One For The Road Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 My current positive outlook has just ground to a sudden halt. I thought we had learned, moved on. It seems we haven't. Offering Gary Gardner a 4 year contract is one of the poorest decisions we have made in the last couple of years and that's saying something. I'm now seriously worried that not only are we now going to have to see him in a Villa shirt again, but this may indicate that the midfield overhaul we are so desperate for isn't going to happen. Really unhappy about this. A poor player whose passing is arguably the worst of ANY of the dross we have had in midfield. I just hope he is a 3rd or 4th choice back up. I fear he isn't tho.. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
One For The Road Posted December 24, 2016 Share Posted December 24, 2016 7 hours ago, sir_gary_cahill said: Not every 24 year old is Gary Gardner, he's outstanding, Hahah. That is hilarious. You are surely trolling here right? He is bloody awful. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr_Pangloss Posted December 24, 2016 Share Posted December 24, 2016 He's shit and not even top half championship quality, absolutely top of the list to be replaced so really do not understand why he should be 'rewarded' with such a long contract. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
One For The Road Posted December 24, 2016 Share Posted December 24, 2016 5 minutes ago, Dr_Pangloss said: He's shit and not even top half championship quality, absolutely top of the list to be replaced so really do not understand why he should be 'rewarded' with such a long contract. Completely agree. Think he may be able to cut it in League 1 but no way is he good enough for a regular starting place for a Championship team. Especially not one with play off aspirations. Another one from our academy that people raved about only for them to massively disappoint. He has had enough time to show if he had the talent. I don't believe he has. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sir_gary_cahill Posted December 24, 2016 Share Posted December 24, 2016 13 minutes ago, One For The Road said: Hahah. That is hilarious. You are surely trolling here right? He is bloody awful. Not at all, average players don't score headers like he did in the derby, that's what he does. He arrives late in the box and finishes very well, I don't understand the universal hate on here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
One For The Road Posted December 24, 2016 Share Posted December 24, 2016 3 minutes ago, sir_gary_cahill said: Not at all, average players don't score headers like he did in the derby, that's what he does. He arrives late in the box and finishes very well, I don't understand the universal hate on here What on Earth??? He did it ONCE! Steve Sidwell scored a screamer at Everton once. Hassan Kachloul pearled in a couple of beauties in his time. They were both average at best. Gary Gardner is not an average player. He is a bloody awful footballer and him scoring a great header once, doesn't change that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sir_gary_cahill Posted December 24, 2016 Share Posted December 24, 2016 5 minutes ago, One For The Road said: What on Earth??? He did it ONCE! Steve Sidwell scored a screamer at Everton once. Hassan Kachloul pearled in a couple of beauties in his time. They were both average at best. Gary Gardner is not an average player. He is a bloody awful footballer and him scoring a great header once, doesn't change that. I'm not going to compare Gary Gardner with anyone else, Gary Gardner is Gary Gardner, he's a goalscoring midfielder who arrives late in the box, it's an art form. I've seen him do it many times for the underage sides at this for this football club Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brommy Posted December 24, 2016 Share Posted December 24, 2016 I'm not party to the figures that will have been plugged into the formulas and calculations regarding GG's cost (salary) and benefit (through playing or sale) to the club so, despite me yet to be convinced of GG's advantage for our club, I'm not going to get fussed about why the club has chosen to do what that have. Alternatively, I could post two variations in anticipation of a smug hindsight follow-up: Stupid decision - he hasn't improved as a player and we're stuck with him / he's left on a free Bruce got the best out of him and we eventually sold him for £3.5m - good job he didn't leave on a free. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
One For The Road Posted December 24, 2016 Share Posted December 24, 2016 (edited) 7 minutes ago, sir_gary_cahill said: I'm not going to compare Gary Gardner with anyone else, Gary Gardner is Gary Gardner, he's a goalscoring midfielder who arrives late in the box, it's an art form. I've seen him do it many times for the underage sides at this for this football club Great. So he did well for the youth team. Im only interested in how he performs for the 1st team. He is NOT a goal scoring midfielder. Not with 1 goal in half a season. Whatever he had as a kid has clearly not developed as he has grown older. And that's fine, it happens all the time to footballers. But then you say thanks for your effort and move them on, not hand them a 4 year contract. He is a clear weak link in our side. Edited December 24, 2016 by One For The Road Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stratvillan Posted December 24, 2016 Share Posted December 24, 2016 When was our last goal scoring midfielder? Platt? Ive just checked Dephs stats ( on wiki admittedly) he must have scored more than 3 league goals? I'm not going to defend Westwood because he's awfull and has had his chances, but Gardner needs a run in the team so we can make a decision on him. He has played less than 10 games this season (total minutes). Grealish is a case in point, too much expected too soon, but is benefitting from much more game time. