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There is nothing disgraceful about Aiden not being anywhere near Duff's magical nr of 8 goals/87 caps. Our wingers are so prolific with their goal scoring :rolleyes:
But if he had the scoring prowess of Arjen Robben added to his game he would be worth a fortune and be in demand by every top club.
That's true but his shocking and finishing have always been poor. His assist record is fantastic though and that's what he's primarily on a pitch to do - create.Quote:
Originally Posted by geysir
For Spartak he was employed as a roving midfielder, making and breaking attacks and partnered up with one of the most lethal strikers I've seen in a while (Welliton). Spartak are chasing a couple of strikers right now (some African kid and one "european" according to net gossip), though Karpin keeps claiming his objective is to lure Pavlyuchenko back. If Aiden gets healthy okay and comes back to form, he will move in January to a major league and not some sky league makeweight. He doesn't score the goals he should, though my goodness he needs a sniff. I wonder if he was played up as a striker with a target man how he'd do?
Tell us what you really think!Quote:
Originally Posted by TiocfaidhArmani
The typo to beats all typos!Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin
There's only one report on this, and it's supposedly also in tomorrow's Sun, but McGeady linked with a 27 million pound switch to Zenit.
http://www.sportsnewsireland.com/soccer_irish/45139/
http://news.sportbox.ru/Vidy_sporta/...maniti-Makgidi
Now, just check out the date......it's been doing the rounds in Russia for some time, plus it's surfacing now that he wants to leave Spartak - hence his agent, the "super" agent Struan Marshall is pushing whatever way he can to get a big move. He's under contract in Moscw for 2 1/2 more years and his big salary (not as big as is mentioned in the article) is going to scare away some clubs.
Also a friend of mine did an interview with him the week before last (after 12 months of chasing). http://youtu.be/A5UWggHB2yw
Now, down to more important matters. Does anyone know how he is coming along with his fitness situation. He was out injured and was rumoured to be ok to return for the Slovakia game. But no news on that front. Anyone know anything, because we badly need him against the Slovaks.
Two weeks away as far as I know.
He's training now, but they're cautiously optimistic he'll make his comeback in Perm against Amkar, though we'd better hope he's fit enough for the derby match with CSKA!
Thanks, good to hear.
Starting to doubt if McGeady will be available for the Slovakia and Russia games. While spudulika says he is back in training he was not in the Spartak squad today. Hopefully he makes an appearance against either Legia Warsaw or CSKA Moscow next week but, if not, he may not be released for international duty.
Thankfully Hunt and Duff seem to fit and well but it's always good to have as many options as possible with two games so close to each other.
Any conspiracy theorists out there?
You called?
Hunt went off injured today. Any chance Liam Lawrence makes it back into the starting line-up?
Got back up to Moscow today and asked a friend who works with SE, the national paper. He said that Spartak are still trying to flog Aiden to deal with some pretty hefty funding shortfalls, especially as they're unsure of when he'll be back in action. It's a slim chance that he'll be lining out for us soon. Though he should be back for the Armenia game is his rehab goes right.
Terrible news...Quote:
Originally Posted by Spudulika
On the other hand, do you believe every football story you read in the papers?
Or hear from the club director of team operations?Quote:
Originally Posted by AlaskaFox
Aiden on the bench for Spartak's derby match against CSKA Moscow today. That should ensure he is released for international duty.
Match starts at 4pm Irish time. Can't find a stream at the moment.
McGeady came on for last 3 or 4 minutes in a 2-2 draw.
That's great news.
Even better news is that Akinfeev was injured. Welliton, who would be one of the best players here, had 2 bites at the cherry before finally nailing him.
I expect him to be tightly marked tomorrow. The game Friday will have done him good, he had some good flashes but you could see he's been starved of game time. But just a shame we don't have the midfield who will make something of the space he'll create when he's being doubled up on.
Spartak move wrong for 'frustrating' McGeady - Nicholas
http://www.independent.ie/sport/socc...s-2867198.html
Joke of an article. He has basically not played for two months and is thrown in for a vital international game and was not at his best. Crazy the criticism he's getting. When fit he is a vital player for Ireland. After the abuse he got everytime he walked the streets of Glasgow for his decision surely he must wonder why be bothers.
Agree with Nicholas. Complete lack of courage not biding his time for that lucrative move to Alec McLeish's Birmingham City. How are they doing now? Wet Tuesday in Stoke etc.
