PieFacE Posted July 16, 2012 VT Supporter Share Posted July 16, 2012 It annoys me when people pull up Irelands stats from last year. Ireland will always be a player who plays behind a striker, and will thread through balls either to the striker or to players out-wide. Now, if Ireland has Darren Bent in front of him making runs on the shoulders of defenders, then it will give him opportunity to thread balls through. Now, if Ireland has Gabby in front of him (which he did for half a season), who doesn't make intelligent runs, then how is Ireland supposed to assist him in anything? Also, criticising him for not gaining enough assists isn't necessarily his fault, it requires the striker to actually score for it to be an assist... how many goals did Gabby score towards the end of last season? What I'm effectively saying is, playing Ireland with Bent will create chances, the two didn't play together enough last season. IMO if Bent hadn't of got injured, Irelands stats would look a lot better. But that's just my opinion. Luckily for me I really couldn't give two shits about stats, I judge a player by how they look on a pitch, and last season Ireland was one of the few decent players. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
omariqy Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 Gazton whats the latest with SI? You think Lambert rates him? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
omariqy Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 Sorry missed your post on previous page... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PieFacE Posted July 16, 2012 VT Supporter Share Posted July 16, 2012 Mr. Ireland is being linked with QPR today. I would be gutted if we let him go. Why ?? Personally I'd be doing cartwheels if he went. He epitomises all that is wrong with the modern day game. Dont think he's a PL type person anyway. Care to elaborate? What's a PL type person anyway? What does he do to epitomise what's wrong with footballers? As far as I can tell he's one of the hardest workers/trainers we have at the club. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CI Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 Hard worker ?? He largely ambles around the pitch without a care in the world Still we've only paid him about £7m in wages so far & he did play ok at Chelsea Last Year, Player of The Season with 1 goal & 2 assists. That is so ridiculous its funny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
omariqy Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 I honestly think with someone like Al Ahmadi behind him Ireland can flourish. We have to give him this season. He is enjoying his football and looks much better for it. If he doesnt do the business this year then he probably never will for AVFC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PieFacE Posted July 16, 2012 VT Supporter Share Posted July 16, 2012 Hard worker ?? He largely ambles around the pitch without a care in the world Did you even watch a game last year? He was constantly running. Working his bollocks off every game. Also, he's one of the hardest workers off the pitch too. In fact, he works so hard he nearly gave himself a heart attack a few years ago! I think you just have an agenda against him to be honest. Everyone was pretty shite last year, but Ireland was the best out of a bad bunch and deserves another chance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiggyrichard Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 Hard worker ?? He largely ambles around the pitch without a care in the world Still we've only paid him about £7m in wages so far & he did play ok at Chelsea Last Year, Player of The Season with 1 goal & 2 assists. That is so ridiculous its funny But you missing the point that he was never really played in his natural position last year. Instead he was asked to charge round the pitch trying to break up play...thats not what Stephen Ireland is best at. He would waste all his energy chasing back when we needed his energy at the other end to make runs into the box. Someone like KEA behind him doing the dirty work and Ireland being allowed to roam around and create could be a lethal combination. He certainly grafted last year and looked like he was bothered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hev Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 Does not want to leave. Is loving his football at the moment, for the first time in years, and is excited about what this year could bring. Great news Gazton. I want to see him have a decent settled season too. Also, doesn't his wife/partner come from these parts? Presumably she will be liking being back here too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaztonVilla Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 Hard worker ?? He largely ambles around the pitch without a care in the world Still we've only paid him about £7m in wages so far & he did play ok at Chelsea Last Year, Player of The Season with 1 goal & 2 assists. That is so ridiculous its funny He played OK at Chelsea? This is the one half decent game you're talking about, I presume? He was the reason that we beat the future European Champions. He ran the show in that game. He was significantly better than "half decent". However, you're refusing to consider that he may be a good player worth having in the team/squad based on a spell that has included a lying manager who tried to paint him as a troublemaker and the fact that he's a bit flamboyant with his cars. So, I won't try to convince you any further. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stanthemanisgod Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 If you look at the season he played well at City it was when he players like Bellamy, Robinho around him making life easy for him. He had the freedom to pick the ball up carry it a few yards and then pick a pass to one of three intelligent footballers making intelligent runs for him, before he's make a trademark late run into the box to pick up on any cut backs or half clearances. For Villa to get the best out of him we need to employ a similar style, and playing him behind Bent with Charlie on one side and and A.N Other (maybe Hollman) on the other with a decnt CM or 2 in behind him. He was voted POTS last year because he was the only player who looked remotely exciting in a very dour and boring side, give some freedom in a team when the ball is played to feet more times than it's flying over his head and he'll be a good player. Ask him to be part of a 4 man midfield with the ball constantly missing him out and he'll look average, it's as much about PL and his tactics as it is about his work rate and levels of interest. Personally I'm looking forward to seeing what he can in a new look Villa team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiggyrichard Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 Good post Stan...agree with all of it! I think we will a see the best of him under Lambert. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomaszk Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 I like to get well up on my high horse when people say Ireland isn't any good at football. He has a lot of talent, you obviously just don't see the game as I do. MOTD analysis must be mind blowing stuff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrackpotForeigner Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 Hard worker ?? He largely ambles around the pitch without a care in the worldHe may have been guilty of this a bit in the season before last. If you stopped watching then, well done, because last season was painful. Recent statistics however have shown that he ambles further around the pitch than any of our other players over the course of a game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CI Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 Its not just the season before last though is it, Take our most recent competitive game (Norwich away), what did you make of SI in that game Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juanpabloangel18 Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 I like to get well up on my high horse when people say Ireland isn't any good at football. He has a lot of talent, you obviously just don't see the game as I do. MOTD analysis must be mind blowing stuff How gracious of you to join us, Football God. I don't deny his talent, just question his effectiveness. Milner is twice the player, yet I wouldn't say he has more talent. I hope to be proved wrong, of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enda Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 he's a bit flamboyant with his cars. Ah Gazton I was with you until this. Saying SI is a bit flamboyant with cars is like saying Hitler was a bit of a knob. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrackpotForeigner Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 Its not just the season before last though is it, Take our most recent competitive game (Norwich away), what did you make of SI in that gameTo judge any of our players on the Norwich game is just ridiculous. Ian Taylor would have ambled around in that game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stanthemanisgod Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 Again CI, Who was the manager, what were the tactics, who did he have playing around him, who was playing ahead of him, what was the result, did anybody look good in that game? By your argument you could say the majority of the Dutch squad look poor, or Rooney but I wouldn't be upset to see any of them in a Villa shirt next season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted July 16, 2012 Moderator Share Posted July 16, 2012 Crackpot, he's not gonna change his mind, and in his defence he admitted on the previous page that some things are 'beyond' him so let's not be too harsh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts