The USA Tour Thread

[Matt Collins]

On herd - I just don't get why some people think he could do a job on midfield. His passing is atrocious and he runs into blind alleys. He's had one good game at right back in his career. I genuinely think he's one of the worst players in the league.

[Clampy]

Herd is not a centre half, not in a million years. As for midfield, i'd like to see Clark given a go in there.

[JPartington]

Agreed on Herd. I can never understand why anyone advocates him playing at all to be honest. He is just so so poor on the ball. A huge liability.

Unambition aside for one moment, I believe that Senderos and Richardson will prove to be a couple of relatively astute signings. Both have that little bit of class in possession which we generally lack throughout the team.

[Matt Collins]

They both look more assured than some of our other players I think

Senderos has got a few mistakes in him though

[Legion]

They both look more assured than some of our other players I think

Senderos has got a few mistakes in him though

Less than Baker or Clark, though.

[darren woolley]

A good work out for us and another win should get there fitness up.

[silhillvilla]

Any news on Okore injury ? Bit worried he is injury prone.
Chesterfield here we come.

[Clampy]

Any news on Okore injury ? Bit worried he is injury prone.
Chesterfield here we come.

Injury prone? He's had one bad injury.

[supertom]

The thing with our midfield is, that it gets sliced through too easily. We've often needed a holding player in there to offer some protection to our defence. Unfortunately the only player in our squad currently, who can do that is Herd. He did okay there under McLeish, in as much as he showed plenty of energy and disrupted the opposition. So in that regard I see why some advocate playing him in midfield, to allow players like Delph and Westy to have more freedom to express themselves.
That said, he is a poor player, and he doesn't seem to have quite the same brimming enthusiasm he had 3 years ago when he was last more of a regular in the side. Obviously off field problems have been an issue.

It is clear as day though, that we need a quality player in midfield who can mop up the mess, but is comfortable on the ball with it.

[Tayls_7]

All down to Menchies for a frozen yoghurt then!

I used to get all my school supplies and CDs from them but haven't been in years.

[SoccerHQ]

Must admit I completely forgot we were playing again, these late starts aren't helping so just reading the comments over the last few pages.

Must say it sounds Gabby is having a very lacklustre pre season following on from last year which is not good enough as we need him to perform with our main two strikers missing.

A case of him being told he's not getting a new deal whatever's happening?

[supertom]

I've been a staunch defender of Gabby, particularly the post O Neill years when his impact on the pitch has dwindled with the exception of a few months under McLeish and 4 months under Lambert in his first season.
However toward the end of last season, apart from his form and end product going to shit, there was also just a worrying lack of motivation and effort on the pitch. That appears to have continued in pre-season. He just looks like he's not that bothered any more. The difference between Gabby and Bent say, is that Bent's never been a go get them sort of player. When he's not on the end of a chance putting it away, Bent, like Van Nisterlrooy, or Berbatov as well, has a body language that looks quite lackadaisical. They look lazy, without that necessarily being the case, or indeed as players you get used to them looking like that.

In Gabby's case he's gone from being a player who looks like he loves playing for his boyhood club, runs all game and puts in the yards, to someone jogging lazily around with the occasional half-assed burst of energy. Now, that he can't go on as many surging runs as he used to, or chasing down defenders quite like he did 4 years ago, is undoubtedly partly down to all his injury problems in recent years, with constant niggles. But he certainly seems to be a player now who seems like he's got no real motivation to give 110%. Apart from Houllier, Gabby's been a first choice. He hasn't had to fight for his place. If he does have to fight for his place this season (which I hope he does), he really has to work his bollocks off.

Pre-season he's just looked a bit lazy, heavy, worryingly slow (by his standards) and completely shot as a player at this level. It is only pre-season of course, but he seriously needs a rocket up his backside. A player who used to play like he was exploding with energy, and largely with a smile on his face, now plays looking like he's permanently sighing and that it's a chore. Maybe as a fan all the shit we've had to deal with over the last four years has got to him, but as a pro, he's seriously got to up his game now. He's in danger of heading down Lee Hendries path. Leaving us as a good player who never quite fulfilled his potential, and then just doesn't seem to have any desire left at the clubs he moves to. Inevitably ending up dropping down and then out of the pro-leagues.

Sort yourself out Gabby. I can't really defend him any more. As more and more posters call him uninterested and lazy, or shot at this level, he's showing nothing to suggest that isn't the case, and I now see the lazy side too unfortunately. I'd be taking any offers coming to us to be honest. Cash in while we can. He shouldn't get a new deal.

[SoccerHQ]

I'm starting to agree with that Tom and I too am a big fan of his purely due to him giving me some of the best memories in my Villa supporting lifeline...all the derby winners, winner at Old Trafford, second goal in our first win at Arsenal in 15 years.

So much good stuff there which is why I cut him some slack but how much of that is he capable of now? To me it's worrying as we need him to be a spark upfront with no Benteke around for the first few months.

[montague]

Gabby with less pace will have little to offer at top level.

[PeterWithesShin]

I've had my doubts about Gabby ever since the latter part of the Houllier season. After Bent got injured and we went to shit, Gabby plays up front as a proper striker and when we really needed him he contributed nothing. We see the occasional glimpse of the old Gabby but nowhere near enough over the last 4 years. In that time he has had 2 decent spells, first 3 months under McLeish, and 4 months at the end of the first Lambert season, not good enough imo over a 4 year period.

And considering most of us class Vlaar as injury prone then the same has to be said for Gabby as he has played 1 less league game than Vlaar over the last 2 years.

Frustrating as we saw in the first half at Liverpool last season what a difference Gabby on form makes to us, and how he can tear any opposition apart, he's now only doing it 2 or 3 times a season though.