Czechlad Posted July 30, 2017 Share Posted July 30, 2017 Gabby seems like a good late game sub against tired legs. He just don't doesn't enough over a full 90. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dont_do_it_doug. Posted July 30, 2017 Share Posted July 30, 2017 (edited) 25 minutes ago, thunderball said: Pros: Looks better than at any time in the past two years; looks up for it; can still stretch the game Cons: is a rubbish finisher; takes game time away from Hogan; too old; the past two years have tainted him If he starts on Saturday, he needs to score and have a blinder, if he doesn't I really wouldn't start him ever again. Only one of your cons is even remotely relevant. He will start on Saturday, everyone will lose their shit, he will play well, everyone will claim the he didn't even if he scores. This is the way with Gabby now. I need to get used to it as much as anyone else. Edited July 30, 2017 by dont_do_it_doug. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thunderball Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 If Bruce gets a performance out of Gabby, and he is our best available striker, I don't care who plays up top. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killeen30 Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 Just now, thunderball said: If Bruce gets a performance out of Gabby, and he is our best available striker, I don't care who plays up top. Likewise. Hogan was signed for big money and I would prefer to see him start, but if we win games I really don't care who plays. Thats the main thing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wazzap24 Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 12 hours ago, dont_do_it_doug. said: Only one of your cons is even remotely relevant. He will start on Saturday, everyone will lose their shit, he will play well, everyone will claim the he didn't even if he scores. This is the way with Gabby now. I need to get used to it as much as anyone else. To be fair, the con that is relevant is a pretty frickin huge one! I think the guy deserves a decent amount of credit for his effort to get back, but he couldn't finish when he was 'good' and that won't change. The chance he had Saturday is the very definition of his problem. Had a couple of seconds to think. The glaringly obvious choice was to drill it low across goal and he Dollied it up to Gomez like it was a pre-match warm up. Woeful really for a pro at any level that. I get he's probably the most suited to a lone role, but it smacks of conservative thinking from Bruce and plays into the hands of his detractors (although maybe not as a few of them have the knives out for Hogan too). He could end up doing more harm than good in tight games. Hogan for me, if Gabby has to start, play him off the left hand side of a front three. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dont_do_it_doug. Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 9 minutes ago, wazzap24 said: To be fair, the con that is relevant is a pretty frickin huge one! The con to me, his finishing, is theoretically no different to when he had a side that finished 6th in the PL three years in a row built around him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimcohen Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 7 minutes ago, dont_do_it_doug. said: The con to me, his finishing, is theoretically no different to when he had a side that finished 6th in the PL three years in a row built around him. yeah, he scored over 10 each season in those 3 season, but we had a way better team around him, Carew, Young, Barry, Milner, Laursen etc. Feels liek a confidence thing as much as anything else. He isn't a naturally good finisher. I think we can all agree that. But with confidence and a winning side around him he can be effective a great team player. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wazzap24 Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 (edited) 16 minutes ago, dont_do_it_doug. said: The con to me, his finishing, is theoretically no different to when he had a side that finished 6th in the PL three years in a row built around him. Fair point, not sure it was 'built around him' though, big JC was the main man for me during that time. If anything, the year he decided to hit the weights and try to become more of a back-to-goal type player, was the beginning of the end for me. He just never had the quality to do that and the bulk took some of the electricity out of his pace. I'm not knocking him for the sake of it, I think there's a place for him this year and he'll be decent. Just not a lone front man when we need goals. With Hogan or with JK, yes. On his own, no. Edited July 31, 2017 by wazzap24 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dont_do_it_doug. Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 3 minutes ago, Killeen30 said: Likewise. Hogan was signed for big money and I would prefer to see him start, but if we win games I really don't care who plays. Thats the main thing! This season especially. We could sign Beelzebub on a 1 year deal and I would take it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulC Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 He has been injury prone for a few years now. I suspect if he plays as a lone striker he wont last too many games. better to start with Hogan imo.. We paid big money for him and he had a major injury early in his career here. He needs an extended run in the team in order for us to get the best out of him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave J Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 6 hours ago, jimcohen said: yeah, he scored over 10 each season in those 3 season, but we had a way better team around him, Carew, Young, Barry, Milner, Laursen etc. Feels liek a confidence thing as much as anything else. He isn't a naturally good finisher. I think we can all agree that. But with confidence and a winning side around him he can be effective a great team player. How is 10ish goals a season thought of as being a good return - it's pretty dire in my view. