Randy_0'Neill Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 Ashley Young seemed to refuse to pass to Ireland for some reason, so it never worked. I used to think Gabby did the same until I realised he just couldn't spot the runs and when to play him in. I like watching Ireland as he does things and spots things that as a player I can't, but makes them look so easy that anyone could do it. That's why I look forward to him playing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Overdubber Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 Sadly one of those players who sometimes doesn`t seem to turn up. Bit frustrating really, as we all know he has masses of potential. definately agree about partnering him up with the right man though. with Robhinio he was sometimes quite fantastic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daweii Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 Should thrive under new management. Showed great application under Mcleish though. It's make or break for him I feel. He seemed to get on with McLeish so played some pretty good football for him given the players around him. If he doesn't get on with management he'll be off as he won't want another Houllier situation where he's benched for half a season and then loaned for the rest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roonst83 Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 I would love to have Ireland with us for a few years - he is by far the most intelligent footballer in our team and if we can get him linking up with Bent (providing they both stay) they could be very effective together. I have seen Ireland give a shit this season, track back for challenges when we have lost the ball, celebrate with sincere happiness when we have scored - all things he wasn't doing for us before. We need to keep this guy at our club! He's excellent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daweii Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 I think Ireland and Bent especially Bent will be staying now. Firing McLeish will be seen by the more ambitious players as an ambitious move as it shows the club will not settle for mediocrity. I know that Ireland got on with McLeish most of the time, but providing the replacement plays him then Ireland will have no issues with him. All in all this is a good sign for the future, we will be keeping our most promising talent and replacing the deadwood so all is good (hopefully) for the club going forward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
omariqy Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 Ireland should be playing in behind Bent. If we can sign 2 really good DMs and another winger and get N'Zogbia firing we will be a force next season. All big ifs tho Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Overdubber Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 Will be interesting to see who is considered deadwood by the new manager. One good thing to come out of the horrible season gone is that quite a few of our own youngsters got some playing time, and may well be up for the next season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodigan Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 agree with this. also believe that ireland is one who has gotten his head right in the last couple of months... giving him the player of the season has given him the fan support he clearly craves and i think he is one who will be a key player in the coming season... bring on the new manager and lets see what this team can really do... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiggyrichard Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 Ive said it before and i'll say it again. Stephen Ireland must be kept by the club. Build a team around him, make him feel special and give him the freedom to roam around behind Bent and cause chaos. I wouldnt even assign him a set position, just tell him to go out and play his natural game and get forward to support Bent when ever he could. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nycVILLA Posted May 16, 2012 Share Posted May 16, 2012 Bent up top, I would love to see the pairing of Ireland and Zog given a sort of dual free role, still hunting in a pack together behind or the side, of Bent asymmetrically. They would be the BIZ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodigan Posted May 16, 2012 Share Posted May 16, 2012 don't care who it is, as long as the front six look to go forward first, and only if thats not on look to play sideways or backwards.... so many games this season, players have looked terrified to make any pass other than the no risk one 15 yards backwards... time for some confidence to come back into the squad... we are villa, FFS.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVFC-Prideofbrum Posted May 16, 2012 Share Posted May 16, 2012 For me, Ireland is a difficult one. Clearly he is Technically a good player but the main question is, is he worth the wages he's on? If we're going to build a competitive squad on a budget we can't pay players £60 who aren't going to have a huge impact for us. 2 seasons he's been here and apart from 4/5 games, he's not shown his worth. Without doubt improved this season but still I don't think enough to warrant a status as 'key player' so to speak. I don't mind either way, I think maybe under Martinez it would be a better idea to keep him over say Lambert. If he stays, he has to be brilliant for us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P3te Posted May 16, 2012 Share Posted May 16, 2012 ireland will be our star man if we build the team around him and bent. if we're not going to do that then we might as well sell him, but our loss will certainly be someone else's gain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwivillan Posted May 16, 2012 Share Posted May 16, 2012 ireland will be our star man if we build the team around him and bent. if we're not going to do that then we might as well sell him, but our loss will certainly be someone else's gain If we do this and make the right moves in the transfer market, especially, especially a hard-as-**** DM we will play some good competitive football. