The Gabby Appreciation Thread - Update: 4 year deal

[Risso]

I thought that aside from the goal, he was completely anonymous on the wing again.  His best work is done down the middle, which is where'd like to see him play.

[N'ZMAV]

I'm getting fucked off with him being stuck out on the wing.

[Simon Ward]

Good goal Saturday should do his confidence the world of good.

[ktvillan]

Ah Mr Smith, the voice of reason.  Perhaps our best attacking threat because he doesn't have the nous to set anything up for Bent, and Heskey would struggle to be dangerous if he had a hand grenade with the pin missing.  I never said he wasn't a good player (in some ways) or that he isn't improving, I just don't think he's that clever a footballer.  It's not lazy, it's an opinion based on having watched him for 5 years. BTW when are we going to see AM's horses for courses that you were so right about Chris?

[Villanation]

This on going he has no football brain, I find so curious, its like someone has said it and then everybody gets on the label bandwagon, problem is there any basis for it, I just can't see it, simply can't, he may not be the brightest star in the firmament but you only have to look at his work on the park to actually see how much thinking power there is there.

So, Football brain, well unless it means he wasn't born with a synthetic ball between his ears then the classic definition for this statement is the classic Chris Waddle description of Theo Walcott before the last world cup, saying Theo will never be a complete footballer because he has no football brain, so what does he mean and does this label get stuck on Gabby.

My understanding of this is when someone is labelled in a similar way it usually means they have no understanding or awareness of positional play, don't know where to be to receive, don't understand there next move once they have laid the ball of, have no natural instinct, strange thing is I can't stick any of this on Gabby, how weird is that, latest example of many as to what a complete load of rubbish that is would be his goal on Saturday, the player shows 100% intelligence, when he lays the ball of the Albrighton he does it with pin prick care and attention in order that he can get into the box and possibly get on the end of anything else happening, his marker No15 is Sylvain Distan who his about....6ft 3/4 and Gabby is about 5.11, that's a massive difference in football, and yet Gabby positional play was excellent, he drifted in at exactly the right pace and he got up above Distan to head home, pure instinct.

Another thing that's worth mentioning is how Gabby is finding more and more time on the ball watch in the clip ( bottom clip) how he works the ball in the box, how he dominates his possession, looks up for the next player, side foots the perfect pass to enable Albrighton to deal with it easily onto his best foot for the cross.

Yes I agree a world class player would have got ball side and in front of Distan but then again Distan is nobody's mug as a defender, big powerful bloke to deal with.

Yes Gabby may have had a quiet game, but didn't they all.........................................................


Clip...

http://www.eplmatches.com/2011/09/10/everton-vs-aston-villa-highlights-4/

[Merv]

I think the problem with Gabby (well, not his problem, really) is that some people expect him to have everything, and to be everything. It's not realistic. He has most of the tools needed to be an effective striker in the Premier League, and he's proved that season after season: for me, he looks like he's bounced back after a disappointing campaign last season and really looks confident and 'up for it' again. I don't like seeing him wide left, but Gabby's showing versatility and movement to make the most of the position, and he's able to come inside, switch flanks, and get into the box.

I'll bet defenders hate playing against him. His goal on Saturday was excellent - running with the ball first, passing it on to Albrighton and then getting into the area to outjump a bigger defender thanks to his timing.

The goal against Blackburn was pretty smart too, quick feet, balance and the presence of mind and skill to curl his shot into the top corner. Very composed.

[pig]

You can't teach someone to be fast, strong and athletic. A lot of those attributes are natural, that are excelled trough coaching.

You can however teach someone how to play football.

Gabby is becoming a better player each season, I wouldn't be surprised if he bagged 20 goals this season.

[Percy McCarthy]

I still think Gabby will keep getting better and better, and in 2 years time he will have the composure to overcome his greatest weakness, his one-on-ones.  His work ethic is giving him the technical and tactical ability to overcome his previous lack of a football brain and if he can start putting one-on-ones in the net he will be a 20 goal striker.

He has a better all round game than most give him credit for and scores with both feet and his head.  He plays about 4 inches taller than what he is and creates goals by making space and the occasional lay off/driven cross.  What more can you ask from a striker that cost nothing?

The most oft-repeated bag of bollocks on this site I reckon.

Except it's not bollocks. He's a decent enough hard working lad with a good finish on him,but football brain?  Do me a favour.

He's not really what I would describe as a good finisher. Put him one on one and his technique sometimes lets him down. Many of his goals rely on him getting into good positions, getting on the end of a cross, and getting something on the ball to divert it in, all things that are down to intelligence. In summary, I'd say the fact that he struggles with one-on-ones points to poor technique, while the fact that (when played centrally) he finds himself in those positions so often, points to intelligent runs from an intelligent footballer.

Not accusing you of this kt, but I think a lot of people assume he's thick in football terms because he's not the brightest in interviews.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

He was bloody intelligent enough to create from start to finish his goal on Saturday. Another typical Gabby goal.

[glasses]

Petrov 'keeps things ticking over'
Heskey 'holds the ball up well'
Gabby 'not got a football brain'

I'm sure there are more cliches about other players, but God, they get tiresome.

[Villanation]

He was bloody intelligent enough to create from start to finish his goal on Saturday. Another typical Gabby goal.

Excellent post, and what a goal this was v Blackburn for a no brainer so to speak, if Rooney had have score this it would be goal of the season.

[Ads]

It's not lazy, it's an opinion based on having watched him for 5 years. BTW when are we going to see AM's horses for courses that you were so right about Chris?

We are seeing it. He picked Heskey on Saturday as we were going to be bullied. And guess what, we were bullied nigh on the entire game by Fellani without a physical presence in the side.

[Chris Smith]

Ah Mr Smith, the voice of reason.  Perhaps our best attacking threat because he doesn't have the nous to set anything up for Bent, and Heskey would struggle to be dangerous if he had a hand grenade with the pin missing.  I never said he wasn't a good player (in some ways) or that he isn't improving, I just don't think he's that clever a footballer.  It's not lazy, it's an opinion based on having watched him for 5 years. BTW when are we going to see AM's horses for courses that you were so right about Chris?

Except you haven't been watching him for 5 years because you rarely go to games. So you don't see the work he does off the ball, the runs he makes to create space for others etc. All you get is what the TV producer decides to show you and that is never going to give you the full picture.

I imagine we'll see the horses for courses,  that the manager promised not me, when he's got more used to the players. At the moment they're all still getting to know each other and he's, understandably, opted for experience which has given s a solid unbeaten start to the season. Quite what that's got to do with this thread though I have no idea. Or were you trying to be a clever dick?

[Risso]

Not accusing you of this kt, but I think a lot of people assume he's thick in football terms because he's not the brightest in interviews.

Curse of the Brummie accent I'm afraid.

Anyway, I think Gabby is a great footballer.  He's got a lot more to his all round game than Bent, but isn't such an instinctive finisher.  And I really do think he's wasted being player out wide. 

It's not lazy, it's an opinion based on having watched him for 5 years. BTW when are we going to see AM's horses for courses that you were so right about Chris?

We are seeing it. He picked Heskey on Saturday as we were going to be bullied. And guess what, we were bullied nigh on the entire game by Fellani without a physical presence in the side.

So playing Heskey out wide was going to stop Everton's physical attacking midfielder was it?  We weren't so much outmuscled, as just plain and simple outplayed.

[Ads]

There midfield moved the ball a lot better than we did, but then we were bullied off the ball on far too many occasions and could not compete in the aerially.

Heskey was there to mix it up as much as anything, as he's about the only beast we have in the squad.