Liam Lawrence

[Superhoops]

Oh, and by the way apro pos nothing, the Stoke defender was sent off because in the middle of their usual referee bashing, the Sky commentators ignored the fact that he lauched in to his tackle with both feet off the ground at one stage. Doesn't matter if he won the ball or the QPR player wasn't in danger. Highly dangerous and illegal.

Don't agree OF. When he slid in the ball was along the ground and he won the ball with his right foot on the ground. It was only after contact with the ball that his feet rose off the ground., The QPR player only 'arrived' in the tackle after the ball was played by the defender. The red card will almost definitely be rescinded.

[Stuttgart88]

The Griffin type tackle is tolerated in England and the rest of the UK & Ireland but virtually nowhere else.

The crowd here still require the "get stuck in" culture from junior football but almost everywhere else that type of tackle would be at least a yellow. When England play in the finals of major tournaments they fail to appreciate that the emphasis has changed to protecting the player on the ball and encouraging clean but fair tackling. The skill goes out of tackling when players lunge for the ball.

Griffin won the ball cleanly having virtually thrown himself through the air with his studs up. Granted the QPR player wasn't endangered by the tackle but it's a wild lunge nonetheless. It wasn't dissimilar to Hunt's tackle in Prague, where although he clearly withdrew his leg from the tackle, he started with a wild dive at the ball. I defended Hunt on the basis that he took his leg away, Griffin landed short of the ball and stetched further with his studs up to make sure he got it. Yellow in my book with a harsh word that you can't dive at the ball.

Patrick Barclay wrote a good piece (broadly agreeing with OF and me on this point) in today's Sunday Telegraph. He said an ex-international friend of his thought there was nothing wrong with Taylor's tackle from last week. I agree there was no malice but lunges with studs facing up are not tolerated in the better footballing cultures. The "get stuck in brigade" then go and say the usual "but you can't have a game without tackling" which is miles off the real point.

[Seagull-4-life]

This is a liam lawrence thread, not a red card or not thread.
Anyway, i hope the lad is in the squads for serbia and columbia

[ramsfan]

he really deserves a call up he has been excellent this season and i believe keane made a mistake by getting rid, he has massive drive and he would have given sunderland a more dynamic midfield

[Superhoops]

Don't agree OF. When he slid in the ball was along the ground and he won the ball with his right foot on the ground. It was only after contact with the ball that his feet rose off the ground., The QPR player only 'arrived' in the tackle after the ball was played by the defender. The red card will almost definitely be rescinded.
Can't resist. :) I told you so. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/stoke_city/7273998.stm) Stoke captain Andy Griffin has won his appeal against the red card he was given in Sunday's 3-0 defeat at QPR.

[OwlsFan]

Can't resist. :) I told you so. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/stoke_city/7273998.stm) Stoke captain Andy Griffin has won his appeal against the red card he was given in Sunday's 3-0 defeat at QPR.


It is interesting that Tony Pulis said it would have "been touch and go" if an opponent had been near the ball and the player obviously wasn't thinking whether an opponent was near or not - he was just lucky there wasn't one ;)

[Kingdom]

I know I bang on about this alot, but one important thing about Lawrence is that not only is he a handy player, but he's big and athletic. That's one reason Kilbane has been so important for us. On the opposite side of the pitch I think Lawrence is a better player and has at least Kilbane's physicality.

Who is a better footballer - Ireland or Lawrence? Ireland I'd say, but I'd be more comfortable with Lawrence playing right midfield because he can handle himself against the big boys.

We sing from the same hymn sheet.

[tetsujin1979]

Lawrence signs new deal at Stoke: http://www.stokecityfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10310~1269698,00.html

[tricky_colour]

He is top of the Actim index for the Championship by some distance, 80 points,
which looks quite impressive. I'd say that would probalby put him in the top
100 for the Premiership.

We seem to be spoilt for choice for midfield players at the moment. We could certainly do with a midfiled player who scores regularly.

http://download.howden.press.net/actim/Champ_index_top100.pdf

Also
Actim monthly award for Februrary (Championship).
http://www.fansfc.com/stokefootballclub/news.asp?newsid=182229

[Seagull-4-life]

definitely will be i'd say...if stoke don't go up i reckon someone will sign him anyway

[BigmanCas]

Good player - a viable contender for Irelands' right side of midfield - even if he has been omitted from trapps first squad

[pateen]

I wonder now will he make Traps 28 man squad

[NeilMcD]

Eh Ciaran I think you just answered your original statement.

