Ciaran Clark D Free agent b.1989

Clark is going to be a very good premiership player and a very good player for us in time. Right now, he looks what he is, a young defender with talent playing in a godawful team (some very promising players albeit), in the cruellest of positions to be inexperienced. He would thrive beside an experienced premiership player, but it says it all about Villa that Clark has been their captain over the past couple of games. Is it any wonder they lie in the position that they are in.

From an Irish perspective, it might not be a disaster if Villa went down. There are a few lads like Drennan and Carruthers who would probably break into the team and get their chance in the Championship and I would rather them play for a team with confidence and challenging for promotion, than breaking into a team getting thumped 3-0 at home to Wigan.

Clark's got the makings of a good player but needs time and the benefit of a stronger player beside him. SSL's a fine player too but arguably also needs a stronger ball-winner. The "Cack" stuff is childish nonsense and if this is indicative of the relationship between key players in our squad then we've got bigger probalems than I thought.

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Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

Clark's got the makings of a good player but needs time and the benefit of a stronger player beside him. SSL's a fine player too but arguably also needs a stronger ball-winner. The "Cack" stuff is childish nonsense and if this is indicative of the relationship between key players in our squad then we've got bigger probalems than I thought.

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I think there's a great team spirit amongst the players but I doubt they would take too kindly to some nutter kicking senior players up in the air in training.

Happy New Year.

If 2012 was any indication, a kick in the @ss might do some of them fellas more good than harm. G'wan Ciaran.

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Originally Posted by the doc

I think there's a great team spirit amongst the players but I doubt they would take too kindly to some nutter kicking senior players up in the air in training.

Happy New Year.

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As Roy Keane said, you come to training and give 100%
If it worked for Roy...

clark looking like an unbelievable liability so far today...should be 5 down seriously....

Villa are horrendous

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Originally Posted by Manblue

clark looking like an unbelievable liability so far today...should be 5 down seriously....

Villa are horrendous

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Spot on, saw the first 30 mins at Sky, has anyone told him he's supposed to pass to his own team mates

Gave the ball away with a pub players control.
We are fecked with this joker, he's another Alex Bruce type of player.

Prefer Duffy or Macca

Who is Macca?

Sorry - assume I've missed a recent declaration!

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Originally Posted by the doc

Spot on, saw the first 30 mins at Sky, has anyone told him he's supposed to pass to his own team mates

Gave the ball away with a pub players control.
We are fecked with this joker, he's another Alex Bruce type of player.

Prefer Duffy or Macca

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The game wasn't on Sky today? At least, not in Britain or Ireland.
Anyway, according to squawka, he completed 11 of 13 passes and only missed one in the first 30 minutes: http://epl.squawka.com/swansea-vs-a-...league/matches

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Originally Posted by Manblue

clark looking like an unbelievable liability so far today...should be 5 down seriously....

Villa are horrendous

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You're not joking. I'm 33 minutes in here over in Canada and it could easily be five or six nil already. This Michu lad is some player! He's hit the woodwork twice already.

Clark booked for a nightmare challenge on Wayne Routledge on 40 minutes. Criminal stuff really.

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Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

The game wasn't on Sky today? At least, not in Britain or Ireland.
Anyway, according to squawka, he completed 11 of 13 passes and only missed one in the first 30 minutes: http://epl.squawka.com/swansea-vs-a-...league/matches

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At Sky!!! Not on Sky

Were 10 of those passes were to Swansea players?

He was a joke, even some of the old pro footie players who were watching it said the same.

Why does everyone on here not see how bad he is?

You all knock Wardy yet he's a better player than Clark.

Stevens isn't much better. Booked on the stroke of halftime for a terrible challenge.

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Originally Posted by the doc

At Sky!!! Not on Sky

Were 10 of those passes were to Swansea players?

He was a joke, even some of the old pro footie players who were watching it said the same.

Why does everyone on here not see how bad he is?

You all knock Wardy yet he's a better player than Clark.

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What do you want foot.ie posters to do then Doc? Consign him to the scrap heap as "just not good enough and never will be"? These are Irish options playing premiership football. They mightn't be the best in the world or in the premiership (no-one is saying they are) but they're not bad footballers. I'm just not sure what you are trying to achieve here.

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Originally Posted by SkStu

What do you want foot.ie posters to do then Doc? Consign him to the scrap heap as "just not good enough and never will be"? These are Irish options playing premiership football. They mightn't be the best in the world or in the premiership (no-one is saying they are) but they're not bad footballers. I'm just not sure what you are trying to achieve here.

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He is trying to denigrate any player who may threaten his position in the Irish backline, that is if he ever plays football himself again! :eek:

Just on the subject of Clark and Villa, what Lambert is trying to do is very brave, and I hope the board don't lose faith in him. Like many teams before, the Christmas period creates a loss of confidence in teams and because of their youth, it is particularly noticeable with Villa. What Villa's defence needs badly now is Dunne's leadership and experience and I am sure the likes of Clark and Stevens will blossom again. Clark has natural leadership skills and is very physical and with greater experience he will become a very good player. On the subject of Doc, just happened to read the Alex Pearce thread where he has had a pop at Pearce too. I think he is a WIM who enjoys the notoriety!

Villa had no midfield to speak of for most of that game and Swansea had free reign to attack through the center leaving the defenders very exposed. Clark and Stevens were no worse than those around them and they all improved in the second half. Both got booked for diving in, Stevens was a bit unlucky I thought, showed some good anticipation to try intercept but the Swansea lad just got a toe to it first, no defending Clark really it was just a frustrated late lunge. As young defenders they're both improving and as they mature should lose more of their bad habits. Getting that draw and breaking their dreadful run should do them a lot of good too. Way too early to declare Clark a failure or to know if he will become the rock to build a defence.

He's done enough to merit inclusion in the Irish squad and enough to become a long-term fixture in the squad. At his age he needs the guidance of an older head. Presuming Coleman is our first choice RB going forward (which he should be), if Clark is to play it would be either as a partner to O'Shea or Dunne. But if Dunne and O'Shea are both fit, they should start ahead of Clark at CB as their experience is invaluable for the relative inexperience in the rest of the defence.

What's positive about Clark's run in the Villa team is that it increases our viable options at CB, a position lacking depth for us in recent years. Take the doc's whinging about Clark's run in the Villa team as recognition of this. Even disregarding Clark, our options at CB are increasing with a number of defenders starting to emerge and deserving of recognition. This is setting off alarm bells in the head of the doc as the realisation is hitting home that the player who's position in the team is most at threat is his.

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Originally Posted by gastric

On the subject of Doc, just happened to read the Alex Pearce thread where he has had a pop at Pearce too. I think he is a WIM who enjoys the notoriety!

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The Doc is the longest running joke on foot ie.
It's one of the heights of absurdity to be trying to engage him in conversation on any topic related to any of our defence options.

I just give my opinion that's all.
I've said what I think, I will leave it at that.
The same things were being said about McShane and Bruce a while back whilst I disagreed and said that SSL should be called up.

You all dismissed that, and look what happened.

I go to lots of games at all levels in the UK and abroad too, so I know my football.

Ive said all I'm going to say now on this subject, I will now wait until I'm proved right yet again.

I will of course continue to support the BIG and be there home and away at every game.

How many do that?

Happy New Year to all on here x