Anwar El Ghazi

[Sam-AVFC]

4 minutes ago, KenjiOgiwara said:

His performance lately is commendable though, I'll give him that. Knack for scoring. 

He clearly works hard on areas of his game that aren't good enough. I'm hoping he's practising wrapping his foot around the ball coming in from the left as he could have a load more goals.

[lapal_fan]

No-one else in our squad is scoring a goal a game, so for me, he's the best player in the team at the moment and absolutely undroppable.  Jack played there all season last year and got what? 7 goals?  I think he's better floating in the middle anyway.  

Anwars overall game isn't what jack's is (who's is atm?), But he's changing games with his goals and working bloody hard tracking back too.

If his performances drop for a few games then we take him out the team, but absolutely not right now.

We've had discussions about Conor like this too, that his overall game isn't the required level, but he makes game changing contributions and when we had a weaker squad, we needed him in the team.

For now, Anwar gets the nod over any of our other widemen.

[blandy]

On 26/12/2020 at 19:07, avfcDJ said:

He’s always been a confidence player, but I also think being dropped as made him work **** hard to improve. That’s the sort of player we need.

Another thing is he was hounded off social media by whoppers abusing him personally. As others have said he seems a sensitive sort of soul, so that will have hit him hard. But then Tyrone Mings also on social media posted in defence of him and against the whoppers - that kind of team-mate support matters. And then of course he scored the Pen that won the game, right at the end, at Wolves and so another boost to the confidence - he's gone (in his mind, perhaps) from being abused and unwanted, to being supported and the match winner. And he's gone on from there.

The key, I guess is maintaining the form. He's got loads of talent and perhaps needs not to just to be pushed but also "looked after" in terms of support. Some players need a kick up the backside, some need their tyres pumping.

[Guest av1]

15 minutes ago, blandy said:

Another thing is he was hounded off social media by whoppers abusing him personally. As others have said he seems a sensitive sort of soul, so that will have hit him hard. But then Tyrone Mings also on social media posted in defence of him and against the whoppers - that kind of team-mate support matters. And then of course he scored the Pen that won the game, right at the end, at Wolves and so another boost to the confidence - he's gone (in his mind, perhaps) from being abused and unwanted, to being supported and the match winner. And he's gone on from there.

The key, I guess is maintaining the form. He's got loads of talent and perhaps needs not to just to be pushed but also "looked after" in terms of support. Some players need a kick up the backside, some need their tyres pumping.

Agreed. 

This isn't necessarily a pop at our fans (apart from the plums that abused him on social media), just the nature of sport I guess, but I wonder if playing behind closed doors suits him for the very reasons you mention? 

[Vive_La_Villa]

3 minutes ago, av1 said:

Agreed. 

This isn't necessarily a pop at our fans (apart from the plums that abused him on social media), just the nature of sport I guess, but I wonder if playing behind closed doors suits him for the very reasons you mention? 

No doubt about it in my opinion. Every bad touch, loss of possession, poor pass/cross would be met with moans and groans from the fans. This kind of thing clearly affects the guy and his game.

[blandy]

17 minutes ago, av1 said:

but I wonder if playing behind closed doors suits him for the very reasons you mention? 

I dunno, truthfully. I'd imagine that any player in a bad run of form will get and hear groans and stuff, and it's one of the requirements of the job, professionally that they can deal with that. But it doesn't mean it won't have an effect. Supporters are "supposed" to support - not uncritically, but moaners and groaners are not (while they're doing it) "supporting".

The flip side of course that players in a good run of form get a kind of lift from fans reacting to them having the ball and thinking something good might be about to happen - so I guess it works both ways. Right now with Villa in a good from fans would, I think, be adding to that, for all the players.

[BleedClaretAndBlue]

Surely in the running for player of the month for December.

Deano for Manager of the Month too. Be a nice bit of recognition to add to the many positives already this season

[Dodgyknees]

3 hours ago, blandy said:

Another thing is he was hounded off social media by whoppers abusing him personally. As others have said he seems a sensitive sort of soul, so that will have hit him hard. But then Tyrone Mings also on social media posted in defence of him and against the whoppers - that kind of team-mate support matters. And then of course he scored the Pen that won the game, right at the end, at Wolves and so another boost to the confidence - he's gone (in his mind, perhaps) from being abused and unwanted, to being supported and the match winner. And he's gone on from there.

The key, I guess is maintaining the form. He's got loads of talent and perhaps needs not to just to be pushed but also "looked after" in terms of support. Some players need a kick up the backside, some need their tyres pumping.

Can’t disagree with any of that

[MrBlack]

21 hours ago, Keyblade said:

Jack left vs Jack in the middle is virtually identical imo. In fact I'd go even further and say that through the middle he has more license to roam and isn't restricted to just one side of the pitch.