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrentVilla Posted December 24, 2016 Moderator Share Posted December 24, 2016 Milner got 10 league goals from CM for us if I recall correctly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sir_gary_cahill Posted December 24, 2016 Share Posted December 24, 2016 51 minutes ago, TrentVilla said: Milner got 10 league goals from CM for us if I recall correctly 7 goals in the league, 12 in all competitions in 09/10, he was brilliant that season and then we sold him for profit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick76 Posted December 24, 2016 Share Posted December 24, 2016 Poor decision giving him this contract, given his contribution to the weakness of our midfield I thought he'd move on eventually. Strange decision given our supposed future ambitions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stratvillan Posted December 24, 2016 Share Posted December 24, 2016 18 minutes ago, sir_gary_cahill said: 7 goals in the league, 12 in all competitions in 09/10, he was brilliant that season and then we sold him for profit I think GG could match that tally in the championship. Our problem is that no one other than forwards (well Kodjia) scores. This is going to cost us a playoff place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sir_gary_cahill Posted December 24, 2016 Share Posted December 24, 2016 3 minutes ago, Stratvillan said: I think GG could match that tally in the championship. Our problem is that no one other than forwards (well Kodjia) scores. This is going to cost us a playoff place. Agree with you Stratvillan, I think Adomah and Grealish could also chip in with quite a few goals, don't forget McCormack, I think we will sneak the play offs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stratvillan Posted December 24, 2016 Share Posted December 24, 2016 I hope so, last year the top 6 all scored 63+ goals. At the moment we're on target for mid to high 40s. I don't think GG is brilliant, but assuming Jedi is playing, he is the midfielder with the most attacking threat. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morley_crosses_to_Withe Posted December 24, 2016 Share Posted December 24, 2016 17 hours ago, Junxs said: A new 4 year contract for a player that can't establish himself in the team ahead of Westwood.. and here I thought we were about to splash the cash on a completely new midfield in the window.. The noises coming out of the club suggest we aren't going to be splashing any cash. As for GG, as Hanoi said: a two year extension would have been much more sensible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Posted December 24, 2016 VT Supporter Share Posted December 24, 2016 This deal hinges on the key phrase 'he wants to be here (sic)'! He is clearly not 1st team material for we want to be (at the moment), but we will need players around who are backup and wont kick up a fuss. You do hold all the cards if a player wants to stay with a club, and you always have the chance that he will step up too. No lose for me! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markavfc40 Posted December 24, 2016 Share Posted December 24, 2016 (edited) 19 minutes ago, Nigel said: He is clearly not 1st team material for we want to be (at the moment), but we will need players around who are backup and wont kick up a fuss. You do hold all the cards if a player wants to stay with a club, and you always have the chance that he will step up too. The above pretty much sums it up. At present he is one of the best 3 or 4 centre mid we have which means if we go with a three he plays. Hopefully come January he will be moved one or two places down the pecking order and again in the summer. At present we need him and if he is a fair way behind others in terms of salary then he needed a pay rise as long as it doesn't mean clubs at Championship level wouldn't be able to match them which I am sure it doesn't. It may also result in us getting a little more out of him as he will certainly have had a boost to his confidence knowing the manager apparently rates him. Going forward then hopefully we will be in a position where Gardner is providing back up if we get 2 or 3 injuries. This is also protecting our investment and means he won't be out of contract in the summer and if we do decide he is surplus to requirements then we can get a couple of mill + for him. I see little to criticize here. Edited December 24, 2016 by markavfc40 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodytom Posted December 24, 2016 Share Posted December 24, 2016 10 hours ago, sir_gary_cahill said: Not at all, average players don't score headers like he did in the derby, that's what he does. He arrives late in the box and finishes very well, I don't understand the universal hate on here Cloud cuckoo land. It's very difficult to take anything you say regarding players seriously when you write drivel like this. You're basing your opinion of him being outstanding on more meaningless youth team form and a single good goal.... adding some belief that he's some magician who arrives in the box late like nobody else. It's madness. Tell me. Have you ever seen Simon cox scoring that worldie I think for Swindon? Is he outstanding too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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