VillaChris Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 From what I saw on Football First - class act. One of the biggest enigmas in all of football IMO, has the vision and touch you'd expect to see in a top European side but whether he can produce it on a consistent basis and combine it with hard work around the pitch is a different story. Nothing wrong with his workrate yesterday...couple of times in the first half he tracked back to help out Hutton and won the ball. Shows how close you can come to glory. I think if we'd had a central midfielder with his guile (although Milner matured into a decent one in the end) under MON and also Bent, we'd have finished in the top 4 and won the Carling cup in 09/10 I reckon as the other parts of our team were sorted in that season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A.V.F.C Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 He has done reasonably well this season, more so lately. That said he is still a long way off the player who was linking with Robinho and scoring/assisting great goals at Manchester City. We don't have many players, if any, with the technical ability he posseses so I'd advocate just getting behind him because a few more footballing brains around him and a good positive vibe around the team and club and he could become crucial for us next season. I think some of the praise is unwarranted though, I think Keane was better than him in that AMC role when he was at the club. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dchitz Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 Can someone please explain to me why he is an enigma? Also bar wolves the games keane played well in he was linking with Ireland (hence) had better players around him than Ireland does now, Unfortunately living in Dublin I don't get to many games but saw keane play live twice while at villa and thought he was quite average on both occasions but a improvement on what was there which doesn't say much Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
largelugs Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 He has done reasonably well this season, more so lately. That said he is still a long way off the player who was linking with Robinho and scoring/assisting great goals at Manchester City. We don't have many players, if any, with the technical ability he posseses so I'd advocate just getting behind him because a few more footballing brains around him and a good positive vibe around the team and club and he could become crucial for us next season. I think some of the praise is unwarranted though, I think Keane was better than him in that AMC role when he was at the club. Agree about Keane. If your playing as the withdrawn striker, you need to pose a goal threat yourself.To need to get past the attacker at times and drive into the box. Ireland looks pretty at times and links things together, but if you're an opposing defender you don't fear him getting the ball. If he could play a proper central midfield role with his talent, he could be a great player, but due to his lack of application/discipline this won't happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dont_do_it_doug. Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 He has done reasonably well this season, more so lately. That said he is still a long way off the player who was linking with Robinho and scoring/assisting great goals at Manchester City. We don't have many players, if any, with the technical ability he posseses so I'd advocate just getting behind him because a few more footballing brains around him and a good positive vibe around the team and club and he could become crucial for us next season. I think some of the praise is unwarranted though, I think Keane was better than him in that AMC role when he was at the club. Agree about Keane. If your playing as the withdrawn striker, you need to pose a goal threat yourself.To need to get past the attacker at times and drive into the box. Ireland looks pretty at times and links things together, but if you're an opposing defender you don't fear him getting the ball. If he could play a proper central midfield role with his talent, he could be a great player, but due to his lack of application/discipline this won't happen. Most of that can be put down to him not having a Robinho and who are we to say defenders don't fear him getting the ball? I'm aware he only has a couple of assists and a goal but he has been involved in many more. Also in fairness to the lad it can be argued he has only just started playing again after over a year out of the game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
largelugs Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 Not saying he's not doing ok, just some of the comments in here and you'd think we've got a world class player on our hands! He's decent, but with a lot of flaws. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juanpabloangel18 Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 we should definately build the team around Ireland easy there son... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dont_do_it_doug. Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 Not saying he's not doing ok, just some of the comments in here and you'd think we've got a world class player on our hands! He's decent, but with a lot of flaws. Fair enough, agreed. He has the potential to be the next little thing for us though. The next Barry/Young/Milner/Downing. All flawed in some respect (apologies to Milner) but more than good enough to carry us. In my opinion of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A.V.F.C Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 Only thing for me is that he is on big wages apparently and we've all been subjected to constant updates from McLeish that we need to 'trade carefully' etc, I just think that Ireland might end up getting sold on by McLeish for a cheaper option. Would be a shame as I think we will see the best of Ireland next year if we keep him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pilchard Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 So am I the only one who thinks we should be trying to flog him ASAP? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dont_do_it_doug. Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 So am I the only one who thinks we should be trying to flog him ASAP? Probably not. Wages I assume? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CI Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 So am I the only one who thinks we should be trying to flog him ASAP? I don't think you'd shift him. It's a case of just getting the best out of him now and at last he's earning some of that huge salary. Impressive again yesterday Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pilchard Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 Wages, talent, attitude and positioning. He can only play behind a front man - the problem we had in the first half yesterday IMO was that we needed two up there - gabby does certain stuff but after he's chased the ball there's no one in the box. Spend the wages on a proper out and out winger who can cross the ball and take a corner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
largelugs Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 Wages, talent, attitude and positioning. He can only play behind a front man - the problem we had in the first half yesterday IMO was that we needed two up there - gabby does certain stuff but after he's chased the ball there's no one in the box. Spend the wages on a proper out and out winger who can cross the ball and take a corner. Hope he plays well and impresses another manager enough to let them think they might make a star out of him. Then we can buy a player to fit into the team, not one we have to fit a team about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
troon_villan Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 Agree with most of the comments on here, he's been really good since xmas and he's deserved a place but he's just such a luxury player it's unreal. I would be wiling to keep him as a squad player but I don't think his personality would allow that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CI Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 Luxury player is a good way of describing him. Albeit yesterday he was tracking back & tackling & stuff, you know like a proper midfielder It was impressive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
largelugs Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 Luxury player is a good way of describing him. Albeit yesterday he was tracking back & tackling & stuff, you know like a proper midfielder It was impressive If only he could be a proper midfielder, with the quality he has he could be amazing. However, i think we will always notice the games where he makes a few challenges as they will stand out as the exception . Playing either him or N'Zog in a 442 would be suicidal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PieFacE Posted March 11, 2012 VT Supporter Share Posted March 11, 2012 I like him. I think if we had an intelligent striker, Ireland could bring out the best of him. He links with Zog well too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVFCforever1991 Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Agree with most of the comments on here, he's been really good since xmas and he's deserved a place but he's just such a luxury player it's unreal. I would be wiling to keep him as a squad player but I don't think his personality would allow that. It makes no sense to have a squad player on 60K a week. Thats what we have our youngsters for.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVFCforever1991 Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 I like him. I think if we had an intelligent striker, Ireland could bring out the best of him. He links with Zog well too.# Darren bent is quite an intelligent striker, Always playing on the shoulder of the last defender worrying defences, looking to break the offside trap.. This would be perfect for Ireland.. where as gabby and Ireland do not make a good pair, because Gabby drifts onto the wings. So when Ireland is looking to make the pass forward to the srtiker, Gabby just isnt there and then Ireland has to pass back, But if we had Bent back.. Ireland would benefit much more.. And I think bent would too.. remember how Bent And Keane were, Great link up play, I think he could have that sort of partnership with Ireland to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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