TonyM said:BillyShears said:The sad thing is DD, reading Bluemoon it's crystal clear just how disloyal certain segments of City's support have become. It's not just about Stevie. Everyone from Bellamy to Ade to Neds is slagged off to high heaven and back by the teenyboppers simply because of all the money swirling around at Eastlands. It's like real life FM for some of these fucking kids. "Sell, sell, sell...buy, buy, buy..." The grass is always greener, the emperors new clothes, etc....
I'd agree except there's the extreme the other direction too. NDJ for example is godlike to some. Given is the best keeper in the league supposedly. Tevez is without any faults to his game. Mancini is the best manager we've ever had. And we are going to win the league or come very close.
There's too much extremes. I think we are going into a season in as confused a state as I can remember. We have no clue as to who's staying, who's going and how we are to be managed. Even under Hughes' and Sven we smmed better prepared for the task ahead (the task being a lot easier too may I add). Even under Pearce and before we were better prepared to meet our goals.
I'm not saying we have crap players or haven't brought in excellent talent. Or that Mancini is crap. I just have no reason to be overly confident about what's ahead for us this season. Optimistic yes. Confident no.
Calling for heads for the chop in this choas is ridiculous imo. So Ireland and co should stay. And so should Mancini. But the whole lot better start playing some decent football soon or there's will be bedlem in Manchester when our lofty expectations aren't met.
i8rags said:its all about opinion. there is a very successful team down the rd, with a little ginger twat in midfield. who no matter if he plays 10 or 20 games a year plays to a certain standard at all times. either coming back from injury or if the midfield around him changes like the wind. he also does not excite, but i know this much, i wish he had worn the blue of city these last ten years.Didsbury Dave said:You're right, Billy, and Stevie Ireland seems to bring out this brigade more than any other player.
Same phrases ad infinitum. They hear them in the South Stand bar and they become a mantra.
"he needs to sort his head out", "one season wonder", "off his rocker".....
Most people who know the game know Stevie Ireland is a class act who had a bad season for very good reasons. In and out the side, constantly out of position, injury and of course the loss of confidence which these things create.
It was great to see him pinging the ball about at the end of the last friendly. Looked like the Stevie of old to me - and from a deep position.
If he gets a run of games he'll shine again, no doubt. Good players don't become bad players overnight (unless they get injured)
Milner? Another Barry for me. Industrious enough and a reasonable player. I wouldnt have a strop if he signed but it doesn't excite me to be honest.
i agree, hopefully a few euro trips together and the extra game time, will help us gel and become a team. if we click we will be awesome to watch. if not i dread to think.Didsbury Dave said:TonyM said:I'd agree except there's the extreme the other direction too. NDJ for example is godlike to some. Given is the best keeper in the league supposedly. Tevez is without any faults to his game. Mancini is the best manager we've ever had. And we are going to win the league or come very close.
There's too much extremes. I think we are going into a season in as confused a state as I can remember. We have no clue as to who's staying, who's going and how we are to be managed. Even under Hughes' and Sven we smmed better prepared for the task ahead (the task being a lot easier too may I add). Even under Pearce and before we were better prepared to meet our goals.
I'm not saying we have crap players or haven't brought in excellent talent. Or that Mancini is crap. I just have no reason to be overly confident about what's ahead for us this season. Optimistic yes. Confident no.
Calling for heads for the chop in this choas is ridiculous imo. So Ireland and co should stay. And so should Mancini. But the whole lot better start playing some decent football soon or there's will be bedlem in Manchester when our lofty expectations aren't met.
Great post. I share your nervousness about the season ahead.
I believe that our squad at the end of August will be as good as anyone's.
I'm just not sure that the other pieces in the jigsaw - organisation and motivation - are there.
It can only come from the management team.
m27 said:Didsbury Dave said:You're right, Billy, and Stevie Ireland seems to bring out this brigade more than any other player.
Same phrases ad infinitum. They hear them in the South Stand bar and they become a mantra.
"he needs to sort his head out", "one season wonder", "off his rocker".....
