Incredible Ireland stats when he starts for City this season

[bluemonkey71]

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.

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.

What he said ^^

Need creativity and they will all weigh in with goals.

 

[Anonymous]

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.
--------------

I posted this inside another thread but I felt it was too important to go unnoticed getting lost on page "x" etc.

That's exactly who he SHOULD have started at Birmingham , not been given the last half hour or so ........ they'd 'dug in' by then , and weren't gonna be 'opened up' by anyone!

 

[Cheltblue]

I dont think De Jong and Barry in the same team helps either.

Maybe for the BIG games, but none of the last few we have drew.

Hughes job is to get this right. Lets hope the lightbulb pops on sooner rather than later

It was only the same as Kompany / De Jong / Zabaleta being rotated as two defensive midfielders last season. That has not changed (the tactic).

And there was some horrible negative football around our midfield last season when De Jong/Company were in there.

 

[Cheltblue]

The problem with Ireland is that the more time he spends warming the bench the more his confidence is getting sapped and then he is expected to perform for the little time he does get on.

The Barry/De jong partnership will undoubtedly stop a goal or two going in, but has no creative element whatsoever.

Hughes plays it safe as the 1 loss statistic shows but also the 1 win in 6 statistic shows that a safe side will finish in a safe midtable/above position.

Grow some balls and get Ireland doing his stuff again, he is more than ready.

 

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

I dont think De Jong and Barry in the same team helps either.

Maybe for the BIG games, but none of the last few we have drew.

Hughes job is to get this right. Lets hope the lightbulb pops on sooner rather than later

Away against tough teams, Barry and Nige should start. But the Emerald Prince is the only truly creative player likely to start. Should be in the starting line up for 30 matches a season plus all the cup games.

 

[Bojinov The Bull]

So we've lost 1 game when Ireland has played and we've lost 0 when he hasn't!

I'm not saying we shouldn't play him, I think we should I think Barry plays better when he is playing, i'm just showing how stats don't mean anything, they can be spun anyway, just look at the government!

 

[cookster]

So we've lost 1 game when Ireland has played and we've lost 0 when he hasn't!

I'm not saying we shouldn't play him, I think we should I think Barry plays better when he is playing, i'm just showing how stats don't mean anything, they can be spun anyway, just look at the government!

Doh! it's not the win/lose ratio its the win/draw ratio

We won the first 4 games playing 433 - De Jong came in and did well forcing Hughes to play 442

Its obvious we need to switch back to 433

------------ Given ------------
Zab -- Lescott --Toure -- Bridge
----- De Jong ------ Barry -----
----------- Ireland ------------
Tevez ----------------- Robinho
----------- Abebayor ----------

 

[Craig]

So we've lost 1 game when Ireland has played and we've lost 0 when he hasn't!

I'm not saying we shouldn't play him, I think we should I think Barry plays better when he is playing, i'm just showing how stats don't mean anything, they can be spun anyway, just look at the government!

Doh! it's not the win/lose ratio its the win/draw ratio

We won the first 4 games playing 433 - De Jong came in and did well forcing Hughes to play 442

Its obvious we need to switch back to 433

------------ Given ------------
Zab -- Lescott --Toure -- Bridge
----- De Jong ------ Barry -----
----------- Ireland ------------
Tevez ----------------- Robinho
----------- Abebayor ----------

I really like that team apart from I wouldn't start Tevez.Barry should be told to sit a bit deeper and let Ireland get on with what he does best just behind Adebayor.When you think how well Ireland played in that roll last season without a class striker to link up with like Ade,it does seem crazy that Hughes has not played him there this season.

 

[TINY]

Ireland was non existant when he came on against Birmingham, did nothing to warrant a place in the team.

 

[skybluekings]

Ireland was non existant when he came on against Birmingham, did nothing to warrant a place in the team.

Did you read the thread?