The Gabby Appreciation Thread - Update: 4 year deal

[peter w]

Gabby's black? Oh FFS. That's it, my favourite player is Samir Carruthers. A good English name for a fine Englishman.

[paul_e]

The difference between Gabby last year and dunne/collins/hutton/warnock last year is the defence were playing in a side that was supposedly setup to not concede and due to various flaws in their game they didn't do the job.

I couldn't give a shit who he supports or that he came through the youth system, for me I see a player who has the ability to be a 10-15 goals a season striker who also creates chances for others and causes teams to play differently against us to.

The idea that 10-12 goals isn't good enough (as posted on the previous page) is ridiculous, we have Bent who should be a 20 a season striker for us.  How many times, in the history of top flight english football, has a team had a front pair both get 20 in a season?  For the 2nd striker role he'll be playing (where he does a lot of work out wide and tracking back) double figures is fine.  In fact if our entire set of strikers can get 35 between them then we're well set for a good season, so long as the rest of the team chip in with a fair share.

[Percy McCarthy]

Paul, enough of this insolence. Leave it to Sheps to tell us what you think. He says you only rate Gabby because he's a Villa fan/local lad, so that's good enough for me. FACT.

[paul_e]

I'm sorry, I won't do it again.

[Dante Lavelli]

I do not think that fact that he has come through our youth system be ignored.  Alex Ferguson is known to persevere with home grown players as they know the club.  Look at the likes O’Shea, Brown, Fletcher (for long periods), even the Silva twins, all are arguably not Man U quality but Ferguson wants players who know the DNA of the club.  Ditto at Barca where they seem to prefer to produce their own rather than recruit players from other clubs.

Whilst Villa’s identity is hard to identify at the moment due to the recent “turmoil” I still think we need a good chunk of the squad to be home-grown players. 

[john e]

I think he'll score 15 next season in all comps. In fact I'll go down the bookies and lay some cash on it.

Yep.  I'd take some of that action.

what sort of odds you getting on that ?

i might stand you both that bet, be a bit like buying money

[Percy McCarthy]

My personal view is there's no room for sentiment, and Gabby should get in on merit for me. No doubt there'll be some patronising, arrogant twat along in a minute to call me a liar and reveal what I really think.

[Risso]

My personal view is there's no room for sentiment, and Gabby should get in on merit for me. No doubt there'll be some patronising, arrogant twat along in a minute to call me a liar and reveal what I really think.

You love him you do, and you only like him because he's black.

[DB]

Funny isn't it, when a player becomes good consistently and another clubs want's him...he then goes we have a go saying footballers are not loyal anymore, he's a greedy b*stard etc. Now we have a player who is a good player but was poor last season, due (IMO) that the whole team was crap under McCruff (who did have a good season under him..?), and now some of you are saying, get rid or no room for sentiment.

[Percy McCarthy]

Very good Riss, I had a feeling it would be you. *wink*

DB: So you think that there is room for sentiment, and players shouldn't be picked on merit, but based on them costing a big fee or coming through the youth system or whatever?

[Dave]

No doubt there'll be some patronising, arrogant twat along in a minute to call me a liar and reveal what I really think.

Do you fancy giving it a rest yet Percy?

Or why not just have that as your signature if you really want to post it every five minutes.

[Percy McCarthy]

Seems unfair if people are allowed to do it and I'm not allowed to respond.

[PeterWithesShin]

Funny isn't it, when a player becomes good consistently and another clubs want's him...he then goes we have a go saying footballers are not loyal anymore, he's a greedy b*stard etc. Now we have a player who is a good player but was poor last season, due (IMO) that the whole team was crap under McCruff (who did have a good season under him..?), and now some of you are saying, get rid or no room for sentiment.

And what was the reason for the season before that? Or that fact that in all but one season since he's been a regular that once we get to November he goes months without a goal?

I love Gabby and would like nothing more for him to be a top striker for us for years to come but he's yet to show he can do it on a consistent basis. And if we were to spend £8-10m on a striker with a career 1 in 4 league goal record i'm pretty sure it would raise some eyebrows.

Fingers crossed Gabby will make me eat my words words with a big helping of green custard.

[SHEPS]

It's painfully obvious what's going on here Shep, you don't like him because he's black.

Thanks for your contribution to this debate. Everyone appreciates it.

[Dave]

Seems unfair if people are allowed to do it and I'm not allowed to respond.

Respond when they do it then. Rather than just bringing it up every three posts in response to nobody.