Ciaran Clark D Free agent b.1989 [Archive] - Page 21

Charlie Darwin

07/05/2014, 9:00 PM

Injured himself clattering Jovetic (at least it wasn't his own player for once) and had to be taken off at 2-0. He played Dzeko onside for the second goal but probably couldn't have been expected to check his run as the covering defender.

TheOneWhoKnocks

20/09/2014, 1:14 PM

Rare start for Ciaran Clark this afternoon against Arsenal.

SwanVsDalton

20/09/2014, 2:37 PM

Well that's a nightmare five minutes for Villa right there. Clark lost Welbeck for the second, didn't really have anything to do with the other two goals.

swinfordfc

20/09/2014, 8:18 PM

He fourth choice at cb for villa now and i say okore is also ahead of him as well only for he well down with flu!

paul_oshea

20/09/2014, 10:01 PM

He did have something to do with one of the other goals he gave wellbeck space and didn't cut out the ball for �zils goal.

I think we are going to see less and less of him.

SwanVsDalton

21/09/2014, 1:07 AM

He did have something to do with one of the other goals he gave wellbeck space and didn't cut out the ball for �zils goal.

I think we are going to see less and less of him.

I don't think so, the midfielder was coming across to cover, Clark was staying in line with the back four and was quite a distance from Welbeck (far farther away than the tracking midfielder as Welbeck was coming from deep). Most centre halves would do exactly the thing).

I think you're possibly right on the second point. He should've scored five minutes before Villa's meltdown too.

the doc

21/09/2014, 7:54 AM

He did have something to do with one of the other goals he gave wellbeck space and didn't cut out the ball for �zils goal.

I think we are going to see less and less of him.

Think we need to lay off Clarky now, he was built up by most on here as our next big hope, some even laughingly suggesting he's the next Dunny (There's a joke in there fellas!)

Anyone with decent football knowledge knew he wasn't that good.

I think the same will become of Grealish, saw him a few times now to me he's another McClean.

No doubt I will get slated for that last comment, but as you all know I'm usually right when it comes to footie.

liamoo11

21/09/2014, 9:11 AM

i cant imagine 2 players in the world more different than mcclean and grealish. that is no disrespect to either. grealish would love mccleans pace and physicallity as he lacks both.

tetsujin1979

21/09/2014, 10:32 AM

Think we need to lay off Clarky now, he was built up by most on here as our next big hope, some even laughingly suggesting he's the next Dunny (There's a joke in there fellas!)

Anyone with decent football knowledge knew he wasn't that good.

I think the same will become of Grealish, saw him a few times now to me he's another McClean.

No doubt I will get slated for that last comment, but as you all know I'm usually right when it comes to footie.
you're going to have to explain that one.

the doc

21/09/2014, 12:57 PM

you're going to have to explain that one.

I wasn't saying they are the same type or style of player, I was referring to the similar hype and expectation of each player.

In the end we were all disappointed in McClean being no where near as good as we expected, something I feel will happen with Grealish.

I think Grealish will end up having a career like Daniel Nardiello.

The Fly

21/09/2014, 1:20 PM

I wasn't saying they are the same type or style of player, I was referring to the similar hype and expectation of each player.

In the end we were all disappointed in McClean being no where near as good as we expected, something I feel will happen with Grealish.

I'm not disappointed in McClean at all. I never expected much from him because he's not that talented, and I found the fan roar that greeted his introduction during Trapattoni's reign embarrassing to say the least.

Grealish's natural ability lies on a much higher level.

Stuttgart88

02/11/2014, 5:15 PM

Good job he wasn't associated with that defeat at home to Spurs. That bloke Sanchez is a liability. Baker practically guided that free kick in with his head while Agbonlahor was fast asleep for Spurs' equaliser. Young Jack found it all quite amusing on the bench until the late winner.

DeLorean

02/11/2014, 5:19 PM

Looks like Clark could do with a move, he's not going to learn and improve by not playing. How is Darren Bent still at Villa?

liamoo11

02/11/2014, 6:58 PM

senderos is injured as well. okore like gibson seems to b finding return from acl surgery very difficult. recent research showed that only 50% of people who have acl surgery return to their same level of sport i.e premier league, munster senior league, ucd superleague etc.

the doc

02/11/2014, 9:46 PM

Looks like Clark could do with a move, he's not going to learn and improve by not playing. How is Darren Bent still at Villa?
To be fair to Clark, he should be ahead of Baker.

Clark won't get any better, same as Wilson and Keogh mistakes waiting to happen every game.

Wilson will cost us points, he's not a CB, did you see him for Stoke on Sat?

Got turned horrendously for West Hams first goal.

The sooner SSL gets a club the better for Ireland.

DannyInvincible

02/11/2014, 10:44 PM

Clark won't get any better

Why would you say that? Richard Dunne improved with experience.

