Gabby Agbonlahor

[DCJonah]

I think nzogbia has played well but I'd have gabby straight back in as soon as he's fit.

[Zatman]

 

 

Our best run of form under Sherwood has come with gabby in the team.

Stevo;  please has it really? come on be fair how would you describe the last 3 games then? sorry i just don't follow.

 

 

He scored a brace against Sunderland, put us ahead against the Albion and was instrumental in the cup game leading the line in Benteke's absence. Also thought he was good against QPR and unlucky to not have a goal to his name in the Spurs match. He has undoubtedly been more influential statistically than N'Zogbia, who has played well in my opinion but is lacking an end product still.  

 

 

but except for all that, what has he done?

[David-Copenhagen]

Our best run of form under Sherwood has come with gabby in the team.

Stevo; please has it really? come on be fair how would you describe the last 3 games then? sorry i just don't follow.

He scored a brace against Sunderland, put us ahead against the Albion and was instrumental in the cup game leading the line in Benteke's absence. Also thought he was good against QPR and unlucky to not have a goal to his name in the Spurs match. He has undoubtedly been more influential statistically than N'Zogbia, who has played well in my opinion but is lacking an end product still.

This is spot on. Gabby must come instead of Zoggy. He is much more of a goal threat.

[villaglint]

I think N'Zogbia give us better flow in terms of how we build our attacks and that has been noticeable in the last three games which in my view have been our best under Sherwood in my view.

 

However Gabby carries a goal threat which frankly N'Zogbia doesnt so it is not an easy decision.

 

Gabby does usually cause Arsenal problems so I'd probably edge towards him for that but only if he was 100% fit, a sharp Gabby causes anyone problems but we've all seen how average he can be when not absolutley fit.

 

Also it depends what Tactics Tim wants to go for because obviously they both play different positions.

Edited May 6, 2015 by villaglint

[Dante_Lockhart]

Also it depends what Tactics Tim wants to go for because obviously they both play different positions.

 

That's the kicker. Gabby and Zog are different players, and I don't think Gabby would have been as effective if he had played against Everton in the position Zog was asked to play.

[BleedClaretAndBlue]

The bottom line is they have both improved tenfold under TS. Its a good problem to have and for what its worth, I think he will go with Gabby when fit. Every manager who has ever stepped through that door has always rated and taken to Gabby more than we would expect.

Is he going to make the West Ham game does anyone know?

[PieFacE]

I'd stick with Zog when Gabby returns. He needs to earn his place back imo. 

[Isa]

I noticed on MOTD that they said we played a diamond formation with CNZ up top with Benteke. Personally I don't think it was as clear cut as that throughout the game but either way I think Gabby can play the role alongside Grealish just behind Benteke or in a more conventional diamond and should come back into the side when fit.

He just offers more threat than CNZ.

Clueless punditry.

It was two attacking-midfielders behind Benteke and therefore a 4-3-2-1. Same formation we played against Liverpool and Sherwood described it as playing with "two No. 10s" afterwards. So not a diamond at all basically.

This is why I don't understand the comments about Gabby being a natural replacement to waltz back in. He wouldn't be, it would necessitate a return to the diamond and a front-two. Gabby can't undertake the role N'Zogbia has been, simply doesn't have the ability to play between the lines.

Edited May 6, 2015 by Isa

[bobzy]

Completely correct - and, thankfully for us, both systems are currently working pretty well.

 

Would people rather see us play with 2 up top, or with the 2 #10 option?

[WooJung]

 

 

Our best run of form under Sherwood has come with gabby in the team.

Stevo;  please has it really? come on be fair how would you describe the last 3 games then? sorry i just don't follow.

 

Well it's hard to really define form. he's only been out of the team for 3 games, one of which we lost.

So if you're only using 3 games as your measure, then our best 3 game spell under Sherwood was 3 wins in a row, in which Gabby played every minute.

 

Regardless, with him in the team we won 5 and drew 1 of the previous 9 games.

 

It's wrong to only look at the end result of a game - you have to look at the opposition and at how the game itself has developed.

We dominated Liverpool from start to finish, we pretty muched bossed the team that had won the league the previous year, scoring twice against them, and only losing the game because of individual errors at the back, and also dominated against a very decent Everton side who had one five in their previous 6.

The level of the opposition has been much higher in the last three games, and yet we have always clearly been the better side.

 

I'm not saying Gabby shouldn't play, I'm just saying that playing him would mean we would have to change our system, and I hope you can see why I'd be reluctant to do so.

[Stevo985]

I was talking about form, not performances. I agree that our best performance came without Gabby in the team.

 

But that in itself doesn't mean it was BECAUSE Gabby wasn't in the team.

[DCJonah]

Completely correct - and, thankfully for us, both systems are currently working pretty well.

Would people rather see us play with 2 up top, or with the 2 #10 option?

For me with these must win games I'd go back to the 2 up top. Since playing as a striker again Gabby has been very good in most matches. Nzogbia has played well but I think gabby makes us more dangerous.

[dounavilla]

I honestly believe our biggest problem during the bleak Lambert days was his persistence to play Gabby and Weiman.

[PieFacE]

I honestly believe our biggest problem during the bleak Lambert days was his persistence to play Gabby and Weiman.

Specially when they're being played out of position..

[foreveryoung]

I honestly believe our biggest problem during the bleak Lambert days was his persistence to play Gabby and Weiman.

No the biggest problem was using Sissokho and Hutton as creative wingers, bi-passing gabby and the rest of the midfield, then crossing it way over Benteke's head.

[TRO]

I honestly believe our biggest problem during the bleak Lambert days was his persistence to play Gabby and Weiman.

I am not disagreeing with you.....but it was a lot more than just that.

[sne]

Biggest problem was the lack of (intelligent) movement, and that noone seemed to have any idea what to do with the ball when they got it.

 

Lambert was tactically vague and some of our players aren't the most intelligent footballers

[VillaChris]

Is he fit for West Ham? He needs minutes before the cup final rather than a 6 week lay off.

 

I'd be tempted to leave him on the bench and keep an unchanged side though. West Ham will defend deep so will be a different challenge to Everton to break through and I've seen countless home games down the years where Gabby just dosen't do anything in that situation.

[Killeen30]

Yep, wondering myself when he'll be back playing!

[VillaChris]

Sherwood press conference is on Thursday's so we'll get the answer as to whether he's in contention then I guess.