simon23 said:
Ireland has suffered from 2 things
1 . a drop in confidence...we all know that he is fragile n that particular area but get this back and you will see a change
2. a chage in tactics.....(This is not a criticism of Mancini...just an observation)....mancini like a basic 4-4-2 and ireland doesnt fit into that system of playing.
Can he adapt...im sure he can but it will take time (Just as it has taken scholes to adapt..Scholes has had a couple of dodgy seasons (by his standards) where he has not been as effective (parlty due to injury but partly due to him not physically being able to do what he used to do)...but he has now adaptded and again is becoming an influence albeit in a different way.
To suggest that ireland cannt do this is simply narrow minded.....he has already developed hugely from the youngster that we first saw who was able to play a pass but not much else....now his timing of a tackle is superb, his forward running off the ball a lot better and his timing of arrival in the oppostion box is also a lot better...plus his finsihing is much improved.
So i dont understand why people say he cannt develop further
There are a few people on here that are too qucik to justify their arguements with reference to the problems he has had in the past (and thats part of my arguement with what mancini has said...i think he was wrong to do ths publicly and its too much of an easy excuse to use instead of saying that ireland needs to adapt to the tactics that Mancini is now using...as this would suggest (and rightly so) that ireland has been affected by the arrival of RM.....he may have not been at his best under MH in the first half of the season but he was still playing better that he was under RM....Im not suggesting in any way that this is personnel ( I dont believe it is) but Ireland is clearly struggling to fit in RM's way of playing.....
can he adapt....if given a chance he may be able to...I dont believe that RM has given him that chance at the moment....
But (and this is my criticism of RM) there at times when we have cried out a player with irelands creativity and a change in formation an tactics but on occasions he has been ignored and then on occasions he has ben brought on to do a job which at the moment he isnt capable....
People on here criticise Ireald for the scholes goal....we ll who brought him onto do that tracking back job (one in which at present he clearly isnt naturally able to do)....RM did...who bought an over the hill Viera to do a job which he is no longer capable of doing...RM did. with two def4ensive midfielders in barry and dejong plus a back 4 we should be able to cover teh runs of players like scholes without asking Ireland to do a job which isnt natural to him.....
Maybe mancini isnt as good defensively as well all keep saying he is.....scholes had been playing more of a central role in the derby until the last 20 mins until fergie made the decision to push him higher up the pitch into his old role...I saw this happen....RM must have seen it happen (you would hope).....so why put ireland on to mark scholes.......a naturally attacking midfielder being asked to do a defensive midfielders job!....
Yes Ireland was at fault for it but so was RM....but lets not let some facts get in the way of some supporters blaming one of the few scapegoats that are in the team at present(Ireland, Ade, Richards)
Good post mate.
Nothing on Bluemoon makes my blood boil more than to hear these ***** tearing Ireland apart whenever his name is mentioned.
Scholes was a world class player, there's no doubt about that but it's totally irrelevant to this discussion.
I know a few things about Stephen Ireland and I know how much he cares about City, how much loyalty he has and what a decent lad he is at heart. I know it hurts him badly to read his entire career dismissed by gobshite City fans. I know he is disappointed with his own form at times this year. On the few occasions he's been played in his favoured position he's not done the business, for whatever reason.
As far as I understand it the facts in this atricle are largely correct.
I posted about this earlier in the year and got lambasted for it.
He'll tear defences apart for United or Arsenal. If he goes, that is. He has feeling and affinity for City so he may even stay. But as long as Tevez is here he'll struggle, I believe, so in my heart I think he'll be gone. Unless Tevez forces a move through of course.
I'll be devastated to see him go if he does. A top class creative midfielder in a five man midfield. At least the top managers can see that.
-- Thu May 13, 2010 3:32 pm --
Blue Tooth said:
Because he is young and fit and strong and intelligent...and to see if he could adapt....He Failed...Not Mancini's fault.....Simples.
Now I am a big Stevie fan...I love the guy and how he plays the game but he needs to get his head out from up his own arse pronto or he is history...His not tracking Scholes had nothing to do with defensive ability and everything to do with a lack of effort.
Mate, a polite word of advice.
Anyone who says "simples" is a dick.
I promise you that's true.