One of my favourite Aston Villa players, Gary Gardner has returned to match fitness and is pushing for a start for Aston Villa after impressing in training. Ever since I started supporting Aston Villa, I have been hearing the name ‘Gary Gardner’ for a very long time. The talented player has been limited in game time, but during the McLeish era he impressed while he was able to stay fit. That has been the tale of Gardner, a superb player if he can maintain his fitness. After healing from an ankle injury obtained during pre-season, Gardner could add much needed stability to Villa’s midfield. Gardner normally sits a little deeper in midfielder, but unlike our current midfielders, Gardner is a great freekick taker, and can take corners as well. Best of all, he can score long-range goals!
“He’s shown me what a fantastic footballer he is since he’s re-joined the group (in training) and he’s got every chance of featuring,” said Sherwood.
Gardner was given a new contract in August as Sherwood highly rates the English midfielder. Gardner played on loan at Brighton and Nottingham Forest last season where he scored 4 goals in 18 games for Forest. Gardner will most likely compete with Veretout, Gana and Westwood for a place in midfield. It appears he will be given a chance the minute the physio’s and medical staff are confident that Gardner will not pick up another injury.
“I want to come back into a winning team,” Gardner said.
“I wouldn’t want anyone to do bad, I want the team to do well.
“The talent here is very high. It’s just not going our way at the minute.
“I want to come back into a winning team,” Gardner said……… must be getting loaned out then !
Has he had a word with god then.?
The question is, is he better than Gil, Veretout, Gana, or Westwood? He has some stiff competition right now and while I am happy to hear he is healthy and fired up to play I also hope Sherwood doesn’t rush him right into the squad.
Probably yes, less experienced but potentially better than most of then and definitely better than Westwood (but most any player is better than Westwood imo).
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Westwood??he does FUCKall especially corners,its worth just giving them the goal kick.
I know people like spouting garbage without thinking or watching Villa, but you realize he averages 2 key passes per game, more than anyone at Villa so far, right? That means he’s creative. He also averages 2.2 crosses a game, the 2nd highest at Villa is Hutton with one a game. So you’re completely wrong.
Don’t sit on the fence kid tell it how it is!
And if we are putting our cards on the table well…
Westwood is shite never a premiership player while he’s got a hole in his arse, no pace, side passes, no vision, no movement, no threat in front of goal, can’t time a run into the box (see one D Platt), shit dead ball delivery, can’t see a pass and can’t tackle or head a ball for shite but apart from all that he’s quality.
You’ve had to many years watching crap and you become immune to it mate.
Andrew, we’ve been through this before.
Agreed, Westwood looks good on paper.
But he doesn’t when you watch him as part of a game, imo.
Isn’t this moneyball, stats based thing exactly where many of us think our problem lies?
It’s no coincidence that many complain about his poor corners and frees, for example.
I’d drop him tomorrow, regardless of the stats, fwiw.
I can’t argue with statman obviously he’s brilliant & I must get my head out my arse as I’m the only VILLA fan that thinks SHITE when the team is announced.you may find I’m not alone.
Andrew, there comes a point where statistics become pretty meaningless – and with Villa at the moment we seem to have a classic case. On paper we apparently have players doing quite well, but watch them and…weep.
Look at it another way: the whole doesn’t equal the sum of the parts. Villa are second-bottom because of a string of individual and collective errors – added to a bit of bad luck – and with a marked absence of any kind of cutting edge during most games.
Some players in particular have looked completely ineffectual when they’ve played – Agbonlahor is one and I’d say Westwood is another one.
There’s only one star that matters did we win if yes I don’t give a toss how much possession we had or how many miles a player run it means sod all
Statman I rest my case we all don’t spout bollox.
BWS, he’s actually a great passer, has a decent long range shot, doesn’t only pass backwards. He’s not a player that will ever make runs into the box, that’s not his style so I don’t see how that’s his problem. Deep lying play-makers don’t do so.
I agree he sucks at free kicks Badger, but what else is he bad at? Great passer, has solid vision, can pick out a great ball from either side, I don’t know what more he can do? He and Gana get overran in midfield, rarely get help, and looked good against Chelsea because Grealish finally dropped back. What else can he do?
Figured you’d respond that way Giddy, actually making an argument like Badger and Ardent have isn’t your strong suit.
Ardent, I can’t agree about Westwood though, he looks decent and he is behind our creativity. Also allows the likes of Grealish, Gil, Ayew and Traore the freedom they get.
Oohah, of course winning is what matters, but that’s not an excuse to drop Westwood. He’s not at fault for us losing, in fact he’s creating more chances for Villa than anyone, so how the hell are we dropping him? Play Ayew instead of Gestede and he’ll be far more beneficial with his through balls.
Andrew now there’s passing and there’s passing, to hit 50 -60 five yard sidewards passes in a game might be brilliant statistically but in reality it don’t hurt teams, it’s ineffectual.
