Matty Holland

[livehead1]

im just trying to gauge public opinion here bout matt holland. from reading various posts over the last few months its appeared to me that many people really dont rate him that highly at all. this has suprised me as i have regarded him as a very neat footballer, a good leader and someone who can strike and head a ball. remember he was on the verge of costing villa 4m 2years ago. wats peoples opinions on him?

[Éanna]

he's muck. the most over-rated player in the ireland squad. he can manage decent 10 yard passes, and hits a good strike every 10 games or so. can't tackle, and isn't strong or creative on the ball. how he's kept kavanagh out of the team is beyond me

[eirebhoy]

goes missing in the majority of matches and has done very little since the world cup. He's a different player for Charlton though. I don't think he's overrated as not many people rate him here anymore. :)

[Eirambler]

Like Kinsella, I thought he looked good playing beside Roy Keane at his peak. When Keane wasn't there he just disappeared from matches.

Can't see him becoming first choice again if everyone is fit.

[Slash/ED]

Without Keane he let us down badly in the big games, absolutley woeful against Russia and Switzerland and I can't stress how woeful he really was. When he's not scoring he's basically not doing very much at all and basically completley disappeares so much so I've heard people call him Holland Hudini.

[jbyrne]

if you were to believe the general feeling in many posts on the different threads here robbie keane, kilbane, harte, holland, kinsella, mcateer (and many others i'm sure) are all thought to be ranging from inconsistent to woeful while playing for Ireland..... its amazing therefore that we've reached 12th in the world and qualified for the last world cup from a very tough group unbeaten!! what standards do people rate these guys against??? its amazing what our other regular players have achieved over the last few years having had to carry those players listed above or are they next on the hitlist and we'll actually be led to believe that all our players are useless??!

[Jon'o]

don't laugh... i have a season ticket for charlton.

Holland is over rated, the second he signed for us he was made captain, and imo he adds nothing to the team as such, dosent seem to stick up for other players when the ref is close to sending them off and generaly moped around for his first season and a half and seemed he didnt want to play for the team.

Kinsella on the other hand was class for us gave 110% every time and it was a real shame that he was sold to villa. He has said however that if possible he would like to return to charlton as a coach at some point

[SÓC]

How much does a Charlton Season ticket set you back? Just wondering how it compares with the eircom League price wise

[Jon'o]

How much does a Charlton Season ticket set you back? Just wondering how it compares with the eircom League price wise

behind the goal is £280ish main stand is £480

[dr_peepee]

I don't think he's as bad as some make out. And didn't his return from injury around October coincide with Charltons climb up the table. He's never going to be remembered as a legend but come on, do we expect every player that pulls on a jersey to be Duffer, or Roy Keane. This is the same ****e that used to be posted about Dave Connolly and Kilbane up until recently.

I'm as aware of players limits as most of you but sometimes these kind of threads take a life of their own and make the players out to allot worse than they are. Do we honestly believe that we are a better judge of player than people who have spent 20 odd years steeped in the game.

He's an average premiership midfielder. Where's the shock?? End of story.

.

[drinkfeckarse]

behind the goal is £280ish main stand is £480

That's a great price considering it's the Laaandon area. Good value.

[drummerboy]

Holland is a good professional. He often does the unglamorous things that other players shy away from. He was never going to be another Roy Keane. I think some people on this board think we have the population of Brazil and expect to us to produce world class players willy-nilly. I think we are amazingly placed at 12th in the world. A remarkable feat and it is down to the commitment of players like Holland, Kilbane, McAteer, Kinsella.

[drinkfeckarse]

Holland is not as bad as people make him out to be. Don't get me wrong, I think he is an honest pro and an average player but just because he doesn't beat 6 men and score a thirty yarder doesn't make him poor. And just because he can't pass a ball all the time like Keane (not many players can) doesn't make him poor either, it just doesn't make him vital to the cause.

He hasn't performed well for us over the last couple of years but over the years he has made a valuable contribution to the team and as was already pointed out, it's because of the contribution of players like himself that Ireland are riding high at the moment IMO.

[eirebhoy]

Lads, it has nothing to do with Holland's limits or ability, he just doesn't seem to put in the work rate and I've heard the word anonymous mentioned about him 10 too many times. Have a look at this post I posted a while back:
http://foot.ie/showpost.php?p=162630&postcount=16

[Dillo]

Just like The Jamaican PM, Robbie Keane and myself Mattie also has a cowslick to contend with. He tends to deal with it very well and for this reason I take great interest in monitoring Mattie's progress both off and on the pitch. As a player he has a remarkable record of games played with Ipswich, only missed one or two as far as I know. Now with an average Charlton side he is limited in certain aspects of his game but is always capable of having a pop outide the box.

[livehead1]

...scored a stunning goal today against everton to claim 3points against a side looking for champions league football. maybe just reminded a few people of his ability, had a very good game overall as well

[Slash/ED]

Nobodys ever doubted his ability to shoot from range. It's the rest of his game people, definitely me anyway, doubt.

[Dillo]

He scored a damn good goal in Goodison today that cost the blues a valuable three points.

[4tothefloor]

He scored a damn good goal in Goodison today that cost the blues a valuable three points.

One point Dillo, you only get one point for a 0-0 draw, which is how it would have ended up had good old Mattie not scored ;)

Typical Evertonians, exaggerate everything.....

