Ciaran Clark D Free agent b.1989

**brine3** · 03/08/2012, 11:26 AM

Originally Posted by the doc

Theres no difference between the lower 12 teams in the Prem and the top half of the Championship.

I'd play Macca or Daz ahead of Clark as they have more experience at international level.

The grass isnt always greener!

You'll have to fill me in here. Who are Macca and Daz?

**Murfinator** · 03/08/2012, 11:28 AM

Originally Posted by the doc

I'd play Macca or Daz ahead of Clark as they have more experience at international level.

Could someone link me back to foot.ie please, I seem to have wound up on foot.co.uk somehow.

Originally Posted by ifk101

But is he in the same class as Dunne? I respect your opinion Stuttgart88 but disagree about SSL. If we want to improve the team, SSL is a player that needs to replaced. He's slow, poor in the air, has terrible distribution and has lapses in concentration on a regular basis.

Looking to replace SSL to me is like being slightly dissatisfied with your cake icing while the cake is collapsing in on itself. We have serious, serious problems with both our fullbacks and both our centre midfields right now. I don't think we should give serious consideration to overhauling any other part of our team until we have the luxury of solving those crucial problems because ultimately everyone else has their job difficulty increased tenfold because of those core problems.

**Supreme feet** · 03/08/2012, 1:10 PM

Originally Posted by the doc

I'd play Macca or Daz ahead of Clark as they have more experience at international level.

The grass isnt always greener!

By that logic, Robbie Keane and Damien Duff would never have broken into the Irish side in 1998. After all, we had David Connolly, Mickey Evans, John Goodman, Alan Moore, Keith O'Neill and Davey Savage. All had more experience at international level at the time.

**Charlie Darwin** · 03/08/2012, 2:34 PM

Originally Posted by ifk101

You have scored three goals from set-play moves in games we did not win. Andrews was our player of the Euros.

Two of those goals gave us the lead in important qualifiers and the other brought us level in a European Championship game. Hardly dead rubbers.

**ifk101** · 03/08/2012, 2:59 PM

Originally Posted by Murfinator

Looking to replace SSL to me is like being slightly dissatisfied with your cake icing while the cake is collapsing in on itself. We have serious, serious problems with both our fullbacks and both our centre midfields right now. I don't think we should give serious consideration to overhauling any other part of our team until we have the luxury of solving those crucial problems because ultimately everyone else has their job difficulty increased tenfold because of those core problems.

The fullbacks are for another thread. Ward isn't good enough. The central midfielders are tied in what they are asked to do. It's not the individual players in central midfield that are an issue, it's the role they are asked to play. That role is to protect the back four by holding their position. The fact that Trapattoni choses to use his central midfielders in this way says a lot of about his approach to the game but also what he sees in the individual qualities of the players he selects. In other words the tactics he uses are to protect what he sees as the weak points in his side.

Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

Two of those goals gave us the lead in important qualifiers and the other brought us level in a European Championship game. Hardly dead rubbers.

And we didn't win any of those games. And every time SSL scores, the opposition scores.

**Charlie Darwin** · 03/08/2012, 3:29 PM

Originally Posted by ifk101

And we didn't win any of those games. And every time SSL scores, the opposition scores.

You say this is as if it means anything.

**jbyrne** · 03/08/2012, 3:52 PM

Originally Posted by ifk101

And every time SSL scores, the opposition scores.

and recently when he doesnt also

**Murfinator** · 03/08/2012, 8:15 PM

Originally Posted by ifk101

The fullbacks are for another thread. Ward isn't good enough. The central midfielders are tied in what they are asked to do. It's not the individual players in central midfield that are an issue, it's the role they are asked to play. That role is to protect the back four by holding their position. The fact that Trapattoni choses to use his central midfielders in this way says a lot of about his approach to the game but also what he sees in the individual qualities of the players he selects. In other words the tactics he uses are to protect what he sees as the weak points in his side.

And we didn't win any of those games. And every time SSL scores, the opposition scores.

If the implication is that he views the centre backs as a weak point in our defence it doesn't make too much sense given the success we've had there under Trap. Both Dunne and JOS were standout in our first campaign and we had a ridiculous streak of games without conceding during the most recent. It's more likely he's selecting the only players who actually play central midfield in a 2 for their club. His original choice was Steven Reid and his passing ability was working wonderfully for us, I think if Trap viewed the less conservative options as viable midfielders he'd pick them, he just sees them as not good enough to play in a 2. Judging from his initial S.Reid selection when he could have retained Carsley I'd say he doesn't like picking limited midfielders any more than we like seeing them but he doesn't view the alternatives as credible options in a 2, and legitimately so since they don't play in a 2.

