Incredible Ireland stats when he starts for City this season

raoul duke said:
I think Hughes is giving Ireland a break as his early season form wasn't great by his own high standards and then he got that thing against Fulham with his head. It happens with all young players doesn't it? lack of form, rest then ease them back in. I'm just glad we've got players who can come in when things like this happen. I'm convinced Ireland will come good. It's just a matter of being patient. We can afford to now!
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The 'problem' with Ireland's play has been in games where he has come on as a substitute. In the games he has started he has created goals and given our game a more attacking flair. When he has come on as a sub, he can't make an impact for whatever reason and its viewed as a loss of form...but he's been in good form when starting and as above, we have been winning.
 
Yeah but he's not been well has he. Last thing we want is to push him too hard and for something serious to happen. You don't have a brain scan and take it lightly. i think there is an air of caution to his recent cameos...
 
raoul duke said:
Yeah but he's not been well has he. Last thing we want is to push him too hard and for something serious to happen. You don't have a brain scan and take it lightly. i think there is an air of caution to his recent cameos...
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Good point Raoul. Its a shame that without Ireland we lack the creativity needed for the final ball. To be honest, I though Barry was a creative player (didn't know much about his ability before he joined City). I have to say that I've not been impressed by him and a De Jong / Ireland pairing in the middle would have been just fine this season.
 
skybluekings said:
I just checked our game results this season and found something interesting.

City, this season, has won every game (except UTD) Ireland has started in!!

Ireland starts:
15.08 Blackburn away = win
22.08 Wolves home = win
27.08 Crystal Palace Carling Cup = win
30.08 Portsmouth away = win
15.09 Arsenal home = win
23.09 Fulham Carling Cup = win
28.10 Scunthorpe Carling Cup = win

Then for some reason (maybe his illness against Fulham) Ireland doesn't start games and City's results dry up.

Games where Ireland Doesn't start:
28.09 West Ham home = win
05.10 Aston Villa away = draw
18.10 Wigan away = draw
25.10 Fulham home = draw
01.11 Birmingham away = draw

Couldn't be anymore clearer than that. The stats don't lie.
City are a better team, a winning team, with Ireland starting the game.
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I posted this inside another thread but I felt it was too important to go unnoticed getting lost on page "x" etc.
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If Ireland doesn't start on Saturday i'll start believing Billy Shears' post from a couple of weeks ago, which basically said Hughes was trying to force him out the door
 
skybluekings said:
Games where Ireland Doesn't start:
28.09 West Ham home = win
05.10 Aston Villa away = draw
18.10 Wigan away = draw
25.10 Fulham home = draw
01.11 Birmingham away = draw

Couldn't be anymore clearer than that. The stats don't lie.
City are a better team, a winning team, with Ireland starting the game.
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I posted this inside another thread but I felt it was too important to go unnoticed getting lost on page "x" etc.
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So what you're saying is we're undefeated without Ireland? I was a fan of his but im not so sure now........
 
Also the games he didn't play were against much stronger opposition bar Arsenal.
 
I think hughes strategy of playing 2 strikers away from home doesnt work. Away from home we need to play 1 striker upfront like ade , and pack the midfield with barry , dejong and ireland , With 2 wingers.That's what arsenal did when ade was playing for them, plenty of midfield support to the striker. At home we can play 2 strikers with ireland and barry in midfield.
 
rohanthebest said:
I think hughes strategy of playing 2 strikers away from home doesnt work. Away from home we need to play 1 striker upfront like ade , and pack the midfield with barry , dejong and ireland , With 2 wingers.That's what arsenal did when ade was playing for them, plenty of midfield support to the striker. At home we can play 2 strikers with ireland and barry in midfield.
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Agreed. Although I'd go so far as to say we should play with 1 up at home too - it's what we did last season without a top class centre forward and our home form was impressive. Having one less up front doesn't make you any less of a threat if you have the right players in support of that one striker.

We've got the players to do that.
 
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