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Stephen Ireland


Richard

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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

                 Bent

You'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.

Yeah - although I would be loath to go into another season relying on Marc Albrighton as our 1st choice winger. We have already set his career back several years by throwing him in too often too soon.

With our current players I would rather give Carruthers a go there.

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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

                 Bent
You'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.
I think that's what would work best, but I'd possibly switch Holman and Albrighton (or maybe have them alternating wings), and include Gabby on the wings. So,
Holman  Ireland  Herd  Albrighton 

          N'Zogbia

                 Bent
or
Albrighton Ireland Herd Gabby

          N'Zogbia

                 Bent

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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

Agreed.

I think herd could be one of this midfield players.

Ireland needs to be a key player for us next season. I would like to see a fully fit bent with an inform Ireland.

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I'm probably alone on here in thinking Ireland has been shite once again last season. How he got player of the season is a joke and is beyond me.

However, with 2 strong CM's behind him, I could definitely see him doing well playing support striker behind a finisher like Bent.

Note 2 strong CM's does NOT mean Herd and Clark! We need 2 quality signings there.

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I'm probably alone on here in thinking Ireland has been shite once again last season. How he got player of the season is a joke and is beyond me.

However, with 2 strong CM's behind him, I could definitely see him doing well playing support striker behind a finisher like Bent.

Note 2 strong CM's does NOT mean Herd and Clark! We need 2 quality signings there.

Ditto ^

Said the same before and got 'attacked' on here for saying it. He is shite and he really does not give a shit. Puts 80% effort in at most and for one excellent pass he does about 5 shit ones per game. Get rid off him. Prefer Bannan to be honest

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I'm probably alone on here in thinking Ireland has been shite once again last season. How he got player of the season is a joke and is beyond me.

However, with 2 strong CM's behind him, I could definitely see him doing well playing support striker behind a finisher like Bent.

Note 2 strong CM's does NOT mean Herd and Clark! We need 2 quality signings there.

Ditto ^

Said the same before and got 'attacked' on here for saying it. He is shite and he really does not give a shit. Puts 80% effort in at most and for one excellent pass he does about 5 shit ones per game. Get rid off him. Prefer Bannan to be honest

Yeah its a effort issue for me. People keep banging on about him being more talented than the rest of the squad. That may be true, but when you can't be arsed, it doesn't make a single bit of difference.

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I'm probably alone on here in thinking Ireland has been shite once again last season. How he got player of the season is a joke and is beyond me.

However, with 2 strong CM's behind him, I could definitely see him doing well playing support striker behind a finisher like Bent.

Note 2 strong CM's does NOT mean Herd and Clark! We need 2 quality signings there.

Ditto ^

Said the same before and got 'attacked' on here for saying it. He is shite and he really does not give a shit. Puts 80% effort in at most and for one excellent pass he does about 5 shit ones per game. Get rid off him. Prefer Bannan to be honest

20z7k1f.gif

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If we are going to develop as a football team and as team that can keep possession then we need Ireland, Makoun and N'Zogbia in our midfield. These three need to be supplmented with 2 or 3 good midfielders, ideally one would be Holman and the other a very good CM.

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The 'he can't be arsed' argument is not valid any more. I was really impressed with him this season. Not only the fancy flicks and creating chances but how more often that not he would track back and put a foot in when needed.

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I'm probably alone on here in thinking Ireland has been shite once again last season. How he got player of the season is a joke and is beyond me.

However, with 2 strong CM's behind him, I could definitely see him doing well playing support striker behind a finisher like Bent.

Note 2 strong CM's does NOT mean Herd and Clark! We need 2 quality signings there.

Ditto ^

Said the same before and got 'attacked' on here for saying it. He is shite and he really does not give a shit. Puts 80% effort in at most and for one excellent pass he does about 5 shit ones per game. Get rid off him. Prefer Bannan to be honest

:bonk: :wave::crylaugh:

Bannan better than Ireland. Yeah that little guy that knocks 60 yard passes to the opposition. Good call

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I'm probably alone on here in thinking Ireland has been shite once again last season. How he got player of the season is a joke and is beyond me.

However, with 2 strong CM's behind him, I could definitely see him doing well playing support striker behind a finisher like Bent.

Note 2 strong CM's does NOT mean Herd and Clark! We need 2 quality signings there.

Ditto ^

Said the same before and got 'attacked' on here for saying it. He is shite and he really does not give a shit. Puts 80% effort in at most and for one excellent pass he does about 5 shit ones per game. Get rid off him. Prefer Bannan to be honest

:bonk: :wave::crylaugh:

Bannan better than Ireland. Yeah that little guy that knocks 60 yard passes to the opposition. Good call

I'm no Ireland lover - imo shit is a bit extreme but so are the calls for our team to be built around him. As for Bannan Championship player at best

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I'm probably alone on here in thinking Ireland has been shite once again last season. How he got player of the season is a joke and is beyond me.

However, with 2 strong CM's behind him, I could definitely see him doing well playing support striker behind a finisher like Bent.

Note 2 strong CM's does NOT mean Herd and Clark! We need 2 quality signings there.

Ditto ^

Said the same before and got 'attacked' on here for saying it. He is shite and he really does not give a shit. Puts 80% effort in at most and for one excellent pass he does about 5 shit ones per game. Get rid off him. Prefer Bannan to be honest

:bonk: :wave::crylaugh:

Bannan better than Ireland. Yeah that little guy that knocks 60 yard passes to the opposition. Good call

I'm no Ireland lover - imo shit is a bit extreme but so are the calls for our team to be built around him. As for Bannan Championship player at best

He's our best player/most technically gifted, why would you not want to build a team around him??

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