Robbie Keane - loan now confirmed

[gervilla]

We keep Gabby in the team. He has proven he can still be a match winner out on the left. Not a winger but can make a lethal contribution nonetheless. I thought he was wasted out on the left last season but he has done well out there this season.

[Simba]

Good comment Robbo. He wanted the ball. He did as sub last game. Confident buggar. I like that and we need that. What we do when he is with us I don't know but Ireland will have to find his place again. And he (the tatted one) has come good.

As for Emile, please God Alex can you now see how that position should be played. In the modern game.

At last a "hole" player who can give it good'un from 25 yards.

[Ozzjim]

He is a very clever player, and think he and Ireland have an interesting battle for that shirt!

Gabby, harsh as it is, is not in form and should be on the bench, out wide you have to work and help the full back, and he left Clark completely today. If it was due to illness then don't be selfish enough to play in the first place, because his lack of interest was very disappointing, and he has a tendency to sulk out there. We are a better shape with Gabby OR Bent. Bent brings more to the table, and has 3 in 4.

[supertom]

I'd say on current form and the basis of today, you can't really drop Keane, and it'd be very harsh for Ireland not to get back in the side.
Gabby's just lost a little spark of late, maybe just needs a rest.
I'd be tempted to play Keane and Ireland, not least because together they could find a good wavelength and potentially cause havoc. Perhaps one can play as a floating wideman. Or they alternate during the game. They've both played on the wing. It allows them to drift in field, especially as we've got Albrighton who can provide the width.

[Simba]

Actually OZZ I don't think it fair to accuse Gabby of being selfish if he is not fully fit. Understood the other comments though. The meds/Manager will make that decision and Gabby does scare defenders. However we agree, I think, that the Gabby or Bent debate has yet to be concluded. Now we have a Ireland/Keane arguement. No Emile please.

 I dunno how to include them. You? Enjoyed Gardners debut too. OK not perfect but something special from the yoofs again.

But Super T - width -especially given the width of VP pitch - is what we should exploit. AMC, however plays narrow. Always has done apparently.

[Ozzjim]

Actually OZZ I don't think it fair to accuse Gabby of being selfish if he is not fully fit. Understood the other comments though. The meds/Manager will make that decision and Gabby does scare defenders. However we agree, I think, that the Gabby or Bent debate has yet to be concluded. Now we have a Ireland/Keane arguement. No Emile please.

 I dunno how to include them. You? Enjoyed Gardners debut too. OK not perfect but something special from the yoofs again.

But Super T - width -especially given the width of VP pitch - is what we should exploit. AMC, however plays narrow. Always has done apparently.

The thing is Simba, he declared himself fit. At which point, he takes the flac on the chin for not working back, and I won't believe anyone who tells me he does not have games where he sulks out wide, I think he has been sulking since Swansea.

Supertom may be right, play Keane from the right and Ireland central with Albrighton giving the width on the left. Shame they can't all play really!

[Mellin]

Already want him signed up long term. Appreciate it's unlikely, but there we are.

[jonc73]

There seems a willingness to slag off any player linked with Villa.Keane has a long, proven career in the Premiership, pity he didn't arrive sooner. Maybe some people should give players a chance

[Chris Smith]

Actually OZZ I don't think it fair to accuse Gabby of being selfish if he is not fully fit. Understood the other comments though. The meds/Manager will make that decision and Gabby does scare defenders. However we agree, I think, that the Gabby or Bent debate has yet to be concluded. Now we have a Ireland/Keane arguement. No Emile please.

 I dunno how to include them. You? Enjoyed Gardners debut too. OK not perfect but something special from the yoofs again.

But Super T - width -especially given the width of VP pitch - is what we should exploit. AMC, however plays narrow. Always has done apparently.

The thing is Simba, he declared himself fit. At which point, he takes the flac on the chin for not working back, and I won't believe anyone who tells me he does not have games where he sulks out wide, I think he has been sulking since Swansea.

Supertom may be right, play Keane from the right and Ireland central with Albrighton giving the width on the left. Shame they can't all play really!

You never know how a player will react after an illness, it was a calculated gamble that didn't pay off and certainly no reason to have a go at the lad. I don't believe he's sulking, he's just not quite hitting the heights he was a few weeks ago back when you were all accusing Bent of sulking.

