Glenn Whelan

[DeLorean]

Another "ineffectual" game from Whelan tonight - only setting up both goals.

The lad is a simple player playing in the water-carrying role to bring others into play - which he does well. More importantly he has proven in the last couple of games (as he did in his first couple of our campaign) that he has good positional sense having that vital ability to help create something out of nothing, which is a bonus seeing as he is meant to be playing in a defensive role.

Not saying he's the best player in the world, however he deserves our support. It's easy to criticise when criticism is being looked for.

I've no problem with giving credit where it's due, well done to Whelan for setting up the goals last night and for his vital goal at the wkd. However we are entitled to rate players on what we have seen and what I have seen of him for Stoke/Ireland I think he has been poor. It's not like I head to Croker with 'Whelan Out!!' banners or anything but on a football forum with the thread being called 'Glen Whelan' I think it is fair enough to analyse whether he is any good or not.

[Stuttgart88]

A holding midfielder is a very broad term though (Stutts will back me up there

Yep, don't get me going on that front!

[geysir]

The broad term has to include "moral courage" at the top of the list of priorities.

[Stuttgart88]

Today's Guardian gave Whelan 9/10 for his Hull performance saying that "he controlled midfield with consummate ease" and described him & Liam Lawrence as "gifted".

[NeilMcD]

Stutts did he play the holding midfielder role well.

[Junior]

Had a fine effort from outside the box that hit the bar.

[Brendan 82]

I'm a fan of Whelan. I think he is gaining confidence and I've seen him put in some fine performances in the EPL this season. He was dropped at the start of the season but he has fought his way into Stoke's first 11. No need to mention injuries as the case for this as he is starting ahead of players who were ahead of him at the start of the season. (Olofinjana being an example) Who do we have putting in better performances in that position at an equal or higher level? Anyone...? Obviously S. Reid & Ireland do not count.

[elroy]

I'm a fan of Whelan. I think he is gaining confidence and I've seen him put in some fine performances in the EPL this season. He was dropped at the start of the season but he has fought his way into Stoke's first 11. No need to mention injuries as the case for this as he is starting ahead of players who were ahead of him at the start of the season. (Olofinjana being an example) Who do we have putting in better performances in that position at an equal or higher level? Anyone...? Obviously S. Reid & Ireland do not count.

I agree, I think he is the most improved Irish player in the last six months or so, gone from a regularly unused sub to a solid first team players who seems to be getting better reviews all the time. I hope he can progress even further next year, although I fear Pulis may be in the market for a CM this summer.

[eirebhoy]

Whelan impressive again against Wigan apparantly.

"Stoke finally began to build up a head of steam with Glenn Whelan orchestrating from midfield and Liam Lawrence delivering some dangerous crosses."

http://www.sportbox.tv/football/news...php?id=3078621

[co. down green]

Whelan impressive again against Wigan apparantly.

"Stoke finally began to build up a head of steam with Glenn Whelan orchestrating from midfield and Liam Lawrence delivering some dangerous crosses."

Lawrence called up for the Nigeria friendly

Whelan is delighted Lawrence’s return to fitness and form has meant a return to the Republic of Ireland fold.

Lawrence has been called up to friendly against Nigeria at Craven Cottage on May 29. Should all go well, the winger should join Whelan in the squad for the World Cup qualifier in Bulgaria on June 6.

Whelan said: “Liam has said before he wanted to get back in. Now he’s let his football do the talking and hopefully he can show what he can really do.”

Lawrence dropped down the pecking order when he was ruled out for four months with an ankle injury, but Whelan has no doubt his team-mate is good enough to play for his country.

“Definitely,” he said. “He’s proved it in the last couple of games when he has started to get back on form and get really fit.

“I don’t think there was any doubt about his ability. I am sure that is the same with the Ireland team.”

http://www.whydelilah.co.uk/news/15_...w+heights.html

[Crosby87]

Lawrence called up for the Nigeria friendly

Thought they were not naming the squad until monday?

[eirebhoy]

Thought they were not naming the squad until monday?

Yeh the media have been fooled a few times with Trap naming his provisional squad of 40. The full squad is announced tomorrow. From the quotes it seems like Lawrence realises it's only the provisional squad that he has made, so far anyway.

[soccerc]

Yeh the media have been fooled a few times with Trap naming his provisional squad of 40. The full squad is announced tomorrow. From the quotes it seems like Lawrence realises it's only the provisional squad that he has made, so far anyway.

Players' clubs were notified last week of the call up and sometimes they jump the gun and release the info to their local papers or websites despite an embargo. Generally the players are not told themselves until just before the annuncement.

[eirebhoy]

Players' clubs were notified last week of the call up and sometimes they jump the gun and release the info to their local papers or websites despite an embargo. Generally the players are not told themselves until just before the annuncement.

I think it was Martin Rowlands called up to the provisional squad for a match and his clubs website reported it like he was called up to the main squad. He never was. Maybe it wasn't Rowlands but I'm sure it happened. We're not used to this provisional squad stuff.

[Stuttgart88]

Not a bad PR job by FAI if deliberate. There's been alot of discontent about certain players being omitted or overlooked over the last 9 months and naming a 40 man prelim squad tells everyone that X has been looked at at the very least. Depends who's in the 40 of course.

I have to say I'd be really surprised if Laqwrence and St.Ledger are omitted from final squad and it may be a way for Trap to phase out players like Miller.

That said, it'll be some statement to leave Andy Reid out of a 40 man squad. I read it 2 ways: it may be Trap's way of putting the saga to bed once and for all or it may be the olive branch many of us hope it'll be.

Any of those more familiar with the workings of the media here got an opinion?

Interesting...

[richieos]

i just thought id add this, i put a post up on the bbc stoke board to get the fans opinions on glenn, he seems to be getting rave reviews

hopefully he can re-create his premiership form in the green against bulgaria

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/606/A51745557

[Stuttgart88]

I'm biased: not only do I really like Glenn's attitude he is the type of footballer I like to see succeed. An old fashioned head up & pick a pass central midfielder. The modern game seems to think a Vieira / Essien type powerhouse is more valuable - probably right in the overall scheme of things. But Whelan plays the game the way most of us like to see it played and I'm glad he's one of our own, he came through the ranks and is deservedly getting credit for a good season in a mid-table - not a relegation scrapper - EPL club.

In times gone past a UK or Ireland midfielder in today's mid-table EPL would be closer to the top.

Still, not getting carried away, I thought he was awful at home to Bulgaria and I'd have given Andrews a start ahead of him in Bari.

[paul_oshea]

Theres a contradiction there somewere stutts, re-read!!!

Anyway he certainly doesn't play teh way i like to see it played, losing he ball, being dispossed to easy, every pass going side ways or backwards. However he seems to have applied himself, at wednesday and wherever he has been and overcome adversary at wednesday and at stoke and he is better for it, i wonder can he keep getting better? HOpefully he can and he then actually does it for us!

[eirebhoy]

I don't know, just looking at his last match and there seems to be a fair variety in his passing and movement.



not too different to Carrick's graph against Arsenal:



Taken from:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/chalkboards/create

[elroy]

If there was such a thing as Foot.ie season awards (now theres an idea) i would vote for Glenn for most improved player of the season. In his first few games for us he was decent but i think that had a large part to play to the fact that Stevie Reid was alongside him. He struggled at times but as the season has progressed he has got better and better and this has been illustrated by him cementing a place in the Stoke XI and arguably one of their best players of the last 10 games or so. I hope he can translate his good form into the Bulgaria game and push on again next season. If Reid can hopefully get fit, I would be very happy with himself and SR occupying the CM spots.