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If only Big Jack could have found an Irish granny...
Let's be honest Stevie Wonder could of played CB with The Black Pearl alongside him.
To be fair, Teale did well, I remember Big Ron saying that Teale was in with a shout of making the England Squad but his wife ( Who had an even better moutache than Teale) wanted to go on holiday.
http://www.independent.ie/sport/socc...-31403503.html
Hmmmm. Not quite sure what to make of this. Wherever he gets more game time is best, I guess, and I'd have more faith in a Pulis-led WBA than Sherwood's Villa (minus the players they've lost from last season).
Good move for him. Pulls is a good manager who will be good for his confidence.
I'm thinking the same. He needs a 40 game season and Villa have a spate of centre-halves. One muscle strain and miss two games and you're missing 5 before you know it. Pulis wants him and Damien Delaney looked well under him at Palace. I think it's fair to sya that Clark is better than Delaney and a £5m expense by Pulis is a good sign.
Don't think Clark would push for the move though. He doesn't seem the type and he's been at Villa a while. But if Sherwood entertains the bid, accepts the bid or negotiates then I think Clark should move. Any shadow of doubt from Sherwood with such a stockpile of centre-halves is bad news. Sherwood is the type that likes who he likes (Grealish, Kane, Bentaleb have been beneficiaries). If Clark has that faith then brilliant but otherwise he should go.
Sherwood was a big fan of Clark and made him a regular before he got crocked late last season. He might see the money and take it though.
You'd be right, if they take the money and sell but I've seen no indication of that yet.
I'm just pointing out that Clark nailed down his place in the team and Sherwood talked him up big time. He appears keener on him than Baker, and there's some talk of him being flogged to the Championship
Thought this might interest a few people.
http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/spor...ciaran-9730233
West Brom about to sign Hull's James Chester for £8m. Should put to bed any talk of Clark moving for half that.
New five year deal: http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetai...911792,00.html
That's a serious contract for him, taking him into his 30's. Hopefully Villa can kick on a bit and at least stay clear of any relegation trouble.
just goes to show that most of the rumours we read/hear about are placed by agents who are just trying to secure a new/better deal for their players. Big bidniz. Yawn.
Good stuff though Clarky!
Talk of Baker (who just signed a new deal) going out on a season long loan to Burnley. If that happen's i'd guess Villa will bring someone else in
Harshly dropped for Jolean Lescott today.
Yeah, delighted to see them concede a few goals.
Exactly what I was thinking!
I wonder why he was dropped, he tops the stats for Villa so far this season.
http://www.whoscored.com/Teams/24
He is also 14th in the over PL stats, the highest for an Irishman since the 18th century (or so it seems).
Very odd decision and Villa got what they deserved!
A bit off topic maybe but there have been a couple of penalty shouts recently that reminded me of my converstaion with CD here, regarding this challenge by Clark. Even though we both agreed it was a perfectly good tackle, I thought he was running a risk in that some referees would go down the 'excessive force' route.
Did anybody see Callum McManaman's 'dive' against Southampton at the weekend? His own manager, Tony Pulis, came out after the game and said, having seen it again, the referee got it spot on and he'll have a word with McManaman about it, that he doesn't want his players diving. The MOTD lads agreed it was a great spot from the referee. I'm not convinced as to how good a 'spot' it was as the referee didn't book McManaman. Maybe he thought the defender got something on the ball and McManaman fell over him. Anyway, I thought it was a stone wall penalty. The defender lunged in, going to ground and McManaman knocked the ball past him. He then basically hurls the defender's tackle so there was no contact but surely his route to the ball had been illegally impeded?
It's a bit like Fabio Grosso going over Lucas Neil in the 2006 WC, the Aussies went nuts but I thought it was a fair shout. In McManaman's case, if he didn't hurl the challenge he could have been seriously hurt and in Grosso's case he would have lost possession and not been awarded a penalty, that I think he was entitled to. Some dives are justified, God knows you'll never get rewarded for trying to stay on your feet.
Next up... and probably more relevant to Clark's above, poor Luke Shaw last night. I thought it was a perfectly good tackle with disasterous consequences. You've got United fans all over social media wanting Moreno hung up somewhere but had Shaw jumped to his feet and got on with the game, like Schlupp above, I don't think anybody would have mentioned another thing about it. There was probably a case for excessive force, but Shaw was after cutting through the middle of the PSV defence and it was a necessary lunge to prevent him getting through on goal. Similarly with Shawcross on Ramsey that time, I can't remember exactly if the tackle was fair or not on that occasion but I definitely didn't think it was a red card offence, but the referee in that case got soaked up by the emotion of the whole thing maybe.
I wonder what the reaction would have been like towards Clark if Schlupp suffered a similar injury after the tackle above?
