Gabby

[The Left Side]

this signing will be brilliant for Gabby's career.

Fingers crossed Toronto, if they can play together in a 4-4-2 and bang in a few goals early on then the world is our oyster!

[Bad English]

1) For all the criticism of Houllier, we are still paddling around shit creek.
2) Gabby is not keeping Shrek out of the headlines, nor is anyone anywhere any good trying to buy him.
3) Gabby, Gabby X 65² Agbonlahor, not going to scooooooooooore!

[Phil from the upper holte]

Gabby had a good spell on the wing when Mon came so he has played there before! I do agree about him not being a natural finisher, He isn't Bent would have taken that chance yesterday.

Gabby does have a lot to offer, Bent may even compliment him, Who knows. Time will tell

[Bad English]

Gabby does have a lot to offer, Bent may even compliment him

"Nice Range Rover Gabby! Them threads are wikid too"

[TonyD]

Gabby needs a spell back in the middle with a few balls over his shoulder to run on to, rather than endless over hit or poor crosses from our hordes of wingers.  Him and Bent could be deadly.  We would then still have the Fonz and Weiman to bring through. This love in with Heskey just because he has a few decent games is laughable.  The majority of time as a Villa player has either be spent injured or playing extremely poorly with very little goals score for a striker.

[Phil from the upper holte]

Gabby does have a lot to offer, Bent may even compliment him

"Nice Range Rover Gabby! Them threads are wikid too"

Exactly

[alan_clarke]

The fact that Gabby divides opinion so much only proves to me he isnt good enough.

I still think he has a role to play at Villa and still is worth his place in the first XI, but I think people can sometimes be blind to his limitations as his attitude since he broke in the team has been excellent.

[john e]

dont think Gabby will compliment Bent,
 both havent got a good first touch and lack technique, however one scores goals the other doesnt,
i suppose you could compare Bent to Peter Withe, wont offer much footballing wise appart from a bag fullof goals [hopefully]
just need to find the new Gary Shaw now, and it aint Gabby

[Dave Cooper please]

The fact that Gabby divides opinion so much only proves to me he isnt good enough.

I still think he has a role to play at Villa and still is worth his place in the first XI, but I think people can sometimes be blind to his limitations as his attitude since he broke in the team has been excellent.

Does the fact that he has come up through the youth team and is "one of us" mean he gets cut more slack than most other players?
After all, he has been mostly pretty poor so far this season yet he doesn't get much, if any, criticism.

[thebigragu]

"Nice Range Rover Gabby! Them threads are wikid too"

innit

[Ian.]

this signing will be brilliant for Gabby's career.

Fingers crossed Toronto, if they can play together in a 4-4-2 and bang in a few goals early on then the world is our oyster!

I like Gabby, he's been a good player for us. Ok he is having a terrible season but with that injury now hopefully behind him and a new strike partner I do hope your right and it will get the best out of him.

[SoccerHQ]

Interesting to see what we do for the rest of the season regarding formation.

I actually think we'll stick with 4-5-1 away from home as that's got us two decent results so Gabby might be on the left for a bit longer.

I think at home we'll go 4-4-2 as we really need to get some home wins under our belt and I think Gabby may be the fall guy as for a two I think Houllier will go for Heskey and Bent. Also interesting to see how he juggles our three wide players around, Young looks undroppable so not sure who out of Downing and Albrighton will play more in the run in.

Long term I think Houllier will do well to survive even half of Gabby's 5 year deal so I don't see Gabby being sold or wanting out.

[orkneyvilla]

i suppose you could compare Bent to Peter Withe, wont offer much footballing wise appart from a bag fullof goals [hopefully]
just need to find the new Gary Shaw now, and it aint Gabby

A bit harsh on Withe there John. I thought he bought a lot more to that side - like when he elbowed that Barcelona bloke in the chops (deserved no ?).

[Gerrin]

Gabby's just not good enough, and is extremley limited in what he offers.

he has to be played in exactly the right position, with exactly the right players around him with the right sort of service in the a game where we are on top,
in other words when all the planets are in line he does ok,

otherwise he just doesnt do it,
what is it 13 games no goals, look at the first chance in the derby game on sunday, he did great creating the oppening, just to blast it miles over the bar,
 he's just not a natural finisher, no matter how many excuses you make for him he will only be good for his usual 10-12 league goals a season, and only then with a prevailing wind,

admitedly he's the best we got at the moment, but what we need is someone who actually knows how to score, hopefuuly that is Bent

are strikers at the moment are next to useless, and at least we look like rectifying the problem

I pretty much agree with that, he doesn't score enough, that's the top and bottom of it. Give him his dues, I don't think I've seen a faster player over the first 10 metres, he's got anyone beat straight away. Needs more goals though. He should have hit the target with that chance on Sunday. If we get Bent, it will definitely be Heskey and Bent up front, or maybe just Bent, with 5 in the middle.

[SoccerHQ]

I think for all his criticism it is wothy of noting tha Houllier has got Heskey playing.

He has.

However he's in his 30s, on high wages, misses games regularly through injury and suspension and I think he has 1 year left on his deal so wouldn't be surprised if we move him on in the summer. Can see Leicester wanting himl.