Gabby - keep or let go

[ez]

His performances are now unacceptable. Seriously a decision has to be made on him otherwise we're going into every game handicapped. I hope Sherwood doesn't bottle out of it.

[Villa Lew]

For those who are saying keep him as an impact sub. Can someone tell me how many times they can remember him making an impact as sub last season?

[supertom]

For those who are saying keep him as an impact sub. Can someone tell me how many times they can remember him making an impact as sub last season?

The trouble is, unlike some players, he's not cleverer enough to study a game from the bench and spot areas he could potentially exploit and he doesn't adapt well to a game when he comes on (generally from what I've seen of him coming from the bench).

Adama just kept it simple. Spot a gap and go on a pelting run, whilst keeping the ball under control.
With Gabby he'll go on a surge (all too rarely these days, without the same majesty of eye blistering speed of yesteryear) but inevitable that second to last touch takes the ball too far away from him and the chance either goes, or he has to rush a shot.

Why keep Gabby as an impact player when Adama, Ayew or Sinclair could offer everything he does (or did) and maybe a little more?

[mal]

Gabby scored 33 in last 5 seasons and they doubled that , really shit comparison

actually 24 from 126 games or just about 1 in 5.  Central striker is excellent at 1 in 2 wide forward at 1 in 4  like Walcott who also occasionally has been used as central striker as has Gabby.

Where are you getting those numbers from? If he has 1 in 2 from playing centrally and 1 in 4 playing wide, how does that make the total less than 1 goal ever 5 games? Where was he playing the rest of the time to bring the average down?

As for Walcott, over the last 126 games he has 45 goals. If Gabby had scored that, I'm pretty sure that he would be cut a fair bit more slack. But he didn't, so he isn't.

You have misunderstood.  I was suggesting that any central striker scoring every other game ie 20 in a Premier League season would be excellent.  As a wide forward a player scoring close to 9 a season is similarly excellent. I don't think that is a controversial suggestion.
As for Walcott I make it 50 from 175 games in all competitions. It's slightly better - but definitely comparable and he's playing for Arsenal. And that is all I was saying.  Who else would be a better comparision?

Gabby stats:

Season     Apps     Goals    Assists   
2015/2016     3                -       -      
2014/2015     30(4)        6       1      
2013/2014     29(1)        4       5      
2012/2013     24(4)        9       3      
2011/2012     32(1)             5       5      
2010/2011     17(9)             3       1      
2009/2010     35(1)        13       3      
Total / Av    190                     40      18   

http://www.whoscored.com/Players/14036/History/Gabriel-Agbonlahor

[amfy]

For those who are saying keep him as an impact sub. Can someone tell me how many times they can remember him making an impact as sub last season?

I don't think you can judge much from last season. Even Benteke managed not to score for most of it!

I think if he can work on regaining his full pace, then he could be a useful impact sub.

[Dave]

You have misunderstood.  I was suggesting that any central striker scoring every other game ie 20 in a Premier League season would be excellent.  As a wide forward a player scoring close to 9 a season is similarly excellent. I don't think that is a controversial suggestion.(1)
As for Walcott I make it 50 from 175 games in all competitions. (2) It's slightly better - but definitely comparable and he's playing for Arsenal. And that is all I was saying.  Who else would be a better comparision?

Gabby stats:

Season     Apps     Goals    Assists   
2015/2016     3                -       -      
2014/2015     30(4)        6       1      
2013/2014     29(1)        4       5      
2012/2013     24(4)        9       3      
2011/2012     32(1)             5       5      
2010/2011     17(9)             3       1      
2009/2010     35(1)        13       3      
Total / Av    190                     40      18   

http://www.whoscored.com/Players/14036/History/Gabriel-Agbonlahor

(1) No, that's not controversial at all. I just can't see how you are getting those figures to be applicable to Agbonlahor. If he were getting 20 goals as a central striker (which he's never got close to before, even when playing for an entire season as a central striker) then nobody would be complaining and he'd be our first choice central striker. As for getting nine goals a season from playing out wide, yes that would be fine as well. But he's hit that figure once in the last five years, with the two seasons either side giving a return of 6, 4, 6 and 5.

(2) Walcott's last five seasons have seen 7 in 21, 6 in 18, 21 in 43, 11 in 46 and and 13 in 38. So 58 in 166. Or a goal every 2.8 games. Gabby's last five seasons have given 33 goals in 166 (6, 4, 12, 6 and 5). Or a goal every 5.03 games.

They're not really comparable are they?

[aj2k77]

We can throw numbers around all day but my eyes tell me the guy is a fucking crap and is holding back the team. He throws in 3 or 4 very good games a season and is poor for the rest of it. If that's good enough for some people then we will never get out of this rut of finishing in the bottom 6.

[Salsa Party Animal]

I would give him a free transfer if I could.

[Risso]

We can throw numbers around all day but my eyes tell me the guy is a fucking crap and is holding back the team. He throws in 3 or 4 very good games a season and is poor for the rest of it. If that's good enough for some people then we will never get out of this rut of finishing in the bottom 6.

I agree.  His last 5 seasons have been a Heskeyesque level of scoring, but without being good at anything else like holding the ball up that Heskey was.  Not to have got into double figures for 5 years is poor for a striker, however bad the rest of the team is.  He's had his day, but has what, 3 years of his contract left.  Handing out extensions to players like him, Bacuna and Westwood is utter insanity.

[Chris Jameson]

There were many depressing moments last season but giving him a new, lengthy contract was a particular low moment. I think that was the moment I realised how accepting of utter mediocrity the powers that be are.

[KRS]

Ever since his early days, Gabby has been terrible at 1on1 chances with the keeper...give him time to think and he's next to useless because he's so stupid. I'd bet that most his goals were instinctual finishes but he appears to have lost any natural instinct to qualify him as a PL footballer. As soon else has mentioned, he'd do a job for someone in the Championship but he's no longer fit for this level.

[Malandro]

How many players in our first team would score more goals if they were thrown up front?

I'd put money on Richards, Clark, Amavi, bacuna, gueye....actually I think Westwood is the only one I'd doubt.

He's embarrassingly bad.

[Malandro]

He'd struggle even more in the championship.

[aj2k77]

He's fast becoming our Steven Gerrard, not in the match winner, club legend, way though. In the clearly gone to shit but getting in the team on past achievements and hampering the side bad way.

[Goldie.7]

Just had a look at one of his two Instagram accounts. He's getting a bit of stick on there but the ‘Loyal’ – ‘Mr Aston Villa’ – ‘Villa through and through’ – ‘Hero’ – ‘Villa legend’ comments balance it out.

I brand him as a ‘Very limited below average footballer’ that would struggle in the Championship. When he eventually leaves, so does his career.