[elroy]

I like how everyone raved about him last season but seem to have no interest in him this year. :rolleyes:



Ah that may be due to the fact that he has been out injured for pretty much all of this season so far. :rolleyes:

[elroy]

Good article with Lawrence yesterday in the times yesterday, cant seem to find it online. Basically about how he has returned from his freak injury and played a big part in Stokes survival. Expressed his desire to get into the Irish team, mentioned how Pulis cant understand how the guy isnt even in the squad, especially considering his set piece ability from free kicks corners etc.
Also highlighted the fact that neither Trap, Tardelli or Brady havent been to the Britannia to see Stoke play despite the fact they have 3/4 Irish regularly playing.

[Dr. Ogba]

Good article with Lawrence yesterday in the times yesterday, cant seem to find it online. Basically about how he has returned from his freak injury and played a big part in Stokes survival. Expressed his desire to get into the Irish team, mentioned how Pulis cant understand how the guy isnt even in the squad, especially considering his set piece ability from free kicks corners etc.
Also highlighted the fact that neither Trap, Tardelli or Brady havent been to the Britannia to see Stoke play despite the fact they have 3/4 Irish regularly playing.


yeah i read that. he sounds really enthusiastic about the whole thing so hope he gets a run out in the Nigerian friendly.

Definitely a better option than Keogh on the right.

[shakermaker1982]

he tripped over his labrador didn't he and fell down the stairs?!

I think he has to be included in the next squad. He's bounced back from his injury and by all accounts has been solid for Stoke on the right hand side. The Trap surely has to have a look at the guy in a training camp and see if he can slot into a role if required down the line. 3 out of the 4 Stoke midfielders were Irish last Saturday. How often does that happen in a top flight league? If anything Stoke play the kind of football the Trap would surely admire. Committed, solid and work hard on set pieces.

[third policeman]

If anything Stoke play the kind of football the Trap would surely admire. Committed, solid and work hard on set pieces.

and unremittingly ugly...............

[Stuttgart88]

Also highlighted the fact that neither Trap, Tardelli or Brady havent been to the Britannia to see Stoke play despite the fact they have 3/4 Irish regularly playing.
That drives me mad.

[geysir]

What drives you mad? the sentence construction?

neither Trap, Tardelli or Brady havent been to the Britannia

Drives me mad too.

[Stuttgart88]

Yes, poor sentence construction drives me mad.

I'll leave it to the now overworked Dr_Peepee to comment on our new management team's work ethic.

[elroy]

Sorry men was just coming out of the three o'clock slump, grammar wasnt the best, could've been worst, could've used text language!!!

[Paddy Garcia]

That's a disgrace if accurate.

[Greenbod]

That's a disgrace if accurate.

It's not accurate. It's a disgrace.

[irishfan86]

To be fair I don't think it's much of a disgrace.

They seem confident in Whelan so watching him shouldn't be a priority.

Lawrence was injured for the majority of the season.

Delap has played the majority of the season as a wide player until the return of Lawrence, and he is not the type of wide player Trap likes, so would not be part of the system IMO.

Now, that said, Lawrence has to be in the squad, and an option for the right side.

And I feel Delap could play as a central player for us. He's not as bad a footballer as people say, and his throw would give us an X factor. I'm not saying he should be a guaranteed starter, but he fits Trap's system better than the likes of Liam Miller and has a fighting spirit we can all admire.

[dr_peepee]

I'll leave it to the now overworked Dr_Peepee to comment on our new management team's work ethic.

Ha!!:D

Will be interesting to see the squad for the friendly against Ngeria given the changes he made during the italy game. He practically acknowledged the lack of depth in his current squad at Right full and Right midfield..

[eirebhoy]

Trap was at the Stoke game I think Gibson made his premiership debut? He was critical of Delap saying he needs to offer more than just ability with his hands.

[geysir]

Not exactly critical of Delap EB.
It was more that Trap said it would be an insult to the player to have him in the team just for his long throws.

I said at the time, I wonder would Rory feel so insulted if he made the squad on the basis of his long throw.

[eirebhoy]

Not exactly critical of Delap EB.
It was more that Trap said it would be an insult to the player to have him in the team just for his long throws.

“It would be humiliating for a player to go into the national team just because of his long throw. Please. He’s 32. Okay, it’s not old but in that position at the moment we have a new energy. Sure, yesterday, I saw his first throw and it was dangerous for the goalkeeper but football is about 90 minutes.”


Fairly critical of the player imo.

[geysir]

When Trap says it, it sounds like he cares for the player's feelings, that it's the best for all concerned :)

Anyway he was there to see the player in the flesh for himself.
Which means that Elroy was sort of right (with his use of the double negative).

