Gary Gardner

[AVFCforever1991]

Still convinced he's gonna be our Gerrard, not quite as good but as influential for us as he is for them, really should tie him down to a long term deal IMO

Agreed he will be our main engine in the future, and who knows he could be as good as Gerrard. He is still very young and has a lot to learn. Huge talent though.

[mikeyp102]

Had a good game, looked livley and in control of the ball when he had it.. Always looking for a pass and wanting the ball. Beat his a few times with a good bit of skill. I would say though that it is obvious he is not a winger, need to see him in the middle where he will get more of the ball and not have to rely on pace to go past someone...

One thing is the lack of experience showed for Chelsea's fourth...he shouldve kicked Sturridge up in the air to stop progressing, take a booking for the good of the team...Mr Barry was excellent at doing that.

[VillaGoMarching]

He wasted out wide, but it won't do him any harm the more games he players, produced a nice bit of skill in the first half to do Ivanovic.

[Czechlad]

I honestly forgot he was playing for about 60 minutes

[Killeen30]

I honestly forgot he was playing for about 60 minutes

Why? Were you watching Dr Who instead or something?

[VillaChris]

Gary Gardner has an awesome shot, just like his older brother. I thought his brother was a good player. Hopefully Gary lasts longer then Craig at the club.

I wouldn't mind his brother back at this club.. I don't think we would do all that badly with Craig and Gary in the middle. I didn't rate Craig when was with us initially, but he's turned into a fairly good player at Sunderland. I know we can probably do better than Craig but we can also do a lot worse.

Gardner should've been kept, I think it was an error to sell him in January 2010.

At that time it was like Cahill with him wanting to play every week which was fair enough as Milner and Petrov were the first choice central two.

But Sidwell was ahead of him in the pecking order and he left within a year...and you also had NRC in the last 18 months of his deal and who had fallen out with MON.

It's ridiculous how quickly our central midfield options have declined in the last two years....we had Milner and Petrov as the first choice two with Sidwell, Gardner and NRC as back up.

Now we have Petrov, Ireland, Delph (often injured) and then kids like Herd and Bannan learning the game.

If you can't get your central midfield strong enough to compete in premier league games, you're going to struggle to win games as this season has shown.

[Killeen30]

Totally agree, and I said it at the time that letting Craig go would be Cahill part 2 only to a lesser extent.

[Czechlad]

I honestly forgot he was playing for about 60 minutes

Why? Were you watching Dr Who instead or something?

No Gardner was invisible all game. He never did anything to help our attack. He got a 5 from skysports which I agree with. He was playing LM when he is right footed and a CM but he just was so nonexistent. When Marc came on and played LM, he started creating chances.

[GeauxVilla]

I honestly forgot he was playing for about 60 minutes

Why? Were you watching Dr Who instead or something?

No Gardner was invisible all game. He never did anything to help our attack. He got a 5 from skysports which I agree with. He was playing LM when he is right footed and a CM but he just was so nonexistent. When Marc came on and played LM, he started creating chances.

I agree with this. Still very excited to see Gardner get a run out but like Ireland he's just much better in the middle. For me they both disappear when out wide.

[Killeen30]

I honestly forgot he was playing for about 60 minutes

Why? Were you watching Dr Who instead or something?

No Gardner was invisible all game. He never did anything to help our attack. He got a 5 from skysports which I agree with. He was playing LM when he is right footed and a CM but he just was so nonexistent. When Marc came on and played LM, he started creating chances.

I agree with this. Still very excited to see Gardner get a run out but like Ireland he's just much better in the middle. For me they both disappear when out wide.

Shock horror a young lad play out of posision and don't have a great game. Give him more game time in his preferred cm!

[VillaGoMarching]

Gary Gardner hopes he and his big brother Craig can emulate the Charltons and the Nevilles by playing for England together, writes James Nursey.

The two midfielders are set face each other on the pitch for the first time ever on Saturday when Gary's Aston Villa entertain Craig and Sunderland.

The pair are both capped at England Under-21 level and harbour hopes of playing together for the seniors.

