Ciaran Clark D Free agent b.1989

[the doc]

Aye yes the reported Preston fan that holds Villa and Leicester City season tickets. Life long Irish fan since 2009 to boot.

Yawn!
ive worked in football for over 40 years, I go to at least 4 games a week, many abroad so I think I have a sound knowledge of the players and the game.

Like others on here I have an opinion, most times mines proven right, in contrast other such as yourself are either wrong or just a vain attempt to provoke a reaction.

My advice to you would be to get out more, see a few live games, drink Beer and meet Women.

It's called getting a life!

[ifk101]

Yawn!
ive worked in football for over 40 years, I go to at least 4 games a week, many abroad so I think I have a sound knowledge of the players and the game.

Like others on here I have an opinion, most times mines proven right, in contrast other such as yourself are either wrong or just a vain attempt to provoke a reaction.

My advice to you would be to get out more, see a few live games, drink Beer and meet Women.

It's called getting a life!


I've worked in football for over 50 years, have 16 kids with 15 different mothers, own my own brewery, and see at least 5 games a week, many of which are abroad.

[Bungle]

The reality I imagine with Clarke is somewhat inbetween. He is a very promising young player who has alot of potential, but has been badly found out in recent weeks in a very poor and inexperienced defence. He would not have played so poorly with better defenders around him.

I wouldn't pay too much attention to those forums. My sons all support Liverpool and Everton and I've nearly ****ed myself with some of the nonsense that some of those lads on them write (some excellent posters also). One guy said that JJ Shelvey had it in his locker to be the next Zidane..come to think of it, it's a bit like saying that Ciaran could be the next Paul McGrath :)

[SkStu]

Yawn!
ive worked in football for over 40 years, I go to at least 4 games a week, many abroad so I think I have a sound knowledge of the players and the game.

http://www.irenesinternet.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/BigDill.jpg

[Charlie Darwin]

The reality I imagine with Clarke is somewhat inbetween. He is a very promising young player who has alot of potential, but has been badly found out in recent weeks in a very poor and inexperienced defence. He would not have played so poorly with better defenders around him.

I wouldn't pay too much attention to those forums. My sons all support Liverpool and Everton and I've nearly ****ed myself with some of the nonsense that some of those lads on them write (some excellent posters also). One guy said that JJ Shelvey had it in his locker to be the next Zidane..come to think of it, it's a bit like saying that Ciaran could be the next Paul McGrath :)
I'm just going to post this here: https://twitter.com/RAWK_Meltdown

[DannyInvincible]

Ha, that's a great idea. OWC is really missing something like that...

http://blog.khanneasuntzu.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/excellent-mr-burns.gif

[Charlie Darwin]

Ha, that's a great idea. OWC is really missing something like that...

http://blog.khanneasuntzu.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/excellent-mr-burns.gif
You'd be doing a wonderful service for those of us too lazy or too banned to read it ourselves.

[DannyInvincible]

It really is an unending goldmine. I mean, this is from just ten minutes ago:


... they should pass a law that any kid from NI that declares for an RoI underage team is ineligible for UK benefits in the future

Anyway, sorry, back to Clark...

[BonnieShels]

it really is an unending goldmine. I mean, this is from just ten minutes ago:



Anyway, sorry, back to clark...

doooooooooooooooo it!

[Charlie Darwin]

doooooooooooooooo it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usevD1TEYOo

[Sullivinho]

Do

http://www.bodyandmind.co.za/johndutton/animated%20hypnosis%20spiral.gif

It

I nominate 'Are Wee a Country? for the title of this prospective endeavor.

[elroy]

Steve Claridge, BBC Radio 5 live, BBC Sport
"Ciaran Clark has been a little bit loose all game, some of his control has been shocking."

Doesnt sound like Clark has been having a great game tonight against Millwall. I think the lad certainly has potential but is in bad need of an more experienced partner at CB to help him out - Richie D would be perfect.

[Carrigaline]

Listened to the match commentary and it sounded like he was having another stinker.

[Charlie Darwin]

I doubt the international break can come quickly enough for our Ciaran. Maybe working with a couple of experienced defenders will give him a bit of confidence back.

[the doc]

I doubt the international break can come quickly enough for our Ciaran. Maybe working with a couple of experienced defenders will give him a bit of confidence back.

Doubt it will make much difference if you haven't got the ability which clearly Clark lacks.

It's not just me, even ex players and managers are now saying it!

England's loss is our pain!

[Charlie Darwin]

Name the ex-players and managers who are saying it, and what they said.

[Supreme feet]

Doubt it will make much difference if you haven't got the ability which clearly Clark lacks.

