The image I have of Mark Noble is him captaining the England U21's belting out GTSQ so loudly that I could hear it outside my front door in Galway....
Printable View
I think Reid is second only to Shane Long in terms of our best player right now. He was magnificent for West Brom before his current injury. Absolutely no chance he comes back to the international team given his relationship with Trap and his injury problems.
I wouldn't have said he was magnificent. He's a good player but he's not a natural full back. Seamus Coleman is a natural full back.
You cannot honestly be comparing Coleman to Reid! Reid is ten times the full back Coleman will ever be. Earlier this season, did you see West Brom play Liverpool, Spurs, and the first half against Everton? Reid was the best player on the park in all three of those matches. Just because he's playing out of position doesn't mean that the natural full back is a better player. I'm a natural right back, and I play in a beer league here in Canada. Does that mean that I'm better than Reid because he's a natural central midfielder? Come on man!
No, you're not better than Steven Reid.
Red is a good player but he is frequently shown up at right full because it's not a position he is suited to. Coleman has been exemplary there in the games he's played this season, offering a real attacking threat and creating a goal while being solid in defence. Granted, it's only three games but that's all you're judging Reid on too.
The three games thing is fair but I really rate Reid quite highly. I think that if he didn't have the injury problems he'd be playing for a top top club no problem. Coleman I don't rate as a right back at all, I think he's better on the wing. What I can't understand is how Trap can justify not playing him at right back and bringing O'Shea into his natural centre back position alongside St. Ledger given Dunne's status.
There would have been an argument for playing Reid there a year ago, but Trap doesn't like injury-prone players because they are too unreliable. Dunne, Duff and Given were the exceptions and I think we'll find out in the coming months if O'Shea is too because he is starting to pick up more injuries as he gets older.
You are doing a nice line in righteous indignation there Diarmo, but can you tell me any young keeper in our squads wouldn't be better for working with Given? Or any player generally benefit from having his experience around? Of course they would and he should be and would I believe if things were handled better.
I never called for Foley's inclusion at all, where did you get that from? I said if communication/player relations were better, he would be available for selection. He isn't, and not because of what happened I think (and I agree, football wise it was the right call, if only marginally), but how it was done/handled.
When I asked 'what went on with Duff' I was asking after the on/off/on/off nonsense of his possible return for the Germany game, which was offered and then retracted, Tardelli this time if I remember.
The Ireland quotes are old, and I realise he hasn't spoken himself on the matter of late, but neither has he been spouting the tripe of old either. I dont really want Ireland back in the set up but I think he would come back if it were broached, and is better than what we have.
So, all in all I don't feel your attack on my post as a glib agenda is warranted, its my opinion, to which I am entitled and this is after all a forum for such matters, Diarmo. I supported Trap right up to the finals, despite reservations, the nature of the performances there, I found unacceptable despite the exalted company we were in. I believe that cycle will at best repeat under him and there's no point in that. Its nothing more than that.