Aston Villa v Ajax (NextGen): Combined Match Threads

[olaftab]

2-0 Gardner scores with a heavily deflected free kick after Johnson was fouled.

[villajk]

3-0 to Gardner

[PeterWithe]

3.0 Gardner hat trick, lovely goal driving deep from midfield and cool finish, Gerrardesq.

[olaftab]

3-0 Gardner hat trick best goal of the night as he picks up the ball half way between centre circle and box and powers thru and scores.
That is qualification and hopefully top spot if Ajax don't win their last match

[Matt Collins]

Gardner needs first team footy pronto. With jenas coming back he seems far down the pecking order. I'd send him on loan to a championship side. If we were better we could send him to a lower prem side but we can't risk boosting the competition!!

[PaulWinch again]

Can we get Gardner in the first team please.

[ozzjim]

Gardner needs first team footy pronto. With jenas coming back he seems far down the pecking order. I'd send him on loan to a championship side. If we were better we could send him to a lower prem side but we can't risk boosting the competition!!

Has to start with IMO. Full of confidence and quality, jenas, gardner, herd maybe.

[gervilla]

Oi Mcleish, get him in the first team NOW.

[flybo]

well done to the villa boys :-))))))

[Percy McCarthy]

Yet again our wonderful academy lifts the gloom. Then again, it's the hope that kills you.

[PaulWinch again]

Well done boys, shame you can't be accommodated into the first team's 'style'.

[PeterWithe]

Up till now I've not been convinced he's ready but there is little point him staying at this level, every tine he looked interested tonight he looked a class above. He needs bedding into the first team, starting with half an hour on Sunday.

[Edvard Remberg]

Gardner has no chance, as our flair player has that spot. Heskey isn't easy to push over - oh! wait...

[Clampy]

I've a feeling he might make the bench on Sunday.

[luke25]

Get him on the bench on Sunday, give us something to lift the club, theres nothing better than a highly rated acadamy graduate coming through, i've literally seen him twice but both times he's been the best player on the pitch, the thing that stands out for me is his build, he looks huge compared to the others at that level, he could easily handle himself in the first team, give him the set pieces aswell while were at it.