The aim is to follow in the footsteps of Bobby and Jack Charlton and Gary and Phil Neville, who have all worn the Three Lions together.

Former England Under-19s captain Gary, who has broken through tothe first team at Villa this term, said: "You have to aim high. Me and Craig want to play together at the highest level.

"If one day that could be for England, that is what me and Craig are going to push for. We are the type of lads to work hard for that and are dedicated enough to get there.

"We'll keep working hard and hopefully one time we will get the chance to play with each other for England."

The lads' mum, Sharon, was a keen amateur footballer.

Gary, 19, said: "Craig wouldn't hold back a tackle when we were younger.

"When I was nine or 10 and he was 16, he would still hit me hard. That's where I got all my strength and bravery from.

"After every game now, me and Craig talk. We are the first person we each go to because we have played the game.

"We help each other a lot and that is the plus side of having a brother in the game."

Meanwhile, Craig describes himself as the “proudest brother in the world” that Gary is making a first team impact at Villa - and says he gets more nervous watching his breakthrough that playing himself.

The pair played golf together at The Belfry this week (Craig’s handicap is 7, Gary, who Craig says “crumbles under pressure,” is off 12).

That was the latest family sporting battle that is a way of life in the Gardner family.... with four other brothers, Paul, Terry, Mark and Richard, also keen sport-men and footballers who spurred each other on during childhood.

Games of football were held in the living room when their parents Gary and Sharon had their backs turned (they were clever enough to hide the ornaments away), but Saturday’s clash will be the highest profile yet.

But the family dream of having two boys on the pitch at once was almost wrecked.

Craig admits to shedding a tear for Gary when, on the same day as he signed for Birmingham from Villa, Craig, then a 17-year-old apprentice, was told he had damaged his cruciate ligament putting his career in the balance.

“I remember I did have a tear in my eye, because I knew that it was a long way back for him," recalled Craig. "He’s worked so hard, he deserves everything he gets out of the game.

“He got the injury in a game against Birmingham - an academy game. I was there watching and he just pulled up and went off, so I went and sat next to him and asked him what he’d done.

"He said he’d done his knee and 18 months later he’s just coming back, that’s how bad it was. He’s shown so much character to come back, he’s mentally and physically strong.

“He makes me the proudest brother in the world.

"I obviously remember him a a little kid, and he’s been at Villa since the age of seven and I watched him all the way.

“Gary’s the pup, but he’s a big pup, he’s about 6ft 3in - he must have been the milkman’s! He’s huge. Bigger than all of us.

"At the end of the day he’s my brother and I’ve been telling everyone for ages how good he is and that he’ll come through and show people.

“I’ve walked every step he’s taking now, he’s a good listener and he learns. He’s got many strengths, he’s good in the air, he’s good on the ball, he’s quick and he’s strong, he’s a top player but I’m not going to blow his trumpet too much!”

Any joking was put aside after their golf game to concentrate on a crucial game for both clubs.

Villa are in relegation trouble, while Sunderland can finish anywhere between eighth and 14th - which could mean a lot more end-of-season prize money, as each rung on the ladder is worth an extra £750,000.

Craig said: “I played with him at Villa for the reserves, but never in a proper match.

"It’s a rare thing for brothers to play each other in the top flight. It will be a proud moment for the whole family, for especially mum and dad who did everything for us as kids, ferrying us around the country and Europe.

“We can have a laugh and joke here [on the golf course] and afterwards, but when we’re both on the pitch we’ll do everything we need to do to win the game and the banter goes out of the window.

"If there’s a tackle there between us we’ll both go for it. Just like you’d tackle anyone and try and win it fairly.”

*

THE GARDNERS' TALE OF THE TAPE

Craig Gardner Gary Gardner

Current Club Sunderland Aston Villa

Previous Clubs Aston Villa, Birmingham Coventry (loan)

National England U21 England U17 U19 U20 U21

Position Central Midfield Central Midfield

Age 25 19

Height 5ft 10in 6ft 2in

Weight 81.2kg 82kg

Shirt Number 8 38

Last Transfer £6m 0 (Academy player)

Trophies League Cup 2011 None

Prem Debut December 26 2005 December 31 2011

Prem Apps 128 12

Prem Goals 17 0

This Season

Appearances 27 12

Goals 3 0

Bookings 4 1

Wins 9 3

Draws 7 4

Losses 11 5

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Gary's being stifled by the shite tactics, won't see the best of him till 'Eck **** off.