It's not just me, even ex players and managers are now saying it!

England's loss is our pain!

Well, if we're writing off Clark now, I just hope Alex Pearce is the real deal - because I don't want a player who has never played any higher than second-tier English football leading our defence for the next four campaigns. :mad:

[the doc]

Well, if we're writing off Clark now, I just hope Alex Pearce is the real deal - because I don't want a player who has never played any higher than second-tier English football leading our defence for the next four campaigns. :mad:

It just shows what a strange world football is when that player is better than the CBs available to us, who are playing at a so called higher level

He has never let us down either.

[Charlie Darwin]

I'm waiting for you to name those ex-players and managers...

[Olé Olé]

I'm waiting for you to name those ex-players and managers...

Could it be one of Ron Atkinson, Barry Fry, Alan Irvine, Sven Goran Eriksson or Nigel Pearson? In which case, these comments wouldn't be in the public domain and the Doc wouldn't be at liberty to tell you!

[DannyInvincible]

doooooooooooooooo it!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usevD1TEYOo


Do

http://www.bodyandmind.co.za/johndutton/animated%20hypnosis%20spiral.gif

It

I nominate 'Are Wee a Country? for the title of this prospective endeavor.

Cripes, I don't think I've ever been peer-pressured like that online before. Now look what yous have gone and made me do!: https://twitter.com/AreWeACountry

(I'm straight; swear!)

[Sullivinho]

Oh my..

If you read them relatively quickly one after another, the effect is one of escalating hilarity via semi-surrealist humour, as if the effort were building to a climactic lolpocalypse. Boom.

[tommy_c12000]

Another good game today in Villa's 2-1 win. Made some vital interceptions as Villa were under the cosh for much of the second half. Partnership with Vlaar looking better by the week. Missed the last 15 mins with rugby though. I would definitely start him in front of the Doc next month considering the latter's lack of football recently. After a ropey season, let's hope he has turned the corner. A lot more learning to do yet, but continues to show promise

[Closed Account]

Didn't catch much of it but he was given Man of the Match. Confidence can play a huge part in performances, that goal in midweek will of helped.

[paul_oshea]

sean what did you make of his last two villa games and ireland match?what excuse now?soon he will be good enough for the championship like all the other players there.

[the doc]

sean what did you make of his last two villa games and ireland match?what excuse now?soon he will be good enough for the championship like all the other players there.

Stop being a Richard III and put your rod away!

We need all of our squad to be playing well, the most important thing are results against Sweden and Austria.

Despite what's been said in the media, I know 100% it will be a Dunne St Ledger partnership for the qualifiers if they are both match fit.

Its a good partnership and the 2 best CBs we have.

In Mr Trapattoni we trust.

[Crosby87]

Clark should listen to constructive critisism from Alan Hansen some say.

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-ciaran-clark-should-1303148 (http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-ciaran-clark-should-1303148)

[geysir]

Another good game today in Villa's 2-1 win. Made some vital interceptions as Villa were under the cosh for much of the second half. Partnership with Vlaar looking better by the week. Missed the last 15 mins with rugby though. I would definitely start him in front of the Doc next month considering the latter's lack of football recently. After a ropey season, let's hope he has turned the corner. A lot more learning to do yet, but continues to show promise

He did good today and as you say, got on the right side of those vital interceptions.
Deserved the motm award.

What about that miss in the first half? That would have been enough for a relegation candidate team on a slide, to feel cursed beyond redemption, but Lambert took the time to have a few words with the Villa player.

[Stuttgart88]

I still think he's got a potential costly error in him every time he plays for us. In both the Greece and Poland games he could have been punished harder (awful tackle against Greece, probable penalty vs. Poland) and probably would have been if a competitive game, especially away.

I like him though and think he's a great prospect. He just needs to get rid of that "one mistake per game" that plagued Dunne in his early career too. That comes with confidence and experience.

[geysir]

Was that 'probably penalty' the time Lewandowski ran into one of our defenders and fell over theatrically?
If so, it would have taken a bad ref to fall for that one.

[paul_oshea]

I still think he's got a potential costly error in him every time he plays for us. In both the Greece and Poland games he could have been punished harder (awful tackle against Greece, probable penalty vs. Poland) and probably would have been if a competitive game, especially away.

I like him though and think he's a great prospect. He just needs to get rid of that "one mistake per game" that plagued Dunne in his early career too. That comes with confidence and experience.

thing is when watching Dunne, early years, I thought that was a dopeyness, like breen. Just "one of those players". With Clark, i see it as over-exuberance and a need for level-headedness. I think they are two different situations entirely, and as you say something experience, and a an old head beside him should eradicate.

