Gabby

[Ian.]

Nearly the whole team, maybe exception of our centre halves and Hutton have really struggled. Everyone needs another chance under Sherwood to prove themselves.
I reckon Gabby will benefit so much more under a more attack minded and faster tempo game. If he does he'll be a great asset to have back in the squad.

[Toronto Villa]

Gabby for me is like the fans. When the team is going well, and the fans are fired up Gabby becomes the player we know he can. When things are shit, and we as fans are down and going through the motions he becomes the player we have recently seen. If Sherwood gets into him, and the fans are "fired up" vs Stoke I think Gabby, whether he starts or is on the bench will be significantly improved.

[Legion]

Any truth in this?

Gabby could be out for the rest of the season with cruciate ligament damage.

Load of butter ollocks, then.

[Gregorys Boy]

Can we just sell him to Sunderland for £3mil and be done with it already this is getting painful

[supertom]

Gabby for me is like the fans. When the team is going well, and the fans are fired up Gabby becomes the player we know he can. When things are shit, and we as fans are down and going through the motions he becomes the player we have recently seen. If Sherwood gets into him, and the fans are "fired up" vs Stoke I think Gabby, whether he starts or is on the bench will be significantly improved.

Absolutely this.
I'm hoping for an Adebayor-esque resurgence for Gabby under Sherwood. I'd also like Sherwood to get Gabby doing what Gabby does best (and possibly the only thing he really does well) and that's running at defenders. Have him attacking fullbacks and getting between fulls and CH's. Gabby's complete bobbins with his back to goal, or trying to drop deep to link up play. Pull him back, pull the chord in his back and let him run. Lambert never quite figured that, even when Gabby was at his best for him (Arsenal, Norwich, Sunderland 6-0). When he's full pelting it at a defender in retreat, he's a menace. So I really hope Sherwood basically instructs Gabby to do what he does best.

[London Villan]

He should be the shoulder of the last defender, facing goal, ready to attack the ball played into space behind. I think he a better choice away from home or when we are holding on to a lead at home. I wouldn't start him tomorrow.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

He should be the shoulder of the last defender, facing goal, ready to attack the ball played into space behind. I think he a better choice away from home or when we are holding on to a lead at home. I wouldn't start him tomorrow.

The first part is spot on, it's nothing to do with getting him fired up, it's about bloody tactics. Martin Keown summed it up perfectly yesterday when discussing Benteke and our attack:

 Why is Christian Benteke no longer the player he used to be?

They don’t look to give him the ball enough. The player is becoming increasingly frustrated.

When he first came back he was animated, but he seems to be disengaged a bit now as time’s gone on. He’s not given up, but there is no point making a run if the ball isn’t played.

Sherwood needs to build a team around him. I’d try to get Gabriel Agbonlahor to play with him as a pair. Be much more direct.

I think Fabian Delph plays too high up the pitch, he needs to pull further back where he’s more effective.

There are options to make things happen. But the way they play and are set out... it's too slow.

Nobody looks forward, everything is sideways.

If I was a central defender having to play against Agbonlahor and Benteke, I’d be delighted if they played backwards and sideways passes. I’d feel they got away with it scot free.

[paul_e]

I'm not sure I agree with him on the Delph bit but the rest is spot on.  To play 2 up front we either have to go to a 442 or we need to get creative and have someone like Gil play an almost free role where we have the fullbacks getting forward and he drifts to where the ball is to give them another option, that way Benteke and Gabby/Weimann can get close together in the box but we're not entirely reliant on the full backs.  In the latter scenario all 3 of the midfielders have to be willing to step forward and make the angle for a pass, staying deep and holding their positions is a big part of why we've been so toothless.

[N'ZMAV]

Neither do I. Delph surely has a goal in him.

[OCD]

He's averaging something like 1 in 20 though. It would make a big difference just to have players getting into the box to provide support. The number of times where we either cross when no-one is in the box or the wide player has to make a backwards pass because there's no-one in the box is ridiculous.

[paul_e]

The most important thing about Delph isn't goals, it's that he beats men and has the pace to leave them behind. Encourage him to do that and to then try to find players in the space that creates and he can become a very good midfielder.  Once he's got the confidence that he's having a positive impact every week then hopefully the goals and assists will come but, as with all of our players, in the first instance he needs to concentrate on what he does well. That's why it was good to see Clark thundering into a tackle and then keeping it simple and getting the play moving, that's what he's been good at whenever he's played well. Benteke is good at finding half a yard and hitting the target, if he keeps focusing on that he'll start scoring again, and the confidence and goals will come. etc etc etc

This is all Sherwood needs to do this season, get all of the players playing to their strengths and believing they can win games in this league.

[N'ZMAV]

We need a goal (or ten) from a central midfielder(s). Can't see it being Westwood, Cleverley or Sanchez. Delph or Bacuna would be our best bet.

[PaulWinch again]

Awful player now and even worse than that he doesn't appear to try.

[supertom]

We need a goal (or ten) from a central midfielder(s). Can't see it being Westwood, Cleverley or Sanchez. Delph or Bacuna would be our best bet.

Bacuna's not a brilliant player but can finish a chance and looks like he has a goal in him. When Leandro does something decent it tends to result in a goal. He's got to play now. I'd play him, Gil and Sinclair behind Benteke and pray to the footy gods that Benteke comes good. Grealish needs a chance too.

[CT]

Awful player now and even worse than that he doesn't appear to try.

This has been the case for a long, long time. It's nothing recent.

It amazes me that people think he's suddenly going to find some form from five years ago - it's over for him at PL level and he shouldn't be anywhere near the First XI. Impact sub at the very best.