Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: Vanilla on January 25, 2012, 07:59:35 PM
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On rereading the below quote from Gabby:
“I think my best tally for a season was 15 or something in the good old days! I think big John Carew used to beat me by one or two."
From a piece in:
http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-sport/aston-villa-fc/aston-villa-news/2012/01/20/aston-villa-derby-destroyer-gabby-agbonlahor-is-ready-to-create-mayhem-at-wolves-97319-30160555/
I just wondered what fellow posters thought about Gabby's reference to 'the good old days'? Apart from sounding like an old chap getting on people's nerves in a pub, what do people infer from that comment?
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Well to be honest he's right, I'm glad he acknowledges the situation we're in, rather than pretending we're better than we are.
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Personally I think Gabby has had the a rough deal TBH, he's been played out of position for seasons now, he's almost become a round peg in a square hole and frankly I think his game has suffered, had he continued his role as a front man i genuinely believe he would have matured into a very different lethal striker, and would have been far more effective for Villa than Darren Bent can even start to think about.
The fact he scored 15 in his 1 season as he was developing says to me he was capable of a lot more with development. For Gabby I think time is just now passing him by, massive pity, for Villa and England, because being played out of position means he will not figure for England, England's front men in the summer will be made up of Rooney, Bent, Carrol, Wellbeck and Gabby would have been better than all of them with the exception of Rooney.
Think Gabby statement saying the good old days is Gabby saying that for the love of his club he's stayed put, but its cost him dearly, and he has turned down offers over the last 4 seasons from interested clubs, Arsenal and Spurs.
Personally I think it was a very sad day for Gabby when he was taken of on Saturday, that was a turning point, because if Villa do badly v Arsenal, AM will sideline Gabby again in desperation to recapture a winning formula for the next game.
If I was Gabby I would seriously have a chat with the old agent and put myself in the shop window and stop these loyalty statements he keeps making which puts of any prospective clubs, leaving them cold.
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Hang yer boots up ! Old man ! ;D
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The fact he scored 15 in his 1 season as he was developing says to me he was capable of a lot more with development.
He got 16 in all competitions in O'Neill's last season but I'm not sure can really say that was 'his one season as he was developing'.
His goalscoring record up to then was decent enough, but nothing spectacular.
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The fact he scored 15 in his 1 season as he was developing says to me he was capable of a lot more with development.
He got 16 in all competitions in O'Neill's last season but I'm not sure can really say that was 'his one season as he was developing'.
His goalscoring record up to then was decent enough, but nothing spectacular.
Not spectacular, but very consistent and for a long time did that for the club as a lone striker and basically a kid, that's a lot of responsibility for a 20/21/22 year old, pushing the club on from the front, 6th places, Europe, Semi Finals and finals. I fear Gabby could turn into this sad bench warmer that just didn't quite make it simply because he just wants to play for Villa. Mad!!!!
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Personally I think it was a very sad day for Gabby when he was taken of on Saturday, that was a turning point, because if Villa do badly v Arsenal, AM will sideline Gabby again in desperation to recapture a winning formula for the next game.
He was ill but don't let that get in the way of a poorly thought out conspiracy theory.
As for the comments I take them as nothing more than a figure of speech but no doubt the same people who present themselves as body language experts are also cunning linguists and will convince themselves it's a sign of deep seated unhappiness.
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The fact he scored 15 in his 1 season as he was developing says to me he was capable of a lot more with development.
He got 16 in all competitions in O'Neill's last season but I'm not sure can really say that was 'his one season as he was developing'.
His goalscoring record up to then was decent enough, but nothing spectacular.
Could he have meant "1st" season? Even though he scored 10, not 15 in that season.
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Dunno, he said fifteen goals so I presumed he meant the one season that he scored fifteen goals.
Accidentally increasing his goals by 50% is quite a big margin of error if so...
