Irish Wolves and Opposition Irish

[tricky_colour]

Did I mention that Ward is the highest rated player on the Actim index at #46?

[tricky_colour]

That was Boyce...

Well who whoever it was he needs to look where he is going!!!

[Charlie Darwin]

They've obviously got the list upside down.

[SkStu]

Paul may well be right (or wrong), and who knows how long it'll take. Anyone here interested in economic history (you should be given the state of the world!)? It reminds me of John Maynard Keynes' riposte to Hayek, who contended that if a laissez-faire approach is taken, the Great Depression will cure itself given long enough. Keynes replied "in the long run we're all dead".

Hayek would say that left in the side long enough Ward will be found out. Keynes would have said "the alternative is an even worse left back".

Leave her alone Keynes, you bummer!

http://www.salmahayek.in/uploads/images/Salma-Hayek-Pics/salma-hayek-img-1.jpg

[The Legend]

thanks stu, best post ive seen on here!

[paul_oshea]

Wow, she slipped into my mind when stutts mentioned that, but never would i have the time ah no been able to find that photo :D

Well done is right stu.

[SwanVsDalton]

Stu - your cache of talent photos is difficult to top.

[dr_peepee]

haven't seen as much of Tierney, is he worth a shot in the friendlies?

Can't say.. I've only seen Norwich highlights on MOTD and the like so haven't an informed opinion.... I haven't placed too much stock in his presence in a premiership side though cos it wasn't too long ago that the like of Geary spent a full season in the Premiership with Sheffield at left full and that didn't amount to much.

Hopefully it'll bare fruit...

[theworm2345]

Interesting passage of play just now, Coleman with an excellent run down the right, beat Elokobi to get in to the box, cut it across and Cahill had a great chance but a great block for Ward (at right back?) to keep it 1-1. Coleman appears to be having a very good game, been watching more of the Stoke game.

[Stuttgart88]

Ward gave away a poor penalty at the end I hear. Hunt scored one.

[theworm2345]

Ward gave away a poor penalty at the end I hear. Hunt scored one.
I switched back just as they were showing the replays and the commentary was in Greek so I couldn't hear what they were saying, but I thought the foul was on Elokobi for the penalty, knocking someone over as a corner was being taken.

[SkStu]

just seen it now - it was 100% called against Elekobi for a non-existent push. BBC got it wrong in their text updates. So did the ref, terrible call for Wolves and McCarthy.

[theworm2345]

just seen it now - it was 100% called against Elekobi for a non-existent push. BBC got it wrong in their text updates. So did the ref, terrible call for Wolves and McCarthy.
Yeah, didn't look a penalty but didn't get a great view of it.

The Irishmen at Stoke were similarly unlucky, Huth was hauled down by Barton in the box around the 90th minute and the ref just waived play on. Delap and Walters played the full 90 and Whelan came on late and went close with two opportunities in injury time.

[tricky_colour]

http://watchhighlightsonline.blogspot.com/2011/11/video-everton-2-1-wolves-highlights-and.html

Wolves highlights, nice peno from Hunt.
Bit difficult to make out who is who on the second penalty.
I think Ward clears one off the line at some point.

[SwanVsDalton]

just seen it now - it was 100% called against Elekobi for a non-existent push. BBC got it wrong in their text updates. So did the ref, terrible call for Wolves and McCarthy.

MOTD focused on Ward's on Saha for the peno. Didn't even notice Elokobi if it was him? Either way if it was for Ward, it was a soft give.

He made a very impressive goal saving block at one point. Everton dominated though.

[rebelmusic]

Watched the whole game. Ward was the best player for Wolves - interestingly he played at right back for the last 30 mins. He saved one on the line which was immense. Doyle was off form if you ask me.

Was a very soft penalty but in fairness, Wolves were terrible. didnt really attack until the last 5 minutes so they got what they deserved in the end

[SkStu]

by the way, i now think the penno was called against Ward. The FSW crew had changed their version of events by late last night. Either way, terrible decision from the ref.

[DannyInvincible]

A Wolves fan I know directed me towards this: Why Irish Eyes Will Be Smiling On Molineux (http://www.footballfancast.com/2011/11/football-blogs/why-irish-eyes-will-be-smiling-on-molineux)


Glancing at the Irish squad from their recent 5-1 play-off win against Estonia, our club is the most represented – not through current players, but also ones that have come about from the result of our excellent youth set-up. What was also interesting is that all five of the goals that Ireland scored against Estonia over the two legs, there was a Wolves part played in every one of them. Let’s cast an eye back over those two games to refresh.

