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Angel set to leave?


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by Pete Bosworth

Juan Pablo Angel appears unsure of his future in the bright new Villa era. PB looks into the situation.

It seems to me very much as if the writing is on the wall for Juan Pablo Angel. This morning Martin O’Neill said that once the window closed he would sit down with Olof Mellberg and Gavin McCann, both of whom have 18 months remaining on existing deals, to tie them down longer term. No mention was made of Juan Pablo, who also has 18 months left on his contract, a point not lost on the Colombian who within hours of the manager’s comments on the other two told Bill Howell of the Evening Mail:

“I just don't know (if I’ll be here next season), to be honest. I haven't got a clue, The manager is trying to do an assessment and at the back of his mind he knows the players who are going to play a part here in the near future. Only time will tell. I would like to be part of the new regime but those things you cannot control."

Angel has to date scored 62 goals in his 158 Villa starts in all competitions over his six year spell at the club which has seen many ups and downs. He arrived as the club’s record signing in the midst of a massive fan protest against the then Chairman Doug Ellis in January 2001, and after a long settling in period attributed primarily to the massive difficulties he and his family encountered on their arrival here finally settled down in the 2001-2002 season to produce probably his most consistent run of form for the club. Manager John Gregory then left in February 2002 to be replaced by Graham Taylor who seemed to do everything he possibly could to force Angel out of the Villa fold. And yet Angel outlasted his second manager as David O’Leary replaced Taylor in May the following year. At first it seemed as if this was a marriage made in heaven as Angel blossomed under his new neighbour’s management, returning to something like the form he had shown two years previously.

However, in the close season of 2004 Angel suffered a horrible injury in a behind closed doors friendly that ruled him out of the remainder of that pre-season and the first dozen or so games of the new campaign. Since that injury he just hasn’t seemed to be the same player. What little pace he had has gone completely and he has struggled to get anywhere near the form of previous campaigns.

In August of this year Angel saw in his fourth Villa manager as Martin O’Neill replaced the by now massively unpopular O’Leary. While this appointment seems to have rejuvenated him a little, Angel seems to understand that it has come too late to save his Villa career:

“I wish I'd had the chance to work with Martin O'Neill before, but that's the way it is. It just came around this year. We got a new owner. It seems there is going to be massive changes.”

So what now for the Colombian? Well, my guess would be that he will be moved on this summer, if not before. There are unsubstantiated rumours linking him with pretty much any club you can think of outside the elite group, and I hope he gets the move that this fantastically loyal Villa servant deserves.

PB

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and I hope he gets the move that this fantastically loyal Villa servant deserves.

I agree, but i hope its a move abroad. It wouldn't seem right to see him playing for another Premiership club and you know he'd score a shed load against us as well!

There only one Pablo Angel!

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I'd be sad to seem him leave, but it's a hard world.

It would be good if the club could keep him as a squad member, but he may not want that, as I'm sure he still has ambitions.

He'd be good for the youngsters, as he's a skilled footballer who could bring them on and I still think he has something to offer in the right set up on field.

Apart from anything else, he's conducted himself as a gentlemen through some difficult times at B6.

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While I think Juan Pablo Angel the footballer is either over-rated or under-rated by many, the one thing I will say is I very much like how Juan Pablo Angel the man comes across, and whatever happens I wish him all the very best.

To be honest I do think it probably is best for him to move on at the end of the season, but I would not complain if he does hang around. Much like, say, Aaron Hughes or Jlloyd Samuel in that respect.

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While I think Juan Pablo Angel the footballer is either over-rated or under-rated by many, the one thing I will say is I very much like how Juan Pablo Angel the man comes across, and whatever happens I wish him all the very best.

To be honest I do think it probably is best for him to move on at the end of the season, but I would not complain if he does hang around. Much like, say, Aaron Hughes or Jlloyd Samuel in that respect.

I slated him after the last match, with some justification I felt

However, I agree with this

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I love the guy - its always sweeter when angel scores somehow. I think he'll have 2 options - stay at the villa and be a bit part player, or take the opportunity of first team football elsewhere. I'll love him to stay but I'll respect him if he wishes to leave. If he stays, I think he could still do a job as part of a forward 3. His best spell this year was sitting in the middle and letting Gabby and Moore do all the running round.

And yes, he is the perfect Gentleman.

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I love the guy - its always sweeter when angel scores somehow. I think he'll have 2 options - stay at the villa and be a bit part player, or take the opportunity of first team football elsewhere. I'll love him to stay but I'll respect him if he wishes to leave. If he stays, I think he could still do a job as part of a forward 3. His best spell this year was sitting in the middle and letting Gabby and Moore do all the running round.

And yes, he is the perfect Gentleman.

I agree with that. I love Angel's goals! :nod:

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When you look at the comments on recent matches few have been offering much praise for several players, Angel, Baros and Petrov especially.

Baros has gone, there are plenty of excuses around for Petrov's inadequacies yet our most prolific striker over recent years seems to be on his way out

Here's one fan hoping that by some miracle he manages to find a way to pull it back and the view of him and Carew training together makes me hope :)

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Realistically, how quick is Carew? Cause I'm not sure I fancy those two playing together up front if it means lack of pace.

You're able to get away with it in some games but mostly at least one of the lads up top has to be a fairly nippy bugger

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Realistically, how quick is Carew? Cause I'm not sure I fancy those two playing together up front if it means lack of pace.

You're able to get away with it in some games but mostly at least one of the lads up top has to be a fairly nippy bugger

Based on his Pro Evo Soccer 6 stats, he's faster than Gabby :D

But Gabby's pace is severely underrated in that game, still... fast.

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Interesting.

Well, seems much quicker than the Angel/Phillips or Angel/Sutton partnrships we have seen then.

Maybe Angel does still have a part to play, who knows. Plus I would be surprised if Chris Sutton has kicked his last ball for us.

Plenty of options up there for sure, when everybody is fit....

Good!

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Angel has been poor since we moved to 4-4-2

but this is because he simple isnt fast or fit enolugh to play in that system

he still has so much to offer

i dont care what anyone says he looked class with gabby and moore along side

and i would even pancy seeing him drop a little deeper being a front two as he is well capable of a killer pass

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