Laivasse

Easy argument to resort to, but I'm a Villa supporter from outside Brum, so some people at least aren't defending Gabby out of blind loyalty. Blame is just much better deserved elsewhere.

2006-07 October 28th - 2 April: 3 goals 2007-08 November 28th to April 5th: 1 goal 2008-09 October 29th - April 5th: 4 Goals 2009-10 Feb 5th- 9th May: 3 Goals 2010-11 Feb 1st - 22 May: 2 Goals Which proves as I said that 'Gabby's form never nosedived to the extent it has the last two seasons', which have been worse, and also disregards the point about team performances dropping (also injuries in the seasons you listed). When Gabby plays LW he is pushed further forward. Also Gabby is a forward and the other 2 are not. Pushing him further forward on the wing just isolates him when we have no attacking gameplan, thanks to McLeish. Likewise it isolated him under Houllier's pit-a-pat tactics on our side of the half way line. Even when played central, we're sitting so deep that a through ball from Ireland might leave Gabby with 40 yards of running still to do and opposition defenders crowding. As has been said, Gabby basically had to win games single handedly to even make an impression early on in this season. That kind of effort can't be sustained the whole season long. Unfortunately he drops past tiredness to a level of almost no effort at all.

I don't think his scoring record in the last 16 games is too significant either. How many goals have eg. Albrighton and Bannan scored from the wide positions that Gabby has been mostly pushed back to?

Villa's form in the latter half of the season in general always suffered under MON. Gabby's form never nosedived to the extent it has the last two seasons.

The problem is McLeish, it's that simple. Before anybody points out Gabby's form last season, Houllier was also the problem there - another shit manager. Gabby has spent so long playing isolated on the left, or only involved in the play when the LB needs bailing out, that his instincts and will to score are now buggered when he moves back to the front. He drifts out to the left even when he's needed in the centre - and it's worth mentioning he still puts in threatening crosses on his weaker side now and again even when playing shit - because he now thinks that's expected of him. When he screws up, he doesn't care, because he's not enjoying playing anyway.

Bingo. Also he helped us to a couple of draws we didn't really deserve iirc. I've posted it before but in games where Gabby's goal or assist was the difference between a draw and a win, or a loss and a draw, we gained 9 points. That's not accounting for his all round play in games where it didn't produce a result. I don't dispute that he has been shit for most of the season but the people who are talking of selling him next season and letting Weimann fill the role are way off. There is no doubt in my mind that without pre-December gabby we would be facing certain relegation right now. Priority one for next season should be to get him motivated and playing back to his strengths, much like it was important to get Ireland playing again this season. Captain material, though? I still don't think so.

Well Ireland could bring himself into step with our less creative players by just laying off square balls and backpasses all the time, but then he wouldn't be much of a playmaker.

Um, well I posted a few days back saying he's been great recently but I definitely think he could have done more for Stoke's goal yesterday. People have said Huth held him down, but he was only able to because Collins was too slow in challenging for that ball. Huth was well up in the air by the time Collins realised he had to do something but it was too late, so when he felt Huth's hands he tried to claim the foul but it was all very weak.

It's old now but just to be sure - have you played the mod 'Research & Development'? No, just started 'Call In'. Looked at R&D a while back, looked very puzzle based. I like killing things. Yes, R&D revolves entirely around puzzles (although once or twice you kill things with the puzzles), so it feels a lot like Portal or the more claustrophobic parts of HL1. It is the same quality of Valve's own games in terms of level design, humour and entertainment, though, so anyone who owns HL2 and doesn't mind puzzles should definitely check it out. Strongest recommendation.

It was because the corner went out of play and came back in. We were lucky because Dean wasn't blowing up on huth this time either.

Collins should have jumped much better for the goal. A little palm on his shoulder from Huth, but Huth was already 2 feet above him by then, not good enough.

Ah bollocks.

Decent half. We did one good thing, Stoke did nothing. Couple of hairy moments at the end there and Given is flapping at crosses a bit. Overall though I don't think they have what it takes to get back in this, if we put out more of the same.

Not sure about dean but Daniel sturridge is, they are related ( unsure what relation ) so there is a chance Dean Sturridge was so enthusiastic about that goal and Weimann in general I thought we might have found SGC's real life identity.

He achieved what he set out to do though. Not that I'm defending that at home (as it is what we have tried to do a lot this year). That game was so poor and was not impressed by Spurs at all. id expect that away from home, but if Eck did that against Spurs and got a draw he would get absolutely slaughtered Like he got slaughtered for the one-sided Liverpool game? Even most critics conceded a draw was about the best McLeish was capable of, against a much worse team than Spurs.

It's old now but just to be sure - have you played the mod 'Research & Development'?

It was hardly a naked dive. He had just about outfoxed 2 players, felt a late nibble on his leg, then went down easily because it was a foul and he wanted to help the ref make his mind up. Players do it all the time, different from simulation. Unfortunately the ref was psychologically opposed to giving it, since it would have meant giving a pen from a borderline infringement in the most remote corner of the area. Much easier to card the kid nobody's heard of instead. I thought it was good to see a young player make an energetic entrance like that, but that yellow card was over the top and may have dented his morale a bit.

Credit where it's due, he's had a couple of really good games lately. I guess it's harder to drift out of position when the entire team is condensed into our own penalty area. Still, he's making lots of meaty and important interceptions. I would still sell him first rather than lose Cuellar or any of our other CBs (although Dunne is borderline). Weren't QPR trying to buy Collins in January? There could be legs to these rumours of interest in him. For anything over £3m I think we should bite a hand off.

As good a result as we have any right to expect under this manager, thanks to some solid defending and incredible luck. I think 1 more point will see us safe, considering Bolton, Blackburn and Wigan haven't managed to continue any kind of streak. Collins MotM, immense at the back today.

Wigan just equalised too.

So it begins.

All right, little bit anonymous other than for some good, gritty tackles. We haven't done a great deal in the way of attack so he's had no crosses or runs to speak of.

Collins is having a monster of a game (in a good way).

Yep and people are moaning we are sitting back but the moment we go forward we look so open at the back. Tbf there have been gaps in 95% of games when we've done nothing but defend also. Liverpool are looking poor and another goal for us would have us safe in this game and the league.

Looks like Randy's money this season has gone into experimental CIA goalmouth forcefield technology rather than players.