Goal one – Ireland go 1-0 up in Estonia after just 13 minutes. Aiden McGeady chips in a cross for midfielder Keith Andrews to head in. Wolves link – Keith Andrews began his career with Wolves, working his way through the youth system before breaking into the first team. Eventually moved on to Hull, before spells with MK Dons, Premier League Blackburn, and now Ipswich.

Goal two – Jonathan Walters doubles the lead with his first international goal, heading in a Robbie Keane cross. Wolves link – An easy one. Robbie Keane is often regarded as one of the best players to ever come through the Wolves youth system. Sold for £6 million in 1999 to Coventry. Went on to play for a host of clubs over the continent, now turning out alongside David Beckham at LA Galaxy. Also the country’s leading goalscorer.

Goal three – Andrews’ 30-yard free-kick is deflected to the feet of Keane, he slots in to make it 3-0 to Ireland. Wolves link – The links from goals one and two make the third goal. The two products of the Wolves Academy combined, albeit unintentionally, to all-but kill off Estonia.

Goal four – Stephen Hunt is fouled in the area late on, allowing Keane to step up and confidently convert the penalty to seal the win. Wolves link – Keane again making the telling impact, but assisted from the work of current Wolves winger Hunt. Players of past and present seal the impressive 4-0 away win for the Irish.

Goal five – Fast-forward a few days and we find ourselves back in Ireland at the Aviva Stadium. With the tie realistically over as a contest, all Ireland need is a professional performance to deny Estonia any hope of an unlikely comeback. Step forward Stephen Ward, who fired in his second international goal from close range after Kevin Doyle had seen a header parried by the goalkeeper. Wolves link – Easiest of the bunch. The hard-working Wolves striker Doyle, regarded as one of the club’s most valuable assets, combining with jack-of-all-trades Ward, to open the scoring.

[Charlie Darwin]

Doyle and Hunt both missing today for injury-ravaged Wolves. Spots on the bench for Ireland U19s Matt Doherty and Anthony Forde - the latter's first bench appearance if I'm correct.

Ward playing in midfield, and Wolves 1-0 down after 7 minutes.

[SkStu]

theyre getting spanked but Ward has done alright compared to the rest of the Wolves. Had a decent chance from a good run into space that he dragged past the keeper and wide.

[SkStu]

Forde comes on for the last 15.

Ward just missed another chance but it was tough and was a good save from Cech.

[theworm2345]

Great couple of minutes there. Wolves 1-0 down, Larsson drives at Craddock, goes down, and Dowd gives a penalty. Replays show Larsson with a shameful dive that actually started outside the box. Justice is done when Larsson takes a poor penalty that Hennessey saves low to his left. Wolves go down the pitch where Fletcher puts a great header past Westwood (got fingertips to it)...1-1.

Wolves 2-1 up now, again in contentious circumstances. Ball played in from the right, O'Hara knocks down for Fletcher who blasts past Westwood. Sunderland players are upset...Fletcher was clearly offside when the ball from the right was played but appeared to get back on for O'Hara's knock down. However, the ball came off O'Hara shoulder it appeared, about the same place as the Armenian keeper's.

It should be noted that this Wolves resurgence only occurred after Doyle and Hunt were hauled off for Ebanks-Blake and Hammill. Of course the story lines here are that Mick is a former Sunderland manager, Quinny is Sunderland chairmen (is at the match), etc.

[OwlsFan]

Disappointed to see both Hunt and Doyle being subbed. I wonder has Doyle not really got back to his form since that injury?

[Charlie Darwin]

Doyler dropped after getting the dreaded vote of confidence from McCarthy earlier today. Hunt and Ward start for Wolves with Forde on the bench again. Hoolahan and Tierney start for Norwich with Pilkington on the bench.

[Irwin3]

Brilliant football from Hoolahan and he crosses for Surman to head in for Norwich. Beautiful. He's playing in a midfield two today again as well.

[paul_oshea]

wolves are truly awful at the back and you know who was at fault for norwich second goal and also a goal at the weekend, also at the back post....really hope we find a decent left back between now and June and trap plays whoever that might be.

[Charlie Darwin]

Not sure about that Paul. I think the goalscorer is Johnson's man. Ward darts in the centre to anticipate a cross.

[geysir]

Yeah, but when your whole agenda is obsessively pushing pins into a home made effigy of Ward, Johnson's part becomes invisible.

Ward is one of the positives on that Wolves's team.
We have been crying out for a LB who gets forward and makes an impact with support play etc.