[FamousHolteUnion]

I imagine my questions are answered by the fact I've had to rescue this from Page 9 but:

Has Gary been given much of a chance in pre-season?* (been on holiday/asleep during the US tour/Burton game)

If so, how has he been performing?

I really rate this kid, didnt have the best season last year but I imagine thats down to McLeish, honestly believe he will be our Lampard/Gerrard type in the years to come, our next Milner I guess. Really hope he can make a big impact this season.

*Or is he injured?

[PieFacE]

To be totally honest I haven't seem him perform very well really. He hasn't been bad, but hasn't exactly been great either. He's struggled to make an impact in the games so far when i've seen him.

He's obviously got talent, guess he still just needs to develop his game a little bit.

[lexicon]

Yup, pretty much what Pieface said - he's got a lot of work to do.

[Bazdavies79]

He's meant to be good, but he's shown nothing, absolutely nothing so far. I can't even find a decent game for the youths on Youtube, Daniel Johnson always seems the star of the show.

[Ulver]

The lad would benefit massively from a season long loan at a good standard championship side

[AndyClarke]

He's a distance above Daniel Johnson at reserve level, although DJ is good at that level. Gardner is a dynamic midfield player, he has a lot more to his game than the likes of Barry Bannan but he isn't necessarily going to come on and hit a Hollywood ball like Bannan might attempt which maybe why he goes unnoticed. He is tenacious and my opinion of his first team appearances have been that he has gone on and looked comfortable and got stuck in, he setup the goal against Fulham, albeit accidentally, but that showed a little bit of what he is all about, tidy touch and decent strike where it counts.

Don't be too quick to write him off, reserve team level is obviously completely different to first team but he absolutely bosses games at that level and looks a class above.

[FamousHolteUnion]

He's meant to be good, but he's shown nothing, absolutely nothing so far. I can't even find a decent game for the youths on Youtube, Daniel Johnson always seems the star of the show.

The game vs Ajax at Villapark Gardner absolutely bossed it, think he was captain for that game and he put in a true captains performance. He was everywhere and scored a hatrick. Ajax are probably the 2nd best Academy in the world *imo*.

The England game where he scored twice in a minute aswell, one goal was an inch-perfect freekick and the second took a bit of luck from poor keeping but he was calling for the ball on the edge of the area for a while before he got it and hit it pretty well, he reads the game well.

One thing we'll gain from him is a midfielder who makes late runs into the box, think he scored a header for Coventry from doing just this (and had a few other chances there doing the same), its been a while since we had a midfielder who does that, Ireland links between midfield and upfront but Gardner will actively try and get into the box if he see's that there is an opportunity. Ireland and Bannan dont really do that and it's not really in the job description for El-Ahmadi, Delph and Makoun. (not seen Holman so cant comment)

[NeilS]

The lad would benefit massively from a season long loan at a good standard championship side

Agreed with this, he needs to start playing week in week out to build his match craft and experience. It is a big leap from Reserves football to Premier League, and Championship football will help bridge the gap.

The top teams all seem to do this, but it is a route we have not tried bar the odd half season loan. Is this because we don't like to loan out our players for the whole season, or the lower teams don't rate our players as highly as we do?

[wiggyrichard]

He's only just turned 20 years old.

Gary is a massive talent who will come good. To expect the kid to come straight in when given a chance and make a difference at this level is a huge ask imo. Only a few players at that age can do that like Rooney, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Jack Wilshire, but your talking supreme talants.

Gary was watched by both Inter Milan and Real Madrid before he did his ACL, so that shows that the footballing world is fully aware of how good he could be and the potential he has.

He'll come good i have no doubt, just needs time to get upto speed. As Ulver said above, a good 6 month loan to a top end Championship team would do him the world of good.