Posted January 1, 2012 I think given the type of personality he is he has to be 'managed' in a certain way. A boost to confidence will do him no end of good and McCleish handled the shisa-gate twitter photo very well I think - he berated him without actually doing so. I just hope he can keep it up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbie09 Posted January 1, 2012 Share Posted January 1, 2012 I honestly cannot believe there are still people who think Ireland is going to come good - are you blind or something !. 18 months of taking the pee out of the Villa. Before that - 18 months of warming the bench of Man City reserves !!!. The kid had one good season and that was 4 years ago - the guy has an attitude problem big style. The guy has NO guts. Arsenal was the perfect example. "Sorry boss, I'm feeling a bit wheezy, I can't run anymore !" - my arse !!!!. Christ almighty, we had a goalie breaking into tears every five minutes a few weeks ago because his best mate had died - and he carried on - but Ireland - "sorry, I've stubbed my toe - I can't walk anymore". Just get him out of the club pronto !!!! I presume the same people still think Stefan Moore is going to come good as well !!! Care to eat some humble pie? By the way I'm not blind or something, maybe I just recognise a decent footballer who when given a little encouragement along with a run in the team can come up with the goods. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CI Posted January 1, 2012 Share Posted January 1, 2012 Let's see if he can play this way tomorrow and for the rest of the season Swansea at home of course will be a very different game to Chelsea away, we cant play breakaway football, we'll have to take the game to them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyBM Posted January 1, 2012 Share Posted January 1, 2012 lets not get carried away with his performance, its one game, although, what a game for him, fair play to him, good to see him get stuck in a do what we all know he can do, also nice of him to play bent in for the 3rd goal, ireland could of easily took it as well but decided not to gamble the shot lets hope he does that next game Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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