[Slick_Footwork]

Varela has not been able to start matches because he has been lacking match fitness which is obvious given that he hasn't played proper competitive football since the World Cup. Morrison has been in the team most of the season so it is easier for him to come back in after 2 weeks.

I think we can only speculate on if Varela is fit enough to start a game or not.

While I'd agree you only get 'match fit' by playing games, I can cite some managers who choose to
throw players straight in after injury and others who prefer to ease them in.

Irvine has shown already with the likes of Lescott, he's more than happy to throw a player straight in
if he likes him.

However, based on the evidence of Irvine's selections so far, he's shown that he doesn't favour
attack minded midfielders.

Even Sessegnon wasn't Irvine's first choice at the start of the season and has been dropped a few times
since then too.

Let's look at the evidence prior to Varela's surgery. The guy had 10 mins against Hull in the cup, the
same game that Ben Arfa played a full 90 for Hull, despite signing at the same time as Varela, having
no pre-season and apparently being several stone over weight.

Then, in terms of Varela's comeback, it took several weeks after his comeback friendly for Irvine to even
put him on the bench. Surely, if his long term intention was to pick the guy, he would've been easing him in with
5 and 10 minute appearances as soon as possible.

Then, we he finally throws him on the bench, the West Ham game, it's after a run of several consecutive
defeats. IMO he was just there is we ended up chasing the game (Irvine couldn't care less about easing him
in). Sure enough the guy gets a good 30 minute stint when we're in the doldrums.

However, whether he would've featured had Brunt not been injured remains to be seen.

Personally I hope you're right and Varela does start on Saturday but I wouldn't bet on it. And if he does, I'd
bet he's starting in place of Sess. Irvine surely couldn't select two attack minded midfielders on the pitch at
the same time.

[WBA-Josh]

That's good Beefy because I was starting to get flashbacks to the 2008/2009 season where me, aries, HeavySoul and a couple of others were constantly labelled as happy clappers and some other harsh things just because we supported Mowbray.

I will admit that it does look a bit off and I can understand people's frustration but if you look at the times that Ideye has played this season, he hasn't offered a massive deal. Of course he hasn't played with the right personnel yet to get the best out of him and he is having to settle in but in a big game like Saturday's, Irvine went for the safe option by playing Anichebe who is a guy that he knows well and Anichebe has given some good performances this season. Anichebe did his job well especially in the first 15 minutes because Dawson and Chester couldn't deal with him.

I think at the moment, Irvine is choosing players who he fully trusts to get the job done. Whether that is right or wrong is up to debate but it does make a little bit of sense. Coaches and managers needs players that they can count on trust and Irvine probably doesn't trust Ideye to get the job done. That ultimately means Anichebe and Berahino over Ideye, but if Ideye comes off the bench and scores a brace against the Villa, Irvine's trust in him will increase twofold.

---

Good points slick and I have been critical of Irvine for things such as throwing Lescott straight in which does make everything look very iffy. Like with Anichebe, Irvine obviously trusts Lescott because he knows him. I doubt Irvine knew who Ideye, Varela and Blanco were when they signed so trust in them has to be built up.

You are right that some coaches like to throw guys straight in rather than bring them though slowly. Schalke did that last season with Huntelaar on his return from injury. He was chucked straight into the starting 11, he scored within 20 minutes and then came off at 60 minutes. However, that approach can sometimes be a risk especially in a game that is going to be a tight affair. For example, the Hull game was always going to be a close encounter due to the team's positions in the table so I understand Irvine not starting with Varela in case he can only last 60 minutes but because of how the game goes, his impact is little. Saving him for that later on was still in my opinion the better bet.

I said on Friday night about Varela not being on the bench against Chelsea and Arsenal. I could understand why he was left out of the squad for Chelsea but not for Arsenal. Maybe he had a niggle or something which wasn't worth the risk or Irvine wanted to save him for West Ham.

Hopefully he will be able to start against Villa because we need someone like him in the team.

[Beefy 1965]

"Happy Clappers"!!
Quite like that!    

IMO this thread shows just why this site is so good - the posters may well have completely different opinions but there's very rarely any fur flying  

No fur or hair,........

Never mind Josh i have found a new hair piece for you  

[wba_1996]

I think at the moment, Irvine is choosing players who he fully trusts to get the job done.

But they aren't getting the job done, and that is what is making Irvine look like an idiot.

[WBA-Josh]

That looks quite dashing Beefy. Please post it to me. My farmer buddies will probably look at me as the messiah in that.

That is quite true 1996. Irvine isn't helping himself but at least he has shown some signs of changing things now. Hopefully it is not too late for his sake.

By the way, have any of you guys heard any news about our Argentinian munchkin aka Blanco? I saw a post on Facebook a few weeks back about him having an injury but there are no confirmed reports about it.

[Squirrel Regis]

Our home record...
Won 5 out of the last 31
Never mind the fans not getting behind the players they should think themselves lucky there hasn't been a bloody riot !
Bring on the Villa....

[Beefy 1965]

That looks quite dashing Beefy. Please post it to me. My farmer buddies will probably look at me as the messiah in that.

That is quite true 1996. Irvine isn't helping himself but at least he has shown some signs of changing things now. Hopefully it is not too late for his sake.

By the way, have any of you guys heard any news about our Argentinian munchkin aka Blanco? I saw a post on Facebook a few weeks back about him having an injury but there are no confirmed reports about it.

Not sure about Blanco, I don't think he was injured.

The last i heard during the West ham game he posted on twitter with pictures of Pizza's,

Not a happy chappy me thinks

[BBB]

me thinks - Whistle = now where have I heard that said before?

It would seem before our last game, as I said, Irvine will look at these posts and become more venturous, remember he is still learning his trade.

Still on to the next game, and I predicted a 2-1 Man U win ----- money!