Ciaran Clark D Free agent b.1989

**Charlie Darwin** · 31/03/2014, 6:35 PM

Originally Posted by CraftyToePoke

Just looked at it and am reluctantly with Doc on it, as I still hope Clark will become a key player for us but, he should have held position imo, but I think his team mate lad lost the runner and instinctively he moved to cover, but the Mata run was to the near post and even if the crosser found him running at pace, which was a lower percentage risk anyway, he still had a more difficult finish than Rooney in the center of the goal, stood still. it made the ball in to Rooney an easier one to pick out also.

I don't think anybody's denying he's at fault, it's just that doc's reasoning is hilariously wrong-headed. He was at fault but ball-watching is the one thing he didn't do. If he'd been caught ball-watching he'd probably have been in a better position to defend it.

**the doc** · 31/03/2014, 6:47 PM

Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

I don't think anybody's denying he's at fault, it's just that doc's reasoning is hilariously wrong-headed. He was at fault but ball-watching is the one thing he didn't do. If he'd been caught ball-watching he'd probably have been in a better position to defend it.

You ever played the game Chazza?

I know my footie, know a dud when I see one!

Move on!

**CraftyToePoke** · 01/04/2014, 1:10 AM

Originally Posted by the doc

Have any of you on here played Football?

Originally Posted by the doc

You ever played the game Chazza?

Tell us doc, at what level do you begin to count someone as 'having played' ? Do you mean, having earned money from playing, to have played professionally ? Or does semi-pro count ? Or been in a youths set up / academy ?

Do enlighten us

**tricky_colour** · 01/04/2014, 1:13 AM

It's sort of 6 of one and half a dozen of the other, mind you think a few of you here are guilty of video watching

However it is a major crime to leave Rooney unmarked 8 yard out centrally in front of goal.
There is certainly an element of ball watching there. All of the Villa players are guilty of that, it's a generally disorganised
defence, and people like Clark should be playing a role in organising it.
Just mark the players up and get goal side of them, you don't need to watch the ball if he has nobody to pass to.
In Alan Hanson's words "Shocking Defending".
Prior to that Villa had one of the best away defensive records in the league and their overall record is pretty decent
so maybe we should not read to much into just one incident.

**Stuttgart88** · 01/04/2014, 11:41 AM

I'm with Charlie. Clark's judgment was definitely at fault but ball watching wasn't the mistake. He was doing anything but ball watching.

**geysir** · 01/04/2014, 12:15 PM

He wasn't watching the ball, he got distracted from his duty by the decoy run of Mata who had clearly slipped his marker,
but the final pass was not going to be made to find its way through 3 Villa players towards Mata, with Rooney in that space.

**Charlie Darwin** · 01/04/2014, 2:35 PM

Originally Posted by the doc

You ever played the game Chazza?

I know my footie, know a dud when I see one!

Move on!

No, I was born without legs. My assessment is based purely on logic and observational evidence.

Clark is watching Mata.
Mata does not have the ball.
Therefore Clark is not watching the ball.

You might know your Footie but I know my Aristotlean Logic.

**Stuttgart88** · 01/04/2014, 2:48 PM

I'm looking for a copy of my aritotelean logic textbook from UCD in 1985/6. Written by Dr Patrick Bastable but it's out of print.

If anyone can get their hands on a copy...

**Eminence Grise** · 01/04/2014, 4:34 PM

But, Stutts, if you're book-watching you won't see the action all around you on the thread, and while Dr Bastable will be pleased, another doc will be very annoyed with you!

**tricky_colour** · 01/04/2014, 4:54 PM

Originally Posted by CraftyToePoke

Tell us doc, at what level do you begin to count someone as 'having played' ? Do you mean, having earned money from playing, to have played professionally ? Or does semi-pro count ? Or been in a youths set up / academy ?

Do enlighten us

In his defence, you do not need to be an air traffic controller to know flight MH370 is missing

**DeLorean** · 02/04/2014, 8:19 AM

I don't see how that's a defence (quite the opposite) but I like the analogy.

**TheOneWhoKnocks** · 02/04/2014, 7:58 PM

Has any of the doc's posts not referred in some way to St Ledger?

Clark is young for a defender. St Ledger is pushing 30. Clark has room to improve. What is St Ledger's excuse?

St Ledger has been grand at International level. I'm referring more to the lack of progress in his club career.

**Charlie Darwin** · 02/04/2014, 8:21 PM

The doc has been around since before Clark ever came on the scene. Before Clark came along most of his posts were about St Ledger's original nemesis, Alex Bruce.

**BonnieShels** · 02/04/2014, 9:21 PM

Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

The doc has been around since before Clark ever came on the scene. Before Clark came along most of his posts were about St Ledger's original nemesis, Alex Bruce.

They were dark days.

**Charlie Darwin** · 02/04/2014, 11:50 PM

Originally Posted by the doc

29 years old, stop fishing knocker!

Some big moves were close, but never came off.

That's football.

Some players are lucky some aren't,

Alex Bruce, Clark, McShane, Wilson, Delaney all play in the Premier league are they better than the Saint?

No!

That's footie!

I don't know if they're all better than him but they've certainly all played at a higher level than him.

I'd be more concerned that, added to your belief that tracking a runner counts as ball-watching, you've also somehow decided that being 29 doesn't qualify as "pushing 30".