[CJ]

I am Happy to admit to being wrong, I thought it was a bad idea until he scored the first, the second was magnificent, it was interesting that as the game went on he got more into it and starting finding space,

Likewise! On the match thread I was urging McCleish to change things by taking him off and getting Bannan on - about 2 minutes before he scored his first! Both his goals showed he is real class and, in IT Crowd fashion, I've put mustard on those words to accompany the slice of humble pie direct from the oven of shame set at gas mark egg on my face.

[kipeye]

There seems a willingness to slag off any player linked with Villa.Keane has a long, proven career in the Premiership, pity he didn't arrive sooner. Maybe some people should give players a chance

I don't agree. It is more that most people can see whether or not a player is being bought to improve the team long term and is likely to be either a step up from what we already have or a great prospect for the future.
This was why we lacked enthusiasm for signings like Heskey, Harewood and many more and like signings like Bent or Edna.

[Villafirst]

I'd like Villa to try and get Robbie here on a two-year contract in the summer. Anyone know what the contract situation is with LA Galaxy? I'm sure Robbiie would prefer the Premier League to the MLS unless they're paying him a fortune?

[Risso]

Actually OZZ I don't think it fair to accuse Gabby of being selfish if he is not fully fit. Understood the other comments though. The meds/Manager will make that decision and Gabby does scare defenders. However we agree, I think, that the Gabby or Bent debate has yet to be concluded. Now we have a Ireland/Keane arguement. No Emile please.

 I dunno how to include them. You? Enjoyed Gardners debut too. OK not perfect but something special from the yoofs again.

But Super T - width -especially given the width of VP pitch - is what we should exploit. AMC, however plays narrow. Always has done apparently.

The thing is Simba, he declared himself fit. At which point, he takes the flac on the chin for not working back, and I won't believe anyone who tells me he does not have games where he sulks out wide, I think he has been sulking since Swansea.

Supertom may be right, play Keane from the right and Ireland central with Albrighton giving the width on the left. Shame they can't all play really!

You never know how a player will react after an illness, it was a calculated gamble that didn't pay off and certainly no reason to have a go at the lad. I don't believe he's sulking, he's just not quite hitting the heights he was a few weeks ago back when you were all accusing Bent of sulking.

Why do you always have to do that ridiculously childish tactic of lumping everybody together?  There is no "you all" on here, so just cut it out.   It makes your ridiculous posts even harder to take seriously.

[pooligan]

Well said Risso, i agree. I certainly never accused Bent of sulking. I was impressed to hear he stayed behind after training in the week to watch the reserves thrash the Dingles 7-1.

[Chris Smith]

Actually OZZ I don't think it fair to accuse Gabby of being selfish if he is not fully fit. Understood the other comments though. The meds/Manager will make that decision and Gabby does scare defenders. However we agree, I think, that the Gabby or Bent debate has yet to be concluded. Now we have a Ireland/Keane arguement. No Emile please.

 I dunno how to include them. You? Enjoyed Gardners debut too. OK not perfect but something special from the yoofs again.

But Super T - width -especially given the width of VP pitch - is what we should exploit. AMC, however plays narrow. Always has done apparently.

The thing is Simba, he declared himself fit. At which point, he takes the flac on the chin for not working back, and I won't believe anyone who tells me he does not have games where he sulks out wide, I think he has been sulking since Swansea.

Supertom may be right, play Keane from the right and Ireland central with Albrighton giving the width on the left. Shame they can't all play really!

You never know how a player will react after an illness, it was a calculated gamble that didn't pay off and certainly no reason to have a go at the lad. I don't believe he's sulking, he's just not quite hitting the heights he was a few weeks ago back when you were all accusing Bent of sulking.

Why do you always have to do that ridiculously childish tactic of lumping everybody together?  There is no "you all" on here, so just cut it out.   It makes your ridiculous posts even harder to take seriously.

It's neither ridiculous nor childish, it's just a figure of speech but as usual you have to personalise things and put in the sort of petty digs that others would get pulled up for. Bent was being accused of sulking with many of you on here convinced he'd be leaving this transfer window. It's what come of over analysing things and people reading far more into things than they should and then refusing to accept that they might have been wrong.