[Closed Account]

Two reports reckon he is in the preliminary squad for Nigeria.
http://www.whydelilah.co.uk/news/08_May_2009/Lawrence+called+up+for+Republic+of+Ireland.html

STOKE winger Liam Lawrence has won a shock call up to the Republic of Ireland’s preliminary squad for two internationals at the end of the season.
http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/stokecity/Stoke-City-Lawrence-called-Ireland/article-975466-detail/article.html (same report tbf)

[Razors left peg]

Two reports reckon he is in the preliminary squad for Nigeria.
http://www.whydelilah.co.uk/news/08_May_2009/Lawrence+called+up+for+Republic+of+Ireland.html

http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/stokecity/Stoke-City-Lawrence-called-Ireland/article-975466-detail/article.html (same report tbf)

Hope thats true, need more options than Keogh as back up for the wing

[boovidge]

It'd be pretty embarassing for Lawrence if it wasn't true now!

[eirebhoy]

It'd be pretty embarassing for Lawrence if it wasn't true now!
I'm sure it's true but the preliminary squad won't even be announced publicly. A few clubs have put stories up on their websites thinking their players had been called up by Trap but it was only the preliminary squad. There's probably about 40 players in it but at least he knows Trap is thinking of him.

[gwhite]

Looks like it's tru. It was in this mornings Independant too.

[tricky_colour]

Stoke 1:0 up looks lile promotion for Lawrence etc..
Seems to be having a decent game.

[zackmorris]

Eh stoke are already in the premiership so they can't get promoted...anywho, lawrence just scored a cracker from 25 yards.

[tricky_colour]

You know what I mean ;)
Anyway good goal from Lawrence from about 25 yards.
Blackburn also winning, Newcastle will have to try and catch Hull now, I will be surprised if they do.

[Colbert Report]

If Newcastle beat Middlesbrough on Monday, as the bookies expect them to do, they'll be out of the drop zone. Hull lost today and have much worse goal difference.

Hulls last two matches: Bolton away and Manchester United at home. Hard to see them getting more than one point out of those two games.

Newcastles last three matches: Middlesbrough home, Fulham home, Aston Villa away. They'll need to be able to beat Middlesbrough at a minimum and then hope for the best in their last two matches. If they win on Monday, they could lose both of their last two games and still have a decent chance of staying up. Lose or draw on Monday and it's lights out for Newcastle.

[hunt4the]

brilliant game for lawrence today, great news for us he's in the prem again next year, he should be pushing for a starting role in the irish setup soon

[Paddy Garcia]

brilliant game for lawrence today, great news for us he's in the prem again next year, he should be pushing for a starting role in the irish setup soon

He has been pushing fora starting place for about 3 years - only we have been too dumb to see it.

[peadar1987]

Lawrence is a strange one. On his day he can be completely unplayable, he's strong, he's extremely fit, he runs himself into the ground, he has great vision and a wide range of passing to back it up, and he is very good from set pieces.

On his off days, he overruns the ball, couldn't spot a pass if it smacked him in the face, and will fail to beat the first man from every corner.

That said, his good days are becoming far more regular than his off days. I hope he'll be instrumental in Stoke's push for Europe next season.

From probably the only Irish Stoke supporter out there!

[tricky_colour]

20 goals in 75 appearances for stoke and 67 in 252 over his career.
That's a decent strike rate assuming he was not playing as a striker.

[eirebhoy]

He got 15-20 league assists last season too.

[peadar1987]

He was playing as a right winger last season, Fuller and Sidibe were playing up front.

[Drumcondra 69er]

Didn't make final squad. Utterly crazy decision considering Liam Miller is involved.

http://www.whydelilah.co.uk/news/18_May_2009/Lawrence+out+of+Ireland+squad.html

[Razors left peg]

Didn't make final squad. Utterly crazy decision considering Liam Miller is involved.

http://www.whydelilah.co.uk/news/18_May_2009/Lawrence+out+of+Ireland+squad.html

hes in the squad isnt he???

[Greenbod]

Didn't make final squad. Utterly crazy decision considering Liam Miller is involved.

http://www.whydelilah.co.uk/news/18_May_2009/Lawrence+out+of+Ireland+squad.html

This is confusing!! Has the squad been reduced already? Is Lawrence out?

[DmanDmythDledge]

He's was announced as being in a 25 man squad on RTÉ radio.

[youngirish]

This is confusing!! Has the squad been reduced already? Is Lawrence out?

He's in for the Nigeria friendly. The final 22 man squad for the competitive fixture has not been decided yet (I'd imagine it won't be until after the Nigeria game).

http://www.fai.ie/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4291