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I wonder if a couple of years out of the scrutinty of premiership and international football has aided his development as a left back, given it was not his natural position and he was cutting his teeth Under such glare...What would the opinion be of Ward in the context of the two recent games alone without the baggage? Say for example it was a debut of an unknown quantity.
Is this the first positive thing you've ever said about Ward?Quote:
Originally Posted by paul_oshea
He might be out of our glare, but it's not as if his performances will no longer be analysed with as much scrutiny by those for whom he's now playing. That's just the pressure any professional footballer should be able to deal with if he's to cut it at the top.Quote:
Originally Posted by dr_peepee
He hasn't been out of international football for a couple of years anyway. He was dropped last September and was in squads as recently as March.
No I complemented him for his goal against Liverpool also.Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin
Paul duly shows us how it's done again; whilst the rest of us eggheads waste our time dispensing worthless virtual compliments over the internet, Paul, the ardent, practical and proactive realist, not only engages in activities of real-world consequence, he also assists Stephen Ward's goals. :pQuote:
Originally Posted by paul_oshea
Another assist for Paul O'Shea today as Ward scores the second for Brighton in a 2-0 win against QPR.
OnWards and upWards.Quote:
Originally Posted by SkStu
He's consistently good for Brighton, consistently poor to mediocre for Ireland. Either it's a matter of confidence or just simply that there's a huge difference in standard.
Good luck to him though, I'm delighted his club career is going well.
I will compliment my dinner with desert....
Brighton could well be in a play off place by the end of the season.
Of the teams place 3 to 8th their current form is second best so their
promotion odds of 7-1 see pretty good, however much of that is due
to teams above them going through a period of poor form, which may
only be temporary for them, so 7-1 may be fair odds after all, depends
on how you see it.
Also worth noting Brighton had the joint lowest goals conceded so those
who question Wards defensive abilities may have some explaining to do!!!
Ward set Brighton on their way to a thumping 4-1 win over promoted side Leicester to keep his side in the hunt for a play-off spot. He also provided the assist for the second, while Keith Andrews set up the third.
No matter what he does... We still have Poznan. And it still hurts.
Was down in Brighton a couple of weekends ago, telling them all I knew about Brighton and Hove Albion and all the Irish players. It lasted about 5 seconds and even then much of it was wrong.
They love wardie though. As they said themselves, they don't have to worry too much about the defensive side of things in this league...
Yep, my BHA supporting mate says Ward has been great. They love him.
I think there are about 9 teams in with a chance of play off spot, that is almost half the league!!
Just scored a massive goal to put Brighton into playoff positions, as things stand. 1-1 at the City Ground with Reading losing to Burnley.
I was just searching for the Stephen Ward thread. You beat me to it!
Wow! Short lived... An absolute cracker of an equaliser for Reading to move Brighton back out.
But Reading's stunning equaliser puts them into the last spot at Brighton's expense, with 30 mins to go.
Randolph's Birmingham on the way down as things stand.
Our Stephen will just have to score another one to make sure. I reckon Burnley will still do Reading, though.
Reading well on top.
Hey Chuck, sounds like a mental game at Tallaght. I was tracking on extratime.ie. It flashed up that Rovers missed another pen on 96 minutes. It took 2 more minutes to update that the rebound had been nodded in!
Football. Bloody hell.
Brighton!!
Forrest defending for that cross was just spaced out atrocious, ah well, can't complain, yet another good day's work for our Wardy..
Yeah, it was ridiculous. Eight minutes added on and the physio was only on the pitch once, as dfx pointed out in another thread. Rovers were shocking and the penalties were atrocious.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stuttgart88
Two minutes is nothing, that's practically German efficiency compared to the nervous breakdown that site usually has on 85 mins every week.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stuttgart88
Just saw Ward's goal now on the Football League Show. Lovely control on his chest and a sweet finish from 10 yards.
It was pretty crazy today regarding promotion and relegation, teams were going up
and down by the minute. In League One I though Notts Country were safe as both teams below
them needed to win and they needed to lose, but that was the case at one point however
an Alan Sheehan (Irish) penalty got them a point ( which they turned out not to need as other
results changed).
Here is the peno, remember they were down at this point.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zH8yaDMhZ5s
Some problems with the image stabilisation there!!
He hit it confidently didn't he ? I mean it was taken like a spot kick to complete a hat trick in a dead rubber game. Fair play to him.
Call him up Trap?
He is "a free-kick specialist" according to wikipedia, so probably pretty confident with penalties.Quote:
Originally Posted by CraftyToePoke
Some time back here when discussing penalties I described what I though was the ideal penalty
and his was almost exactly that. I think I said take it like a corner and aim about 4 feet below the
bar and 4 feet inside the post, or rather no so much aim but just kick it so you know it will go
there ( the ball usually goes higher), but you like aim about 40 yards away, that kind helps
keep the ball low.
It's almost impossible to stop even if the keeper gets a hand to it, which I think he might have
but it's hard to see at that pace.
The only danger is putting it over the bar which is why I advise shaping up to it it a long way,
which helps keep it from going too high.
He is 27 btw.
As I just said he is only 27, he has never played a full international.Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin
He has played in the Championship.
Sky Soccer Saturday's reporter said Sheehan dispatched the penalty with great conviction under pressure. He was very complimentary.
another view on the penalty: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWhfcPe-NbE&t=64
Ward seems to have a lot of possible opportunities, Sunderland would be the best move, career wise!
http://www.expressandstar.com/sport/...o-wolves-exit/
Brighton showing some interest in signing him on a permanent basis, his wages seem to be the issue. Jackett confirms he has no future at Wolves.
http://www.theargus.co.uk/sport/11376964._/
Jackett knows his stuff.
His stuff being that Ward's wages are high? Hardly surprising being the manager.
Burnley interested as are Brighton and a fee has been agreed with the Clarets. Complete shock if it happens.
http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk...421._/?ref=mac