30-11-2014, 16:50
Personally, I wasn't happy when Irvine was given the job because I don't think the Premier League is a playground for experimenting with failed lower league managers. That said, I was over the disappointment by the time the season started and more than willing to give the guy a fair crack of the whip.
Since then though, he's made countless team selections that I don't agree with. So many, that I personally don't think the guy has a clue what he's doing.
As well as that, I said after the Everton game that we'd lost any pattern of play. There was no passing through the channels and we were launching hit and hope long balls time and time again. I've seen nothing since then to see any improvement.
Unless we play against Esteban Cambiasso every week, I can't see where the goals are coming from.
As for Brunt and Dorrans, they are two of Irvine's multiple selection mistakes IMO. Irvine's flat 4 in midfield is inflexible in modern day football, but if you are going to play it, you need wingers who are going to beat people. Neither of these players are wingers in that formation.
Dorrans IMO is a decent Championship player who is somehow still playing Premier League football despite being a shadow of the player he was 4 years ago. When we were doing half decent under Steve Clarke he wasn't anywhere near the team and rightly so. Now, millions of pounds and an international, world cup scoring winger later, he's still playing, out of position, for me the blame has to go with the manager.
Brunt would be more effective coming from the right or centre, where he can play the reverse balls or use his range of passing. There is no way he's a winger in a flat 4. For starters, in Sess and Saido, we have 2 small strikers anyway, so surely we need Brunt in a position to thread balls through rather than cross it anyway, not that I can remember him putting in a good cross from open play this season. Like Dorrans, Brunt was only a squad player when we were doing decent.
I firmly believe that Irvine's negative style means that these 2 are picked because they are better defenders than the alternative (Sess / Saido on wing, Samaras, Varela). However, what Irvine doesn't realise is to win matches, you have to score goals. We've conceeded 2 goals at home to Sunderland, Man Utd, Palace, Everton and Newcastle with Irvine's defence minded tactics, so maybe it's time for him to strap a set on and actually play some offensive players.
Since then though, he's made countless team selections that I don't agree with. So many, that I personally don't think the guy has a clue what he's doing.
As well as that, I said after the Everton game that we'd lost any pattern of play. There was no passing through the channels and we were launching hit and hope long balls time and time again. I've seen nothing since then to see any improvement.
Unless we play against Esteban Cambiasso every week, I can't see where the goals are coming from.
As for Brunt and Dorrans, they are two of Irvine's multiple selection mistakes IMO. Irvine's flat 4 in midfield is inflexible in modern day football, but if you are going to play it, you need wingers who are going to beat people. Neither of these players are wingers in that formation.
Dorrans IMO is a decent Championship player who is somehow still playing Premier League football despite being a shadow of the player he was 4 years ago. When we were doing half decent under Steve Clarke he wasn't anywhere near the team and rightly so. Now, millions of pounds and an international, world cup scoring winger later, he's still playing, out of position, for me the blame has to go with the manager.
Brunt would be more effective coming from the right or centre, where he can play the reverse balls or use his range of passing. There is no way he's a winger in a flat 4. For starters, in Sess and Saido, we have 2 small strikers anyway, so surely we need Brunt in a position to thread balls through rather than cross it anyway, not that I can remember him putting in a good cross from open play this season. Like Dorrans, Brunt was only a squad player when we were doing decent.
I firmly believe that Irvine's negative style means that these 2 are picked because they are better defenders than the alternative (Sess / Saido on wing, Samaras, Varela). However, what Irvine doesn't realise is to win matches, you have to score goals. We've conceeded 2 goals at home to Sunderland, Man Utd, Palace, Everton and Newcastle with Irvine's defence minded tactics, so maybe it's time for him to strap a set on and actually play some offensive players.