I'm a bit of a fan of Steven Reid meself but he does spend too much time on the bench for my liking. Allthough more often than not he starts I think he hasn't cemented his position in the Blackburn midfield like say Robbie Savage who starts every game when fit. He's at the age now where he should be making the role his own.
Originally Posted by Stuttgart88
Good post! I've always been a fan of Reid. Back in August 2001 I went to see Millwall play Norwich on the opening day of the season. Reid was in the Millwall midfield. He scored an outstanding free-kick and set up two goals in a 4-0 victory. I could rarely recall seeing such a complete performance from a player at any level. Reid ran the show that day. His passing, shooting, tackling, pace and energy meant that he was head and shoulders above everyone on the field. That day I remember feeling so happy that Reid had chosen Ireland, and not England. The following week he made his debut for Ireland against Croatia. However, it appeared to me that he was very nervous when playing for Ireland. The following year he made a real impact against Cameroon in the World Cup. However, Reid has not lived up to the early potential that he showed. Back in 2001, I was adament that Reid would be the best Irish player of his generation, Robbie and Duff included. However, he has been hampered by injuries and a lack of confidence. While I agree that Kerr never really gave him a chance, I wouldn't blame Kerr for that. With the exception of Kerr's first game against Scotland, Reid put in some poor performences for Ireland when he was given the opportunity, albeit mainly as a right-sided midfielder. His lack of form can perhaps be attributed to the amount of time he spent on the bench at Blackburn, something which was out of Kerr's control.
Reid is still far from being a fixture in the current Blackburn team. He's a confidence player and I just hope that yesterday's goal will allow him to go on and establish himself in the Premiership. Like Stuttgart88, I think there are similarities between Reid and Steven Gerrard. However, Reid must become much more consistent if he is to get anywhere near the standard of Gerrard. Reid has so much ability and so much to offer the Irish team. However, its time that he starts producing the goods and taking games by the scruff of the neck. I've always believed that he will come good. Lets hope this season will prove to be the turning point. A central midfield partnership of Kavanagh and Steven Reid looks more appealing that it did three months ago. In addition, the set-piece ability of Reid could solve a problem that exists when Ian Harte does not play.
"Love many, trust few, always paddle your own canoe." Dillo
Yep, just think what a GOOD MANAGER could do with a player like Reid.
On the subject of the Irish "feelgood" factor on 31st December, I should of course have added Mark Yeates scoring twice and Martin Rowlands scoring from distance. Gareth O'Connor scored for Burnely too, Coughlan for SWFC, Reddy for Grimsby and Richie Foran for Motherwell. Clinton was fouled for a penno.
The Times gave Paddy McCarthy man of the match in Leicester's 1-0 defeat and they also gave Graham Coughlan man of the match for The Owls. Sadly Paul Heffernan was singled out as having had a stinker! Colin Doyle is playing well in goals for Millwall.
Robbie was given 9/10 by The Times. It's very rare even Wayne Rooney gets such a high mark. Keep it up Robbie. Maybe the Irish captaincy would cop him on for us?
O'Shea played central midfield in MUFC's 4-0 win. It'll be interesting if he starts there against Arsenal tomorrow.
Kav got his lowest mark of the season so far against Blackburn - 4/10. Connolly missed a 1-on-1 with Friedel.
Duff started but got subbed today. He's not on geat form, but so what? No great worry for now.
I read on teletext y'day that Villa have turned down a bid from Brighton for wayne Henderson. I wonder how much it was. I met a Brighton-supporting mate in December and he says they all like him down there.
Ah yes, but you're forgetting part of the theory! Even if you go the right way, you'll still not save it as it's easier to put it just inside the post. But if your guess is right the other way, it's more likely to be a few feet inside the post, making it easier to save. It's probably of negilible statistical significance but it's a theory I like!
Joey O Brien gave away the Liverpool penalty today, a small blemish on a recent excellent record.
Just a point on Steven Reid, and I don't mean this as a slight on him cos I'm a big fan.
I think his progress has been hampered by his step up in the game because I'm not convinced he can handle the 'tactical awarenes' required by midfielders at the top level. He's been pumped so full of consequences of bad passes or mis timed runs into the box or exposing the back four etc etc That it's taken a certain edge and freedom from his game.
He's hopefully a season or two from being the player he has the potential to be,,,
Last edited by dr_peepee; 02/01/2006 at 6:52 PM.
Yeates set up the first goal and scored the second today for Colchester as they beat Forest 3-1, on some run of form at the moment. When is his loan spell up at Colchester?
Official site review: http://www.cu-fc.premiumtv.co.uk/pag....html?ptvParm=
Martin Rowlands scored a great goal for QPR V Crewe, 25 yards into the top corner. The first ever sligo player to get an FA Cup medal Barry Coogan is getting a run of games for Millwall.
I forgot to mention that Derek Geary was given man of the match by The Times for Sheffield United, playing left back.
Not helped either by starting his Premiership career at right back by Souness and alternating between central midfield, right midfield & the bench.
Another long range effort was parried by Westerveld last night & Dickov scored from the rebound. He had a 30 yarder saved in the first minute too. That's all I saw though.
I see Shane Supple had a great game for Ipswich yesterday too.