Most people who know the game know Stevie Ireland is a class act who had a bad season for very good reasons. In and out the side, constantly out of position, injury and of course the loss of confidence which these things create.
It was great to see him pinging the ball about at the end of the last friendly. Looked like the Stevie of old to me - and from a deep position.
If he gets a run of games he'll shine again, no doubt. Good players don't become bad players overnight (unless they get injured)
Milner? Another Barry for me. Industrious enough and a reasonable player. I wouldnt have a strop if he signed but it doesn't excite me to be honest.
I really rate the lad and if he comes we'll finally have a balance in midfield we lacked last saeason and it will also mean that we can an effective 442 if Mancini decides to go that route now and again.
Ya Ya and Milner as the central midfield pairing is a million times better than any combination Mancini tried last season.
In regards to Ireland, if he starts sitting deeper and pinging passes to all and sundry then we're in business because there's no-one at the club who does that well.
i think most of the so called stevie haters on here, feel he has had his chance and i would think they also feel he has at times let them down.jim_tolmies_perm said:i8rags said:its all about opinion. there is a very successful team down the rd, with a little ginger twat in midfield. who no matter if he plays 10 or 20 games a year plays to a certain standard at all times. either coming back from injury or if the midfield around him changes like the wind. he also does not excite, but i know this much, i wish he had worn the blue of city these last ten years.
I'm a big fan or Ireland, but he aint the ginger ponce - solely down to one thing, consistency.
If he does stay in and around this very talented squad he needs to knuckle down, become more consistent and more flexible. Scholes has played accross the rags MF, both wings, as a striker and even as a deep MF
Ireland seems only to function in the hole or in a 4-3-3
Thats whats gotta change. I would love him to hit top form and fight it out with Silva and Tevez. Do i think he will ? No i dont. Always an excuse
Remember when Sven left Ireland lauded Hughes. When Hughes left, he said he'd held him back. ?????
Own it Stevie. Stand up and fight and see where u get, or move on with our best of luck.
jim_tolmies_perm said:i8rags said:its all about opinion. there is a very successful team down the rd, with a little ginger twat in midfield. who no matter if he plays 10 or 20 games a year plays to a certain standard at all times. either coming back from injury or if the midfield around him changes like the wind. he also does not excite, but i know this much, i wish he had worn the blue of city these last ten years.
I'm a big fan or Ireland, but he aint the ginger ponce - solely down to one thing, consistency.
If he does stay in and around this very talented squad he needs to knuckle down, become more consistent and more flexible. Scholes has played accross the rags MF, both wings, as a striker and even as a deep MF
Ireland seems only to function in the hole or in a 4-3-3
Thats whats gotta change. I would love him to hit top form and fight it out with Silva and Tevez. Do i think he will ? No i dont. Always an excuse
Remember when Sven left Ireland lauded Hughes. When Hughes left, he said he'd held him back. ?????
Own it Stevie. Stand up and fight and see where u get, or move on with our best of luck.
Didsbury Dave said:m27 said:I really rate the lad and if he comes we'll finally have a balance in midfield we lacked last saeason and it will also mean that we can an effective 442 if Mancini decides to go that route now and again.
Ya Ya and Milner as the central midfield pairing is a million times better than any combination Mancini tried last season.
In regards to Ireland, if he starts sitting deeper and pinging passes to all and sundry then we're in business because there's no-one at the club who does that well.
I sense he's going to go 4-4-2 also, to accomodate Tevez. I can live with that.
I just don't see Toure (who I like) and Milner to be any different to Toure and Barry.
I accept I could be wrong, I'm only basing it on a few games. If he comes I'll look at him with interest and take a view.
m27 said:jim_tolmies_perm said:I'm a big fan or Ireland, but he aint the ginger ponce - solely down to one thing, consistency.
