wiggyrichard Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 Best footballer/most technically gifted footballer on the playing staff. Plans for the summer? Build a team round Stephen Ireland. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laivasse Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 He and Keane are by far the best 'footballers' we have and link well together - they see things the rest don't - unfortunately once Keane goes we may see him drop off in form again - whatever I seriously think he will be off in the Summer as he must be one of the highest earners that McEck has been told to shed. He's wasted out wide, i'd like to see him take up Keane's role just off Bent once. This is the best we've seen of him since he arrived, hope he keeps it up.I agree that he's wasted out wide, but while Keane's here and playing well it's tough to accommodate them both. He was still excellent last night. That pass to put Stan in space for the N'Zog goal was breathtaking, and for my money that's one of the best goals we've scored in a long while. Even so, I agree with you about being stuck out on the right. QPR were poor and we allowed us to do something we haven't managed against many other teams, which is to dominate possession for long stretches. Whenever we did this, Ireland cut in and roamed around more and more, getting increasingly involved with play. However, at the point possession turned over to us he would always be stuck out wide, often little more advanced than Hutton, which cut him off from quickly feeding Zog/Bent/Keane. It was only after he'd laid the ball off and moved up, or Hutton overlapped, that he got the freedom to do what he should be doing for us all the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyblade Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 Best footballer/most technically gifted footballer on the playing staff. Plans for the summer? Build a team round Stephen Ireland. This. Best player at the club along with Bent. We should build around these two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSufferingVilla Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 Building a team around Ireland is a big gamble. He's great on his day but too much of a lunatic to be reliant on in the long run, at any moment he's likely to drop everything, leave his missus and join the priesthood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiggyrichard Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 Building a team around Ireland is a big gamble. He's great on his day but too much of a lunatic to be reliant on in the long run, at any moment he's likely to drop everything, leave his missus and join the priesthood. I dont agree with it, but it made me laugh! I might be wrong, but havnt a few people come out and said that at both Man City and Villa, he was/is one of the most dedicated players in the squad and trained harder than most? Stephen Ireland imo should be the first name on the team sheet along with Bent, he's the one who can make things happen, the only proven creative player we really have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesWithe Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 He is a loon and a bit of bling bling merchant...but forget his off field faults when he takes to the pitch he has the ability to have a huge influence on the game which few other players can. We are paying him an awful lot of money so we either sell him or really set up our team to fit him in (as well this might mean soothing his obvious ego) and we could see some fantastic results. Along with Ireland I think Given, Gabby and Bent should be the spine of our team and players really worth paying good money for unlike a lot of our others who are expendable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidlewis Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 he is Merson Mk II potentially. A nutter but an awesome footballer. not quite Gazza mentz but could turn that way if he goes off a cliff mentally. He has been brilliant since Chelsea tbh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
troon_villan Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 He's been pretty consistent since the Arsenal game in December, whenever he's played since that game we've looked more dangerous. Consistency was the thing I worried about the most after Chelsea but he's put a few performances together now, keep it up!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
omariqy Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 Is he though? Seems a lot more switched on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesWithe Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 he is Merson Mk II potentially. A nutter but an awesome footballer. not quite Gazza mentz but could turn that way if he goes off a cliff mentally. He has been brilliant since Chelsea tbh. I think he is a lot more sane than people give him credit for imo and nowhere near a Gazza . My mate has lived next door to him for a good year now (lovely houses as you would expect in that part of Solihull) and he has said to me as well as his wife being very attractive that they have not had any trouble whatsoever. I think he is the kind of guy you would find buying a big statue of himself for his garden rather than fighting a random person pissed on saturday night up the town. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidlewis Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 he is an ego and wants to be adored. Perhaps the fans giving him a warm reception now is boosting his confidence. I am sure if we thought of a unique chant for him he'd become van basten. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingysilvers Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 I think his mental fragility is overstated, this season we've seen him come back from being completely written off, put in some good performances, played out of position and actually tracked back and worked hard for the team. I'm much more concerned about his physical fragility as we are going to be so reliant on him for that creative spark once Keane heads back to sunny California. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iancharlie Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 he is an ego and wants to be adored. Perhaps the fans giving him a warm reception now is boosting his confidence. I am sure if we thought of a unique chant for him he'd become van basten. Ireland is a dream tra la la la la like the boney m song?! van basten us up ireland! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmooney Posted February 2, 2012 VT Supporter Share Posted February 2, 2012 Have they ever been seen in the same room? I think I'm onto something... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiggyrichard Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 I am sure if we thought of a unique chant for him he'd become van basten. I think your getting a little too excited mate! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted February 2, 2012 Moderator Share Posted February 2, 2012 Have they ever been seen in the same room? I think I'm onto something... And as stable as each other too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmooney Posted February 2, 2012 VT Supporter Share Posted February 2, 2012 Have they ever been seen in the same room? I think I'm onto something... And as stable as each other too.That was exactly what I was thinking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skruff Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 I have no idea why people bother to much about the color or his car, interior of his house or his clothing. It has absolutely nothing to do with mental state nor his ability to play football. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidlewis Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 I am sure if we thought of a unique chant for him he'd become van basten. I think your getting a little too excited mate! I am not I was just using a Clarkson. point remains though, he has an ego and the more we adore him the better he will be. A la Carew after he first joined. that song the first few times we sung it turned him into a goal animal. he was unstoppable. then it wore thin and we got on his back a bit after he became a bit lazy. what about I diddly dee Irelands the one for me with snake skin trousers lots of booze he can't be stopped he's on the loose Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomsub Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 I must admit I was wrong about Ireland he's really starting to show how committed and creative he can be and should definitely be one of the first names on the team sheet. We should also remember to give credit where due to AMc for motivating him and getting the best out of him (and taking the risk!) - Well done Alex you're a God Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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