Ashley Young - tell it how you see it

[villa1]

Barrysleftfoot, fair opening comment. However, I do think he's more effective there than in the middle.

Maybe the fact that he's not played well in either position reinforces the fact that it wouldn't be a major loss if he left.

[Dave]

If Gibson were as average as you describe dave , I doubt sir alex would have had offered him a long term contract like he has done- I prefer to take sir alex opinion of him.

He's not average, he's atrocious.

He does nothing at all apart from repeatedly shoot from the edge of the box, with every thirtieth shot flying in.

He adds literally nothing else.

[Jimbo]

Young's problem is essentially the same problem as the team as a whole: he thinks he's much better than he really is. He always tries to do more than he is capable of pulling off - just like we as a team try to pass it around like Arsenal, when we are incapable of hurting the opposition that way. If he - and this applies to the whole team - understood his limitations, accepted his place in the footballing hierarchy, stuck to his natural position and played to his strengths, he'd be a much, much more effective player. As I said in the Blackpool post-match thread, in trying to outdo ourselves, we inevitably undo ourselves, hence our current position.

[oldtimernow]

Haven't seen a World Class Ashley Young performance since he got that tag which I believe was just an attempt to boost his confidence and keep him happy at the Villa.Making him captain and letting him play where HE feels his best is , is just  a continuation of this.

Take the money and reinvest please

[Chris Smith]

He's a top quality player. We're a better side when he's in it. People have unrealistic expectations. They seem to think every pass should be a killer ball and every cross drop straight on the strikers head. That just shows a lack of understanding of the game. However, if you look back you'll see that he's involved in a large percentage of our goals. His work rate is fantastic and his passion and commitment are obvious. Yes, he can appear petulant but that's because he's desperate to win. Yes, he sometimes looks for fouls but that's the modern game and expecting different is like expecting teenagers to stop using SMS.

The fact that we're even talking about Manu being interested tells you how good he is, Gibson isn't fit to iron his snood.

[Mister E]

Speculation in the press that sir alex wants him in the summer , if that was the case then I'd be looking for Gibson plus cash in a part ex deal, also galatasaray rumoured to be after mr petrov , in which case I'd definately sell.

We should have kept Craig Gardner; he's better than Gibson in the central role.

[eastie]

Chris , do you feel ash should be playing off the striker in the hole or is your opinion that he should be playing on the wing?

I heard GED saying ' ash prefers playing in the hole and likes it there' this week , that shouldn't come into it, I'm sure gabby likes playing central too but the team should be the main thing .

[Mister E]

He's a top quality player. We're a better side when he's in it. People have unrealistic expectations. They seem to think every pass should be a killer ball and every cross drop straight on the strikers head. That just shows a lack of understanding of the game. However, if you look back you'll see that he's involved in a large percentage of our goals. His work rate is fantastic and his passion and commitment are obvious. Yes, he can appear petulant but that's because he's desperate to win. Yes, he sometimes looks for fouls but that's the modern game and expecting different is like expecting teenagers to stop using SMS.

The fact that we're even talking about Manu being interested tells you how good he is, Gibson isn't fit to iron his snood.

Chris - much of what you say is good comment.
I just wonder whether he, his advisors and the Club will all come to the same conclusion: that his future would be best-served elsewhere and that the club can find other resources to make the sum of the parts more effective than currently.
AY does need to look to himself and decide whether the 'roving role' really is in his best interests; 'cos I don't think it helps the team.

[eastie]

I like to see a winger beat his man and get the cross in for his striker and marc provides this far option for us , I loved seeing froggatt get to the line and put saunders in on goal and can see see albrighton doing this for bent - the final ball from ash is not as good anymore and something in his game is lacking - his effort is first class but he lacks the delivery he used to provide.

[olaftab]

If Gibson were as average as you describe dave , I doubt sir alex would have had offered him a long term contract like he has done- I prefer to take sir alex opinion of him.

He's not average, he's atrocious.

He does nothing at all apart from repeatedly shoot from the edge of the box, with every thirtieth shot flying in.

He adds literally nothing else.

As Dave said. No thanks we don't want Gibson. SAF has him on a long contract so that he can trade him for good money simply because  he  is ex-manu.

[olaftab]

Swap for Jimmy in the summer please.

Very good suggestion. City need a wide option we need Jimmy back in the centre. Jimmy will never play in the man shitty centre in the near future.

[oxoneil]

Why, why, why (no seriously, why) does he keep wearing that fucking thing round his neck? It's an outdoor sport where you run around a lot and it's nearly 10 fucking degrees out now. Get the fucking thing off you idiot.

[olaftab]

Gloves and snood become a habit after  wearing them a few times and of course normal  stuff like suspicion comes into it. It they had a good match wearing those items than they are more likely to wear them  for that reason rather than actual climate needs.

[Chris Smith]

Chris , do you feel ash should be playing off the striker in the hole or is your opinion that he should be playing on the wing?

I heard GED saying ' ash prefers playing in the hole and likes it there' this week , that shouldn't come into it, I'm sure gabby likes playing central too but the team should be the main thing .

I like him in the second striker position. We've got other players who can play wide but we haven't got anyone else who can currently do what he does in the middle. We're not going back to 442 that should be obvious to everyone, so as it stands he is our best option there.

EffDee, wouldn't surprise me at all if that is how it pans out in the summer. By then Bannan, Delph and Albrighton might be ready to shoulder a bit more responsibility.

[Percy McCarthy]

If we could get Jimmy back I'd be delighted. I'd also love to see N'Zogbia coming in. That would represent a net improvement on Ash and Downing for me.