Also the guy lacks any range of passing, when have you ever seen him hit a searching pass? Send a long ball over the top early taking out the oppositions defence or to exploit the space behind defenders? Or play a killer through ball? He don’t, it’s just square ball after square ball.
Ok you make the point (correctly) he’s being used in a holding role but he still (imo) lacks any drive, he’s just not dynamic enough, lacks energy,lacks quality and he’s not brave or clever enough to take a chance.
Sorry mate but think we’ll have to agree to disagree on this one.
Why not throw him into the mix he couldn’t be any worse,personally I couldn’t give a FUCK anymore.I’m sure Swansea will kick start their season like most teams after playing the mighty VILLA.
I say that for Gardner’s sake, not the clubs. Really, I’d like to see Gardner stay healthy and actually making an impact down the road rather than rushing him in and having him out for another 6 months to a year. Plus is he’s not really an improvement on what we already have right now, I don’t know. Why doesn’t Sherwood give Gil and Veretout more than one game at a time first?
I think at his age it’s now or never, yea he’s gone through some serious shit injury wise but if he ain’t going to cut it at the highest level due to the physical demands he might as well call it a day.
Agreed BWS.
If he can’t make the breakthrough soon, it’s going to be championship level for him
Oh, hang on……
Lol Sherry babies master plan all becomes clear, we’ll build a team around Gardner but first…
I agree – this really is Gardner’s last chance at proving he can cut it at this level, but for me it is also the reason to slowly bring him into the team. Have him come on as a sub a few times and if he does well or makes an impact then maybe start him.
Giddy I couldn’t agree more…… Bored of it all now….. The club is in a mess and go from one calamity to the next…. Hiring a manager with less than 6 months experience and ask him to overhaul the complete squad and give him a 3 year contract…. I cannot wait for the next f()ck up !
MATE I’m thinking about changing my username to SADDENED2 I’ve said it before the most apt name on here. 🙁
No Giddy, 2 Saddened. Sounds better.
Bang on 😀
FFS I’m being moderated
Testing
If you change your name, it’ll show as a new user, hence you go into moderation, so we can check you’re not an abusive raving nutter 🙂
Looks like Oohah saw it before I did and approved you 🙂
Fwiw, I prefer Giddy, as it sums up how most of feel lately, I reckon.
What????everyones on the top shelf??
In two minds about this: maybe Garner will have as much impact on the team as Grealish [sometimes] has , but on the other hand more of a sign of desperation by Sherwood – yet another change to go with all the other inconsistency in team selection.
Like I say, I don’t know, but agree with BWS, he can’t be much worse than Westwood has been so far this season.
Imo he offers more than a Grealish type player. Gardner is more Steve G whereas Jack is more a Hazard type, brilliant on his day but you don’t get 90 minutes every week and the thing we need at the moment is 90 minute players.
I’m not sure what to think.
Ardent,
surely if a player’s looking decent and possibly better than his team mates, you give him a run?
That strikes me as eminently sensible, not desperation and surely what all managers do?
BWS,
Agreed.
I love Grealish to bits, but he is frankly not a 90 minute player yet and I think we’re placing a bit too much reliance on him.
That said, Gardner’s probably not up to 90 mins either yet, but he does have the box to box engine that I think we’re missing.
Mind you, I thought the same about Delph and it seemed he just had it knocked out of him by Lambert.
Fortunately, I think Sherwood will encourage the running.
IF he gets the time.
Badger, I asked a straight question on here a few weeks back -‘ is Gardner actually any good?’ – because frankly I’ve not seen enough of him to begin to know whether he justifies all of the hope/hype that’s surrounded his name for the last 2-3 years. How many games has he managed in a Villa shirt in that time?
So on the basis that [ to me] he’s completely unproven at first team PL level, I see it as a huge gamble by Sherwood.
By all means if the player is impressing during training he should be in with a chance, but it does feel like clutching at straws!
And your question is perfectly valid.
Fwiw, he’s struck me as an up-and-coming type, one that needs to be brought through slowly.
But not actually a stand out type player YET.
Again, fwiw, I don’t think he’ll figure just yet.
Maybe a run out if we’re in a decent position in a game, where we need some legs?
That said, Forest fans would take him at the drop of a hat, so who knows?
It is a pity there is a limit to replies. I would really take issue with Andrew about Westwood as a follow-on but will do it here.
Westwood made 2 key passes a game and you think that is good enough for the main central midfield play-maker? This is a team letting in more than one goal a game so 2 passes that led directly to goals would not be enough. And what is this nonsense about Westwood’s crosses? A cross is from the wing to the centre arriving in the penalty area, not from the centre to the wing on mid way, and corners are not crosses. I can remember only two crosses Westwood put in from the left wing this season. Were you watching at Chelsea? A telegraphed and wayward Westwood pass to the right wing was picked off with our defence out of position and Chelsea intercepted it and nearly scored. Did you see his corners? It is the same skill, if you cannot hit a dead ball corner accurately to at least 3 different areas, you cannot make 40 yard passes accurately to the wings.
You must be watching a different game to all the bloggers on here mate.
No Swansea preview LADS????