Steven Reid

eirebhoy · 08-03-2008 6:28pm #1

I've been keeping a very close eye on him since he got back from injury and I'm very excited about the thought of him in the Ireland team if he can stay injury free. Before his injury he turned down Spurs, while Man Utd were linked with him, after an excellent season with Blackburn. His injury actually came in the Ireland game against Germany if I remember (I think he got injured again recovering from that).

He used to be a poor man's Stephen Gerrard. A box to box player with incredible energy. Now he seems to have turned into a playmaker. He's the main man in the Blackburn midfield. He's not doing anything spectacular on the ball but his movement is fantastic. He seems to be a much more confident and determined player and pretty much demands the ball from his teammates.

He's playing in a team at Blackburn with 2 strikers, 2 attacking wide players and a relatively attacking partner in David Dunn. If Reid wasn't positionally sound and good defensively that team would get ripped apart. So I don't think he'd necessarily need someone like Carsley beside him in the Ireland team which he may have needed pre-injury.

He captained Blackburn against Bolton as Ooijer was injured and himself and Dunn were apparently outstanding. He was again supposedly Blackburn's best player today against Fulham. I'm just excited about the player he has turned into. A very intelligent player. Add in Andy Reid's beautiful brain and I think we could match many European teams in that area which is where the British and Irish teams have been lacking in recent years. 2 proper playmakers in midfield.

So has anyone seen much of him? Can he stay injury free at last? Maybe, after watching Ireland and Celtic in recent years, I'm getting over excited about something as simple as a central midfielder that actually moves into the best position possible to receive a pass all the time.

PHB · 08-03-2008 6:37pm

Everytime I watch him I've been imprssed. He does look to be our best central midfielder. The question however is, can he stay fit. Was terrible that he got injuried, I think if he can regain his pre-injury form, he can become quite the player.

Bounty Hunter · 08-03-2008 6:57pm

We have really been quite unfortunate when it comes to injuries and other problems in midfield. Stephen Reid, Stephen Ireland and Andy Reid have barely played for Ireland in recent times and IMO our CM will/should be two out of the three of these players if they are fit and were playing 4-4-2. Much better than what we have been used to Carsley/Miller or Kilbane/Potter etc...

Ireland have missed Stephen Reid, he is a really good player and one that a team of Irelands standard cant afford to do without.

whatawaster · 08-03-2008 7:42pm

McGeady

S Reid

Ireland

Duff

Keane

Doyle

could be a great front 6

eirebhoy · 08-03-2008 7:50pm

Ireland isn't a central midfielder though and Andy Reid is still better than him in any position. Seen a lot of Portsmouth this season and Niko Kranjcar and Ireland are very similar players. Nobody would ever consider Kranjcar a central midfielder so I don't know why so many think that of Ireland.

whatawaster · 08-03-2008 8:03pm

eirebhoy wrote: »

Ireland isn't a central midfielder though and Andy Reid is still better than him in any position. Seen a lot of Portsmouth this season and Niko Kranjcar and Ireland are very similar players. Nobody would ever consider Kranjcar a central midfielder so I don't know why so many think that of Ireland.

He is a central midfielder. He's better with two others though. Like Gerrard in that regard.

Perhaps,

S Reid

A Reid

Ireland

McGeady

Duff--

Keane

whatawaster · 08-03-2008 8:06pm

eirebhoy wrote: »

Ireland isn't a central midfielder though and Andy Reid is still better than him in any position. Seen a lot of Portsmouth this season and Niko Kranjcar and Ireland are very similar players. Nobody would ever consider Kranjcar a central midfielder so I don't know why so many think that of Ireland.

Ireland is a better player than Reid. Reid never really shone in the Premiership. Ireland has

eirebhoy · 08-03-2008 8:26pm

whatawaster wrote: »

Ireland is a better player than Reid. Reid never really shone in the Premiership. Ireland has

Ireland is nowhere near Reid's standards yet imo. We probably agree that Ireland is a very good player but for me Reid is our most influential player. Our best passer, our most intelligent player, our most dominant player.

Reid was Charlton's best player when fit last season by all reports btw.

whatawaster wrote:

He is a central midfielder. He's better with two others though. Like Gerrard in that regard.

Ireland has maybe played 2 games in the centre of a 4-4-2 in his career and they were both cup games. That's just from my memory, I could be wrong. He usually played in a 3 man midfield with Barton and Reyna/(or some other holding player). That's ok. I'd like to see him play that role for Ireland too. There's no way I'd trust him at the centre of a 4-4-2 though. The opposition would walk through us if they were anyway decent.

And I agree with your lineup.

Vokes · 08-03-2008 9:24pm

whatawaster wrote: »

Perhaps,
S Reid
A Reid
Ireland
McGeady
Duff--
Keane

That's a nice midfield trio. And given eirebhoys observations re: S Reid, plus what we know A. Reid and Ireland can do, im hopeful that that trio will be able to retain possession and dictate games, esp in those away ties, where possession is paramount when defending a slight lead.

wowy · 09-03-2008 12:19am

whatawaster wrote: »

He is a central midfielder. He's better with two others though. Like Gerrard in that regard.

Perhaps,
S Reid
A Reid
Ireland
McGeady
Duff--
Keane

But can Keane really suffice up there on his own? I know that he's playing great for Spurs at the moment, but that's in a 442, so they can afford for him to drop back with Berbatov waiting upfield. And if not Keane, has Doyle been up to much this season to be able to slot in there?

~Rebel~ · 09-03-2008 1:50am

would like to maybe see

Reid---Reid

Ireland
-McGeady

Keane

Doyle

with mcgeady and keane in fairly free attacking roles. would be a fairly narrow formation, but plays to our strengths as well with plenty of movement and different runs from the front 3 and ireland

MrJoeSoap · 09-03-2008 1:55am

I think Keane needs another striker up top with him, plus I think Doyle is too good to be dropped. Hasn't improved his goal-scoring rate on last season, quite the opposite in fact, but is dangerous both in the air and on the deck when he gets the service. Which he hopefully will with Ireland.

That just means that with two up front, we can't play five in the middle. One of Duff, McGeady, the two Reids and Ireland has to go...

[Jackass] · 09-03-2008 2:06am

It's nice to have depth in your squad. i.e. start with Duff & McGeady out wide and Doyle & Keane up front with the 2 Reids in midfield...then you've got the option to throw Ireland on and add another element...be it to central mid or out wide...

One thing I certainly wouldn't do is play Keane as a lone striker, he needs someone ahead of him to play off..would sooner have doyle on his own up front and the trio in midfield...but I think we're most effective with 2 strikers...but they are nice options to have...let's not forget Hunt out wide too...

Trappa is a wiley old manager...he may have seen something in this squad that not many others would have, with all the young and exciting players along with established players...

If we can cement down a back 4 (around Dunne who will be captain) and Given stays fit, we're not a bad side at all...certainly good enough to be qualifying for major competitions which I believe should still be the minimum expectation of an Irish manager...no matter how average/incompitant each and every player has looked under the previous joker.

I'm really excited to get this new era under way and hopefully put the last few away for good.

Steven Reid

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