Ireland

[John Wayne]

Simple question....

"Is it not possible to be a flair player and work hard?"

No. Anyone who thinks this is as thick as pig shit and a dumbarse.

 

[TheMightyQuinn]

Simple question....

"Is it not possible to be a flair player and work hard?"

Of course it is.

We have a few.

It's just that most on here define working hard as 'lose the ball, chase the man, get ball back, lose the ball, chase the man, get ball back' and on it goes.

 

[John Wayne]

Simple question....

"Is it not possible to be a flair player and work hard?"

Of course it is.

We have a few.

It's just that most on here define working hard as 'lose the ball, chase the man, get ball back, lose the ball, chase the man, get ball back' and on it goes.

No they don't. But this is part of hard work.

 

[The Fat el Hombre]

Simple question....

"Is it not possible to be a flair player and work hard?"

Reminds me of a Kaka quote that I can't find on google. It went something like 'I can have all the talent in the world but without hard work I have nothing'

 

[TheMightyQuinn]

Of course it is.

We have a few.

It's just that most on here define working hard as 'lose the ball, chase the man, get ball back, lose the ball, chase the man, get ball back' and on it goes.

No they don't. But this is part of hard work.

No it's not. It's a sure fire way to ensure that all your men end up in their own half and pegged back.

 

[kcmcfc]

TMQ, not trying to jump on here but not sure I understand. Are you really saying that a player should not fight to get the ball back when lost? Obviously they should value possession but I can't see how an effort made to win the ball back after a mistake is a bad tactical decision (getting pinned back).

 

[John Wayne]

No they don't. But this is part of hard work.

No it's not. It's a sure fire way to ensure that all your men end up in their own half and pegged back.

I'm not sure how chasing men back and retrieving the ball can not be considered an aspect of hard work. How would you define hard work - particularly in the context of what Stephen Ireland can offer the team?

 

[TheMightyQuinn]

TMQ, not trying to jump on here but not sure I understand. Are you really saying that a player should not fight to get the ball back when lost? Obviously they should value possession but I can't see how an effort made to win the ball back after a mistake is a bad tactical decision (getting pinned back).

No. All I'm saying is that a team of hard working, honest journeymen will always be beaten by players like Anelka who is labelled as lazy.

The key is to find a balance. I accept that we need some hard working grafters but by the same token we also need some players who can dazzle and entertain.

I want balance.

Not one or the other.

 

[FEEDHIMGARY]

thats right TMQ... a balance is just unthinkable... give me 11 adebayors and elanos ey.. im sure thats a title winning team...

No, that team would be as shit as a team full of Bellamy's and Tevez's.

I personally think Mancini will find the perfect balance if he's given half the time and a fraction of the money that Hughes was.

ok i wrote my reply prior to your "balance" post.... so apologies.

you do however, keep banging on about this grafter mentality you think everyone wants to see though... i dont think that is the case at all. for me, the very nature of a top player means they automatically put a shift in.

And as it goes, unfortunately i dont see mancini being able to do this unless we are talking 3-4 years. Which he clearly wont get. My view is that the recent batch of stories concerning player happiness isnt too far wide of the mark. So unless he clears 80% of the squad out, i just cant see where how he can progress in the way we all want.

 

[TheMightyQuinn]

No it's not. It's a sure fire way to ensure that all your men end up in their own half and pegged back.

I'm not sure how chasing men back and retrieving the ball can not be considered an aspect of hard work. How would you define hard work - particularly in the context of what Stephen Ireland can offer the team?

I'd want Ireland to always be in position ready to spring a fresh attack. If he's in his own 6yrd box making tackles that would be quite hard for him to do.

It's all about the position of a player. No one ever questioned Dunne's lack of passing or scoring ability so why are we so obsessed with our strikers/attacking players defensive attributes?

It's just very naive to say 'Ireland wasn't trying or working hard' in my opinion.