Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: peter w on January 17, 2011, 03:58:15 PM
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Anyone else get the feeling that Houllier doesn't fancy Gabby. Whenever he plays him now he sticks him out wide. Even though we have had a dearth of goals our main weapon is out on the wing. we need goals so why stick him there game after game? I can only guess that Houllier doesn't rate him as a forward.
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He gave him a new contract a couple of months ago.
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A little bit. I also think it's one of those cases when Gabby had the perfect manager for him in MON. Martin seemed to get a bit extra out of Gabby, like he can with a lot of limited players, that Gerard hasn't been able to. Technically I don't think Gabby is quite good enough to play up top on his own in Gerards system.
Okay, so is Bent much better technically? Not really, but the compensation is that he'll get more goals.
However I can see the two working well together. Gabby, if he can hit form can work hard up front in the channels and do some donkey work for Bent.
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I would like to see him up front and not on the wing i hope he returns there in the not too distance future.
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It would be insanity to lose Gabby.
He still has lots to offer.
A front 4 of Bent, Heskey, Gabby and Nathan has given me a semi.
The above 4 is in preference of order I would play them.
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I think for all his criticism it is wothy of noting tha Houllier has got Heskey playing.
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A front 4 of Bent, Heskey, Gabby and Nathan has given me a semi.
The above 4 is in preference of order I would play them.
BENT, nathan, gabby, then just a bloke out of the stands
thats the order i would play them. gabby and heskey have proven that they don't score regularly and can't shoot straight. nathan deserves a chance.
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thats the order i would play them. gabby and heskey have proven that they don't score regularly and can't shoot straight. nathan deserves a chance.
Heskey deserves more time, I took the piss out of him endlessly, but since Houllier has come in, his link up play has been fantastic and he's scored goals as well.
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I hope it doesn't,hopefully it'll benefit Gab who has the ability to pull out wide to use his pace,whereas Bent is the fox in the box type we havent had since Dublin.
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I dont see it with Nathan. He hasnt got the link up play, he seems deceptively slow, his decision making can be questionable too. So for me, that puts him well behind Heskey and Ag. And about 40 miles ahead of Carew.
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I want to see us return to 4-5-1 with Gabby up front Ash on the left Albrighton on the right Petrov holding with Bannan or Clark and Delfouneso in the hole. I see lots of goals....
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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
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this signing will be brilliant for Gabby's career.
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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
Can't really disagree with any of that.
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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
Can't really disagree with any of that.
Funny, I can disagree with every single bit of it.
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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!
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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!
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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
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Gabby does have a lot to offer, Bent may even compliment him
"Nice Range Rover Gabby! Them threads are wikid too"
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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.
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Gabby does have a lot to offer, Bent may even compliment him
"Nice Range Rover Gabby! Them threads are wikid too"
Exactly
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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.
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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
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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.
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"Nice Range Rover Gabby! Them threads are wikid too"
innit
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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.
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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.
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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 ?).
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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.
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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.
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This is a write off season for Gabby. The injuries have wrecked him getting any sort of momentum going. I suppose how little he was injured under MON, he was due a season like this.
Too early to write him off and i think he's a better player than a lot of people, villa and neutral fans, give him credit for.
Only a few months ago he was pinging inch perfect crosses onto the heads of Downing and Young at Stoke.
That said, I'm not quite sure where he fits in with the Bent sigining either.
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When Gabby was running at the goal in the first minute Carew decides to run straight in front of him bringing a defender with him, the most brainless run he could make.
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For whatever reason none of our strikers are scoring. Hence Bent and maybe cummings too ?
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A very tricky player to characterise. Some very obvious flaws, but we've seen him destroy the best defences in the country. Not sure how he fits in with bent as I really font see him as a wide player.
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A very tricky player to characterise. Some very obvious flaws, but we've seen him destroy the best defences in the country. Not sure how he fits in with bent as I really font see him as a wide player.
They were talking about how strong the Furryhand and Vidic partnership is tonight on the radio,but Gab always gives Vidic a tough time,i wonder sometimes if its a lack of self belief which harms Gab ?
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A very tricky player to characterise. Some very obvious flaws, but we've seen him destroy the best defences in the country. Not sure how he fits in with bent as I really font see him as a wide player.
Yeah, definitely not a wide player. Needs to be right up top through the middle with his pace, which can terrorise defenders. I take on board comments about his injuries this season and hope he comes good again. Thing is his pace won't last, look at Michael Owen, who would have predicted the rapid decline of his career once he lost his pace.
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Yep Gabby gave Vidic the run around in the second half that game.
Brilliant performance from him that showed how well he can lead the line.
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Gabby is a good player who has improved year on year before injuries. I sometimes think he is a bit too selfless as he does a lot of work for the team and doesn't insist on taking penalties. Add five or so pens a year and he'd be our 20 goal a season man.
I'm not giving up on him yet.
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I think that Gabby has taken the gym thing to seriously. Yes he needed to bulk up but I think he's gone to far. He seems to have lost a touch of pace and a bit of the "snap" he's had in season's gone by. He's always been a player who's form has relied heavily on confidence, that, combined with the extra bulk and fitness problems gives you an under performing Gabby. There is a good player in there he just doesn't quite believe it and is thinking too much at the moment. Maybe Bent will give him the spur he needs.
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Bent likes to pull off wide, is not a target man, Gabby has plenty to offer alongside Bent or even as a 3 up top, it gives us options