Rory Delap

[tetsujin1979]

Yeah, pretty much what Supreme Feet and NeilMcD have said.
Delap was the original John O'Shea. Decent at a few positions, but never really excelling at any. He was called into an amount of squads under Mick, but never played, and the same with Kerr. I only recall him playing against the Czechs at home when a throw went straight in, and another got an assist to win the game. I think his time to impress has passed (along with the likes of Lee Trundle and Stephen McPhail) and it is up to the next generation of midfield players (Whelan, Garvan, McCarthy, Ireland, etc) to show Trapattoni what is missing from the starting XI to force their way into the team.
Not that I would ever exclude him from a squad, just that I think there are better players ahead of him in the queue to play for Ireland

[Irish_Praha]

Honestly, that piece I have highlighted in bold is one of the most ignorant things I've seen on this forum. And here was me thinking that football is all about opinions?

You can't write Kilbane off as a CM over his performance in one game. I think it's fair to say that everyone was off form against the Cypriots. I'd take Kilbane over Whelan as a CM - his engine is as good as Whelan's if not better - even at his age and his aerial ability is a great asset to any team he plays for.

If you want to judge Kilbane on one game why not pick his performance against the French in Paris in the World Cup Qualifiers? And he palyed that game in centre midfield.

But then maybe I know nothing about football either?

NMcD's original post might have appeared a bit arrogant alright but I couldn't agree more with his detailed reply. Very well put.

[Irish_Praha]

i always felt that Delap was never given a fair chance by the various irish managers... he fails to mark someone from a corner (cant remember the game) in a friendly, gets lambasted by the pundits and doesnt see an irish squad since.

I always liked the way he played.

Another reason he didn't get much of a chance was because there was at least 3 squads he was called up to but had to pull out because he was injured. Some of these were for friendly games where I assume he would have been given a chance to impress. During this time other players took their chance, Southampton got relegated and he was forgotten about in favour of players playing at a higher level or with more international experience.

[Irish_Praha]

Delap looks like has has been lifting weights. Looked super fit as did Lawerence and the entire Stoke team. I still think both have a bit to prove but heres hoping they have a great season and improve enough to be considered.

That was recipe for Stokes success last year. Most of the team is around the 6 foot mark and very athletic. The vast majority of their goals came from set-pieces last season.

[NeilMcD]

NMcD's original post might have appeared a bit arrogant alright but I couldn't agree more with his detailed reply. Very well put.

Thanks and in relation to the arrogance it has to be seen in the context of who I was replying to and that handles previous posts. OTT post have a knack of drawing OTT replies and Whelan is a young player that has only played a few times for us and Ciaran has written him off in various posts now with OTT remarks.

[OwlsFan]

Jesus Whelan played last week and he played during the week, maybe Pulis did not feel he wanted him playing 3 games in a week when Delap has probably only played 1 or Lawrence who has played none. Story out of nothing. That is not to say that Delap should not be in the squad.

Whelan was substituted in Stoke's first game when they were 3 down. I suspect that has more to do with the reason why Pullis didn't start him I am afraid

[NeilMcD]

or maybe it was cause he would play 3 games in a week, who knows. I would not write his career off or anything like that, no big drama when a player does not play one game.

[NeilMcD]

I never said Kilbane's best position was Centre Mid, because it isn't. I said that he's still better in that role than Whelan is. Kilbane is good in the air and can actually tackle somewhat decently. His passing is so-so, frankly not what it needs to be for that role but Whelan's is even further off the mark.

But the focus needs to be shifted here, away from putting down the alternatives and questioning what exactly does Whelan do for the team? What can he do that is apparently better than what anyone else can do?

Delap - Great throw ins, wicked strikes from distance
O Shea - Good positioning, Good closing down, Good tackling
Carsley - Good positioning, Excellent tackling
Kilbane - Good Aerial, Decent tackling,
Andy Reid - Amazing Passing, decent tackling, set piece threat, offensive threat
Whelan - ?????????

He doesn't pass well, he doesn't tackle well, he's not good in the air, he's no offensive threat whatsoever. At best he's a presence in the middle of the field that closes down space simply by him being there and nothing else. So what does he do exactly that has people defending his selection?