If he does stay in and around this very talented squad he needs to knuckle down, become more consistent and more flexible. Scholes has played accross the rags MF, both wings, as a striker and even as a deep MF
Ireland seems only to function in the hole or in a 4-3-3
Thats whats gotta change. I would love him to hit top form and fight it out with Silva and Tevez. Do i think he will ? No i dont. Always an excuse
Remember when Sven left Ireland lauded Hughes. When Hughes left, he said he'd held him back. ?????
Own it Stevie. Stand up and fight and see where u get, or move on with our best of luck.
I agree with most of that.
It's Ireland's lack of adaptability which has hampered him and as soon as Tevez became indespensible last season that signalled the end for Ireland's chances.
To be fair to the lad though, although he does appear full of excuses at times, he has previously really knuckled down and won his place back so there's nothing to say he couldn't adapt his game and do it again.
-- Fri Aug 06, 2010 3:24 pm --
Didsbury Dave said:I sense he's going to go 4-4-2 also, to accomodate Tevez. I can live with that.
I just don't see Toure (who I like) and Milner to be any different to Toure and Barry.
I accept I could be wrong, I'm only basing it on a few games. If he comes I'll look at him with interest and take a view.
I could be wrong also but I just see Milner's extra pace, mobility and creativity making it infinitely better than if Barry was playing.
Didsbury Dave said:BillyShears said:The sad thing is DD, reading Bluemoon it's crystal clear just how disloyal certain segments of City's support have become. It's not just about Stevie. Everyone from Bellamy to Ade to Neds is slagged off to high heaven and back by the teenyboppers simply because of all the money swirling around at Eastlands. It's like real life FM for some of these fucking kids. "Sell, sell, sell...buy, buy, buy..." The grass is always greener, the emperors new clothes, etc....
You're right, Billy, and Stevie Ireland seems to bring out this brigade more than any other player.
Same phrases ad infinitum. They hear them in the South Stand bar and they become a mantra.
"he needs to sort his head out", "one season wonder", "off his rocker".....
Most people who know the game know Stevie Ireland is a class act who had a bad season for very good reasons. In and out the side, constantly out of position, injury and of course the loss of confidence which these things create.
It was great to see him pinging the ball about at the end of the last friendly. Looked like the Stevie of old to me - and from a deep position.
If he gets a run of games he'll shine again, no doubt. Good players don't become bad players overnight (unless they get injured)
Milner? Another Barry for me. Industrious enough and a reasonable player. I wouldnt have a strop if he signed but it doesn't excite me to be honest.
Scooby Blue said:Didsbury Dave said:You're right, Billy, and Stevie Ireland seems to bring out this brigade more than any other player.
Same phrases ad infinitum. They hear them in the South Stand bar and they become a mantra.
"he needs to sort his head out", "one season wonder", "off his rocker".....
Most people who know the game know Stevie Ireland is a class act who had a bad season for very good reasons. In and out the side, constantly out of position, injury and of course the loss of confidence which these things create.
It was great to see him pinging the ball about at the end of the last friendly. Looked like the Stevie of old to me - and from a deep position.
If he gets a run of games he'll shine again, no doubt. Good players don't become bad players overnight (unless they get injured)
Milner? Another Barry for me. Industrious enough and a reasonable player. I wouldnt have a strop if he signed but it doesn't excite me to be honest.
1) What a surprise to find BS and DD turning a Milner thread into a Stevie Ireland love-in
2) I am not a kid (40+ if it matters) / I have had a season ticket for over 20 years / and the most annoyed I have been at a City game was watching Ireland give the ball away in the home Derby last season ... and then stand watching with his hands on his hips as if it was "someone else's job" to win the ball back.
3) Just because I do not rate Ireland does not make me disloyal to City
4) Fans have different opinions on players ... that's life (e.g. some love De Jong , others find him a one-trick pony) but I really resent the way you two try and portray anyone who criticises SI as some sort of football neanderthal
5) Not overly fussed if we get Milner but (as A LOYAL SUPPORTER) I will trust the judgement of the management team and give him a chance , and (as A LOYAL SUPPORTER) I similarly trust Mancini et al if they decide that Ireland has had enough chances and not impressed.