Transfer Speculation / Gossip

[peter w]

But that's missing the point. If you are not playing your best position who will you 'move on'? If ytou put him at right-back should we have expected him to 'move on'. Playing left-wing/midfield is exactly the same. Plau the quality of players around him has dropped off so again, moving on just isn't as simple as you make it sound.

Given Cole coming in is someone who can make a pass we should be looking at a front two of Benteke and Gabby and getting in behind them as often as possible. Then, someone who is a fast as anything forward will be able to conserve his energy for when it's needed and not be left to be running up and down the line. As we lacked any creativity last season the only thing that we tried to use was Gabby's pace. Defenders, as pointed out, only need to drop off a yard or two, whether full-back or central-defenders and his pace is largely negated. Once opposition teams do that then they've cut off our one source of creativity.

Clearly Gabby wasn't at his best last -season but when he was scoring and playing well for us from Xmas teh season before, a lot of his goals and work came throught he middle. That's his position and give him a fair run at it and I'm confident we'll get a return from him. For me, I'd keep him as he is still one our better players when we play to his strengths rather than asking a stallion to carry kids up and down Scarborough beach.

[bobdylan]

Gabby and Weimann competing for 1 place should push them to hopefully perform better, likewise Cole and N'Zogbia competing for the creative role behind the top 2.

[pauliewalnuts]

Gabby and Weimann competing for 1 place should push them to hopefully perform better, likewise Cole and N'Zogbia competing for the creative role behind the top 2.

I don't think it is something I'd accuse Weimann of, he's too young to be getting over complacent, but Gabby last season just looked like it was all a bit of a joke to him, didn't seem to show the hunger.

He can definitely do it when he is up for it though - although that's something that has been the case throughout his career, with his record of scoring against the "bigger" clubs. The difference is that a few years ago, he also looked up for it in the other matches too, whereas last season, and the one before, he didn't.

It's a shame, if he were really fired up, he's the sort of player who could have pulled the youngsters up with him, but it just didn't happen.

Maybe with him having been here so long, a change of scenery would do him good. If he's not going to get moved on, though, he's one player who really needs a fire to be lit under his backside.

[LeeS]

Gabby plays exactly like a fan. A fan who's been at the half time pies.

[supertom]

It seemed like Gabby was coasting towards a new deal. That's been put on the back burners now. I think he's really got to come out and pull up some fookin trees this season. If he wants to finish his career at Villa, this next season is absolutely vital. It's last chance saloon for him. I really hope he finds some consistency.

[RussellC]

I actually think Gabby's hunger would return if he was just stuck on the bench at the start of the season. He'd soon start putting in a shift to get back in the side. I don't think we're any where near good enough to be flippantly talking about letting players of his ilk run their contracts down at this stage.

[supertom]

I actually think Gabby's hunger would return if he was just stuck on the bench at the start of the season. He'd soon start putting in a shift to get back in the side. I don't think we're any where near good enough to be flippantly talking about letting players of his ilk run their contracts down at this stage.

I think so too. He's had it too easy for years. Only Houllier decided Gabby wasn't inked into the starting 11. Plus, he could well be good as an impact player coming on against tired defences.

[bobdylan]

Cole, Bent, Kozak and N'Zogbia ought to give Andi and Gabby more competition for their places next season than Holt, Helenius, Tonev and Bowery did last term.

[pauliewalnuts]

I'd love to know what happened with Helenius.

[Toronto Villa]

I'd love to know what happened with Helenius.

It's a Mathieu Berson level mystery. So highly thought of, so much potential, looked decent in the cup game where he scored, pretty much never seen again. It's all well and good a manager having biases, but not when it becomes a grudge to the detriment of the team.

[pauliewalnuts]

Even given our past form for pretending players don't exist if the manager doesn't like them, I find the Helenius thing very weird.

Maybe it's a personal, off pitch problem he's had?

[BoskoDjembaSalifou]

Just thinking of Agbonlahor being on the bench and the rapturous reception from the fans when he comes on annoys me. It's Agbonlahor, not Messi FFS.

Anyway, I think he should leave. Never going to improve here now.

[brian green]

Nah let's make sure nobody gets a rapturous welcome. Let's boo the claret and blue bastards.

[ozzjim]

Even given our past form for pretending players don't exist if the manager doesn't like them, I find the Helenius thing very weird.

Maybe it's a personal, off pitch problem he's had?

It is madness. He looked strong in pre-season too. Should have been played a lot more.

[QBVILLA]

Just thinking of Agbonlahor being on the bench and the rapturous reception from the fans when he comes on annoys me. It's Agbonlahor, not Messi FFS.

Anyway, I think he should leave. Never going to improve here now.

And yet he remains one of our better players. Until or if we can replace him with better then he needs to stay.