Just 1 question, how many times have you seen Glenn Whelan play that you are writing him off. Just so you know I am not saying that Whelan should be ahead of Andy Reid or Lee Carsley as a player playing in the centre of midfield.

[NeilMcD]

http://www.tribune.ie/sport/soccer/a.../green-shoots/

http://www.independent.ie/sport/socc...e-1462235.html

[Irish_Praha]

I never said Kilbane's best position was Centre Mid, because it isn't. I said that he's still better in that role than Whelan is. Kilbane is good in the air and can actually tackle somewhat decently. His passing is so-so, frankly not what it needs to be for that role but Whelan's is even further off the mark.

But the focus needs to be shifted here, away from putting down the alternatives and questioning what exactly does Whelan do for the team? What can he do that is apparently better than what anyone else can do?

Delap - Great throw ins, wicked strikes from distance
O Shea - Good positioning, Good closing down, Good tackling
Carsley - Good positioning, Excellent tackling
Kilbane - Good Aerial, Decent tackling,
Andy Reid - Amazing Passing, decent tackling, set piece threat, offensive threat
Whelan - ?????????

He doesn't pass well, he doesn't tackle well, he's not good in the air, he's no offensive threat whatsoever. At best he's a presence in the middle of the field that closes down space simply by him being there and nothing else. So what does he do exactly that has people defending his selection?

Ciaran, I agree with you to a certain extent on Whelan that he has limited ability and is far from world-class but as NMcD says he is a natural CMF player that makes himself available for the pass. IMO he does the simple things well and works hard. Yes he is not as good as Andy Reid or Carsley but he keeps posession much better than Kilbane and O'Shea, which is vital in CMF. You should also look at some of the goals he has scored for Sheffield Wed. and you will see that he also has a wicked strike from distance. He doesn't score in every game but neither does Delap
His positioning, passing and tackling are also decent. I myself would have Andy Reid in there ahead of him but he does a professional job and can offer decent cover. That's all I've seen from his first 2 games at international level, after another 5 or so games we will be able to get a better assesment of him as his weak/good points will be more apparent. However, he improved in his second game and if that was due to experience or playing alongside Reid instead of Miller we will see in the future. I would much rather have him there than a make-shift CMF player like O'Shea or Kilbane. Maybe he will be found out against better opposition and in competitive games but he is at least a good stop gap until one or two of the many young CMF players make a breakthrough. I have no doubth at least one of Garvan, McCarthy, O’Toole, McCann, Gibson etc. will turn out to be better player (fingers crossed).

[eirebhoy]

Delap - Great throw ins, wicked strikes from distance
O Shea - Good positioning, Good closing down, Good tackling
Carsley - Good positioning, Excellent tackling
Kilbane - Good Aerial, Decent tackling,
Andy Reid - Amazing Passing, decent tackling, set piece threat, offensive threat
Whelan - ?????????

The most important attribute in a footballer is intelligence and Whelan's positional sense, decision making, etc. is on a different level to Kilbane's. He's been playing the "holding role" at first team level since he was 20 which takes a fair bit of brains.

[seanfhear]

One thing that needs to be pointed it out is that Delap has a McCarthy-esque throw, and we all know that one of McCarthy's throws lead to one of Ireland's more famous goals. Its not something that would alone get him in the squad (of course) but it is another thing he brings and it could be helpful if Doyle or Murphy is playing

Jack Charlton would certainly have put Delaps throw-ins to good use if he had been available in those days.
With the number of subs allowed today he would be handy on the bench if we needed a goal late on in a game.If we also had a big man that was seriously good in the air(Caleb Folan perhaps) they would be a serious threat.I am not in favour of playing that way all of the time though.

[tetsujin1979]

I never said Kilbane's best position was Centre Mid, because it isn't. I said that he's still better in that role than Whelan is. Kilbane is good in the air and can actually tackle somewhat decently. His passing is so-so, frankly not what it needs to be for that role but Whelan's is even further off the mark.

But the focus needs to be shifted here, away from putting down the alternatives and questioning what exactly does Whelan do for the team? What can he do that is apparently better than what anyone else can do?

Delap - Great throw ins, wicked strikes from distance
O Shea - Good positioning, Good closing down, Good tackling
Carsley - Good positioning, Excellent tackling
Kilbane - Good Aerial, Decent tackling,
Andy Reid - Amazing Passing, decent tackling, set piece threat, offensive threat
Whelan - ?????????

