Popular Post lapal_fan Posted December 23, 2014 Popular Post Share Posted December 23, 2014 I think you should always look at a players strengths rather thab their weaknesses, otherwise every player would be world class. Gabby, although it doesn't seem like it that often, isnt stupid. His assist (semi) in the game when he ran the entire length of the pitch, then realised he was on his own, so held the ball up and shield the ball until benteke could receive the pass - that's awareness and intelligence as well as physically demanding, yet he was the catalyst in that goal. He's gotten us a fair few penalties when running at defenders into their box, making them challenge the for the ball. He's also very quick, he's not bad at shooting, although with his back to goal most of the time, his chances are limited. He's quite good in the air for someone his height as can be seen from his numerous headed goals when young and downing where here. He's good at running channels too. Gabby is a pretty effective attacker, who can play in multiple roles, be it a lone striker, a running support role, hitting channels making space for others and can even be used solely as a winger. I like him, and I think villa supporters should think more of him than a dummy, because he's not. 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PieFacE Posted December 23, 2014 VT Supporter Share Posted December 23, 2014 When MON was the manager, Gabby would always be working the channels, and it was really effective, specially on the counter attack. He doesn't seem to do it as much anymore, whether that's down to him or the manager i'm not sure. Another thing I'd like Gabby to do (this is not his fault) is to stand on the half way line when defending corners! It would drag a few of their players back and would provide us with an excellent out-ball. We were playing a team who went down to 10 men recently, might have been Leicester, and when we were defending the corner we had every man in the box. This allowed all of them to come into our half. If Gabby stands on the half way line in that situation, 2 or 3 players would have to hang back. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lapal_fan Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 That's a good point, but I'm sure that would be down to coaching rather than a choice Gabby has to make. I'd argue against the point that he doesn't run the channels though, he does in games where there is space behind their defence, but he can't if their defence is sitting on their 18 yard box, inviting us to break them down - which at the moment is a good tactic against villa, as we haven't got the flair and creativity to break good defences down. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PieFacE Posted December 23, 2014 VT Supporter Share Posted December 23, 2014 Oh yeah it's definitely Lambert's decision. It just seems pretty obvious to put Gabby on the half way line given his pace. It's quite rare that you see teams defend corners with every man in the box, we seem to do it though. Guess I shouldn't complain too much as we don't concede anywhere near as many corners as we did 3 years ago. But it does seem a bit strange. But the problem with Gabby is when he can't use his pace against teams who do sit back like you said, there's little point in him really being on the pitch. He just doesn't influence a game like that enough which requires movement and passing ability. It's these games where we could do with Grealish or Cole playing instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa4europe Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 lapal is talking some sense what i would add is that despite half of our own fans not rating him fortunately a fair few managers do, a lot of teams will set their defensive line to his pace, meaning that they will play deeper, in theory freeing up space in the middle of the pitch, which we now have beneteke dropping in and plucking balls out of the air, if we had ever got that proper number 10 of the last 5/6 years then he could have played in the space that the line creates and then if teams dont set up to play deep, like arsenal, we can counter them, id guess (as in i think but i have nothing to back it up) that 1 of the main reasons we do well at the emirates is because wenger plays a high line ignoring our pace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacbuddies Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 His lack of brain infuriates me. Fixed for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Its not that I hate him or dont rate him but what annoys me is that we know he can do better and sometimes it looks like he isnt trying Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sexbelowsound Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Gabby does not look impressed with all this jibber jabber. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roonst83 Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Gabby definitely has his uses for us, primarily the ability to win throw-ins and corners at the other end of the filed when we lump it up or clear our lines. Whether this is enough to justify him in our team is up for debate - but as far as I can see that's his best strength for us. When do we get to hear the result of the appeal? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AntrimBlack Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Gabby does not look impressed with all this jibber jabber. Not much happening there. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nik986 Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Gabby is a committed player, but should be a squad player. Does a cracking job in certain games, but others we need a more creative player e.g. Grealish. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AntrimBlack Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 We could certainly make more use of his speed, keeping him up at corners as previously mentioned, running the channels, etc., but I do think he should be used more sparingly, in particular circumstances where these abilities can be utilised, and also as a sub against tiring defences. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blandy Posted December 23, 2014 Moderator Share Posted December 23, 2014 When do we get to hear the result of the appeal? hopefully today. They're doing it this afternoon 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alreadyexists Posted December 23, 2014 VT Supporter Share Posted December 23, 2014 That Bardsley tackle on Hazard yesterday was way, way worse than gabby's challenge on young. He got a yellow, which was fair, no way should Gabby have got a straight red. It's a shame we didn't have 11 men until 90 mins as I think we could have maybe sneaked another goal, but we reacted in the best way possible to the red; mainly by taking the game to man u and not panicking. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farlz Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 As expected, his red card has been rescinded. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parisvilla Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 As expected, his red card has been rescinded. scored against Swansea home and away last season Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
packoman Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Will the ref be dropped now? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markavfc40 Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Good news. Gabby is an important player for us and it would have been a travesty had he have had to miss three games for what for me wasn't even a foul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mantis Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Haha **** off Lee Mason. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCJonah Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Never in doubt. Does anything happen to a ref when these decisions are reversed? A poor decision that could have lost us the game, surely the ref deserves some sort of punishment. If the idiot hadn't been so desperate to send him off, he may have taken a deep breath and thought about it for a few seconds and saved himself the embarrassment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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