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave J Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 19 hours ago, dont_do_it_doug. said: Only one of your cons is even remotely relevant. He will start on Saturday, everyone will lose their shit, he will play well, everyone will claim the he didn't even if he scores. This is the way with Gabby now. I need to get used to it as much as anyone else. I think your right about him starting - why I know not- and yes he might score and the Gabby is back chorus will ring out for a couple more games - then when defenders get up to full fitness and match fit themselves - the gap then totally closes and he needs more than just pace to exploit defences - he then gets found out and left out. In my view . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulC Posted August 1, 2017 Share Posted August 1, 2017 Its the one thing that rankles me that he might start the season up front for us. Its eight seasons since he even reached double figures for us in the league. So he got himself fit but as a professional footballer on 60k a week he should never have been unfit in the first place. We've paid his wages so why are we so forgiving and willing to give him another chance. We are the mugs! I'm not a fan of Alan Hutton but he has never cheated on his wages. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted August 1, 2017 VT Supporter Share Posted August 1, 2017 16 hours ago, Dave J said: How is 10ish goals a season thought of as being a good return - it's pretty dire in my view. I don't think anyone has said it is good. FWIW I think it's a decent return, especially when you spend a lot of time playing from the wing. It's a shame he's got barely anywhere near that since. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vive_La_Villa Posted August 1, 2017 Share Posted August 1, 2017 I think a fully fit sharp Gabby can be a big player for us this season. But then I think I've said that many times before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimcohen Posted August 1, 2017 Share Posted August 1, 2017 17 hours ago, Dave J said: How is 10ish goals a season thought of as being a good return - it's pretty dire in my view. Based on the fact it would put you in the top 20 goal scorers in the premier league pretty much every season, and as there are 20 clubs, you would expect 1 player per club would get in there, so being in the top 20 isn't bad, especially if you are not the main CF, not taking penalties, but a wide forward in a 3 such, supporting another main forward as Gabby was those seasons. https://www.premierleague.com/stats/top/players/goals 2007/8 Gabby was 13th, Carew 10th. 2008/9 Gabby 6th, Carew 12th 2009/10 Gabby 10th, Carew 16th. I would very strongly argue that return is not dire! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markavfc40 Posted August 1, 2017 Share Posted August 1, 2017 1 hour ago, PaulC said: So he got himself fit but as a professional footballer on 60k a week he should never have been unfit in the first place. We've paid his wages so why are we so forgiving and willing to give him another chance. Because we are still paying his wages. I mean we can bite our nose off to spite our face and not use him or you can do as Bruce has done since he arrived and judge him on what he does working under him not what went on in the past. As you say he has now done the very least you’d expect and gotten himself into great shape and I think in the brief appearance he made last season he made a positive contribution and over the summer he has continued to knuckle down and looked decent in pre season. As things stand today ,with Kodjia not fit, he is one of only two senior strikers being considered as McCormack has not done enough to impress the manager it seems. Like it or not we need him at the moment but at least when he is called on now he looks fit enough and sharp enough to again make a positive contribution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave J Posted August 1, 2017 Share Posted August 1, 2017 6 hours ago, Stevo985 said: I don't think anyone has said it is good. FWIW I think it's a decent return, especially when you spend a lot of time playing from the wing. It's a shame he's got barely anywhere near that since. 15+ is a decent return - 10 is poor imo 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave J Posted August 1, 2017 Share Posted August 1, 2017 5 hours ago, jimcohen said: Based on the fact it would put you in the top 20 goal scorers in the premier league pretty much every season, and as there are 20 clubs, you would expect 1 player per club would get in there, so being in the top 20 isn't bad, especially if you are not the main CF, not taking penalties, but a wide forward in a 3 such, supporting another main forward as Gabby was those seasons. https://www.premierleague.com/stats/top/players/goals 2007/8 Gabby was 13th, Carew 10th. 2008/9 Gabby 6th, Carew 12th 2009/10 Gabby 10th, Carew 16th. I would very strongly argue that return is not dire! Fair enough that is your opinion - if you think top 20 is also good then I respect your view but do not agree with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave J Posted August 1, 2017 Share Posted August 1, 2017 9 hours ago, PaulC said: Its the one thing that rankles me that he might start the season up front for us. Its eight seasons since he even reached double figures for us in the league. So he got himself fit but as a professional footballer on 60k a week he should never have been unfit in the first place. We've paid his wages so why are we so forgiving and willing to give him another chance. We are the mugs! I'm not a fan of Alan Hutton but he has never cheated on his wages. Could not agree more ! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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