Gabby Agbonlahor

[Qwpzxjor1]

I think we'd have to get a good money offer for Gabby for him to be sold. And no-one is going to offer good money for him, except maybe Sunderland.

I don't think he looked 'disinterested' with the captaincy last season, I think he summed up the mood in the camp and I don't think he has the intelligence to be a captain. He wasn't disinterested, just too stupid to know what he should be doing with it. He was a poor choice of captain, but I don't think he's a bad player.

I think Lambert will get the best out of him and he'll be a very important player to us. As Lambert seems to like playing a front 3, I can see Gabby playing an important part as he can play wide or central in that system.

I don't think he's going to be a guaranteed starter, but I think he'll at least make an appearance in most games for us this season (if Lambert can indeed turn his form around)

[Harry]

I hate that excuse that he's been battling injury.. Every single bad game he had last season was met with "I think he might be injured", if he was injured he wouldn't be playing simple as that. It's a petty excuse it really is. He may be a fan favourite but when he plays badly do yourself a favour, stop lying to yourself and admit he was shit. Now I am hoping he's better next season, but I do not buy excuses of him being injured as he was injured all season if some of his supporters were to be believed which is bullshit by the way.

Perhaps you would like to re read the paragraphs I wrote in my original post

The last two seasons have not been great and he definitely has not been at his best but you have to factor in the muddled management, loss of key players and the general poor form of our midfield together with being played as a left winger plus his injuries

I have highlighted the bits you missed in your response.

In case you missed it again I pointed out five separate reason for his poor play and as a clue for you 'playing for the badge' was not one of them. You focused on one which was my comment:

'seemingly carrying an injury'

I have highlighted the key word for you again.

[Harry]

Make or break season for him both in terms of his career at Villa and his career in general I think. The last two years can be excused or explained some extent by the goings on at the club but he won't get away with a third season like it. Another season like the last two and I think Lambert will push him out the club and he will struggle to get a decent move after 3 bad seasons.

I like Gabby, I have a degree of sympathy for him for what has happened in the last two years but whatever happens he needs to perform next season both for his own and the clubs sake.

Totally agree with those sentiments. Gabby as been poor the last couple of seasons and if he does not deliver I guess he will be sold which is fair.

We can only guess at what was going on in the dressing room but I think its a fair bet that many of the players were at odds with both the last two managers. Gabby along with a number of players have been way below their best.

My point is that he is not a bad player, in fact I think he has the potential to be a very good but maybe not outstanding Premiership striker. I would just hate it if we sold him on the cheap and another club unlocked that potential (again).

This season is make or break for him and if that's the underlying sentiment of the thread I agree.

[Philosopher]

I have stopped arguing with the Gabby bashers they are a waste of my time. I am just going to say what I have to say and done!

Gabby's early season form when we went undefeated for a number of games and banked more than a third of our points is the main reason we stayed up last season. Yet these simpletons just don't seem to realise. We played ULTRA defensive football where even Darren Bent managed to give away a penalty defending in his own box, and all of the attackers were shite as a result, yet Ireland (1 goal 3 assists) they think is great a our best player and are loathe to lose him. Yet Gabby scored 6 goals (our scored highest goalscorer) and 6 assists (our best goalmaker) and they would let him go for 5 million! Stupid or what!

I have been carrying a back injury for a year or so now and I can tell you I had to give up running, its VERY painful running with a back injury. Gabby played the last few games of the season and he was clearly carrying an injury, but played when he probably shouldn't have to try and help the team. These ungrateful fools!

[briny_ear]

It's hardly surprising that Gabby hasn't flourished under the laughable excuses for managers we have had over the past two seasons. Under normal circumstances, it would obviously be sensible for him to move to another club to try to revive his career. However, I can understand if he wants to stay to see if Lambert can do the trick for him at Villa.

If he doesn't start scoring consistently next season under the first proper manager we've had since 2009, he really does need to leave.

[Spl1304]

Would really love to see Gabby do well.

However, i remember in the Fulham game last season. I think it was Albrighton shot from about 20 yards, Gabby just stood still 12 yards out and watched the ball go past him. Weimann came on and before Gardner had a shot weimann was turning and running towards the goal anticipating a rebound and scored the winner from it.

Just dont think Gabby will ever score consistantly for us.

[TRS-T]

just read he has 8 goals in 58 games, terrible record for a forward and definitely in last chance saloon

He has scored 50 goals for Villa in the Premier League.

Only Dwight Yorke has done the same.

He's in good company is our Gabby.

[dudevillaisnice]

Just dont think Gabby will ever score consistantly for us.

If he did he wouldn't be here.

[Bazdavies79]

My point is that you are praising him for being top of the pile last season like it was an achievement and it wasn't.

Erm, ok.

As for me saying I'm not singling him out and you saying I am, it's funny you know what I mean more than I do. As for not knowing why, you even quoted why. This is the Gabby Agbonlahor thread, guess what the topic of conversation is meant to be about?

