Slim wrote:Scatman wrote:you started it slim, what are your conclusions?
I think the big one for me is Stephen Ireland, outside of the top two who only played two games, he is our most effective player.
that's what i noticed too...it's actually the only interesting thing in the entire table, since the rest kind of cancels itself out. The bottom 9 or so are the crap team that's been shitting it on the pitch for the last month so no surprises there, and you take Robson and Dunnie out...and you get Ireland. Ade's been out a lot due to suspension and injury.
Why isn't Ireland playing more? Why is he less effective?
i know why...because Stevie told us. it's the formation and his role. He said on the OS about 3 weeks ago that this year he's been asked to take on a different role and play a less forward role than last season, and in a 4-4-2, which he claimed he "hasn't played in a while, but he's trying to get used to."
It's Hughes trying to figure out how to play 4 midfielders with the addition or Barry and NDJ's capability which is hindering our squad. It's at the expense of midfield creativity for sure.
I say bench Barry for a few matches, and let's see what Ireland and NDJ can do together in a 3-man midfield with SWP. SWPs form is suffering as a result of this change as well. Ade, Bellamy, and Tevez up front in the 3 man forward role. Same players, different roles. Clearly it's a case of 6 or two 3s to some, since our shape is hardly noticeable at times when we're fluid, but if it's something Stevie's making note of on an OS video then it is something real to him.
am i on the right track here or am i sniffing glue?
cheers