New Four Year Deal for Gabby

[Phil from the upper holte]

Ridiculous decision.

He was great under MON but mediocre since.

No way worth a four year contract.

I know he is Villa through and through And all that bolloxs but a four year contract is crazy.

Best days are over

He wasn't, I actually remember ironic cheers when he was subbed once, because he was in terrible form

[ClaretAndBlueBlood]

Gabby does a heck of a lot for the team in terms of pulling defenders out of position, forcing them to defend deeper because of his pace, harrying them when they have the ball. This in turn opens up opportunities for Weimann and Benteke (or at least should).

how do you work that out when he doesn't move? 3 times on Sunday we had the Stoke left back stuck in the corner with the ball and Gabby just watched as the central defender went across into space to give the right back an out ball. Gabby only decided to move once the centre back had the ball. That's his biggest problem, he doesn't read the game at only and only reacts when it is too late - and that is true whichever side is in possession

worth a new deal but only as a squad player with wages to suit

[supertom]

Gabby does a heck of a lot for the team in terms of pulling defenders out of position, forcing them to defend deeper because of his pace, harrying them when they have the ball. This in turn opens up opportunities for Weimann and Benteke (or at least should).

how do you work that out when he doesn't move? 3 times on Sunday we had the Stoke left back stuck in the corner with the ball and Gabby just watched as the central defender went across into space to give the right back an out ball. Gabby only decided to move once the centre back had the ball. That's his biggest problem, he doesn't read the game at only and only reacts when it is too late - and that is true whichever side is in possession

worth a new deal but only as a squad player with wages to suit

I think Gabby looked tired against Stoke. He was unusually immobile. Normally he is pretty good at winning us territory up the pitch by chasing lost causes. Over the years just be pressurizing defenders he's won countless throw-ins, corners etc. Or with the ball at his feet he wins a lot of free kicks.
I think he's got another year of being first choice every week. Beyond that, yes, I think he should be a squad option.

[ClaretAndBlueBlood]

I don't think it was just Stoke, I think he has been the same all this season and most of last

[supertom]

I don't think it was just Stoke, I think he has been the same all this season and most of last

First half of this season I think he's been good more than he's been bad and we often still look a poorer side for not having him in the team.
Second half of last season he was very good, and more importantly, scoring goals too.

[ClaretAndBlueBlood]

I don't think it was just Stoke, I think he has been the same all this season and most of last

First half of this season I think he's been good more than he's been bad and we often still look a poorer side for not having him in the team.
Second half of last season he was very good, and more importantly, scoring goals too.

isn't that the most frustrating thing about Gabby tho - he goes on those little runs of scoring goals regularly but it is too infrequent. We have been talking about him having the potential to cause real damage to teams and be a threat for 8 or 9 years but how often does he do it really? I do agree that we do look poorer without him but I think that is more down to the available replacements

[supertom]

I don't think it was just Stoke, I think he has been the same all this season and most of last

First half of this season I think he's been good more than he's been bad and we often still look a poorer side for not having him in the team.
Second half of last season he was very good, and more importantly, scoring goals too.

isn't that the most frustrating thing about Gabby tho - he goes on those little runs of scoring goals regularly but it is too infrequent. We have been talking about him having the potential to cause real damage to teams and be a threat for 8 or 9 years but how often does he do it really? I do agree that we do look poorer without him but I think that is more down to the available replacements

It is frustrating. I suppose one could argue that Gabby is the poster child of a side that flits between 6th and 16th. He's good enough that barring disaster we'll never go down, but not good enough that he can be part of a side challenging beyond 6th (and honestly, he's not as fearsome as he was under O Neill). He's been a regular in all that time too and the one player who remains from the end of O Leary/beginning of O Neill days.

That said, every now and again he'll play like a 20 million pound player. It might be half a dozen times a season (possibly generous), but of course if you spend 1-2 million on a player it's highly unlikely they'll produce that quality even once in a season or even have it in their locker at all.

Even when we spent a fair wedge of money under O Neill, we didn't have the budget to buy attackers with complete consistency (besides possibly Bent with the right set up around him). Now that budget is even smaller so barring a lot of luck and some exceptional scouting, we'll be lucky to buy a player who can do what Gabby does, even if he doesn't produce it nearly enough.

[Simon Ward]

3 goals all season tells a tale doesn't it?

[LeeB]

Yes, that he's a winger not a centre forward.

[sirlordbaltimore]

A good bloke, but a bog average player having yet another bog average season

How long have we all been waiting for him to kick on and show some consistency ? FOREVER it seems

[Toronto Villa]

He's been involved in a few, but yes it is a poor output. The one thing I never saw this season is how our attack would be so much less potent than last season. Now, clearly the momentum was affected by Benteke's injury, but as an attacking force we have been a lot worse this year. I imagine the manager was thinking that going into this season our attack would continue to develop positively while the defence improved.

[Ads]

I love him and hope he finishes his career with us.

A player capable of the great and the bad and I am sure we will get another four years of much the same to be honest. He has scored some special and important goals and will continue to do so.

[Isa]

Yes, that he's a winger not a centre forward.

As has been explained already, he plays as a wide-forward in the 4-3-3 and as a second-striker/main striker when we have played a formation with a front-two, which has been quite often this season. All of those position have an onus on goalscoring.

[Dave Cooper please]

I've always considered him as pretty average, but he has also played his part in some of our best days since his debut. Those goals at the Gabby End at The Sty for instance.

For that alone, and because loyalty seems to be a dirty word in modern football, give him the contract.

[supertom]

I've always considered him as pretty average, but he has also played his part in some of our best days since his debut. Those goals at the Gabby End at The Sty for instance.

For that alone, and because loyalty seems to be a dirty word in modern football, give him the contract.

He's been a great ambassador for the club off the pitch too and almost always works hard on it (when his legs allow him). Some years, especially under O Neill he was run ragged. Aside from the odd story here and there about him possibly being the most fertile man in the midlands, you don't hear much of Gabby getting into trouble, he just gets on with his business.
Loyalty and service should be rewarded really (within reason of course) and you need someone like Gabby at the club. Taylor wasn't the greatest player but he was a great servant who showed up a lot of more technically accomplished players around him for desire and workrate, just as Gabby does.