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I think you are seeing a different player to me Villanation. Gabby can lead the line and hold it up, but would never get more than 12-15 in a season, and possibly less in some even playing right up top. The issue is, he has zero natural movement, and is not a great finisher either. He is languishing behind defenders when the ball is put in much of the time, and does not have the natural ability to find the space, Bent does, and will haev always been a much more regular goalscorer. Team wise, you need that, it is a shame he and Gabby don't fit together, but if I were to sacrifice one, it would always be Gabby. He also blows very hot and cold, and even under MON went through periods of weeks without a goal up front. He is a good player, but has limitations, which is why he is often moved around.
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He is a good player, but has limitations, which is why he is often moved around.
Disagree with a few things in your post, but this most of all.
I'd say he's moved around a lot because he's very good.
Gerrard and Essien aren't moved around because of their limitations, they're moved around because of their qualities. And Gabby's no different.
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Personally I think it was a very sad day for Gabby when he was taken of on Saturday, that was a turning point, because if Villa do badly v Arsenal, AM will sideline Gabby again in desperation to recapture a winning formula for the next game.
He was ill but don't let that get in the way of a poorly thought out conspiracy theory.
As for the comments I take them as nothing more than a figure of speech but no doubt the same people who present themselves as body language experts are also cunning linguists and will convince themselves it's a sign of deep seated unhappiness.
Not sure if the concept has passed you by, but this is a football forum which allows people to offer there opinions and viewpoints on any raised subject.
Your obviously referring to the point I made about AM and I understand you leaping to his defence being some distant love child of his and as for me casting assertions on what i believe to be Gabby state of mind, then its a pretty safe bet that if an individual refers to the so called "good old days" then its possibly reasonable to imagine he may not being enjoying things quite so much now, don't you think?
Keep taking the medication and stick your Conspiracy labels where the sun don't shine thank you.
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I think you are seeing a different player to me Villanation. Gabby can lead the line and hold it up, but would never get more than 12-15 in a season, and possibly less in some even playing right up top. The issue is, he has zero natural movement, and is not a great finisher either. He is languishing behind defenders when the ball is put in much of the time, and does not have the natural ability to find the space, Bent does, and will haev always been a much more regular goalscorer. Team wise, you need that, it is a shame he and Gabby don't fit together, but if I were to sacrifice one, it would always be Gabby. He also blows very hot and cold, and even under MON went through periods of weeks without a goal up front. He is a good player, but has limitations, which is why he is often moved around.
Matter of opinion, I think Gabby had a lot more but I also think that flame is slowly being extinguished, he's not as fast, he's not as sharp, and he's not as vocal on the park as he used to be, that's my opinion anyway.
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Yet he had his best run of form for us at the start of the season.
Gabby blows hot and cold. He'll have a few runs of good form each season interspersed with cold periods where he either works hard but manages little or just sulks. With the exception of last season it is how he's been typically.
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Personally I think it was a very sad day for Gabby when he was taken of on Saturday, that was a turning point, because if Villa do badly v Arsenal, AM will sideline Gabby again in desperation to recapture a winning formula for the next game.
He was ill but don't let that get in the way of a poorly thought out conspiracy theory.
As for the comments I take them as nothing more than a figure of speech but no doubt the same people who present themselves as body language experts are also cunning linguists and will convince themselves it's a sign of deep seated unhappiness.
Not sure if the concept has passed you by, but this is a football forum which allows people to offer there opinions and viewpoints on any raised subject.
Your obviously referring to the point I made about AM and I understand you leaping to his defence being some distant love child of his and as for me casting assertions on what i believe to be Gabby state of mind, then its a pretty safe bet that if an individual refers to the so called "good old days" then its possibly reasonable to imagine he may not being enjoying things quite so much now, don't you think?
Keep taking the medication and stick your Conspiracy labels where the sun don't shine thank you.
If you are so keen on the freedom of posters to state their opinions why do you take such objection to me putting mine? Does it only extend as far as people who agree with you?
You've taken a throw away comment and invented a whole baseless conspiracy theory around it then followed it up with pathetic, childish comments.
