Ciaran Clark D Free agent b.1989

**drummerboy** · 05/01/2012, 8:58 AM

Read a few Villa fans forums and they would agree with Swans statement. According to them Dunne improved form was when Collins was out of the team and that Collins is definitely the weak link in their defence.

**gastric** · 05/01/2012, 10:22 AM

Originally Posted by drummerboy

Read a few Villa fans forums and they would agree with Swans statement. According to them Dunne improved form was when Collins was out of the team and that Collins is definitely the weak link in their defence.

On last weekend's performance , Warnock would seem to be the weak link!

**tetsujin1979** · 05/01/2012, 12:45 PM

Hutton isn't much better, the left side of Villa's defence (left full + left sided centre half) seems to be a problem for them.
With any luck Stevens will get a run there and establish himself as the first choice.

**Charlie Darwin** · 05/01/2012, 1:05 PM

Warnock's error the other day was out of character - he's generally a solid but unspectacular defender. Neither he nor Hutton can cross the ball, which is why I think Enda has a real chance of getting in if he can sort out his positioning.

**Ol� Ol�** · 05/01/2012, 1:06 PM

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

Hutton isn't much better, the left side of Villa's defence (left full + left sided centre half) seems to be a problem for them.
With any luck Stevens will get a run there and establish himself as the first choice.

I've seen Stevens twice. Away to PAOK (or Pow-ok as Trevor Welch calls them) and at home to Copenhagen. He was very impressive, both going forward and in defence, against Copenhagen. But I thought he looked slightly off the pace against PAOK. I presume the Stevens of the Copenhagen game is the typical Stevens? He used to ball very intelligently, both crossing and passing. And he never looked like being caught out.

The Premier League is obviously quite a step up from the Eircom League. It will be interesting to see whether McLeish involves him in the first team squad straight away or does what Moyes did with Coleman and blood him with a high-flying championship side.

But, in fairness, Warnock has been pretty poor this season. Liverpool's supposed interest in him last January when he couldn't get a run under Houllier looks like a close escape, especially given the impact of Enrique.

Clark has gained one of his two Irish caps at left full against Wales. Am I correct in saying the other one was at left full also?

**Charlie Darwin** · 05/01/2012, 1:27 PM

Enda's defensive positioning is a bit suspect, which he would usually get away with in Ireland but Partizan, PAOK and Rubin clearly targeted the full backs with cross-field passes and caused him all sorts of problems. Against Spurs and Copenhagen he coped very easily, I thought.

**SwanVsDalton** · 05/01/2012, 1:28 PM

Originally Posted by gastric

On last weekend's performance , Warnock would seem to be the weak link!

Dunne aside, the Villa defence is one large weak link.

**TrapAPony** · 07/01/2012, 6:12 PM

Very good match from midfield against Bristol Rovers. Great goal too.

**theworm2345** · 07/01/2012, 6:12 PM

Lovely goal there for Clark, goes alone, takes on a few Bristol Rovers defenders, cuts it back on to his left foot and a lovely in to the bottom corner. Almost made this **** poor match worth watching...almost.

**tetsujin1979** · 10/01/2012, 11:57 PM

Clark never though about going out on loan to boost Euro 2012 chances: http://www.birminghammail.net/birmin...7319-30092313/

**drummerboy** · 11/01/2012, 8:14 AM

I really like this kid. Reckon he is going to have a great career at club level and with Ireland. I hope Trap brings him to Poland.

**DannyInvincible** · 12/02/2012, 7:13 PM

Ciaran Clark will be out for a few weeks with damage to knee ligaments: http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetai...608682,00.html

Ciaran Clark, meanwhile, damaged his knee ligaments in training on Saturday and looks set to miss several weeks.

...

"In training yesterday Ciaran caught his studs in the turf and he's tweaked a ligament.

"It's a real shame because we had definite plans for him tonight as well as Gary Gardner in the team.

"We will lose him for a few weeks. It's not an overnight return either. It's knee ligament issues.

**TrapAPony** · 15/04/2012, 2:28 PM

Back starting in midfield for Villa v Man Utd

**geysir** · 15/04/2012, 3:18 PM

Penalty awarded against Clark for placing his foot within 100 cm of Ashley Young.
Shay goes for the wrong side again.
If a goalie just ignored what the kick taker was shaping up to do, would they have a 50/50 chance of diving in the right direction, not counting down the middle shots?

**theworm2345** · 15/04/2012, 4:25 PM

Took a blow to the head, had to be taken off. Don't think it would be too bad but no head injury is good.

**Stuttgart88** · 06/05/2012, 1:40 PM

Just scored against Spurs.

Might be one of the stanby options announced on Monday, maybe even a wild card for the 23?

**elroy** · 07/05/2012, 4:22 PM

Thought he should've been in the replacements, certainly will be one to look to in WC campaign

**Murfinator** · 07/05/2012, 4:25 PM

Not had a huge amount of gametime and when he has its been a mixture of centre back, left back and centre midfield. Difficult to know what position he's most suited for other than utility bencher.

**dr_peepee** · 01/08/2012, 12:47 PM

James Collins sold back to West Ham.... Does it open a door for Clark as CH???

**Charlie Darwin** · 01/08/2012, 12:54 PM

I'm guessing it'll be Vlaar and Dunne at the heart of defence. Clark and Dunne both prefer to play on the left side, so I think they'll be competing for the same spot.