Anwar El Ghazi - gone to PSV

[Goldenballs]

Good post about him up there, I really like the guy and he's played a big part in getting us back where we belong, and putting us in the position to sign people like Coutinho.

[paul_e]

On the shooting on sight thing, I think it's good to have someone in the team willing to have a pop at the slightest sniff. Yes it means that they sometimes shoot whena  pass would be better but I'm a big fan of making the opposition keeper do some work. I'd be happier if they were hitting the target more often though.

[OCD]

It's about their decision making. The top players will know when someone else is in a better position, so when to play them in or when there's not any real options on. AEG just seems to have it in his head that he's going to shoot before the ball's even got to him. He's one that I've found very frustrating and we needed to improve on in order to get to where we want to get to. 

[paul_e]

It's about their decision making. The top players will know when someone else is in a better position, so when to play them in or when there's not any real options on. AEG just seems to have it in his head that he's going to shoot before the ball's even got to him. He's one that I've found very frustrating and we needed to improve on in order to get to where we want to get to. 

Salah is pretty much the definition of shoot on sight and regularly ignores Mane and Firmino/Jota who would have tap ins if he squared the ball.

[OCD]

If AEG had scored 110 goals in 162 games for us, he would be getting more license too. Liverpool create more chances than we do and there will still be times where even he must frustrate when he misses and someone like Mane had a tap-in if he had played them in.

Salah still has 43 assists too.

[paul_e]

yes but that means it's not about decision-making, it's about quality. If you score enough goals then being greedy is fine and Salah is absolute proof of that.

26 goals and 19 assists in 119 games is good enough, considering cost and where we were during that period, to make the criticism of him shooting too much a bit on the unfair side, that's all I'm saying.

[OCD]

Not looking to play down his part in our revival but instead talking about how the quality has to improve in order for us to take the next step.

For me, decision making is one element that's part of their overall quality.

[paul_e]

I don't disagree, where we're looking to be i the next 12-18 months he isn't going to get more than a handful of appearances at most if he stays so it's better for everyone if he leaves. I just think criticising him for shooting too much is unfair, that's the part of his game that we need someone else to take over, not something we should be glad to see the back of.

[Bad English]

Good value, some important contributions, was willing to postpone observation of Ramadan in order to maintain his physical condition for the team, did not appear in dodgy videos or get pissed up and drive his Range Rover to a work event. Cheers mate!

El Gonezi.

[olaftab]

El Gonezi.

Can you explain that in the Thomas Muller style?

[darren woolley]

I said to a mate a while ago that the next stage of our development would be tricky because we'll probably have to seek upgrades on some popular players who have served us well during a time when the team has been likeable and restored plenty of pride. At the time, I thought McGinn might be in that number but he's stepped up a level. So it seems Anwar is the first to fall.

I don't think anyone needs to caveat good luck wishes with 'but it he wasn't good enough and we need to move on'. I think his record speaks for itself:

-Central role in the 10 game winning streak that got us to he play offs - he was one of our best players in that period
-Sacrificed his religious beliefs so he was in the best possible condition for the play off campaign
-Scored the opener in the play off final
-Scored some important goals in our first season back despite being in and out of the side
-Set up our goal in a Wembley cup final
-Reacted to being left out of the side for the first few months of last season by hitting an incredible run of form as we played some of the best football I've seen a Villa team play in years
-Scored some important goals last season, including winners at Leeds and Wolves and the equaliser at Chelsea
-Vindicated himself at Goodison last year after the ridiculously exaggerated criticism he got at the same ground the previous year

He also started this season well before being dropped when Smudger switched formation. He's been pretty unlucky, and clearly isn't Gerrard's sort of winger.

I really like Anwar and he's proved a snip at £8 million. He's more than paid back his transfer fee.

Spot on.

Totally agree with this.

[Keeno]

I said to a mate a while ago that the next stage of our development would be tricky because we'll probably have to seek upgrades on some popular players who have served us well during a time when the team has been likeable and restored plenty of pride. At the time, I thought McGinn might be in that number but he's stepped up a level. So it seems Anwar is the first to fall.

I don't think anyone needs to caveat good luck wishes with 'but it he wasn't good enough and we need to move on'. I think his record speaks for itself:

-Central role in the 10 game winning streak that got us to he play offs - he was one of our best players in that period
-Sacrificed his religious beliefs so he was in the best possible condition for the play off campaign
-Scored the opener in the play off final
-Scored some important goals in our first season back despite being in and out of the side
-Set up our goal in a Wembley cup final
-Reacted to being left out of the side for the first few months of last season by hitting an incredible run of form as we played some of the best football I've seen a Villa team play in years
-Scored some important goals last season, including winners at Leeds and Wolves and the equaliser at Chelsea
-Vindicated himself at Goodison last year after the ridiculously exaggerated criticism he got at the same ground the previous year

He also started this season well before being dropped when Smudger switched formation. He's been pretty unlucky, and clearly isn't Gerrard's sort of winger.

I really like Anwar and he's proved a snip at £8 million. He's more than paid back his transfer fee.

Brilliant post - agree with every word.

[dave shelley]

I sometimes think it gets forgotten by those criticising him for his propensity to shoot at every opportunity that if it wasn't for that propensity then we may not have scored that second goal in the play-off final.  If you don't buy a ticket and all that.  A player that deserves to leave with our gratitude.

Except that wasn't a shot Dave, it was a header/shoulder effort from a great cross by Elmo. He didn't really have any other option in that instance.

Dave is talking about McGinn's goal, which came from Anwar cutting inside and having a pop.

Indeed I was.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Isn't it nice to be waving someone off with these sentiments? Rather than bemoaning their loss as another sign of lack of ambition, or cursing the day they ever walked through the door.

Indeed. I expect Trez to be next.

[Hookeysmith]

Isn't it nice to be waving someone off with these sentiments? Rather than bemoaning their loss as another sign of lack of ambition, or cursing the day they ever walked through the door.

Indeed. I expect Trez to be next.

Another player i think its time to say "thanks for everything but bye". I think it opens the door for one of the kids to play his way into that regular bench, tactical change at 70 mins position