Stevie Ireland is back home after being taken to hospital following last night’s Carling Cup win over Fulham.
The Blues reigning player of the season was substituted in the 75th minute of the 2-1 win and taken for precautionary checks after complaining of dizziness and feeling unwell.
Tests were carried on the 23-year-old and he was given the all-clear. He is expected to rest today and resume training at the weekend for the visit of West Ham on Monday night.
Ted Hughes wrote:I think he's possibly been overdoing it & should rest a bit more. He's not been quite as sharp as last season but he's still been involved in games even if he's not been as effective going forward. He's not been awful by any means.
People are also underestimating the effect Robinho has on Ireland's play. The bizarre movement of Robinho opens up a whole different set of options & he also feeds Ireland when he makes runs wheras others don't always see it. When both are fully fit we'll see Ireland back to his best I'm sure.
Ted Hughes wrote:I think he's possibly been overdoing it & should rest a bit more. He's not been quite as sharp as last season but he's still been involved in games even if he's not been as effective going forward. He's not been awful by any means.
People are also underestimating the effect Robinho has on Ireland's play. The bizarre movement of Robinho opens up a whole different set of options & he also feeds Ireland when he makes runs wheras others don't always see it. When both are fully fit we'll see Ireland back to his best I'm sure.
Original Dub wrote:Ted Hughes wrote:I think he's possibly been overdoing it & should rest a bit more. He's not been quite as sharp as last season but he's still been involved in games even if he's not been as effective going forward. He's not been awful by any means.
People are also underestimating the effect Robinho has on Ireland's play. The bizarre movement of Robinho opens up a whole different set of options & he also feeds Ireland when he makes runs wheras others don't always see it. When both are fully fit we'll see Ireland back to his best I'm sure.
That's a good point mate. It could well make a difference to Ireland's form... when Robinho's back we should find out just how deep Ireland's position really is.
If it continues like this for the season and beyond, it would seem that Hughes is slightly abandoning the playmaker system of last season... I don't really care as long as we're winning, but while Ireland is a fantastic playmaker who puts in a shift defensively, as a player he is wasted being told to just do the shift work and only burst forward on a rare occassion.
There are better players for that role than Ireland, so if we're not gonna let him do the exact job as last season in the long run, I can't see him hanging around TBH.
Ted Hughes wrote:Original Dub wrote:Ted Hughes wrote:I think he's possibly been overdoing it & should rest a bit more. He's not been quite as sharp as last season but he's still been involved in games even if he's not been as effective going forward. He's not been awful by any means.
People are also underestimating the effect Robinho has on Ireland's play. The bizarre movement of Robinho opens up a whole different set of options & he also feeds Ireland when he makes runs wheras others don't always see it. When both are fully fit we'll see Ireland back to his best I'm sure.
That's a good point mate. It could well make a difference to Ireland's form... when Robinho's back we should find out just how deep Ireland's position really is.
If it continues like this for the season and beyond, it would seem that Hughes is slightly abandoning the playmaker system of last season... I don't really care as long as we're winning, but while Ireland is a fantastic playmaker who puts in a shift defensively, as a player he is wasted being told to just do the shift work and only burst forward on a rare occassion.
There are better players for that role than Ireland, so if we're not gonna let him do the exact job as last season in the long run, I can't see him hanging around TBH.
I think we'll see different systems employed during the course of games once everyone's fit & got to know each other. The truly great midfield players are the ones who can do all jobs in one though. It's up to Ireland whether he'd rather be a 'playmaker' & therefore only succeed in a side that's built to suit him or whether he can score & create whilst doing a full job. Very few top sides allow the luxury of a playmaker & those who do have blokes who get 20-30 goals & bang in free kicks regularly.
If he'd rather have it easy & be a 'playmaker' then his position is always under threat if a new Gerrard or Lampard comes along who score more goals get plenty of assists but can do it in an orthodox role. I don't think for one minute he'll take the easy route.
lythamblue wrote:I take the point at he is having to play deeper this season, but that doesn't affect or excuse his general passing though, which has been very poor in the last few games, last night he couldn't even play the simple stuff that we take for granted from him.
If he is ill or suffering from something, that would certainly offer some kind of an explanation though.
Before we had Ade, we never threw early crosses into the box because it is was a waste of time and therefore we had to play our strikers in with little intricate passing movements around the edge of the box ...... and this was ideally suited to him and Robbi.
Now with Ade, as we tend to move the ball forward quicker, he will have a different role to get used to.
Original Dub wrote:Ted Hughes wrote:Original Dub wrote:Ted Hughes wrote:I think he's possibly been overdoing it & should rest a bit more. He's not been quite as sharp as last season but he's still been involved in games even if he's not been as effective going forward. He's not been awful by any means.
