Aiden McGeady

**Murfinator** · 19/09/2012, 9:42 PM

Originally Posted by swinfordfc

His move to Russia has def made him a better player and to be honest he should not come back to England.

How can he come back to a place he's never played in?

[QUOTE]

Originally Posted by Colbert Report

Oh, I hope you're right and I think he was right to leave Celtic when he did. I just don't get this thing of him having to leave Celtic in order to play against Champions League opposition. If he had gone to the likes of Stoke or Aston Villa he would been playing eight games minimum a season against Champions League opposition just in the Premiership alone.

While the premiership is strong in training players the discipline of what to do off the ball its shambolic in what to do with it, Russia is a better technical league for nurturing his attacking talent. Frankly we've enough of the former kind of player and not enough of the latter so the more who avoid the EPL for other leagues the better.

**Colbert Report** · 19/09/2012, 9:47 PM

There's certainly something to that murf. I would have loved to have seen Duff playing for one of the top sides in Spain or italy back when he was in his prime circa 2002-2005 instead of playing at Chelsea where he seemed to have all the creativity coached right out of him.

**geysir** · 19/09/2012, 10:55 PM

I didn't see the game, how did McGeady play?

**Colbert Report** · 19/09/2012, 11:13 PM

Terribly. He set up Spartak's second goal but was skinned like a cat for the Barcelona winner. Terrible defensively.

**geysir** · 19/09/2012, 11:14 PM

You watched the highlights or the whole game?

**Colbert Report** · 19/09/2012, 11:15 PM

Whole match, it was on live here in Canada.

**Colbert Report** · 19/09/2012, 11:15 PM

He's not a bad player, in fact, I think he is far and away Ireland's best player and certainly the most entertaining to watch. Nobody has the kind of skill he has on our team. He's not up to snuff against the likes of Barca in terms of tracking back and closing down, but then again, not many players are.

**DannyInvincible** · 20/09/2012, 12:30 AM

McGeady's assist against Barca earlier:

**AlaskaFox** · 20/09/2012, 8:42 AM

Originally Posted by Colbert Report

Terribly. He set up Spartak's second goal but was skinned like a cat for the Barcelona winner. Terrible defensively.

Apart from that howler for the goal, I thought he had a good enough game. Kept looking for the ball and didn't try to overplay it, like he has to with Ireland - Spartak offer him much more options when he has it. Where was their right-back for the winner?

**Carrigaline** · 20/09/2012, 9:55 AM

Originally Posted by Murfinator

While the premiership is strong in training players the discipline of what to do off the ball its shambolic in what to do with it, Russia is a better technical league for nurturing his attacking talent. Frankly we've enough of the former kind of player and not enough of the latter so the more who avoid the EPL for other leagues the better.

I don't buy into this notion that the Russian league has made McGeady a better player, or that it is superior technically. I reckon if you dropped McGeady into a team like Fulham, West Brom, Norwich or Swansea, he would be just as big a success. When McGeady plays for Spartak, he plays as an attacker and unless his team are defending a lead, then McGeady doesn't really track back. Also, Spartak are a team that love to play on the counter, and this gives McGeady a chance to run at his man, to stretch their defence and not get doubled up on. What also helps McGeady is that his full back will get forward, and that he will have lots of runners from midfield to play the ball through to. If McGeady played with any of the aforementioned Premier League teams, he would be playing in similar-ish systems. The problem for McGeady, is that flat 442 formations where the team is less mobile and freedom is restricted is the kind of system that doesn't play into McGeady's style (or indeed, most wingers). Unfortunately, the system that Trap uses doesn't play to McGeady's strengths and I reckon regardless of who we play on the wing, it's going to make all our wide players look worse than what they are.

**Carrigaline** · 20/09/2012, 9:57 AM

Originally Posted by AlaskaFox

Apart from that howler for the goal, I thought he had a good enough game. Kept looking for the ball and didn't try to overplay it, like he has to with Ireland - Spartak offer him much more options when he has it. Where was their right-back for the winner?

The right back was rubbish for Barca's opener too.

**Stuttgart88** · 20/09/2012, 11:01 AM

How did all our other Champs League players do this week?

**AlaskaFox** · 20/09/2012, 10:09 PM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

How did all our other Champs League players do this week?

Anthony Stokes had the same impact as he had at the Carling Nations Cup.

**Crosby87** · 20/09/2012, 11:22 PM

How many Irish have ever won Champs league? Is it 2?

**Colbert Report** · 21/09/2012, 4:29 AM

Finnan for Liverpool in 2005, though he was hauled off at half-time when they were down 3-0 against AC Milan. Roy Keane in 1999, though he was suspended for the final itself. John O'Shea was an unused sub in 2008 when Manchester United beat Chelsea on penalties.

**pineapple stu** · 21/09/2012, 6:15 AM

Ronnie Whelan in 84. Denis Irwin in 99. Plenty of others I'm sure.

**peadar1987** · 21/09/2012, 7:35 AM

Probably a couple of eligible players among the Lisbon Lions of 1967
Shay Brennan and Tony Dunne with Manchester United in 1968
Steve Heighway for Liverpool in 1977 and 1978
Mark Lawrenson, Ronnie Whelan, and Michael Robinson for Liverpool in 1984
Denis Irwin with Manchester United in 1999
Steve Finnan with Liverpool in 2005

And the Nordies:

George Best with Manchester United in 1968
Martin O'Neill with Notts Forest in 1980

There are probably a couple of unused substitutes or people who missed the actual final, a la Roy Keane, but I've done enough wiki trawling for one day!

**Stuttgart88** · 21/09/2012, 9:24 AM

Have we ever had so few Irish players playing CL or Europa League / UEFA Cup football in September?

**Kingdom** · 21/09/2012, 10:56 AM

Originally Posted by Colbert Report

Finnan for Liverpool in 2005, though he was hauled off at half-time when they were down 3-0 against AC Milan. Roy Keane in 1999, though he was suspended for the final itself. John O'Shea was an unused sub in 2008 when Manchester United beat Chelsea on penalties.

Finnan was substituted because of a groin injury.