[Kevin77]

From Soccernet's Team of the Week Section:

'

Matty Holland ran the show for Charlton against Everton at Goodison. He even netted the winner, a fine volley from the edge of the area.

He's often unappreciated, an unsung hero if you will. I think he's a fine player. This is why: he's genuine and honest, a busy player who'll never disappear when the going gets tough, he has a good range of passing, plenty of experience and is an influential leader of men. Every team should have a Matty Holland.

[Slash/ED]

who'll never disappear when the going gets tough

I think he's more than proven that is not true.

[Stuttgart88]

Holland is a very useful player to have in the squad but rightly doesn't make the starting XI when all are available. I thought his time had come and gone during the last campaign but I've changed my view.

I remember Radio 5 Live earlier this year describing Liam Miller as "neat & tidy, but no more" and it's tempting to say the same about Holland. Holland is much better able to look after himself though.

I think most people fail to realise that central midfield isn't all about flair or bone-crunching tackling. It's important to have someone with a cool head in this position. That said, he just doesn't seem to "add value" enough for me.

[eirebhoy]

I've said it many times but the Matt Holland that played/plays for Ipswich/Charlton is not the Matt Holland that plays for Ireland.

[Peadar]

I've said it many times but the Matt Holland that played/plays for Ipswich/Charlton is not the Matt Holland that plays for Ireland.

He's playing with more average players at Charlton than he is with Ireland.
It makes him look better.
I would never say that he doesn't try hard for Ireland but there's a big step up to International level.

[Macy]

Holland is just average imo. He looked good alongside Keano, but then so did many other players. He would be behind Kav for the the second midfield slot in my reckoning.

jbyrne - most of those you list have been or are extremely average players.

And to those quoting the 12th place in the world - we've been better than the sum of our parts for many years, so I don't see why it's surprising that we have average players pushing for a starting place. It's a credit to the management (yes including Muppet Mick & Charlton whatever about their management techniques/tatics) that we've achieved so much in the last 20 or so years...

[livehead1]

ye i think its brilliant that we are able to even discuss the fact of leaving the captain of a mid table premiership club out of our starting 11 when for years we were desperate for players. now we can look and say one from carr/finnan, then healy/miller/holland/kavanagh/breen (3 of them captains) none of which are in the side but a few years ago would have walked in. also richard dunne, he isnt in the side yet is in great form. its all good stuff. add to that lee carsley/delap who couldnt get a look in

[Kevin77]

ye i think its brilliant that we are able to even discuss the fact of leaving the captain of a mid table premiership club out of our starting 11 when for years we were desperate for players. now we can look and say one from carr/finnan, then healy/miller/holland/kavanagh/breen (3 of them captains) none of which are in the side but a few years ago would have walked in. also richard dunne, he isnt in the side yet is in great form. its all good stuff. add to that lee carsley/delap who couldnt get a look in

Great point. Nearly all of our preferred starting XI and a good few fringe players are regulars in Premier League teams starting XI’s.

Players that were getting picked in the past five years like Alan Kelly when he was on the bench for Blackburn, Gary Kelly when he was out of the side a Leeds, Gary Breen when out of West Ham side and when playing outside the top flight, Jason McAteer when out of Blackburn side, Mark Kinsella when not playing for Villa, David Connolly at Excelsior in Holland (on loan from Feyenoord), Dominic Foley struggling at Watford, Kennedy was playing outside top flight, Carsley struggling at Blackburn.

Now just about all of our starting XI are important to their Premier League team aside from O’Brien (who we could replace with one of Man City’s key players Richard Dunne) and maybe O’Shea (who admittedly is getting games against some decent competition) and Finnan (who seemed to be coming into favour with Benitez prior to injury).

[livehead1]

yep finnan has developed into a quality player...not as young as many people think tho, suprised me i think hes like 29

[tetsujin1979]

yep finnan has developed into a quality player...not as young as many people think tho, suprised me i think hes like 29

He did ply his trade in the lower leagues for a while (even into non-league football at one stage) before Keegan brought him to Fulham, then won promotions to the 1st division and the premiership with them to gain international recognition

[carnstien]

I remember Radio 5 Live earlier this year describing Liam Miller as "neat & tidy, but no more" and it's tempting to say the same about Holland. Holland is much better able to look after himself though.

To be honest I don't know how much better Holland is able to look after himself. Miller is light years ahead of Holland when it comes to use of the ball, granted he is a wimp, but I think a few games beside Roy could sort that out.

[tricky_colour]

Just been checking on this football index
http://www.actim.pa.press.net/top100.shtml
and I noticed Matt Holland in it for the first time,
(I think he just crept into it this week).

I also notice Roy Keane is on the up (highest level
I can remember for him since I started following the index).

Duff also continues to rise, he is up to eighth now although
I was surprised to see Robben drop down a bit (did he miss
a game recently?) he is just one above Roy Keane at 32.

[eirebhoy]

Duff also continues to rise, he is up to eighth now although
I was surprised to see Robben drop down a bit (did he miss
a game recently?) he is just one above Roy Keane at 32.
Robben done very little in the 3 league games before the Pompey game. Duff continues to rise because he does a lot defensively. He'll be ahead of Graveson this weekend too. :)