I love the bloke, but JPA has always been more of a symbol than a hero. When we bought him, it felt like the one time Ellis relented to fan pressure, was forced to get his cheque book out and show some genuine ambition. He cost 9.5 million -alot, but at a time when everyone cost alot (not just John Gregory's signings).
The other thing is his good patches have always come when Villa were doing well - even including earlier this season - so there is this added euphoria surrounding him.
To be honest, against Wigan on Monday I would rather have seen him come off the bench than either Ashley Young or Luke Moore. To have had that bit of experience and nous up front would have been telling IMO. As it was, it was all youthful headless chicken stuff.
But clearly he's not in this manager's plans so that's that...