[ifk101]

Ward's attacking play hasn't been great - very much hit and miss. I recall a number of (very) poor crosses in the Slovakia and Russia games. He hasn't impressed me anytime I've seen him at LB for Wolves either. Whatever about last night's goals, Ward should have dealt with the ball that lead to Crouch's goal in the recent game with Stoke. Personally would prefer Cunningham or Wilson at LB ahead of Ward but I don't pick the team. :)

[drummerboy]

Ward's attacking play hasn't been great - very much hit and miss. I recall a number of (very) poor crosses in the Slovakia and Russia games. He hasn't impressed me anytime I've seen him at LB for Wolves either. Whatever about last night's goals, Ward should have dealt with the ball that lead to Crouch's goal in the recent game with Stoke. Personally would prefer Cunningham or Wilson at LB ahead of Ward but I don't pick the team. :)

Don't know how you could justify someone like Cunningham playing ahead of Ward. The young lad is playing for a struggling team at the bottom of the championship, and is hardly pulling up trees. Ward is also a work in progress, but is a further up the ladder than Cunningham. As regards Wilson; he is paying for his lack of interest last summer and rightly so.

[geysir]

Wilson is not a great at the left back position and not as good as Ward there. And that was obvious in that game against Stoke.
Everybody and their dog noted Ward's poor distribution in his first competitive internationals for us.

Anyway, judging a full back by his ability to whip in crosses is just another version of hoof football. It's nice if a full back can do a 40m inswinger, but more important in an attacking sense, is his play with the ball on the ground, his ability to beat a player with the ball, hold onto possession, pass the ball to feet and sending the ball into the box from outside the box.

[ifk101]

Don't know how you could justify someone like Cunningham playing ahead of Ward.

Trapattoni had no problem overlooking Ward for Cunningham in the past.


The young lad is playing for a struggling team at the bottom of the championship, and is hardly pulling up trees.

What was he doing when he was first capped?


Ward is also a work in progress,

Evidently.


but is a further up the ladder than Cunningham.

He is playing at a higher level than Cunningham at the moment. Doesn't necessarily mean he is the better option now and the better long term option.


As regards Wilson; he is paying for his lack of interest last summer and rightly so.

Shame the same standards aren't applied to the other players that went missing then. Or does Wilson deserve to be singled out for special treatment.


Wilson is not a great at the left back position and not as good as Ward there. And that was obvious in that game against Stoke.

Well you are entitled to your opinion. I disagree.


Everybody and their dog noted Ward's poor distribution in his first competitive internationals for us.

Yes and it should be noted his positioning was (very) poor as well. Still is.


Anyway, judging a full back by his ability to whip in crosses

I used his crossing ability to highlight that it was an area of his game that wasn't particularly good. This was in response to your comment about his ability to get forward and support. A full back that gets forward and offers support should excel in to overlapping and putting in (good quality) crosses. Ward's crossing ability has been poor in the internationals he has played.


is just another version of hoof football.

That is our gameplan.


It's nice if a full back can do a 40m inswinger,

I'd be happy with less.


but more important in an attacking sense, is his play with the ball on the ground, his ability to beat a player with the ball, hold onto possession, pass the ball to feet and sending the ball into the box from outside the box.

Better not let fantasy get the better of you. Trapattoni doesn't encourage his full backs to beat players, hold onto possession or pass to feet. Ward doesn't do this anyways.

[Charlie Darwin]

Ward was booked for diving in the box - this is the most adventurous thing a full back has ever done under Trapattoni. He's not Philip Lahm but he does get forward and try to link up with his winger more than Kilbane or O'Shea ever did.

[Irwin3]

ifk101, I'm sorry but criticising Ward for poor positioning and advocating Wilson hardly makes any sense. Wilson is not a natural left-back and gets caught in the wrong position many a time. Pulis even said recently that he doesn't expect Wilson to play there long-term. He's simply filling in there at the moment because he's a good, versatile defensive player and they haven't had a better option there.

[drummerboy]

ifk101, Trap blooded Cunningham in a friendly, and rightly so. The lad is unlikely to be ready for competitive internationals for a couple of years yet. I reckon Wilson would be an asset to the squad because of his versatility. However I think Trap is within his rights to leave him out of the squad until the player realises what commitment is expected of him to play for the ROI. McCarthy seems to have convinced Trap, that he is committed.

[ifk101]

ifk101, Trap blooded Cunningham in a friendly, and rightly so. The lad is unlikely to be ready for competitive internationals for a couple of years yet. I reckon Wilson would be an asset to the squad because of his versatility. However I think Trap is within his rights to leave him out of the squad until the player realises what commitment is expected of him to play for the ROI. McCarthy seems to have convinced Trap, that he is committed.