People are also underestimating the effect Robinho has on Ireland's play. The bizarre movement of Robinho opens up a whole different set of options & he also feeds Ireland when he makes runs wheras others don't always see it. When both are fully fit we'll see Ireland back to his best I'm sure.
That's a good point mate. It could well make a difference to Ireland's form... when Robinho's back we should find out just how deep Ireland's position really is.
If it continues like this for the season and beyond, it would seem that Hughes is slightly abandoning the playmaker system of last season... I don't really care as long as we're winning, but while Ireland is a fantastic playmaker who puts in a shift defensively, as a player he is wasted being told to just do the shift work and only burst forward on a rare occassion.
There are better players for that role than Ireland, so if we're not gonna let him do the exact job as last season in the long run, I can't see him hanging around TBH.
I think we'll see different systems employed during the course of games once everyone's fit & got to know each other. The truly great midfield players are the ones who can do all jobs in one though. It's up to Ireland whether he'd rather be a 'playmaker' & therefore only succeed in a side that's built to suit him or whether he can score & create whilst doing a full job. Very few top sides allow the luxury of a playmaker & those who do have blokes who get 20-30 goals & bang in free kicks regularly.
If he'd rather have it easy & be a 'playmaker' then his position is always under threat if a new Gerrard or Lampard comes along who score more goals get plenty of assists but can do it in an orthodox role. I don't think for one minute he'll take the easy route.
Well mate, that said, the only position I think Gerrard or Lampard would be wasted in would be the role Ireland LOOKS to be asked to play. Play Gerrard on the right, left attacking mid or right behind the striker and he's immense... whilst tackling when needed to to.
I'd say the same about Superman.
Original Dub wrote:I disagree Ted. I don't think Gerrard would have been brilliant in a deep role. Or Lampard.
They may well be able to 'do a job if need be' given the experience they now have, but to employ them in that position full time is criminal. And if you say that Stevie Ireland didn't show the attributes of a young Gerrard last season than I'd have to disagree with you.
Ted Hughes wrote:Original Dub wrote:I disagree Ted. I don't think Gerrard would have been brilliant in a deep role. Or Lampard.
They may well be able to 'do a job if need be' given the experience they now have, but to employ them in that position full time is criminal. And if you say that Stevie Ireland didn't show the attributes of a young Gerrard last season than I'd have to disagree with you.
I don't think Ireland's playing in a deep role, he's just playing in a more orthadox midfield role & isn't as good as a Lampard or Gerrard or Robson at knowing when to come forward & when to go back. It's the next stage of his development. They've all played many games in the same role & done it perfectly.
There's no point though in pretending Ireland has the abilities of a Lampard or Gerrard because he simply doesn't. You're talking about 2 of the best strikers of a ball in PL history. Ireland has a bit more craft & guile but as an attacking threat is smaller so cant get to headers like they do & nowhere even on the same planet as a threat when shooting. He has to find a job to do alongside players like that, where he can be just as valuable to the team. That's what's happening imo.
svengali wrote:I think playing Sweep and Tevez is creating the problem in all honesty. I would take out SWP to allow Nige to move into the starting lineup freeing Stevie to get back to his roaming position. We dont need Tevez and Swp on the right hand side. Tevez will track back all day if instructed to.
Ted Hughes wrote:I think he's possibly been overdoing it & should rest a bit more. He's not been quite as sharp as last season but he's still been involved in games even if he's not been as effective going forward. He's not been awful by any means.
People are also underestimating the effect Robinho has on Ireland's play. The bizarre movement of Robinho opens up a whole different set of options & he also feeds Ireland when he makes runs wheras others don't always see it. When both are fully fit we'll see Ireland back to his best I'm sure.
Original Dub wrote:Ted Hughes wrote:Original Dub wrote:I disagree Ted. I don't think Gerrard would have been brilliant in a deep role. Or Lampard.
They may well be able to 'do a job if need be' given the experience they now have, but to employ them in that position full time is criminal. And if you say that Stevie Ireland didn't show the attributes of a young Gerrard last season than I'd have to disagree with you.
I don't think Ireland's playing in a deep role, he's just playing in a more orthadox midfield role & isn't as good as a Lampard or Gerrard or Robson at knowing when to come forward & when to go back. It's the next stage of his development. They've all played many games in the same role & done it perfectly.
There's no point though in pretending Ireland has the abilities of a Lampard or Gerrard because he simply doesn't. You're talking about 2 of the best strikers of a ball in PL history. Ireland has a bit more craft & guile but as an attacking threat is smaller so cant get to headers like they do & nowhere even on the same planet as a threat when shooting. He has to find a job to do alongside players like that, where he can be just as valuable to the team. That's what's happening imo.
Can't agree with you mate. When gerrard was the same age as Ireland, he scored 4 league goals and didn't better him until 2 or 3 years ago. His 'graft' isn't the same as you say, so what exactly was Gerrard doing when he was the same age as Stevie then?
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