Aidan Fitzmaurice's 6 players to watch are:
James Chambers (Shelbourne)
Joey O'Brien (Bolton)
Andy Keogh (Scunthorpe)
Owen Garvan (Ipswich)
Kevin Foley (Luton)
Darren O'Dea (Celtic)
Also, a lad in the pub yesterday saw the first half of the Chelsea game and said Duff was playing really well. Did anyone see it?
Chris McCann at Burnley is another play to look out for, scored a great goal v QPR the other day.
hello and happy new year all
heres a interwiew with Alan Sheehan from the leicester O.S. about his aims for the second half of the season
http://www.lcfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page...63288,00.html?
Interview with Saul Deeney who'll be keeping goal for Burton Albion vs MUFC this weekend. Keith Gilroy will be in the Burton team too.
SAUL HAS LAST LAUGH ON COUNTY
By Andy Tilley, PA Sport
Burton Albion goalkeeper Saul Deeney has resolved to put his Notts County
nightmare behind him and savour every moment of Sunday's FA Cup glamour clash
with Manchester United.
United are due at the non-league side's 6,068-capacity Pirelli Stadium on
Sunday afternoon for a David-versus-Goliath third-round encounter.
But the match will hold a special significance for Brewers goalkeeper Deeney
whose career was on the skids after an acrimonious departure from League Two
side Notts County.
For despite the 22-year-old lapsing out of contract at Meadow Lane during last
summer, he turned up for the first day of pre-season training fully expecting
his future would be finalised in due course.
However, the Irishman's re-appearance came as a shock to Magpies manager
Gudjon Thordarson who had assumed a failure to put pen to paper on a new
contract meant Deeney saw his future elsewhere.
And although Deeney was re-employed by County on a short-term basis, he was
never given the opportunity to add to his 48 first-team appearances as
Thordarson had already signed Kevin Pilkington instead.
But Albion player-manager Nigel Clough then secured Deeney on loan in October
before securing the player on non-contract terms a month later.
And Deeney has been grateful for the chance to resurrect his career, saying:
``The first person on the phone was Nigel Clough and I've been made to feel very
welcome here.
``I was forced out of Notts County.
``I came back for pre-season thinking I had a job at Notts County but they
claimed I refused a new contract - even though I was never offered one.
Apparently someone else refused it for me.
``It was certainly a strange start to the season but I don't care about that
now because I can look forward to playing Manchester United on Sunday and that
will be the greatest day of my life.
``My focus is on that. Have I had any phone calls from people at Notts wishing
me luck? Not one.''
County's interest in the Cup was ended when they lost 2-1 at Torquay in the
second round whereas Burton enjoyed a 4-1 home victory over UniBond Premier
Division outfit Burscough.
Albion had previously reached the third round in 1956 and 1985 when they were
beaten by Charlton and Leicester respectively.
The latter tie hit the headlines after the Football Association voided the
Foxes' 6-1 victory over Burton after the goalkeeper was hit in the head by a
coin thrown from the crowd, with the Brewers then losing a match staged behind
closed doors 1-0.
And although another third-round exit is looming, the Derry-born Deeney said:
``I know I'm going to have to make saves in the game and that it's going to be
an uphill battle but since I arrived at the club, the back four have defended
really well and I feel like we've developed a good understanding between us.
``All we can do is go out there and give it our best shot. People ask whether
it's fear or excitement I feel when I think about Ruud van Nistelrooy or Wayne
Rooney or Louis Saha.
``It's fear. No, it's excitement. I think.''
And this is what Nigel Clough, Burton Albion's manager, said about Keith Gilroy on the BBC website:
He's an Irish lad who seems to spend more time out of the country than in the country. He's exceptionally skilful and will be one for United to look out for. Of all our players he is probably the one that can turn a game.
Conrad Logan recently joined boston united on an emergency loan as the club had a goalkeeping crisis,and in his first experience of first team football,albeit in the basement division,he has so far excelled including a man of the match performance v leyton orient, this in turn has led to boston asking leicester to extend his loan till the end of the season, which leicester have agreed to do.
he was 3rd choice at leicester so this will give him some good league experience.
Leeds have extended Miller's loan for the rest of the season.
Royle closing on Lee
By Alex Livie - Created on 6 Jan 2006
Ipswich boss Joe Royle has confirmed his interest in signing Cardiff forward Alan Lee.
Lee has slipped down the pecking order at Ninian Park and has been made available for transfer by manager Dave Jones.
Jones' Town counterpart Royle is in desperate need of some attacking reinforcements and a deal for Lee could be pushed through next week.
"Alan is not shy of hard work and will give us height up front to complement Nicky Forster and work with Sam Parkin," said Royle.
"We talked about him in the summer, but money was unavailable at that time once we signed Sam. I first spotted Alan playing for Burnley."
It is believed that Lee will command a fee in the region of £150,000.
Paul Heffernan scored the opener for Doncaster in their 2-1 reverse to Port Vale in the FA Cup 3rd round.
Thornton played too, but didn't have much impact according to the match reports on the official sites. Doncaster are only 6 points off the play off places, and with a game in hand over most of the teams ahead of them due to their run in the League Cup, could see them come into contention
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