[santasabaggie]

Where is he ? Irvine says he needs time on the pitch blah di blah where is he?

[WBA-Josh]

I don't know why he isn't on the bench. An injury perhaps?

Also Irvine doesn't know how to utilise him. He showed that on Tuesday night by playing him in a 4-3-1-2 formation. Ideye needs 3 pacey and creative players supporting him like he had with Dynamo Kyiv. A midfield 3 of O'Neil, Baird and Mulumbu with Blanco ahead of them doesn't provide that.

There's still plenty of time for Ideye to get rolling.

[Slick_Footwork]

I think this exposes some of the flaws when the manager isn't directly
involved with player recruitment.

First and foremost, you can have players signed who the manager doesn't
want. Secondly, you can sign players who don't fit the manager's style of
play.

It appears that Irvine's approach, which isn't exactly expansive, doesn't
really suit Ideye's style based on Josh's description. I suspect our 'creative'
signings might suffer too, Blanco didn't make the bench either today,
while Varela didn't even make the second string side earlier in the season.

[DanTheSmethwickMan]

Oh dear according to WM he wasn't injured and was just not chosen in the 18 man squad

[Beefy 1965]

I remember when Irvine was appointed,

He said he didn't realise who he was and had not seen him play

Maybe the truth but im surprised he came out with it the way he did so quickly,

Maybe something more than meets the eye here,

I mean how can guys get match fit, match sharpness when they only play a game here or there ?

[drewks]

There seems to still be an underlying feeling of disapproval with AI in many postings and threads, this being another.
He may not be playing the fully expansive game that we would all IDEALLY like to see, but he's got a completely new squad and is in a new job.
IMO it's completely understandable that he's playing the more solid, proven PL players rather than gambling on 2/3/4 untried players at this stage of the season.
I think he's doing pretty well!

[santasabaggie]

I remember when Irvine was appointed,

He said he didn't realise who he was and had not seen him play  

Maybe the truth but im surprised he came out with it the way he did so quickly,

Maybe something more than meets the eye here,

I mean how can guys get match fit, match sharpness when they only play a game here or there ?  

My thoughts exactly,how does a player get match fit when NOT playing...strange,just hope he doesn't do Rosie.

[RainbowTurnedEastStand]

I`d like to see him up top with Berahino in behind

FOSTER
GAMBOA DAWSON LESCOTT POCOGNOLI
MULUMBU GARDNER
VARELA BERAHINO BRUNT
IDEYE.

Peace must be wondering where 15M of his summer investment has disappeared to,
Irvine cant keep using this `injured players need top up sessions` crap as its becoming boring now,
Benteke was out for months and months yet has one reserve game then gets game time .

[BaggieMan]

Rather worrying really. £10m outlay with virtually zero return to date - JP must be somewhat concerned.

[wba_1996]

I'd love to see him given a run of games, but atm Berahino is undroppable, and moving him out of position to accommodate Ideye would be idiotic to say the least.

His chance will come again at some point, but he NEEDS to take it as it looks like AI is going off him.