If the same situation happens out in the middle of the pitch but McManaman hurdles the player, obviously it's not free kick. But I've seen referees warn the sliding player about reckless play. But I always argue that I've every right to slide and try to block the ball, if I don't make contact with the player then no harm, no foul. Same scenario here. McManaman could and should have stayed on his feet. If he trys to jump over the player and a 'dangling' leg catches him, then penalty. That's good play by the forward. But if he does what McManaman does there and dives head first over a challenge, then no penalty and it's the forwards fault. If Pulis is having a word with him, then it should be giving out to him for not winning the penalty. I'm not advocating diving but if the defender is stupid enough to go to ground in the box without making contact with the football then a professional footballer should be able to take advantage.
I haven't seen the incident but if a defender goes to ground, gets none of the ball and stops the attacker from getting to the ball or retaining the ball, I think the attacker has every right to go down and claim a foul. Remember, there is no mention of contact in the rule book. Carelessness in making a tackle or excessive force in a tackle are what constitutes a foul (I think). Sliding in and missing can constitute carelessness especially when a failed attempt at a tackle has a very detrimental effect on the forward.
Yes that did cross my mind, but saw no mention of it in the press.
http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/spor...-brom-10068272
However there was one incident in I think the last match v Georgia where it seemed to me he made a bad defensive decision, although it came to nothing in the end.Quote:
Had to feel sorry for Ciaran Clark, though. What did he do wrong to lose his place? Nothing in my eyes, but then again I’m not on the training field every day.
That's exactly how I would see it. I think JD makes a good point about the defender having the right to slide in anticipation of blocking the ball, but if the attacker outsmarts him i.e. cuts back or knocks it past him or whatever, I think the defender should be penalised if his presence on the ground obstructs the attackers route to the ball. I'd disagree regarding contact being necessary and if it happens on the half way line the same criteria should be applied.
This is the McManaman incident (although it seems to be zoomed or something and missing a bit of the screen). It's actually hard to believe there's no contact from some angles, the final replay is the clearest.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INkWi4wBsRs
Agreed also, but there is a fine line. Rightly or wrongly, players have to help the referee make the decision. If you stay on your feet, he'll rarely give it, and almost never in the box. But if you go down too easy, you're giving the referee an excuse not to give it. It's not something I coach to kids but when I'm playing with lads in there late teens/early twenties, especially forwards, I'd take them aside and try to explain it to them. Generally the better players don't need to be told.
Clark not even in the Villa squad today. Is he injured? Not ideal before Thursday with Coleman still doubtful. Since he's been dropped for the Lescott/Richards show, Villa have lost three out of three and conceded seven. Hopefully big Jon will add to their woes today.
He was injured.http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/spor...clark-10189669
Quote:
Ciaran Clark is targeting a return to fitness for Aston Villa's trip to Chelsea in a fortnight's time.
Clark missed the 1-0 Premier League defeat to Stoke at Villa Park with a thigh strain.
Villa boss Tim Sherwood hopes the two-week international break will give the Irish defender time to recover.
Injury free and available for Villa today, hopefully he gets some game time.
Not even on the bench.
Villa have not got a point since they dropped Clark, mind you they have only got 4 points 3 v Bournemouth and 1 v Sunderland.
I doubt Clark is too happy about being dropped, maybe that is why he was not even on the bench, perhaps he has fallen out with Villa?
This is the 6th straight defeat fro Villa and he can't even get on the bench.
Sherwood getting sacked would be best for him I think.
Sherwood will be gone in a couple of weeks. Clark should be back in before that because Villa's defenders are rubbish. Terrible team though - I suspect he'll be playing in the Championship for them soon.
I find it hard to accept he wouldn't have made the bench if available. Surely they thought he'd make it but just missed out. It's kind of strange that they fought off the West Brom interest in the summer but have replaced with a West Brom player in Lescott. Possibly just as well he didn't go to West Brom in one way though as it will probably be easier to get into the Villa side with the likes of James Chester struggling to see game time at The Hawthorns. He could have been an ideal partner for Jonny Evans all the same, who has said in the past that he's much more comfortable as a right sided centre back. Not sure which side he's playing on at the moment? Came across this actually, the last line looks pretty funny in hindsight!
Clark v Lescott
Sherwood gone. No surprise really. Will be interesting to see who takes over that bag of mess.
Big Sam should have held out for that job!
When you look at those stats is it mad they start Lescott a head of Clark, indeed Clark has the best stats at villa 7.51, Lescott is only 6.61 nearly a full point behind.
Indeed that would make him the 14th best player in the Premiership Lescott is 220th!!
I said he must have falling out, indeed he should have fallen out as there is no way Lescott should be ahead of him, he aught to be furious!!
My next prediction is that Clark will start the next match, with Lescott probbaly dropped.