Finding a striking partner for Darren Bent

[Mazrim]

How far away is Gary gardener from breaking into the first XI

Next season he will be a part of the first team squad. I will guarantee it.
If he takes his chance he'll start, but he needs to be brought through properly. At the right pace. I always thought Albrighton, Clark and so on would make it to our first team but Gardner is the best and most promising of them all.

Had we been in a safer position and had his injury not set him back so much we would probably have seen him play already.

[Monty]

How far away is Gary gardener from breaking into the first XI

Next season he will be a part of the first team squad. I will guarantee it.
If he takes his chance he'll start, but he needs to be brought through properly. At the right pace. I always thought Albrighton, Clark and so on would make it to our first team but Gardner is the best and most promising of them all.

Had we been in a safer position and had his injury not set him back so much we would probably have seen him play already.

Good thing as well, because he is precisely the kind of all-round, technically good, tenacious and intelligent midfielder we need to change our style to something more progressive and successful.

[WikiVilla]

From the bits I've seen of GG he is some player and could be a massive player for us

[Mazrim]

The other good news is that we already have an ideal midfield partner for him in Delph. Ive been looking forward to the prospect of seeing these two together in the same side for a while now.
But they're still very young and its risky so I see them having another player in there with them. A cultured destroyer or another box to box player. Makoun could be that player but it might just as well be someone we haven't bought yet. Which is why I suggest and think there was something in the Moussa Sissoko rumour.
That sort of player would be ideal.
Then you'd also have the likes of Bannan to come in too.

[UK Redsox]

Playing Gabby with Darren is like playing with two lone strikers

[itbrvilla]

Sturridge = win

[PaulTheVillan]

Landon Donovan?

[adrenachrome]

Landon Donovan?

Interesting idea that just might work.

Would not set any pulses racing or sell many season tickets, though.

[Monty]

Playing Gabby with Darren is like playing with two lone strikers

Well put. They both run the front line and neither drops off, causing there to be a huge gap between midfield and attack - unless we over-commit midfielders, rendering us totally vulnerable to the counter. Thus, one of these strikers is redundant, and it's got to be Gabby unfortunately.

[john e]

i dont know who the striker is to Play alongside Bent, but its definitely not Gabby

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Pointless putting anybody us alongside Bent without improving on the service. Neither Young or Downing deliver so it'd be another player standing around waiting for a sniff at goal. It's not as if we need somebody to finish off all the chances we're creating.

[Monty]

Pointless putting anybody us alongside Bent without improving on the service. Neither Young or Downing deliver so it'd be another player standing around waiting for a sniff at goal. It's not as if we need somebody to finish off all the chances we're creating.

I'd say part of the reason the service isn't great is because we have two up front. We created a lot more chances with one forward because we had more options on the ball in midfield. Even though we still created most of our chances from crosses, the crosser would have more space or would be in a more threatening, advanced position because of the way the ball had been manouvred.

[Dante Lavelli]

Watching the Newcastle match, I'd say that gabby is better at dropping off and stretching their defence, he just lacks the movement and anticipation in the box. An area where Bent excels. But we kind if knew that already.

[supertom]

For now Heskey would be the one for me. His hold up play, when he's played this season, has been second to none. He was unfortunate to lose his place when Bent came in. I'd have stuck the two together from january to be honest. Heskey was actually scoring with some regularity in the first half of the season (when he played).

Of course he's injured too much, but of late he's been ready to rumble, but hasn't been playing. Gabby's been poor all season when he's played.

[Ian.]

I agree Supertom.
Houllier has surprised me by not trying this. I thought it was a dead cert from when we signed Bent and from Heskey was available. Iv'e always liked Heskey, I admit he can drive you mad with some of the sitters he misses but he does bring a lot of good to a team.