At the time of Cunningham's first cap, Ward was more deserving of getting his game ahead of Cunningham. But Trapattoni went with Cunningham. When the opportunity came to try out somebody else at LB, Trapattoni went with Clark ahead of Ward. Even in the game Ward made his debut, Wilson was selected ahead of him to start. I don't think Ward at LB has been a total failure but he hasn't convinced that he is the best option. I believe other players not currently in the team (Wilson and Cunningham) are better options than Ward. Trapattoni's unwillingness to try out Ward before this summer suggests to me that he is of similar mind but that circumstances pushed him into selecting Ward and sticking with him.


ifk101, I'm sorry but criticising Ward for poor positioning and advocating Wilson hardly makes any sense. Wilson is not a natural left-back and gets caught in the wrong position many a time. Pulis even said recently that he doesn't expect Wilson to play there long-term. He's simply filling in there at the moment because he's a good, versatile defensive player and they haven't had a better option there.

You don't need to be sorry. :) Ward doesn't have good positioning and yes Wilson isn't great in that regard either. (Ward isn't a full back by trade btw.) But overall I think Wilson or Cunningham are better options at LB than Ward.

[Dunners]

At the very least Ward or Tierney should be played in a friendly match to check / ensure we have adequate cover. If this results in one of them leap frogging Ward into the starting line up
then so be it. If its for the good of the team that's great

[geysir]

Has anyone seen Cunningham play since his return to football?

Wilson is not a first choice left back for us, anybody who thinks so should observe him at LB in a game, his positioning is one of his lesser faults, he does not bring anything more to the FB position other than acceptable conservative functionality.
He has the look of a centre half or maybe at a stretch - centre midfield. I'd like to see him get a chance in a friendly.

[drummerboy]

Has anyone seen Cunningham play since his return to football?

Wilson is not a first choice left back for us, anybody who thinks so should observe him at LB in a game, his positioning is one of his lesser faults, he does not bring anything more to the FB position other than acceptable conservative functionality.
He has the look of a centre half or maybe at a stretch - centre midfield. I'd like to see him get a chance in a friendly.

In fairness, Stoke are a team of centre halfs

[liamoo11]

In fairness wilson is right footed who is really a centre midfielder and has simply covered left full cause higgonbottom done his cruciate.Hopefully he gets his chance as a defensive midfielder he is no centre half lacks the physical ability and marking ability

[MeathDrog]

Long was VERY good tonight against Newcastle, although he missed a very easy chance. He seems to be prone to missing some easy ones.

With the dip in form of Doyle, surely Long has to move up the pecking order for the Ireland team?

[Charlie Darwin]

Well it's over two months until the next game so it's kind of irrelevant at the moment.

[seanfhear]

Long was VERY good tonight against Newcastle, although he missed a very easy chance. He seems to be prone to missing some easy ones.

With the dip in form of Doyle, surely Long has to move up the pecking order for the Ireland team?It certainly merits consideration.

[TrapAPony]

With the dip in form of Doyle, surely Long has to move up the pecking order for the Ireland team?

Long and Walters should be ahead of Doyle now. To me Doyle should be our 4th choice striker on current form.

[Olé Olé]

Long and Walters should be ahead of Doyle now. To me Doyle should be our 4th choice striker on current form.

Yeah, he should be. But you've got to bear in mind that the number two striker is going to be the best man to partner no.1 pick Robbie Keane. Is Long or Doyle or Walters that man? I'd like to think Long though.

This is a really critical time for Mick McCarthy, Wolves and Doyle's career and he seems unable to produce the goods. It's all somewhat disappointing. One would hope that he can find his form in time for Poland and to pull Wolves out of their current position.

[TrapAPony]

Yeah, he should be. But you've got to bear in mind that the number two striker is going to be the best man to partner no.1 pick Robbie Keane. Is Long or Doyle or Walters that man? I'd like to think Long though.

Walters for me

[geysir]

Hard to tell with Hunt, but I think he's down to play at cm today.

[the bear]

he is ye, i've been watching with interest, done ok so far, tidy every time he has the ball and been harrying when they don't which is most of the time

[Charlie Darwin]

1-1. A deflected Hunt shot from a corner goes to Fletcher and his header trickles into the corner. Forde playing OK - needs to show a bit more in attack though considering that's where most of Wolves chances come from.

[geysir]

:)
Goal for Wolves, made by …. Hunt.

Wolves odds slashed from 100/1 to 20/1