[Charlie Darwin]

Dunne still hasn't lost the over-exuberance that leads him to make brainless, rash tackles.

[Stuttgart88]

Was that 'probably penalty' the time Lewandowski ran into one of our defenders and fell over theatrically?
If so, it would have taken a bad ref to fall for that one.Nonsense, Clark stuck his leg out, missed the ball and tried to withdraw the challenge before the two collided and many refs would have given it. It was by no means purely passive on Clark's count, as if Lewandowski ran into a lamp-post. Very marginal call in my opinion.

[paul_oshea]

Dunne still hasn't lost the over-exuberance that leads him to make brainless, rash tackles.

Maybe but he had those dopey lapses in concentration that breen also had. Just lost in thought or something as though he was thinking happy thoughts. I'm saying there is a difference, I think over-exuberance can be fixed with experience, the other I'm not so sure about. Granted I think Dunnes is more over-exuberance as you say.

I think Coleman has this over-exuberance as well with his elbow and pushing, but I honestly believe he gets that from Gaelic, that again should be bet out of him through his manager and coaches, and also through experience, if he starts giving away needless frees/penalties he needs to learn from it.

[geysir]

Nonsense, Clark stuck his leg out, missed the ball and tried to withdraw the challenge before the two collided and many refs would have given it. It was by no means purely passive on Clark's count, as if Lewandowski ran into a lamp-post. Very marginal call in my opinion.
Not nonsense by a long way.
Most match reports agree that a penalty in those circumstances would have been harsh and the decision not to award a penalty was the correct one.
Lewandowski made a meal out of an opportunity and replays support that interpretation.

[Stuttgart88]

OK, maybe nonsense was a bit harsh! But I still feel we were lucky to get away with it and it was a real heart-in-mouth moment. We'll have to agree to disagree.

[paul_oshea]

Geysir doesn't agree to disagree, he just disregards your comments.

[geysir]

Geysir doesn't agree to disagree, he just disregards your comments.
Are you still preaching from that fence again? :)

Far from it, I think you missed that I managed to make progress. I managed to change a perception that my post was nonsense to something less than nonsense.
I can move on, with that in my back pocket.

[SkStu]

Oh dear. Shocker.

[tricky_colour]

Shocking stuff from Clark, he is Villa Captain as well, never knew that, shows how bad their defence is I suppose!!

[tricky_colour]

He thinks he was fouled
Having seen it again he might have been but hard to tell from an internet stream.
However he should not have got himself into such a position in the first place.

[Charlie Darwin]

Shocking stuff from Clark, he is Villa Captain as well, never knew that, shows how bad their defence is I suppose!!
He's third in line after Vlaar and Petrov. Actually, Dunne is probably ahead of him too.

[SkStu]

He thinks he was fouled
Having seen it again he might have been but hard to tell from an internet stream.
However he should not have got himself into such a position in the first place.

He wasn't fouled. I'm watching it live on tv. Grade A howler.

[SkStu]

But he actually played alright apart from that. He's going to be a good cb.

[Charlie Darwin]

I'm all over this thread saying O'Dea is a better option but I'm happy to take that back. As long as he has a head like O'Shea or Vlaar alongside him, he's a very good player.

[the doc]

I'm all over this thread saying O'Dea is a better option but I'm happy to take that back. As long as he has a head like O'Shea or Vlaar alongside him, he's a very good player.

Can I have a pint of what your drinking?

Clarks got mistakes in him in every game.

Unlucky could of got a foul but never should of tried a fancy turn.

[tetsujin1979]

villa were really solid in the second half, but were missing something the final ball to find the net. Hart wasn't really troubled.
At the other end, Clark really improved as the game progressed, keeping Dzeko quiet, which is no easy feat. To be honest, the goal was the only real mistake he made, but when you're at the bottom of the league, you don't get the breaks

[SkStu]

I think that's a fair summation Tets. He was good enough throughout and actually was a big part in Villa soaking up a lot of City pressure from around 25' to 40'. He also underhit a back pass around 80' where his partner recovered and picked up the loose ball but it was only of minor danger. A couple of things he can work on, decision making with the ball obviously and playing off his weak side. These are things that are fixable. I certainly haven't condemned him to the scrap heap like the doc has.

[Charlie Darwin]

Can I have a pint of what your drinking?

Clarks got mistakes in him in every game.

Unlucky could of got a foul but never should of tried a fancy turn.
You'll notice I didn't include you under the the column of experienced heads to play alongside him.

[Colbert Report]

Clark was superb today, he made one mistake the entire match! Poor guy.