Stephen Ireland....This Season Needs You!

[Shands]

Ireland is a quality footballer, but the true world class players can adapt to different positions by simply limiting their game a little. Stevie is a luxury and no doubt quality when played in the pocket of space behind the striker, but with Tevez in the side I doubt you're ever going to see him get played there. What he has to do is learn how to limit his game a little, maybe look sideways more often, as opposed to that killer pass (superman) he always seems to look for. Its great when it comes off, but as a center midfielder with a lot more responsibility, losing the ball is a dangerous game to play, and i think Stevie's creative game is suffering as a result. What has upset me most about his football this season though is the fact that he has been giving the ball away a lot, and that games just seem to easily pass him by without him stamping any form of authority onto it.

Whatever way you analyse his game, hes been VERY poor this season and its sad to see.

This isnt true, people always say this about ireland but he's a quality player when played in his correct position.

I can think of 2 examples of players who have benifited from being played in there strongest positions. Rooney, last few years he was shifted about to accomdate ronaldo and his form was always patchy, this season he plays as the main striker and anyone can see he's probaly currently the best striker in the world. Another 1 lampard last few years as played off the main striker and bagged 20 goals a season, probaly the most dangerous central midfielder in the league, this season he's bin asked to play left and right of a diamond and his game clearly isnt as good.

I could almost gurantee if we played Ireland off the strikers he'd show the same form as last season

I think this is a good point. People often say the best players adapt and shine in any role but I don't think this is the case and there are several examples. Compare the Messi you get for Barca with his international performances and what you see is very different, the same can be said of Ronaldinho at his peak. Steven Gerrard is a fantastic player but for a long time Liverpool supporters felt he was being wasted in an ineffective wing role. Andrea Pirlo failed to hold down a regular starting spot as a 'number 10 in Italy' and had little impact on games until he moved to Milan and was tried a deep lying playmaker. Xavi is a wonderful footballer but would you use him in any other position, probably not. There are many other examples including Joe Cole and our very own Tevez. Even the most talented players need to be deployed in a position they're comfortable with, infact it's probably more imperative for them than lesser footballers. Yes you can ask them to adapt but you will be cutting off your nose in my opinion.

 

[simon23]

playing him in his correct position will help!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mr Mancini.....please take note and stop nullifying the most creative player at the club!

and who is better at playing in the pocket...tevez or ireland? for me its ireland every day.

but ireland can also play centrally in a 4-4-2 with a holding player like dejong next to him....ireland is much better defensively than some people give him credit for and he can play the box to box role....ok he isnt as good as gerrard but he is still good enough

 

[coulsonblue]

Hopefully he does read this because I would like to say that I don't think he does enough.

He needs to track back if playing deep or covering at right-back like last week properly rather than half-heartedly.

He needs to close down quickly and have more purpose about his play.

 

[simon23]

Hopefully he does read this because I would like to say that I don't think he does enough.

He needs to track back if playing deep or covering at right-back like last week properly rather than half-heartedly.

He needs to close down quickly and have more purpose about his play.

when playing centrally ireland does all of this and more...his tackling is superb and his defending fromt he front is as good as anyones

play him in his correct position and we will win tonight.....play him out of position again and you will see th same from ireland.....SP tried to play him in this position and he was poor...Sven and MH played him centrally and he gets player of the season in the second season

 

[Bellamy's Caddy]

Ireland is superman! Hope he starts tonight and if he does we should get this chant going again, let the guy know we still love him. He's a confidence player and some support from the crowd might just reignite last seasons spark.

 

[paulmcfc86]

I don't know why every one says he has to be in the hole to play well. Surely he can play his killer passes from slightly furthur back. Every one seems to think that he has to be making those lung busting late runs to be effective. Ireland has got the the best eye at the club for the killer pass. (just look at the amount of them he plays on that video) so I can understand why he may not be getting as many goals this year but with he just doesnt seem to be making those passes OR maybe other players arent making the runs which last seasons players did.

Another point to make is after watching that video- We destroyed some teams last year and played some really free flowing football, mainly with ireland pulling the strings. I can't recall us doing that this season. Yes we have played well (Arsenal, Chelsea for example) but I can't recall us playing the same attacking football as last year.

Cheers

 

[Biggsy1]

The Emerald Prince will finish the season in style!

I really hope so, we need to kick on now, games are passing us by and we still seem to have no cohesion, come on city sort it out!! Ireland you can get back your form just believe in yourself!

 

[Nelly's Left Foot]

Gut feeling says Ireland will not start tonight. He has had some chances in the team , whatever the position /role and not been good.

I also think the analogy with Rooney and Lampard is a bad one. Yes they may really flourish in their " best" position but I think it is true to say that wherever they have played they have played well which sadly Ireland hasn't. I think it will come eventually because he has such quality but at the moment it isnt happeneing for him and he may be back on the bench as a result.

 

[leighton]

If you look at the preformace of most of the midfield over the past couple of games you could make the same case on them being dropped to the bench. We need to win this game tonight to put more pressure on the sides around us. If we start with Vieria , De Jong and Barry in the same team I will be truely fucked right off. Start with 1 by all means and have another on the bench when we get the lead bring another on to see out the match.

A sidenote todays Irish news was saying that Trap is asking about Stevie Ireland again with Mancini in charge he was talking to him about Ireland and Cunningham. So expect some talk of a comeback in the press over the coming days.

 

[mancity89]

Ireland MOTM tonight against bolton, mark my words