He doesn't pass well, he doesn't tackle well, he's not good in the air, he's no offensive threat whatsoever. At best he's a presence in the middle of the field that closes down space simply by him being there and nothing else. So what does he do exactly that has people defending his selection?

O'Shea?? In midfield? I barely trust him in defence, and that's with Richard Dunne beside him ordering him what to do, I shudder to think what he'd be like in midfield and left to his own devices
Whelan is a good short passer of the ball, which seems to be the role Trap has defined for the second central midfielder, i.e. break up opposition attacks, regain possession, and pass the ball out to one of the more creative players. And Whelan does this very well, certainly better than any other player Trap has had a look at in the 4 months he's been in charge of the side. To say he's a presence in the team does him a great injustice IMO.

[youngirish]

Not even going to bother pick the bones out of that post. You strike me as one of those fans who thinks they know everything but in fact just talk a lot of....

Maybe it's you who knows nothing about football after all?

In fairness joema you're fighting a losing battle if your'e sticking up for Kilbane. He's a poor player and of all the positions he's played for Ireland - Left Wing, Left Back, Central Midfield and even as a makeshift centre forward he's arguably looked poorest in Central Midfield. He can't distribute the ball to save his life, surely one of the defining characteristics of a decent central midfield player. Neil could have picked a number of games where he's looked poor in Central Midfield for us (Cyprus, Israel, Switzerland) but you could only mention the French away game as an example of when he's played well in that position.

I'm no great fan of Glenn Whelan, he's a decent Championship player but will struggle in the Premiership and is certainly not a good enough central midfielder for International football but he's still better than Kilbane in that same position.

Kilbane is all heart, no ability.

[joema]

The stick Kilbane receives from the Irish supporters is ridiculous, I'm not even going to bother post in this thread again

[eirebhoy]

Kilbane got Ireland's player of the year as a central midfielder under Kerr. His off the ball work was excellent. He man marked Nedved in a friendly and didn't give him an inch. He just needs to be playing beside a really good all round player though and would only be needed against good opposition. In saying that, we've enough options that we don't need to play him.

[carloz]

Whelan - ?????????

He doesn't pass well, he doesn't tackle well, he's not good in the air, he's no offensive threat whatsoever. At best he's a presence in the middle of the field that closes down space simply by him being there and nothing else. So what does he do exactly that has people defending his selection?

Mate you are becoming just a little tiresome with this now. Whealan is no world class opponent but he has the right atitude, does the simple thing well, has good positioning, a decent eye for a pass and very importantly for this Irish team, he is physical and is not afraid to leave the boot in. Him and S Reid would add much needed steel to our midfield, which has been missing big time in the last 2 campaigns. Never was this more evident than against Cyprus both home and away in the last campaign where we were simply bullied out of it in midfield. Personally i love Andy Reid and would love to see him start against Georgia in central midfield but i can fully understand Traps reasoning for wanting to go with S. Reid and Whealan. Trap has been in the game long enough to know the importance f having a hard working coherent central midfield. I think i might just go with Traps opinion here instead of your's. I think you are being incredibly unfair on Whealan and you are really not giving the guy a chance. Remember international football is still new to him but he has looked quite assured in the games where he has been given a chance. I think you gave McGeady 8 and Whealan 4 for the Norway game which i must say made me laugh out loud. I feel like i was watching a different match. Everyone to their own opinion but i think you are unfairly critisising Whealan

[carloz]

The stick Kilbane receives from the Irish supporters is ridiculous, I'm not even going to bother post in this thread again

If we had 11 Kilbanes, all with his attitude and drive in the team, we would be on the right road.

[NeilMcD]

The stick Kilbane receives from the Irish supporters is ridiculous, I'm not even going to bother post in this thread again

Jesus why don't you through the rattle out while you are at it. Nobody has abused your or anything they just disagreed with your view. I gave you a detailed response of my opinion and you refused to reply with any sort of rebuttal.

Nobody here is giving Kilbane stick and as Eirebhoy has said he won player of the year one year. However he is not a central midfielder.

[theworm2345]

The stick Kilbane receives from the Irish supporters is ridiculous, I'm not even going to bother post in this thread again

Don't like it? Try being a Connolly fan (though Kilbane is one of my favorites as well)