Andy Reid's position

**Stuttgart88** · 05/12/2006, 8:50 PM

hoops1, have you seen Reid play recently?

eirebhoy's been spot on in his admiration of Reid's recent form. I'd be surprised if he wasn't given his obvious liking for footballers with some guile. Bill's right in calling him a proper footballer. I can't recall which paper it was last week, but it singled out Reid as being ''gifted''. Not a bad accolade for a guy playing in a struggling team, hence having less opportunity to shine, and for a guy who's not English, so less likely to attract praise in the English press.

I've no axe to grind either way on Reid, but when I saw him against Fulham about 6 weeks ago I was really impressed. His passing & decision making was superb and I think it's interesting now that, for the first time, he's had a succession of games in the Premiership & has kept injury free he's consistently attracted rave reviews.

**Stuttgart88** · 05/12/2006, 8:56 PM

In fact, check this out (including the true context of the Puskas comparison). Bear in mind that there's barely a more anti-Irish publication on the planet than the Mail!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/liv...n_page_id=1779

**Qwerty** · 05/12/2006, 9:54 PM

The comparison to Puskas is in terms of physical build and his one-footedness and not actual ability.

**republicofwhite** · 05/12/2006, 10:34 PM

Awww...Its a nice gesture though isn't it??

**youngirish** · 06/12/2006, 9:11 AM

Reid was MOTM again last night and has always been an excellent player IMO. He had a miserable time at Tottenham a team with a ridiculous turnover of players (he should have went to Charlton initially when he had the option under Curbishley) but in our WC qualifiers he was consistently one of our best performers along with Given. He's the sort of player though that to really shine needs to be playing week in, week out and not have to worry about being dropped if he has one bad game. He also needs for the team to be built around him in some sense to really show his talent. Neither of the above happenned at Spurs.

Hopefully now he can progress from here and Charlton don't get relegated (which unfortunately I think they will).

**NeilMcD** · 06/12/2006, 9:23 AM

Great performance from him last night. They played him just behind the front two. With three workers behind him. His vision was top notch in my opinion and his passing was very good also. I would rather have the likes of Reid in our team than the Kilbanes of the world. Its all about what type of player we want in our team and I want footballers who keep the ball and I think Reid is one of those.

**Fergie's Son** · 06/12/2006, 3:04 PM

Watched the game last night in the comfort of my bed as the Chicago winter tore the ******** off of the city.

Reid was excellent. The odd sloppy play (he tends to lose out in tackles and can give the ball away too easily) but overall he was the best player on the pitch.

Everything Charlton did went through him. Without him they are a muck team. On this form, the Irish team needs to be built around him.

**geysir** · 07/12/2006, 8:34 AM

I haven't seen Reid play but surely the Mail photgraph is a useful update to our Andy Reid physical profile gallery, looks to be a slim 30" waistline.
http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/200...CS_228x184.jpg

**as_i_say** · 07/12/2006, 12:22 PM

i dont think you can compare kilbane to reid. kilbane is a winger and reid is a central mid-hopefully by now staunton has realised this-those two players cant be in competition with each other for a place on the ireland team

**endabob1** · 07/12/2006, 1:18 PM

Originally Posted by youngirish

Reid was MOTM again last night and has always been an excellent player IMO. He had a miserable time at Tottenham a team with a ridiculous turnover of players (he should have went to Charlton initially when he had the option under Curbishley) but in our WC qualifiers he was consistently one of our best performers along with Given. He's the sort of player though that to really shine needs to be playing week in, week out and not have to worry about being dropped if he has one bad game. He also needs for the team to be built around him in some sense to really show his talent. Neither of the above happenned at Spurs.

Hopefully now he can progress from here and Charlton don't get relegated (which unfortunately I think they will).

HAve to disagree with this. Reid was given every chance at Spurs but the harsh facts are he didn't take them. He was bought as a left sided player but his ahem "physique" meant he wasn't suited to getting up and down the line in the way Duff does (or did) when Reid got injurred he never really looked fit againm it was no real surprise he was let go. He'll do well at Charlton because they'll build a team around him, he wasn't good enough for Spurs to justify doing that in a season when they were pushing for the Champions League.

**republicofwhite** · 07/12/2006, 3:45 PM

I have a feeling Charlton might just escape...and if they do it'll be because of Reid and Scott Carson. I reckon Les Reed has something to offer in the managerial department and he's clearly building the team around Andy Reid at the moment. He raves about him after every single match. Deservedly so,anybody who's following Andy this season will agree that he's been really consistent, and is having a great season. Despite playing for a muck team.