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Personally I think it was a very sad day for Gabby when he was taken of on Saturday, that was a turning point, because if Villa do badly v Arsenal, AM will sideline Gabby again in desperation to recapture a winning formula for the next game.
He was ill but don't let that get in the way of a poorly thought out conspiracy theory.
As for the comments I take them as nothing more than a figure of speech but no doubt the same people who present themselves as body language experts are also cunning linguists and will convince themselves it's a sign of deep seated unhappiness.
Not sure if the concept has passed you by, but this is a football forum which allows people to offer there opinions and viewpoints on any raised subject.
Your obviously referring to the point I made about AM and I understand you leaping to his defence being some distant love child of his and as for me casting assertions on what i believe to be Gabby state of mind, then its a pretty safe bet that if an individual refers to the so called "good old days" then its possibly reasonable to imagine he may not being enjoying things quite so much now, don't you think?
Keep taking the medication and stick your Conspiracy labels where the sun don't shine thank you.
If you are so keen on the freedom of posters to state their opinions why do you take such objection to me putting mine? Does it only extend as far as people who agree with you?
You've taken a throw away comment and invented a whole baseless conspiracy theory around it then followed it up with pathetic, childish comments.
If you take time to read my post again you'll notice I say "I think", or "in my opinion" that is my opinion, rightly or wrongly, that is what this kind of thing is all about.
Anyway you clearly know way more about so called Conspiracy theories than I do so I'll leave you to carry on thinking way to deeply about things.
But listen its very simple, I'm sure your you'll be putting some of your own well thought out baseless throw away comments on here very soon.
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Personally I think Gabby has had the a rough deal TBH, he's been played out of position for seasons now, he's almost become a round peg in a square hole and frankly I think his game has suffered, had he continued his role as a front man i genuinely believe he would have matured into a very different lethal striker, and would have been far more effective for Villa than Darren Bent can even start to think about.
Yet, despite being a round peg in a square hole he has been one of the bright sparks this season. He is going through his post Xmas lull which occurs every season. You must have noticed that Gabby gets off to flier, does fuck all in the middle of the season before finishing with a flurry?
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Gabby's a good lad.
His form has dipped a bit recently but he was very good for us for the first three months of the season.
Infact if you look at every season in his career, he usually starts seasons very well, the goals then dry up between November-February and then he starts scoring again from March onwards.
He probably should score more goals over a season but then again not many players nowadays score 20 league goals a season anyway. And don't forget he dosen't take penalties either, all his goals are in open play, which can be a good way for a striker to boost their season tally.
Overall, he's one of us and has served us well through some good and bad times. The whole of our back 4 for a start should be getting more stick than Gabby for a start.
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Gabby is a hero and I wouldn't read so much into that statement. Regular top six, European qualification, packed houses and cup runs were great days that we all have great memories of.
Gabby will always give his all wherever he is played.
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Until last month I'd have said he was our best player this season. His form has dipped but he was majestic in certain games earlier on. His goal at Brizzle was a timely reminder of his ability. He'll bang in the winner on Sunday at Nu Highbury too.
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I think that unless they click as a partnerhip soon, we'll only be able to keep one of Bent and Gabby happy. That would be Gabby for me all day long.
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I know what you mean, Percy. We really need them to work together and to date Gabby for me has been our best player so far this season.
Hope he's recovered from his illness, we'll need him against Arsenal.
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I've said it before they'll never work as a partnership whilst petrov is here. The reason being that a 2 man midfield won't work with petrov in there.
The choice is do we play 3 in the middle to suit petrov or do we play 2 up front to see if we can form a partnership with gabby and bent?
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did you see on sky sports interweb this morning the article with Gabby saying, 'any club bidding for him would be wasting their time as he's villa through and through'.
Nice.
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I can't see Gabby ever leaving Villa to be honest.
As for his style of play etc., he looks great running past defenders down the left wing and turning defence into attack, but Bent isn't as quick as him so the chemistry isn't quite right.