I do agree with this part though:
In England he'd have to focus more on his end product, but overall I think the move to Spartak has obviously made him a better player.Quote:
"He could do magical things, but sometimes you have to just get the ball in.
"Look at the Robbie Keane chance the other night (created by Damien Duff) -- put it in the area. Aiden tries to be perfect, too cultured at times.
"If you're a striker and you make a run three times and the ball doesn't come in, then you're not going to make that run a fourth time.
His move has made him a better player, no doubt. But he was offered £2 million a year tax free and no EPL team was offering what Celtic wanted so he went for it. Nobody can say for sure an EPL would have made an offer acceptable to Celtic when they had all Summer to offer it and didn't.
why does that article sound like an advert for sky sports?
Because it is.
That's one of the most ridiculous articles I've ever read crowned by an advertisement tacked on to the end. Why on earth would they publish that.
This Nicholas fellow sounds like a clown as well. "You go as far afield as he did, in a way it's hiding, just passing time, like when guys go to America" is the most nonsensical Sky-esque anglo-centric comment I've ever heard. People over there seem to really believe the world game revolves around the EPL, its laughable.
He moved from the 17th ranked league in Europe to the 7th, of course its a positive move
To be fair, it's the sort of the thing that would get reported regardless of whether Sky were sponsoring it. I've seen far worse examples of product placement in newspapers.
Coming from Charlie who turned down Liverpool for a mediocre Arsenal team because of the lights and glamour of Landan, he has a cheek. Aiden has been excellent for Ireland since his move and as a Celtic fan I have to look at our coaching and wonder why we couldn't develop his game like that, but fair play to Spartak. One bad game since his move where he pretty much hasn't played for two months and he's slated!Quote:
Originally Posted by Murfinator
I don't actually like saying this but I think Aiden stayed too long at Celtic. His game has come on since he moved to Russia but how much further on could he be if he had left the sectarian goldfish bowl that is largely Scottish football sooner. Aiden has great feet on the ball but his end product is not up to other parts of his game and you are right why could Celtic not improve Aiden in this respect.Quote:
Originally Posted by TiocfaidhArmani
Sean, I would maybe agree with that.
I think he's improved a lot, he seems to time his runs better, doesnt give the ball away as much and is much better defending than before. I don't know what all this guff about Spartak being a poor move is. If he'd moved to a club like Amkar or Tomsk then fair enough, but he's at one of the biggest clubs in Eastern Europe. Some of the top Russian clubs (Zenit, CSKA, to a lesser extent Rubin) can compete near the top level of European football, Spartak's form has deserted them over the last 5 years or so but they are not far off that level.
He's in a much stronger squad than he would have been at Birmingham or Celtic, if he doesnt do well the Kombarov twins can take his place so there is significant competition for him.
i've often criticised mcgeady for his lack of end product but he was brilliant last night covering ward's wanderings, and an outlet on those few occasions when we had posession. dunne man of the match no doubt but from the front 6 mcgeady gets my nod.
i can't really remember him tracking back pre-spartak for the ireland team. i'm sure he did it to a degree but hardly to such good effect.
since leaving celtic he's scored his first goal for ireland and made a starting position his own.
mcgeady has very visibly improved since the move. a step up in class. starting position for us nailed on
It's strange how people see things in wildly different ways. I happened to read another discussion today where someone was lambasting McGeady as a waster who offered Ward no protection and was basically at fault for all our problems down that side. Ward was made exempt from criticism and ridiculously, this opinion was met with a chorus of agreement. Different strokes and all that.Quote:
Originally Posted by zero
For what it's worth, I'm with you. He showed a lot of responsibility yesterday, one last ditch sliding tackle in particular comes to mind. No idea where Ward was at the time. You expect it from Duff but it's good to see McGeady following suit.
McGeady was excellent last night given the difficulty that Ward put him under for some reason being constantly out of position.
How many times was Ward in the box instead of tracking his man which is what McGeady had to do in the end. I wouldn't be adversed sticking Aiden at LB if it came to it. There would be no harm in it and who knows it could be where he blossoms??? I know I am reading a lot into one game but he was great.
And sure we can stick Fahey in at LM.
he's our best attacking player , would be madness to play him LBQuote:
Originally Posted by BonnieShels