**dr_peepee** · 07/12/2006, 9:34 PM

Originally Posted by NeilMcD

Great performance from him last night. They played him just behind the front two. With three workers behind him. His vision was top notch in my opinion and his passing was very good also. I would rather have the likes of Reid in our team than the Kilbanes of the world. Its all about what type of player we want in our team and I want footballers who keep the ball and I think Reid is one of those.

No doubt about it.. Playing very well.. We all agree he has the abililty. But it brings back the original point of the thread "Where to play him?" Charlton are accomodating him and rightly so with 3 grafters (Kishishev, Faye and whoever). Charlton aren't deploying him in a conventional 4 4 2. I've said and i still believe he we have to use him either as part of a five man midfeild or on side of two central midfielders. For us to accomadate him in the manor in which he's been successfull at Charlton in recent weeks who would you exlcude. Doyle or keane in the case of a lone front man... Or Duff McGeady.

Best midfeild four for me when fit.... Duff, Carsley, S. reid and Andy Reid

**drinkfeckarse** · 08/12/2006, 7:41 AM

He must be in line for the Player of the Month award at this rate. Best form I've ever seen him in.

**Dr. Ogba** · 08/12/2006, 8:57 AM

Originally Posted by dr_peepee

No doubt about it.. Playing very well.. We all agree he has the abililty. But it brings back the original point of the thread "Where to play him?" Charlton are accomodating him and rightly so with 3 grafters (Kishishev, Faye and whoever). Charlton aren't deploying him in a conventional 4 4 2. I've said and i still believe he we have to use him either as part of a five man midfeild or on side of two central midfielders. For us to accomadate him in the manor in which he's been successfull at Charlton in recent weeks who would you exlcude. Doyle or keane in the case of a lone front man... Or Duff McGeady.

Best midfeild four for me when fit.... Duff, Carsley, S. reid and Andy Reid

Well there's no coincidence that the best I've seen Ireland play in a while (against the Czechs) was when we had the 5 man midfield similar to that of Charlton's....i.e the 2 grafters in Douglas (would have S. Reid back when fit) and Carsley allowing Reid the freedom to spread the ball around and create chances. Unfortunately I don't think Robbie Keane really suits the lone-striker role, would sooner have Kevin Doyle in that position...

I think Reid's still a bit off being the more rounded (excuse the pun) central midfielder that could play in the 442 for us but if he keeps playing this well its definitely something to be looked at in a friendly...

**ken foree** · 10/12/2006, 2:24 PM

well i think it's worth mentioning that he was mediocre yesterday against spurs. did well for charlton's goal and tried to keep the ball moving in the middle when charlton were enjoying possession but he did give it away quite a lot. subbed for hasselbaink with about 20 or 25 mins left i think.

**tetsujin1979** · 10/12/2006, 2:45 PM

According to most reports I've read, Reid was Charlton's best player, and was only taken off because of a hamstring tweak.

**eirebhoy** · 10/12/2006, 3:21 PM

Yeah, I'd usually take Sky Sports ratings with a pinch of salt but he got 7/10 on that when all the others got 5 and 6's.

**tetsujin1979** · 10/12/2006, 4:11 PM

Some quotes about Reid:
From http://football.guardian.co.uk/Obser...968518,00.html

Andy Reid, taken off after the break with a strained hamstring, was pivotal in the good things Charlton managed before half time

from http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article...496435,00.html

it was unfortunate that Reid had to leave the field injured. He has in recent weeks been the one player who seems capable of calling the tune, making the bullets for others to fire, and occasionally having a shot himself

**ken foree** · 10/12/2006, 5:18 PM

i'd have to disagree, he generally looked off the midfield pace compared to spurs and a slew of relatively straightforward passes went astray. i like andy reid a lot but, regardless of his role in the charlton goal or the reason he was subbed, he was below int'l standard today.

**irishfan86** · 11/12/2006, 1:02 AM

Andy was at the heart of everything Charlton created, but as mentioned here he did give the ball away quite a bit.

He's always looking for those incisive passes, and if you want to play those consistently you're going to give the ball up a few times a match.

Charlton dominated the first part of the match, and you feel 5-1 wasn't an indicator of what they're capable of.

After watching that match I can't see them staying in the bottom 3 much longer, as odd as that may sound.