A midfield consisting of a Petrov replacement, in the shape of a player who can run forward ( a la Dennis Mortimer) with the ball would help us a great deal in my opinion.
That player would be able to take defenders away from Gabby and also move forward and reach positions that Petrov cannot reach.
This would be part of a 4 man midfield.
This would create a style of play based on pace and forward movement from the team as opposed to a sole player ( Gabby) seemingly taking a whole defence on single handedly.
There needs to be a lot of blending and mixing at VP to improve on our offensive game.
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Bent has never been in a succesful partnership, the problem is not Gabby. Not just him anyway.
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I quite like Gabby cutting in from the left although I think the front four should have more license to swap positions, however this is unlikely with bent playing.
In my ideal yet realistic world I'd have a front four of
---------------------Gabby---------------------
-----Hoillet--------Ireland-----NZog/Marc---
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did you see on sky sports interweb this morning the article with Gabby saying, 'any club bidding for him would be wasting their time as he's villa through and through'.
Nice.
This is in today's Birmingham Mail as well. A statement of commitment, or something else?
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The only thing I would criticise about Gabby's recent play out on the left is that when the ball is over on the right, he fails to come into the box, still keeping his wide left position. If Bent heads to the near post area, Gabby should be heading for the far post. Too often he's left out there in no man's land, a threat to nobody.
If we could get him and Bent playing together, we'd be flying up the league. Alex and his coaching staff need to sort it out.
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The only thing I would criticise about Gabby's recent play out on the left is that when the ball is over on the right, he fails to come into the box, still keeping his wide left position. If Bent heads to the near post area, Gabby should be heading for the far post. Too often he's left out there in no man's land, a threat to nobody.
If we could get him and Bent playing together, we'd be flying up the league. Alex and his coaching staff need to sort it out.
Isn't that what happens when you are playing winger one week, striker the next and so on?
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Gabby's a good lad.
His form has dipped a bit recently but he was very good for us for the first three months of the season.
Infact if you look at every season in his career, he usually starts seasons very well, the goals then dry up between November-February and then he starts scoring again from March onwards.
He probably should score more goals over a season but then again not many players nowadays score 20 league goals a season anyway. And don't forget he dosen't take penalties either, all his goals are in open play, which can be a good way for a striker to boost their season tally.
Overall, he's one of us and has served us well through some good and bad times. The whole of our back 4 for a start should be getting more stick than Gabby for a start.
Exactly as I see it. The shame for him is he's never had a whole season of playing well and scoring consistently. Not entirely his fault but not entirely someone else's fault either.
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Only the very top bracket of players, and a few average players on a freaky run, have a whole season of performing week in week out.
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The only thing I would criticise about Gabby's recent play out on the left is that when the ball is over on the right, he fails to come into the box, still keeping his wide left position. If Bent heads to the near post area, Gabby should be heading for the far post. Too often he's left out there in no man's land, a threat to nobody.
If we could get him and Bent playing together, we'd be flying up the league. Alex and his coaching staff need to sort it out.
Isn't that what happens when you are playing winger one week, striker the next and so on?
Not really. Gabby's a smart enough footballer to be able to adapt to both roles with little difficulty. Somebody needs to tell him just because he's playing out wide he can still be a goal scoring threat.
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The only thing I would criticise about Gabby's recent play out on the left is that when the ball is over on the right, he fails to come into the box, still keeping his wide left position. If Bent heads to the near post area, Gabby should be heading for the far post. Too often he's left out there in no man's land, a threat to nobody.
If we could get him and Bent playing together, we'd be flying up the league. Alex and his coaching staff need to sort it out.
Isn't that what happens when you are playing winger one week, striker the next and so on?
Not really. Gabby's a smart enough footballer to be able to adapt to both roles with little difficulty. Somebody needs to tell him just because he's playing out wide he can still be a goal scoring threat.
Too true. We see Albrighton doing it often enough and Downing last year.
With two holding in Petrov and Clark the three attacking midfielders should feel they have the liberty to get into the box (albeit maybe not all at once).
