Eames Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 Given half a chance - wouldn't we all secretly want to be in the hole Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Villastine Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 I watched him play too much last year. Silky skills but no brain and no application. If he misses a chance in the first few minutes his head goes down and you can forget it. This was nothing to do with Houllier. For whatever reason this guy is a car crash. Basically, he's crap and he thinks he's a genius. He'll disappear without trace into the lower divisions ... Don’t agree with any of this. FFS what the hell are you talking about?! He hardly played last season. It’s shocking the crap some people will come out with! :oops: AndyHowell wrote: Excuse me — me and my season ticket had enough experience of Ireland to make a decision — keep you abuse to yourself. So do you talk to your season ticket often?!! Who does your season ticket rate? Was it disappointed to see Bradley leave the club? Does it rate Makoun? Have all you season tickets been so quick to judge? What did your 09/10 ticket think of Downing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pelle Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 I know it's a bit of a cliché, but IF Ireland can find the form he had in citeh that would be some money saved, I think. He is talented. And the kind of player we really need. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiggyrichard Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 Mick loves the hole.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alec Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 AM will bring him back into the fold, but I'm slightly confused as to where he will fit in if we play 4-4-2 as I believe AM has stated we will play. With Ireland coming in and added to that the quality and mix of midfielders we have in the rest of the squad I just can't see how 4-4-2 can be made to work. Im guessing maybe it will be more of a diamond formation, with SI in the hole. This is the only way I can see a player like Ireland fitting in successfully with the current personnel; ..........................Petrov............................... ..........Ireland...................Delph/Makoun....... Downing........................................Albrighton ..........................Bent................................... Or; ..........................Petrov................................. ..........Makoun.......................Delph................ Ireland..............................Downing/Albrighton ...........................Bent................................... The latter option is (I believe) the kind of set-up where he functioned best for Man City under Mark Hughes, with Robinho as the other deeper-lying forward supporting a lone striker, but he does have the passing range to work from a more central position (see first option), but as I stated in an earlier post, he's too light-weight for 4-4-2 and isn't strong enough to take on the full responsibility of playing in the hole by himself. And even if he were, we still don't have the right players to accomodate the two wide men we generally like to play with because we would be left exposed in central midfield, whatever the pairing from our current squad. Even if we signed Scott Parker, he would also probably be best suited to the role I've positioned Petrov in above so I really hope that regardless of what McLeish has planned for Ireland that he is not looking to set up with a rigid 4-4-2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eames Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 Mick loves the hole.... Brilliant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr_Dogg Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 I wonder does Ireland need a tough in your face manager to perform? Houllier and Mancini seem quite similar with their cool, calm restrained approach while I would say Mcleish is quite like Mark Hughes (the manager who got the best out of SI). We'll see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazdavies79 Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 I think Houllier distanced himself and was a headmaster type disciplinarian. I think Hughes is much closer to his players on a personal level and doesn't demand respect but works to earn it. That's just the impression I get of them. I personally work better for people who take Hughes' approach, in fact I just wont stand for it any other way (I've walked out of jobs over it). Ireland is definitely that kind of personality, as far as I can tell, which is fine, but he also needs to grow up and remember he has a brilliant bloody job which is unbelievably paid and has low hours. I think he'll probably get on with AM though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alec Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 The other thing with Ireland is that he will always, it seems, be at one extreme or another; he'll either be on top form and look awesome, or he will be an absolute passenger. Unfortunately, when it's the latter, he tends to sulk and be disruptive which is what makes him a high-risk luxury player. The challenge facing McLeish is not only to get him fit and playing well but keep him at that level because when his form dips, he plummets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted July 5, 2011 Moderator Share Posted July 5, 2011 If Ireland has decided he 'wants back in' then that could be brilliant news. With him it's all about what he wants to do. You can't convince him what to do. If he doesn't want to do something then it simply won't be done. But the reverse is true. If he has decided he's going to buy a property closer to VP/BH then we could (emphasise 'could') have that player on our hands that we'd hoped we had in the first place. There's a long way to go of course, but given that we're currently cutting our coat according to our cloth then it would be handy if we could (re-)find a gem already in-house. He hasn't really done anything overly negative IMV that burnt any bridges. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dante_Lockhart Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 Mick loves the hole.... Makes me laugh every time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRS-T Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 So your saying Houllier took the Villa job and just decided to pick on Ireland for no apparent reason? Yes. He also did the same with Warnock, Beye, Carew and Davies. Houllier treated them very badly and showed them a lack of respect. They may not be world-class players but they didn't deserve to be treated like that. On the other hand, Houllier pandered to Ashley Young's every need. Penalties, corner kicks, free-kicks, even making him the captain above NRC! You can tell that Houllier was a teacher. He he has favourites (teachers pets) and those who he despised and treated unfairly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johndunse Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 I wonder does Ireland need a tough in your face manager to perform? Houllier and Mancini seem quite similar with their cool, calm restrained approach while I would say Mcleish is quite like Mark Hughes (the manager who got the best out of SI). We'll see. I think he just needs to feel wanted and appreciated maybe? Hughes made him his main midfielder and he seemed to perform better and better the more he was praised. Since then, he's had managers who couldn't care less about him and his form has plummeted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmooney Posted July 5, 2011 VT Supporter Share Posted July 5, 2011 He's a spoilt baby. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazdavies79 Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 If I picked him I'd go, ...........Petrov......Makoun....... Albrighton...Ireland.....Downing ...................Bent................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HackneyVillain Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 If I picked him I'd go, ...........Petrov......Makoun....... Albrighton...Ireland.....Downing ...................Bent................... On current personnel I agree (although for me Delph would be starting ahead of Petrov or Makoun). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazdavies79 Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 If I picked him I'd go, ...........Petrov......Makoun....... Albrighton...Ireland.....Downing ...................Bent................... On current personnel I agree (although for me Delph would be starting ahead of Petrov or Makoun).OT but I've frustratingly missed all 10 or so? appearances Delph has made for us for one reason or another. I can't bloody believe it as he's been at the club so long now! He looked poor when I watched him at Leeds on a couple of occasions a few seasons back. I've nothing to base any firm judgements on him though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted July 5, 2011 Moderator Share Posted July 5, 2011 He's a spoilt baby.That's as maybe. But you're describing (the good) half of the Premier League there. Maybe we are just not used to handling players of this ability and/or mindset. The flair players can often be more difficult to keep happy. But if we could do it then he'd solve a big problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiggyrichard Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 He's a spoilt baby.That's as maybe. But you're describing (the good) half of the Premier League there. Maybe we are just not used to handling players of this ability and/or mindset. The flair players can often be more difficult to keep happy. But if we could do it then he'd solve a big problem. Many on here dont buy that ''he's streets ahead of anyone else in the squad in terms of ability'' line, but i do. Its no coincidence that when he was playing alongside Robiniho he looked like a superstar. He is that good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johndunse Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 He's a spoilt baby.That's as maybe. But you're describing (the good) half of the Premier League there. Maybe we are just not used to handling players of this ability and/or mindset. The flair players can often be more difficult to keep happy. But if we could do it then he'd solve a big problem. Many on here dont buy that ''he's streets ahead of anyone else in the squad in terms of ability'' line, but i do. Its no coincidence that when he was playing alongside Robiniho he looked like a superstar. He is that good. Yep, before the away game at SHA when Craig Bellamy was in the sky studio, he said that Ireland was the best player he played with at City. Mental.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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