Aston Villa News 24/7This is how today’s lone Villa goal came about at Bloomfield Road:
- Blackpool were in possession and launching an attack through the centre of the pitch with Ash and Makoun tracking back, Reo-Coker in a holding position in front of the back four.
- Makoun makes a sliding tackle, winning possession back and cleverly plays a sort of “roundhouse” style back heeled pass into Reo-Coker’s path while he was still on the ground.
- Reo-Coker plays a first time ball up to Darren Bent who is practically on the centre spot.
- Bent plays a first time knock out to space on the left flank for Gabby to run on to.
- Gabby’s already off to the races and picks up Bent’s pass with only Kingson to beat. He struggles to control the ball, but does extremely well in the end, rounds Kingson brilliantly and scores from a tight angle. Darren Bent made a supporting run to the six yard box to provide a cut back option, as you would expect. Stewart Downing was a little further behind, but was also running from the far side. Again, as you would expect.
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22 Comments to “Goal analysis: Gabby on the left of a 4-2-3-1”
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You know, I really love these analyses, great work! Very interesting and telling
The jury has been out on Gabby playing on the wing but I think this one play gives a glimpse of what GH hopes he can get from Gabby’s pace. I’m not sure if I totally buy into this as a game plan but I like the attempt.
I also like the idea of playing a striker in the hole. The formation seems to generate a few more chances. I just don’t think it will ever work out with Ash. His crossing and set pieces are terrible. His dives are even worse. I think he could work well for England where he doesn’t see himself as “the man” but at Aston Villa he has to take every set piece, moan about every call. I really think that he detracts from the team rather than adds to it.
of course, what i can’t show any analysis of is the goal(s) we didn’t score that we might have had we played some sort of 4-4-2 with ash wide and gab playing off bent.
i can’t say i necessarily agree that wide left is gabby’s best position, but i would say that if we play 4-2-3-1 and he and bent are both in the starting XI, on the left of the ’3′ is where he should be.
actually, when i say ‘agree’, i don’t know who i would be agreeing with, i’m not sure anyone is saying wide left is gab’s *best* position, that’s just what is available in the system being used.
I defo think wide left is Gabbys position and he finally looks decent out there. Up front he’s been average at best this season. This formation is very Barcalona, their wide players score goals for fun aka Pedro and Villa and that is what Gabby and Downing need to do.
Very dissalointed to hear the interview with Gabby moaning he wants to be up front, you don’t see World Class striker Villa moaning like that!
On a side note I’d love to know how much Richard Dunne weighs this season compared to last. Our centre backs look terrible!!
And I wish Warnock would be given another chance. Two proper fulll backs with him and Walker would make us more balanced.
I think he’s been found out. He has pace, but is not a natural goal scorer. He has pace but doesn’t see a pass. He has pace but can’t cross. He has pace, but no trickery. He has pace. I think we’ve seen a few of these over the years. We thought he was going to develop into something. Time is ticking, we’re seeing little development.
local boy, just signed a nice long contract, questionable levels of ambition. he’s very comfortable at villa, been a first team regular for so long now, i wonder if he’s peaked already too.
perhaps playing wide gives him an opportunity to broaden his skills, it’s probably down to him.
Yeah pace is a massive commodity in football these days though.
I really think he could be decent but problem is the same with him and Ashley Young I think they both think they are slightly better than they are!
I’d let Young leave in the summer, agreed the last two weeks he’s looked slightly better, but before that he’s been crap for 12 months!
I’d get Albrighton back playing, he’s set up most of our goals this year, wide right of the three he’d be perfect.
Downing can play off Bent and get our 15mil for young to buy a decent centre half.
I think Nan is right. Gabby is all pace and nothing else. GH is just trying to use his pace to the best advantage. He just doesn’t work with his back to the goal and doesn’t quite have the passing and creativity to play in the hole.
If I gave you a player with pace and little other skill to offer and told you to play him, most of us would end up slotting him on one wing or the other — GH came to the same conclusion. Now, why he gets the nod over Albrighton is a bit of mystery but I was one of the many calling for squad rotation…
Ashley is another issue. I think the best bet is to take the money and run. Either upgrade the defence or get someone in the Clint Dempsey / Tim Cahill mould.
Ahh, Tim Cahill, I’ve always liked him.
Too late now though, I’d say.
Yeah, but take it as a general type of player. I couldn’t think if a good name to suggest for the next transfer window
!
i say cash in on ash too… maybe that should be (c)ash in. sorry, i’ll get my coat.
cahill is exactly the sort of player you’d want to see in that position, he’d be perfect.
Hey Dan, someone else is playing your game;
http://www.blackpool.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=522210
It actually questions the sense in us having 2 defensive midfielders and shows Makoun as being inferior when compared to NRC.
Not that I necessarily agree with it (I thought Makoun was pulling the strings and NRC was quite simply the “enforcer”), but interesting all the same when you see it from the opposition’s POV, imo.
heh, ten a penny these days.
makoun isn’t quite the tackler i was expecting, maybe he just needs some time, but i think the position he played was spot on.
i’d agree with your view on the complementary partnership of makoun and nrc.
the other thing to consider is that a lot can be achieved with smart positioning, if he can shepherd the opposition into parts of the pitch where they’re less effective without making a tackle, then he’s still doing a job, no?
there aren’t any chalkboards that can measure that though.
What I’ve contemplated is a straight switch with Real, Ashley for Lasanna Diarra. There was one random link from the Mirror, which, as we all know, was probably utter garbage. Still, some kind of move like that: a 15mil solid, established, strong-defending middie for one who seems a bit out of place ATM at Villa…
Thoughts?
Hmmm I think we have to be a little careful with the Gabby bashing, I totally agree he’s probably overrating himself, but lets not forget his goal against Utd or all his goals in the derbys.
He is more than just pace, Kebe (Reading) or Routledge (QPR) are just pace.
I just think he needs to knuckle down and get his form back and be grateful he’s getting the starts to do that, especially when we have Albrighton on the bench.
Gabby is definitely good enough to be in our team/squad and to help us push for Europe again.
We’d struggle to get anyone in much better without spending serious money, and he’s only young still.
We need to be building a good young squad which we are, not buying these old expensive players like MO’N did.
On the other hand, Ash if very expensive and on that sort of wages we could probably get someone who stayed on their feet more and had more end product!
I disagree completely about Ash, he is moaning cause he cares about winning. Nothing wrong with that. I don’t think he goes down too easily either. And he is always tracking back effort is 100%.
He’s been our best player for ages.
If he wants to leave in summer then fair enough, if he wants to stay i’d be very happy.
Glad to hear Ashley Young defended. I think he still has the best one-on-one skills on the team, and most of his current problems have to deal with the turmoil that began with the whole Milner episode last summer. I, too, see his “moaning” as a passion to win, and many of the occasions on which he is accused of moaning, he has good reason. Like anyone else, he can and will leave for the right price, but I will be happy to see him here for a long time.
Love the analysis. Im really liking Makoun so far, despite the wreckless red, a solid first few games so yea Id be happy to see him kicking about for a few seasons yet.
Mobile site down, Dan?
oops, fixed now, sorry. thanks for letting me know, nan. i had a few problems with some updates over the weekend, forgot to check the mobile version was running again.
Cheers Dan. Was concerned that I’d list my little handheld, analytical Villa friend, there. Good to be back.