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I think Gabby is great but he's not as good a winger as Marc or Charles or as good a centre forward as Bent or a floating forward/ attacking mid as Keane/Ireland, if the 4/5 of them are on their a game. If (big if i know) all our attacking players were in top form I wouldn't put Gabby in our starting 11 at present. I would if we went 4-4-2, but i think 4-2-3-1 will be far more effective for us.
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Dave re being moved around. Other areas of the pitch maybe, but for forwards it is a sure fire sign they are not as much of a goal threat as others there. There are some top players who naturally come in from the left or right and score loads, Henry being the market leader if you like, but Gabby does not use his 1 major asset intelligently enough when up front, so ends up playing where it can be a weapon, ie running past a full back. The frustration of him not coming in on the back post like Downing and Albrighton do I echo, as it is nothing to do with him playing different roles and all to do with his footballing brain. Great athlete and talented footballer, if he had a footballing brain like Owen or even Bent, he would be a beast, and not with us anymore despite his love notes.
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Personally I think it was a very sad day for Gabby when he was taken of on Saturday, that was a turning point, because if Villa do badly v Arsenal, AM will sideline Gabby again in desperation to recapture a winning formula for the next game.
He was ill but don't let that get in the way of a poorly thought out conspiracy theory.
As for the comments I take them as nothing more than a figure of speech but no doubt the same people who present themselves as body language experts are also cunning linguists and will convince themselves it's a sign of deep seated unhappiness.
Not sure if the concept has passed you by, but this is a football forum which allows people to offer there opinions and viewpoints on any raised subject.
Your obviously referring to the point I made about AM and I understand you leaping to his defence being some distant love child of his and as for me casting assertions on what i believe to be Gabby state of mind, then its a pretty safe bet that if an individual refers to the so called "good old days" then its possibly reasonable to imagine he may not being enjoying things quite so much now, don't you think?
Keep taking the medication and stick your Conspiracy labels where the sun don't shine thank you.
Yes it is, but is there really any need for your closing remark?
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Gabby is brilliant in my book He plays wherever asked and always works hard. He is a great front man when we only play 1 up top, its a pity he doesn't gel too well with Bent. Some partnerships just don't click. Mind you how many games have they really played together as a pair and how many times as it been on a regular occurrence? More often or not Gabby is asked to play out wide.
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Ah the old 'no football brain' chestnut. Posted as usual by someone with no football brain.
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Does Gabby have a football brain?
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I think Gabby is great but he's not as good a winger as Marc or Charles or as good a centre forward as Bent or a floating forward/ attacking mid as Keane/Ireland, if the 4/5 of them are on their a game. If (big if i know) all our attacking players were in top form I wouldn't put Gabby in our starting 11 at present. I would if we went 4-4-2, but i think 4-2-3-1 will be far more effective for us.
I like Gabby's work rate when on the wing, apart from the first half against Wolves - but, Ok, he was under the weather. But, he's far more effective up front, playing off a striker. He did well with Carew. Not sure it would work out with Bent. Still remains to be seen however. I don't think we have the right centre midfielders to go with a flat 4 in the midfield. Petrov and Ireland seem to need another player in there.
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Of course Gabby has a football brain. His technique has improved, but when he first got established it was terrible. You don't make it as a Premier league footballer with such a lack of technique without being really clever.
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I tend to think he's got a brain too, season after season he seems to have adapted his game in order to keep up a decent level of performance at the top.
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Does Gabby have a football brain?
Couple of seasons ago I'd have said no as so often on breakaways he'd run with the ball, not look up or pass and lose the ball. On other occasions he would look up but still wouldn't see the pass.
I do think he's worked really hard on that side of the game and he's improved his decision making with the ball this season, he's set up quite a few goals certainly.
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I love Gabby to bits but I don't really think he's clever enough for innuendo!
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I like Gabby, he has imroved his all round game immensely, he is not a natural goal scorer he does not get himself into positions often enough and he is pretty poor one on one.
But if fit he would allways be on my team sheet.