I agree  

[Dave-R]

21 hours ago, Keyblade said:

Jack left vs Jack in the middle is virtually identical imo. In fact I'd go even further and say that through the middle he has more license to roam and isn't restricted to just one side of the pitch.

But Jack on the left still had a licence to roam, sometimes youd see him completely switch with the right Winger for abit as well.

[MrBlack]

8 hours ago, KenjiOgiwara said:

I just don't. I think it's commendable when nurses go day in and out to work in covid infected hospitals. I think it's commendable that some people keep working post 65.  I think it's commendable how some people are able to work with small toddlers in day care every day without going insane. I think it's commendable when people actively work for charities and are more focused on the well being of others than themselves. I think it's commendable when societies try and integrate refugees from war torn areas and do so with little prejudice. I think it's commendable when minorities step out and make themselves heard in areas they've been stigmatised. 

I probably could sit writing that list for a week. There's lots of things I find commendable. Doing your job when called upon despite having a religious belief telling you otherwise, isn't one of them. 

If the arguement was that he had played the P.O.F. with zero food in his belly, yeah that would have been commendable cause it would have been an exceptional physical feat. But showing up for you job cause your personal convictions tell you otherwise? No don't think so. 

Whilst I personally agree with your summary of things that you find more commendable than going beyond a religious belief,  I also acknowledge that their are others who have faith and a belief that means the total opposite thing is more commendable to them.

In AEGs case, he was doing something that went against a belief system he has known all his life.  Just because I don't share that belief, doesn't mean I can't appreciate what he did. 

[icouldtelltheworld]

20 minutes ago, MrBlack said:

Whilst I personally agree with your summary of things that you find more commendable than going beyond a religious belief,  I also acknowledge that their are others who have faith and a belief that means the total opposite thing is more commendable to them.

In AEGs case, he was doing something that went against a belief system he has known all his life.  Just because I don't share that belief, doesn't mean I can't appreciate what he did. 

As non-believers it is hard for us to fathom the decision process that AEG went through before that play-off final. For the sake of this football club, he made a decision that he believes he will have to answer for and justify in the next life. I don't share his beliefs but I will never have anything but respect for what he did for us

Edited December 29, 2020 by icouldtelltheworld

[Keyblade]

11 hours ago, KenjiOgiwara said:

Is it though? It's his job. Very well paid and extremely comfortable job. Might even be in his contract. 

 

I'm Muslim and I wouldn't do that for my job. Really showed his dedication to the Villa cause. He was only a loan player at the time too!

[Keener window-cleaner]

8 hours ago, blandy said:

The key, I guess is maintaining the form. He's got loads of talent and perhaps needs not to just to be pushed but also "looked after" in terms of support. Some players need a kick up the backside, some need their tyres pumping.

And most need a bit of both, but at different times and at the right times. That is true leadership, to be able to sense when what is needed. Our management team seems to do this superbly as each and every player seem to improve, seem to be happy and work hard for the team.

[Keener window-cleaner]

Seriously does anyone on here know anything about how deep AEG:s faith is? I don't think we know much at all about how big a sacrifice it was for him.

[Keyblade]

1 minute ago, Keener window-cleaner said:

Seriously does anyone on here know anything about how deep AEG:s faith is? I don't think we know much at all about how big a sacrifice it was for him.

It was serious enough for him to have a sit down with his family about it. It's not a decision he made lightly basically. I don't think anybody is saying he sacrificed the afterlife for that one game or anything

[Keener window-cleaner]

4 minutes ago, Keyblade said:

It was serious enough for him to have a sit down with his family about it. It's not a decision he made lightly basically. I don't think anybody is saying he sacrificed the afterlife for that one game or anything

Ok thanks, didn't know that!

[Keener window-cleaner]

And as he scored it must have been an act of God! What does that make AEG? Perhaps he has more powers than we thought!

[Keyblade]

7 minutes ago, Keener window-cleaner said:

And as he scored it must have been an act of God! What does that make AEG? Perhaps he has more powers than we thought!

Step aside Hand of God, Shoulder of God coming through!

[MrBlack]

1 hour ago, Dave-R said:

But Jack on the left still had a licence to roam, sometimes youd see him completely switch with the right Winger for abit as well.

True,  but he regularly found himself on the touch line with only a few possible directions/options rather than the several he has in the middle.  A man of his ability has to be in the middle of the pitch for me. You put your best player in the middle of the action.  Clichéd I guess, but that's how I feel about Jack. 

As for AEG,  he has definitely demonstrated his best on the left, but would be interesting to see how he'd fare on the right with this new lease of confidence he has.  I think we'll find out in time,  when Barkley is back, and can't wait to see how it works out for us.