HeyAnty Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 He got about 3 touches in the first half. Granted he was much better in the second half. Im not sure how people can say he had a good game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Albrighton Posted August 8, 2015 VT Supporter Share Posted August 8, 2015 I honestly don't remember seeing him before he won that free kick just before half time. Overall he was ok. He was involved in our most threatening moments (the goal aside). I thought his good run followed by his shot (which the commentator described as a back pass to their keeper) seemed to sum him up. However, his pace does still cause panic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villaglint Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 (edited) Surprised to see people say it was a great start. I thought he was dreadful up top and then much better when wide. It was 5/10 improving to 7/10 for me Edited August 8, 2015 by villaglint Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onmeedson Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 Most of the time he looked like he was on to walk that dog that kept going around the pitch, but he still did a job and that was to drain the legs out of the defenders so we could unleash Rudy on them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark_1989 Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 the guy is luggage, honestly how he gets a starting spot is worrying. he has one asset and that is pace. Quality defenders know how to combat that. he did one nice bit of skill running at defence and moved the ball onto his left before the tamest of shots. We really need to move past gabby to progress. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dont_do_it_doug. Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 He got about 3 touches in the first half. Granted he was much better in the second half. Im not sure how people can say he had a good game. Because we didn't get the ball to him first half. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexicon Posted August 9, 2015 Share Posted August 9, 2015 I don't really blame him or the front 3 in the first half - they were all way too similar and it wasn't a good move by Sherwood to start them. We'll struggle massively to score goals if they all start regularly for us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrUnKeNbUm Posted August 9, 2015 Share Posted August 9, 2015 I don't really blame him or the front 3 in the first half - they were all way too similar and it wasn't a good move by Sherwood to start them. We'll struggle massively to score goals if they all start regularly for us. I agree. But I also think it was quite clear we went out in the first half to stop Bournemouth from playing, let their adrenaline burn off and keep the fans quiet. As soon as they got the ball everyone raced back to get into shape and we contained Bournemouth quite well. Second half we played a lot more direct and Gabby benefitted from that. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarewsEyebrowDesigner Posted August 9, 2015 Share Posted August 9, 2015 I don't think he was particularly bad nor was he particularly good. He played as well as he does most weeks and still did very little but stretch the opposition's defence, which is why he's a good impact player and should be replaced in the starting XI with a player who has a more consistent end product. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dont_do_it_doug. Posted August 9, 2015 Share Posted August 9, 2015 I don't really blame him or the front 3 in the first half - they were all way too similar and it wasn't a good move by Sherwood to start them. We'll struggle massively to score goals if they all start regularly for us. We literally didn't have anyone else. So I'm not entirely sure what he could have done? Also very early days, good to get Ayew minutes and to be fair, hard for Sherwood to really know what he has until watching them in a competitive match. Thought Gabby was good second half seeing more if the ball. Have been generally impressed with him since Sherwood came in, think he has earned his place. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xela Posted August 9, 2015 Share Posted August 9, 2015 I don't really blame him or the front 3 in the first half - they were all way too similar and it wasn't a good move by Sherwood to start them. We'll struggle massively to score goals if they all start regularly for us. They won't though, hence why we were talking to Adebayor and have signed Gestede. We'll play a bigger more traditional man up front in due course, it just came too early to start yesterday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Posted August 9, 2015 Share Posted August 9, 2015 Watching MotD last night the only thing I remember him doing was a great run in the second half where he went past about three players with sheer pace and them tamely rolled a 'shot' along the ground to the keeper. I though to myself..that's Gabby. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa4europe Posted August 9, 2015 Share Posted August 9, 2015 He got about 3 touches in the first half. Granted he was much better in the second half. Im not sure how people can say he had a good game. That's the problem with gabby, it's not just what he is doing on the ball that is of benefit to us, if he's got decent movement (and by that I don't mean running round like a nutter, something which also confuses people) then he can stretch the defence, push them deeper, pull players wide, create gaps etc If we've got nobody who can then utilise that space then it looks shit, if we can't get the ball to him it looks shit, but he's in there doing a job, I think if when we get Gil and Grealish back they'll thrive on what he does to a defensive line Unfortunately too many of our own fans don't see it or understand it 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7392craig Posted August 9, 2015 Share Posted August 9, 2015 (edited) I don't agree as such with him being an impact player, I also think he is dreadful out wide and completely wasted there. But as people have pointed out, he is too isolated as a lone striker. He can play only one position well, up front with a proper CF with him. His pace is amazing but he needs someone there with him to either knock on balls, or to take attention from him for a through ball to go through for him to run on to. I am confident that if he played up front with Gestede he would have a very good season. Edited August 9, 2015 by 7392craig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonno_2004 Posted August 9, 2015 Share Posted August 9, 2015 You play to Gabby's strengths when he's fit - i.e knock it accurately into space behind the defender, stretch defences and give him some space to run in to with a target man flicking it on he can be a real threat as we saw in a couple of brief moments yesterday. The problem is we haven't done that consistently as a team since the O'Neill days and I'm not sure that is the type of football Sherwood is trying to develop, which doesn't leave much room for Gabby. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isa Posted August 9, 2015 Share Posted August 9, 2015 What people seem to have forgotten is that even during his 'glory' days, Gabby's best total was 13 goals and he always stopped performing after Christmas. Also that his best ever form came playing as a lone striker in 4-5-1, not alongside Carew. The guy just isn't very good wherever he plays. Only sentimentality blinds many to the obvious. He never should've got a contract extention, we should've been saying goodbye to him this summer and he should've found his level in the lower-leagues now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post StanBalaban Posted August 9, 2015 Popular Post Share Posted August 9, 2015 Jamie Carragher (for once) summed it up for me. With Gabby, we know he's not the best striker or most skillful player, but Carragher said he's in the top 10 of players that all defenders, including himself, hate playing against. Naturally this requires Gabby to put in a shift, but keeping the opposition constantly on their toes is something that no stat can ever show. Same with Lennon. He may not be the best crosser of the ball, but he has the ability to never allow the opposition to rest. With players like this that command the attention of the opponents, it either forces them into a foul in a dangerous position, or allows space for a teammate to find. If Gabby is fired up and motivated, then he'll chip in with a few goals for sure, but his contribution to the team could be great. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas_Mike Posted August 9, 2015 Share Posted August 9, 2015 He did nothing wrong and was more effective than Ayew.... we won and he did his bit. End of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itdoesntmatterwhatthissay Posted August 9, 2015 Share Posted August 9, 2015 (edited) Relieved the pressure well, plus he made that amazing defensive run with that safe pass back to the keeper.....oh wait......Boruc was their keeper... Edited August 9, 2015 by itdoesntmatterwhatthissay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexicon Posted August 9, 2015 Share Posted August 9, 2015 I don't really blame him or the front 3 in the first half - they were all way too similar and it wasn't a good move by Sherwood to start them. We'll struggle massively to score goals if they all start regularly for us. We literally didn't have anyone else. So I'm not entirely sure what he could have done? Also very early days, good to get Ayew minutes and to be fair, hard for Sherwood to really know what he has until watching them in a competitive match. Thought Gabby was good second half seeing more if the ball. Have been generally impressed with him since Sherwood came in, think he has earned his place. Yes we did, we had Kozak. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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