McGeady wouldn't get in a top 10 EPL side??
OK, so Middlesbrough are nowhere near top 10 in the Premiership, but I watched 30 mins of their match against Sheff United on Weds and couldn't believe my eyes. Just like Billsthoughts was saying after Ireland vs Brazil, it was abject rubbish, not a hint of talent or composure in the game. Pass, pass, hoof, lose possession, lunge tackle to win it back. Over and over again.
The highly rated young Stewart Downing was part of this tripe. Don't tell me McGeady isn't at least as good.
The English game has had no place for talented creative types for a long time and only the best teams can accomodate the more talented but less physically imposing players. The rest just make do with scrapping with each other at a high tempo, which the crowds love. I'm not scapegoating Matthew Taylor in any way, but only in England or Ireland would that type of tackle be tolerated. Even if the ball had been won it might have been a foul in other countries. That's how football is played in England.
Just because McGeady's type of play mightn't get him into a top Premiership team doesn't mean the guy hasn't got bags of talent.
I see him as being similar in style to Hleb, remarkable feet but not as good yet at passing. Joe Cole is one of Chelsea's more important players so I don't see why McGeady couldn't cut it at a top EPL team, and the fact that he wouldn't be wanted at a lesser EPL team says more about the way they play than McGeady.
I could see a hypothetical case of McGeady being one of Wenger's Carling Cup players and a some time first teamer at Arsenal, with the potential after one year of acclimatisation to actually get into their regular first team. I could see McGeady being in Spurs' team immediately.