Originally Posted by Supreme feet

By that logic, Robbie Keane and Damien Duff would never have broken into the Irish side in 1998. After all, we had David Connolly, Mickey Evans, John Goodman, Alan Moore, Keith O'Neill and Davey Savage. All had more experience at international level at the time.

Keane had won the under-19 championship and was a double digit goalscorer to Wolves when he was given his first cap. Duff also won the under-19 championship and was a regular in the premiership. Clark did little but set on the bench for the last year, when he did play he was shunted all over the field. Not the same situation at all, I like Clark but hes done nothing to deserve a callup in recent times. Hopefully he'll get himself sorted out this season with a competent manager at villa and make that claim for inclusion.

**youngirish** · 03/08/2012, 9:29 PM

Originally Posted by ifk101

Well if you believe it is likely that the doc is SSL you should have a read of previous posts and his opinions on other players wearing the green jersey with pride. the doc also let us know SSL was eligible for the North if not picked.

It may read as anger and bitterness but at the end of the day I want the same thing everyone else here wants. We lost all three games at the Euros, comprehensively beaten in all three, so everyone knows we need change to move on. Moving on is changing tactics and players. I don't think we should continue with two holding midfielders and the protection we currently give our centre halfs through playing with two holding midfielders. Changing will expose our centre halfs more and this is where there is a worry in playing somebody of SSL's ability. Because of this SSL is one of the players I believe needs to be replaced. Dunne is a player we need to keep around. SSL isn't in the same class as Dunne. There's no anger or bitterness in stating that fact.

SSL has generally been good for Ireland so deserves some slack. Before looking at replacing him the likes of Ward and O'Shea possibly the two poorest players in the Euros from any squad need to be quickly shifted out of the team. Watching them both in a live game it's amazing how slow they are when receiving a pass to get the ball under control and pass it onto another Irish player. I couldn't count how many opportunities to attack fizzled out because one of these received the ball and took so long to get it under control the opposition had managed to snuff out any semblance of an opportunity. It truly was Sunday league stuff. Duff in particular seemed to be particularly frustrated with Ward in the Italy match for exactly this reason.

I'm also not of the opinion that O'Shea is a better option at centre back either - I think he's been rubbish for Ireland and can't believe he's been a guaranteed starter for so long while failing to offer anything of note.

Rant over Glenn Whelan also needs to go as he's limited beyond belief. I'm not sure a 5 man midfield would make this fact any less apparent. Once those 3 are out of the team then maybe SSL should start to feel threatened.

**the doc** · 10/08/2012, 12:35 PM

Think we all know that ifk101 is a bit of a nutter, so pointless taking any of notice of those posts.

According to a poster on Ybig SSL should be back in 4 weeks.

Ding dong!

**the bear** · 10/08/2012, 3:12 PM

Originally Posted by the doc

Think we all know that ifk101 is a bit of a nutter, so pointless taking any of notice of those posts.

According to a poster on Ybig SSL should be back in 4 weeks.

Ding dong!

come in, its open

**Charlie Darwin** · 25/08/2012, 2:47 PM

Ballwatching and lost Jelavic for Everton's third. Paul Lambert may be rethinking whether he should get rid of Dunne at this rate.

**geysir** · 25/08/2012, 2:55 PM

Lambert has a job and a half with that Villa team.

**tetsujin1979** · 25/08/2012, 3:18 PM

Just been sent off.

**Charlie Darwin** · 25/08/2012, 3:18 PM

Sent off for denying Jelavic a goalscoring opportunity - very little contact but a foul nonetheless. Great through-ball from Gibson to set it up.

**Murfinator** · 25/08/2012, 3:20 PM

Been having a nightmare these past two weeks, not watching the game today but he was getting destroyed aerially last week. The sending off couldn't have come at a worse time for him too because he'll have to dwell on those performances through suspension and may not get his place back after.

**brine3** · 25/08/2012, 3:24 PM

Lambert has bought Ron Vlaar, who is frankly a very poor defender. Got away with the hard man act in Holland, but getting found out badly in England.

**Charlie Darwin** · 25/08/2012, 3:25 PM

Originally Posted by Murfinator

Been having a nightmare these past two weeks, not watching the game today but he was getting destroyed aerially last week. The sending off couldn't have come at a worse time for him too because he'll have to dwell on those performances through suspension and may not get his place back after.

He'll only miss the League Cup game.