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nycVILLA Posted May 16, 2012 Share Posted May 16, 2012 Ireland has to be our key man next season. Just love the idea of villa playing a passing game, looking like below, not suicide attacking, but vision and flair in the middle. Pretty much giving up on the wingers, we don't attack the ball upfront for them to be justified. Just own the middle of the park. Pot shots with a poacher coming in. ---------Bent----------- ---Zog-------Ireland--- Clark---Makoun---Herd Not sure what to do at the back to be honest.... Other than Given is a given. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazdavies79 Posted May 16, 2012 Share Posted May 16, 2012 Ireland produces some nice touches, but is well short of being the key player described on here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valhalla Posted May 16, 2012 Share Posted May 16, 2012 Ireland will be great in a team that plays the ball on the floor. He will also shine when there is more than one player in front of him to pass to. Quality player, really looking foward to seeing him play next season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villaglint Posted May 16, 2012 Share Posted May 16, 2012 Just putting this out there. I've got a bit of a feeling that Ireland would be better suited in a more traditional CM role than the "in the hole" role we mostly deploy him in. After Stan got injured I thought he did really well playing CM in the couple of games he had there and showed that he has the work rate and tackling ability to not get rolled over in this position. I see him as closer to Raul Meireles than David Silva. He his great on the ball and has terrific passing but he doesn't have that little burst of pace to beat a man create some space and play the killer ball. You see Silva and Mata doing this all the time and I think its critical to playing in that roaming position. I would like to see Ireland in CM with a real destroyer next to him (Diame?) and somebody with a bit more of a cutting edge ahead of him (Someone like Keane? or Sigurdsson if we could afford him?). Possibly even N'Zogbia if he can get sharp - it was off the front man where he had most of his success at Wigan. This way Ireland can helps us maintain possession (something which we have really really struggled to do this year. Whilst playing the odd killer ball and making the odd late run into the box. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chappy Posted May 16, 2012 Share Posted May 16, 2012 Ireland has to be our key man next season. Just love the idea of villa playing a passing game, looking like below, not suicide attacking, but vision and flair in the middle. Pretty much giving up on the wingers, we don't attack the ball upfront for them to be justified. Just own the middle of the park. Pot shots with a poacher coming in. ---------Bent----------- ---Zog-------Ireland--- Clark---Makoun---Herd Not sure what to do at the back to be honest.... Other than Given is a given. I like the look of that, maybe with a new signing instead of Clark as I believe he should play at CB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GarethRDR Posted May 16, 2012 Share Posted May 16, 2012 Just putting this out there. I've got a bit of a feeling that Ireland would be better suited in a more traditional CM role than the "in the hole" role we mostly deploy him in. After Stan got injured I thought he did really well playing CM in the couple of games he had there and showed that he has the work rate and tackling ability to not get rolled over in this position. I see him as closer to Raul Meireles than David Silva. He his great on the ball and has terrific passing but he doesn't have that little burst of pace to beat a man create some space and play the killer ball. You see Silva and Mata doing this all the time and I think its critical to playing in that roaming position. I would like to see Ireland in CM with a real destroyer next to him (Diame?) and somebody with a bit more of a cutting edge ahead of him (Someone like Keane? or Sigurdsson if we could afford him?). Possibly even N'Zogbia if he can get sharp - it was off the front man where he had most of his success at Wigan. This way Ireland can helps us maintain possession (something which we have really really struggled to do this year. Whilst playing the odd killer ball and making the odd late run into the box. So (with the players at our disposal presently) something akin to... Albrighton Ireland Herd Holman N'Zogbia BentYou'd have Herd competing in the air and putting in the bulk of the grunt work, with Ireland on occasional mop-up duty but primarily used to retain possession and move the ball around. Give Holman the entirety of the left flank to run up and down (by all accounts he has the engine for it) with N'Zogbia providing movement and an outlet for Ireland and also having enough space on the right to run at defenders. N'Zogbia's forays across and into the right channel could also allow Albrighton to sit back and play crosses in from a bit deeper, alleviating him of the pressure of trying to take on defenders and perhaps allowing him to find his range a bit better and rebuild some of that confidence from his first season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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