He was, in an attacking sense, top of the pile. I think you're opinion is not balanced in view of that fact.

[Bazdavies79]

Do you really think Bent is only a little ahead of Gabby with regards to being a good striker and goalscorer?

No, not at all, Bent is a far better goal scorer.

You argued that point earlier that goals are not the only responsibility a striker has, I agree somewhat, but it is generally what strikers are judged on and even if it wasn't Gabby still does not do enough of the other things anyway so it's a moot point really.

He doesn't do enough, other than score and assist more than any other person in the squad.

[TRO]

I have always been in the unconvinced camp as i think he is a bit single dimensional.

Gabby for me is neither a good player or a bad player, but if he was as good as some allude to he would have attracted more attention from other clubs as he has.

I can think of many strikers that Aston villa have had over the years that i think gabby is inferior to.

Gabby for me has not demonstrated an ability to conjure up goals when we need them like other previous villa strikers, however his goals do tend to look spectacular due to his past exhibits of pace.

I hear all the comments of being played out of position....carrying an injury etc ,etc. this maybe legitimate claims but excuses do tend to wear thin and his goal scoring record would send the most partisan fan scurring for reasons/excuses.

I believe like Lee Hendrie, Gabby has managed to make himself a good return( wages) in Aston Villa teams that have lacked ambition and he certainly has not been one of their worst players....He has managed to play through the camouflage and clearly has his supporters.

I would hope that the new regime will demand a greater return for what it says on the tin " striker" and I would hope I will witness a greater desire to score rather than drift through a game looking like its everyone elses fault.

A good striker will demand good service.....its time for the pussy footing to be a thing of the past.

[TRO]

I used to listen intently to the reasoning from some Villa Fans as to the merits of Darius Vassell.

" runs the channels tirelessly and unselfishly" etc, etc...Very noble as it is yuk

I never bought their reasoning and I felt my doubt was vindicated.

I have the same feeling with Gabby, except I think Gabby is a better player.

There has to come a time when technical ability and the reading of the game has to be considered as well as workrate.

workrate is essential, but in isolation leaves you where we have been ...mediocre.

[TRO]

Just dont think Gabby will ever score consistantly for us.

If he did he wouldn't be here.

cynical, but true.

[Keyblade]

If PL can get the form he showed early last season out of him, then I think there should be nothing to worry about. He was almost unstoppable, and rightly earned an England call up in that time.

[Overdubber]

Would be foolish to try and offload him now, as there is a rather excelent player in there, and the new coaching and management can try to harness some of that before deciding which steps to make concerning his future.

[CI]

Gabby & Bent together can be very dangerous

[Swerbs]

Gabby does not have the intelligence to work with Bent. I'd rather have Ireland playing behind Bent.

[Morpheus]

If the same happens again and Bent picks up a bad injury does anyone think Gabby is good enough to provide the goal tally needed to keep us in the Premiership?

That's why we desperately need to buy another quality striker. Been saying this for the last two seasons now as Gabby is simply not prolific enough. If we ignore this again then another injury to Bent will leave us struggling again!

[Philosopher]

If the same happens again and Bent picks up a bad injury does anyone think Gabby is good enough to provide the goal tally needed to keep us in the Premiership?

That's why we desperately need to buy another quality striker. Been saying this for the last two seasons now as Gabby is simply not prolific enough. If we ignore this again then another injury to Bent will leave us struggling again!

Bent is a rare breed a striker that is capable of regularly scoring over 20 goals a season. Gabby is very able back up to Bent he has proven that he is capable of getting into double figures regularly, and in a good season is goal for 15 goals or more, again proven he has done this before!

Not sure about his ability to play alongside Bent, that would mean him playing deeper so I agree that he doesn't have the football brain to play there. I do think he can play wide left in a 4-3-3, he did it very well in the early part of last season and assisted quite a few goals (as well as scoring) and most of those assists were for Bent!

The playing out of position argument is bull! Gabby was one of our best attackers in his first full season playing from the right. Last season he was very effective in the early part from the left. Under Houllier was different, as he was asked to change his game a little. It the injuries that really hurt Gabby as he is very reliant on his physical abilities, so if he is carrying an injury then of course his level will drop quite significantly.

Under MON Gabbys form form would disappear around march time as by then he would already have played close to 40 games and would be burnt out. He needs careful management. When a person is regularly running at 10-11 second 100 metre pace during a 90 minute match his body is going to be placed under a lot more strain than normal for a footballer. If you look at Henry he had his hamstring problems, walcott - hamstring, Valencia - various, Gabby - thigh and back. I challenge you to find me a super pacey player plying his trade in the premier league (as its the most physically demanding league in the world) that doesn't spend at least a couple of months per season on the injury table!

[Morpheus]

Hoilett?