The sooner SSL gets a club the better for Ireland.

How's that going? Is he in touch with clubs or what exactly is he doing?

Charlie Darwin

02/11/2014, 10:47 PM

Why would you say that? Richard Dunne improved with experience.

How's that going? Is he in touch with clubs or what exactly is he doing?
Active on the old twitter. Seems to be getting a lot of TV time in.

DannyInvincible

02/11/2014, 10:51 PM

Active on the old twitter. Seems to be getting a lot of TV time in.

Is he taking a break from football for a bit or something? It's certainly odd that he'd have been unable to find a club interested in his services.

Charlie Darwin

02/11/2014, 10:59 PM

No offers according to himself. Seems to be getting more disheartened. I suspect his agent isn't doing his job properly as he is a really good player and should have clubs lining up for him.

the doc

02/11/2014, 11:52 PM

No offers according to himself. Seems to be getting more disheartened. I suspect his agent isn't doing his job properly as he is a really good player and should have clubs lining up for him.

100% spot on Chazza!

Clubs think he's still injured!

100% fit, lets start a

"Get Ledge back playing" campaign

Charlie Darwin

02/11/2014, 11:53 PM

I'd say him sacking his agent would be more effective than a message board campaign.

DeLorean

03/11/2014, 8:37 AM

To be fair to Clark, he should be ahead of Baker.

Clark won't get any better, same as Wilson and Keogh mistakes waiting to happen every game.

At this stage I'd be happy if he got back to where he was two or three years ago. Wasn't he Villa's vice captain at that stage and getting regular football? I think he looked a more than decent prospect at that stage but he definitely needs a move.

backstothewall

03/11/2014, 12:23 PM

He needs a move. He's 25 now. Far too old for being a good prospect.

TrapAPony

24/11/2014, 6:29 PM

Starting tonight centre half v Southampton. Grealish & Given on the bench with Long starting for Southampton.

Paddy Garcia

24/11/2014, 7:20 PM

Just made a goal saving tackle!

DannyInvincible

24/11/2014, 7:35 PM

And a goal-making clearance!

SwanVsDalton

24/11/2014, 7:50 PM

The defending from Villa has been agricultural to say the least, but it's benefited Clark and Okore who are doing well. Long has been kept fairly quiet so far.

SwanVsDalton

24/11/2014, 8:53 PM

Finishes 1-1. Thought Clark played really well, Villa's best player just ahead of Okore. Several great blocks and challenges. Also was the leader in the back four and appeared to be quite vocal in organising the defence - the Sky commentary team mentioned that he was telling the back four to keep a high line and forcing them up throughout the second half.

Clark got the Sky man of the match too.

Long had a quiet enough game, though was shunted out to the right in the second half. Looked frustrated when he was subbed off late on.

DeLorean

24/11/2014, 9:17 PM

Good to hear, I only saw a small bit. I think he's definitely our third best centre back, if not second. Throw him in with O'Shea from now on and let him develop, added bonus of Wilson replacing Ward at left back.

backstothewall

24/11/2014, 10:33 PM

It was a good performance but he'll be out of the team when Vlaar & Senderos return.

DeLorean

25/11/2014, 8:48 AM

Not to mention Baker.

Charlie Darwin

25/11/2014, 9:35 AM

DeLorean

25/11/2014, 9:54 AM

So what about that black eye? Was there anything in that Keane bust up or was that conjured out of the fact that he had a black eye to begin with? I suspect the latter.

the doc

25/11/2014, 10:10 AM

�The two centre-backs, the young ones were outstanding. Jores (Okore) has been out for 14 months and I thought he was fantastic.

�But I thought Ciaran (Clark), grew up tonight and took the lead role and he was outstanding.

�I thought we played well. We had six players out , three centre-backs and (Christian) Benteke�s out, (Nathan) Baker and (Fabian) Delph�s out , big players for this club and it�s a lot to carry.�

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/english-soccer/aston-villa-manager-paul-lambert-praises-ciaran-clark-he-grew-up-tonight-1.2014234?

I wouldn't read too much into what Lambert says, he makes it up as he goes along.

He still believes in Father Christmas after getting a new four year deal on the back of 3 poor seasons.

I was at the Villa game last night got a couple off compos off the bearded wonder!
Good game by Clarky, but one good game every 30 games isn't good enough.

As they say "one swallow doesn't make a summer!"

Unless your on holiday with Miss world!

SwanVsDalton

25/11/2014, 7:36 PM

It was a good performance but he'll be out of the team when Vlaar & Senderos return.

The spot beside Vlaar is there to be played for. There's not really anything between Clark and Baker aside from one being a flavour of the moment. He might have nipped back in front of Baker based on last night.

Also Vlaar could be out the door come January.

