Agbonlahor vows to put struggles behind him and hit the goal trail

[Legion]

Striker targets end to injury problems and a return to goalscoring form.

From Pravda:

Gabby Agbonlahor has vowed to put a stop-start first half of 2010-11 behind him and fire Vila up the Barclays Premier League table.

The striker has been restricted to 10 starts and three substitutes appearances this term after battling injury and illness.

After overcoming hamstring and back problems early on in the campaign, the 24-year-old went under the knife for a groin operation.

But a virus and a chest infection hampered his progress further.

Now Agbonlahor, a virtual ever-present in the Villa line-up in recent seasons, is ready to put those setbacks behind him and concentrate on improving the club's league position.

"It has been frustrating but if you look at the course of my career from when I started and look at the number of games I've missed compared to other people and it isn't many," he said.

"Maybe these last few months were my time to have a bit of a battle against injuries and get them out of the way.

"It is a little reminder that things don't always go your way. In football you are going to get injuries and inevitably you are going to pick up something.

"You'd have to be very lucky to go all through your career without a little operation and a strain or pull here and there.

"A few seasons back I think I played the whole season and didn't miss a game but perhaps when you get a little older that doesn't happen every season."

Agbonlahor has made a year-on-year improvement in his goals tally since breaking in to Villa's first team in 2006.

He found the net 16 times last term - his best-ever goals return - and now he hopes a run of games in January will get him back on the scoring trail.

''I think anyone who comes back from injury needs a run of games," he added.

"If you look at all of the top strikers in the Premier League who have been out with injury they need that run of games to get back into it.

"It has been frustrating. I haven't had that many games overall this season and obviously the result comes first but hopefully I can get a goal as well."

[villa1]

He can vow all he wants! I want him to go out there and start showing us!

[AV82EC]

Stop talking, start doing!

[luke25]

Im fed up of reading this kind of thing, fucking show us, don't tell us

[WALTERS WARRIORS]

Ye loads of respect for Gabby. But ye just do it geezer ........

[dave.woodhall]

Damned if they do.....

[RogerS]

Damned if they do.....

Is the correct answer....

[JJ-AV]

Gabby, Ashley, Heskey and Downing are the only senior players to have come out of this season with any credit for me.

[Shrek]

Gabby, Ashley, Heskey and Downing are the only senior players to have come out of this season with any credit for me.

Clark, albrighton and Bannan!!!

Gabby hasn't done anything yet, he has been injured all season and ha a good game vs Man U, but nothing else.

[bob]

When is someone from the club gonna come out with a statement??!?!?!

Oh shit, wrong thread, sorry.

[JJ-AV]

Gabby, Ashley, Heskey and Downing are the only senior players to have come out of this season with any credit for me.

Clark, albrighton and Bannan!!!

Gabby hasn't done anything yet, he has been injured all season and ha a good game vs Man U, but nothing else.

'senior' 

[olaftab]

Clearly this is real pressure time for both players and fans. It is pleasing that they are speaking up and not hiding. Yes they need to  do it on the pitch but it's good that first Petrov and now Gabby realise that they  need to say something to the supporters.

[Bosco81]

If Gabby plays to form there is no chance we'll be in trouble, big fucking if at the moment mind.

Half a dozen games of Gabby and his mate Ashley and we're laughing.

Positive thinking that's what we need.

[AV82EC]

Damned if they do.....

Can I disagree with that to a degree Dave?  I realise we live in a media driven environment and particularly with the club trying to promote its own media agenda through Pravda then there's always going to be something to say.  For me though there's a time to shut up and for the clubs media outlet to realise what we need isn't soundbites and content for the website but a focus on letting the football side of the club get on with doing what it needs to be doing i.e concentrating on winning football matches.  I for one would have been quite happy with a media blackout this week including pravda other than legally binding Premier League press stuff. 

The agenda has changed massively over the last 20 years and not always for the better, I seem to recall being mightily pissed off in 93/94 after the Tranmere/Bolton debacles and my only means of recourse, after writing to H & V, was writing a particularly stiff letter to Ron  Atkinson ( I did get a response from his Secretary which I threw in the bin in disgust).

[Bosco81]

Did your reply come before or after the 2nd leg of the Tranmere game ?