Liam Lawrence

flyswatter

Just heard he's back in the Ireland squad. But can he improve the midfield? He scored a cracker today!

watman

Since he has come back from injury he has lifted his game to adapt to the premiership . I think the best thing that ever happened to Glenn Whelan was getting called up by Ireland so hopefully the same effect will have on Liam

tho i would have stephen ireland in that position over lawrence for ireland any day even tho i am a stoke city season ticket holder

busted flush

Now all we need is Delap and we can nearly have the whole stoke midfield playing in green!

population

watman wrote: »

I think the best thing that ever happened to Glenn Whelan was getting called up by Ireland

Ugh

It certainly has not been the best thing to happen to Ireland however

ADTR

population wrote: »

Ugh

It certainly has not been the best thing to happen to Ireland however

Exactly what I was thinking!

Het-Field

busted flush wrote: »

Now all we need is Delap and we can nearly have the whole stoke midfield playing in green!

Well, given Stoke's position this season....would that be a bad thing ???

Dublin_Gunner

ADTR wrote: »

Exactly what I was thinking!

+2 lol


But Lawrence put in a MOTM display the other day, and scored a screamer. If he can keep playing like that, he could really be one to watch, even if he's not the youngest.

Third_Echelon

I have to say, anytime I have seen him for Stoke he has been very good... A call-up back to the international team is good to see. He is a nice addition to a midfield (Ireland's) which has been lacking imagination in recent games..

Dublin_Gunner

Third_Echelon wrote: »

I have to say, anytime I have seen him for Stoke he has been very good... A call-up back to the international team is good to see. He is a nice addition to a midfield (Ireland's) which has been lacking imagination in recent games..

Yep, I'd take Lawrence, and just leave Whelan looking at the match down the pub or something....

pokerface_me

Dublin_Gunner wrote: »

Yep, I'd take Lawrence, and just leave Whelan looking at the match down the pub or something....

I'd actually leave them both in the pub and stick Keith Fahey in there.

loyatemu

I'd certainly have Delap in the squad - I know the purists don't like Stoke, but last 15 minutes, chasing a game, he'd be a useful sub to throw on. Its not as if we play like Barca anyway...

el_tiddlero

Lawrence is a useful addition to the squad as cover for the right side of midfield. I don't see him being used in a central role.
The last set of qualifiers showed how painfully short of resources out wide we are when Duff and McGeady aren't fit. Lawrence also possesses good quality from set-pieces, a facet we have been lacking in recently.
I'm not sure about his work rate, having not seen Stoke play a full game lately, but he's been popping up in the highlight reels, which seems to suggest he gets involved in most of their good forward play. He'll probably get a start in the friendly, and then based on that and the availability of others, he may be in with a shout of making the team for the game in Sofia. It's a shame he fell over his dog that time (that was him right??), otherwise he may have had a stronger case for inclusion by now.

eirebhoy

Lawrence isn't in the squad. He's in the provisional squad of about 40 which isn't publicly announced.

As for Whelan:

On Saturday Hull palpably lacked individuals to match the gifted Fuller, Lawrence and Glenn Whelan. The last controlled central midfield with consummate ease.

Man of the match Glenn Whelan (Stoke City)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/may/11/phil-brown-hull-city-stoke-city-premier-league

Other papers describing him as "outstanding" and on his "a-game". He's been brilliant this 2nd half of the season.

Kingp35

It's great that Whelan is playing well for Stoke but that means absolutely nothing when the man is utter rubbish when he plays for Ireland.

eirebhoy

Kingp35 wrote: »

It's great that Whelan is playing well for Stoke but that means absolutely nothing when the man is utter rubbish when he plays for Ireland.

Coming after his motm performance against Italy? He absolutely dominated that game and I haven't been as impressed with our passing in a long time. They never gave Italy any hope because they hardly ever gave possession to them and when Italy had it they were harassed. To the point where Pirlo had to be taken off because he couldn't hack the constant pressure.

Whelan was brilliant away to Georgia also and good against Montenegro.

Warper

I never realised Lawrence was Irish - he would be a first-choice without a doubt. Easily replace Whelan or Gibson. Lawrence can play- he can pass, score, good at set-pieces - exactly what we need. He is Stoke's best player - I think last year he got the most assists in the Championship and this year despite being injured for the the most of it, he has done well when played.

Get him quick.

busted flush

Het-Field wrote: »

Well, given Stoke's position this season....would that be a bad thing ???

Yes. Come on stoke are a long ball/long throw team who mostly use their midfielders to come back and defend or cram the box for delaps missiles

meboloxitis

Yeah I like the way he plays, he is fearless in possesion! Congrats to Stoke for staying up. I would like to see Liam Lawrence play down the right for Ireland. That was some goal he scored last week!

carlop

If you play Lawrence down the right that means dropping McGeady or Duff, neither of which I would particularly fancy. The Ireland team may be limited in terms of ability, but given the way we play, I think there are very few changes Trap would make.

For example, seeing as Doyle appears to be out of the Bulgaria game, a case could be made to play Reid behind Keane, however it will never happen, and not because of Trap's dislike for Andy Reid. He has a system and he will stick to it, and it involves fast, skillful wingers and tough, defensive central midfielders, neither of which Lawrence really is.

eirebhoy

"Stoke finally began to build up a head of steam with Glenn Whelan orchestrating from midfield and Liam Lawrence delivering some dangerous crosses."

http://www.sportbox.tv/football/news/story.php?id=3078621

Jam-Fly

I've been very impressed with Lawrence recently. Hopefully he can continue his good form for Ireland