BonnieShels

07/12/2014, 3:20 PM

Just scored to equalise for Villa v Leicester. Great header from a free. First goal in 2 tears apparently. Very similar to Sledge's goal v Italy.

Stuttgart88

07/12/2014, 4:19 PM

Was it definitely his head? It looked like a great cushioned header at first but another look made me suspect it was his back, or shoulder.

BonnieShels

07/12/2014, 6:00 PM

Defo a header.

https://vine.co/v/OrOVnFnvVxi

samhaydenjr

07/12/2014, 8:14 PM

Defo a header.

https://vine.co/v/OrOVnFnvVxi

A sliding header - you don't see that every day. Definitely good to see him playing regularly for Villa again - sometimes hard for me to judge players from Canada, as I don't see many games live, but it sounds like he's been written off as unfulfilled promise when he may just have gone through what they call a "Sophomore slump" over here - where a player has a terrific rookie season and in his second season plays poorly before often coming back to deliver on his first-season promise later in his career. If Clark can rediscover his earlier form it would really be a boon for our defence - it frees up Marc Wilson to play left-back and means that when John O'Shea retires we only need to fill one central defender role between Duffy, O'Brien, Hoban, Keogh, Pearce, Baba, Cleary, O'Connell and any other up-and-comers rather than hoping that two of them become top-class centre-backs - of course if more than one of them succeed, all the better.

KK77

08/12/2014, 9:37 AM

Nice to see him get the goal yesterday. Hopefully he will stay in the team now and could push to play alongside O'Shea on a regular basis. Would love to see Delaney myself but this guy next for me for sure.

tetsujin1979

01/01/2015, 1:10 PM

drops to the bench today, after starting the last eight games in a row. Villa's record in those games are two wins, four draws, two losses

Charlie Darwin

01/01/2015, 2:58 PM

And he's back in! That pea-shooter he hid in his sock comes in handy as Vlaar is struck down with a mystery injury.

liamoo11

10/01/2015, 5:03 PM

getting good reviews again today for his performance, has really turned his season around since he has been given a chance

tetsujin1979

10/01/2015, 5:17 PM

had him in my fantasy football team today :(

TheOneWhoKnocks

10/01/2015, 5:48 PM

getting good reviews again today for his performance, has really turned his season around since he has been given a chance

O'Shea has been a rock at the back this season for Sunderland. Take away the 8-0 defeat to Southampton and they would have one of the best defensive records in the league. He has been far more consistent than any of their other CB's over the last several seasons.

It's young center backs who are the currency we need though. Derrick Williams of Bristol City scored his third of the season to send them 6 points clear of the playoff positions at the top of League One. They have the best defensive record in the league and he is a fundamental part of that. Couple his age (22 this month) and his versatility and he is one that should be very close to a call up. He had a Premier League education and he is more experienced than most Irish center backs of his age. People are talking about losing Shane O'Neill to the U.S.A. Williams is a better player anyways and (theoretically) we could lose him too.

I think we should be taking a proper look at Williams & Duffy now.

tetsujin1979

10/01/2015, 6:26 PM

O'Shea has been a rock at the back this season for Sunderland. Take away the 8-0 defeat to Southampton and they would have one of the best defensive records in the league. He has been far more consistent than any of their other CB's over the last several seasons.

It's young center backs who are the currency we need though. Derrick Williams of Bristol City scored his third of the season to send them 6 points clear of the playoff positions at the top of League One. They have the best defensive record in the league and he is a fundamental part of that. Couple his age (22 this month) and his versatility and he is one that should be very close to a call up. He had a Premier League education and he is more experienced than most Irish center backs of his age. People are talking about losing Shane O'Neill to the U.S.A. Williams is a better player anyways and (theoretically) we could lose him too.

I think we should be taking a proper look at Williams & Duffy now.
How can you compare the two? Have you seen a lot of Colorado Rapids games? O'Neill is on the fringes of a team who got to the second round of the World Cup, Williams hasn't been mentioned by anyone in the Irish management team, and the chances are he won't be until August at the earliest (historically we rarely call up players playing below the Championship)

Stuttgart88

10/01/2015, 10:33 PM

the doc

11/01/2015, 11:47 AM

When I heard on the radio Clark was sent off for a scuffle, just when he had a run in the team virtually assured, I thought he was an idiot. But I just saw the replay and Clark was entitled to react to a vicious tackle. He didn't do much wrong other than show a bit of justified anger towards a possible leg breaking lunge on a teammate.

Villa were comprehensively outplayed by Leicester. Utter garbage on their part.

Did you go to the game?

If not then you can't really comment on the game as a whole.

Clark did well, but there will always be a big mistake from him, that's just the way he is.

Credit to him for backing his team mate instead of injuring one of them.

Villa will be in the Championship next season which is about Clarks level.