Villa’s gift of the Gab

Friday, 16/09/2011

by Steven Green, Shoot's Aston Villa blogger

After a controversial summer the new season has been kind to Villa. Still unbeaten after four games, the defence looks tight and some of the youngsters look ready to step up and push the senior players for places.

One major aspect that will please most fans is the form of Gabriel Agbonlahor. The local born striker told The Telegraph this week that is Gerard Houllier had stayed then he would most likely have requested a move. It’s a hard image to conjure; Gabby in another club's shirt but he was clearly unhappy.

Picked only sparingly and played criminally out of position for the most part he managed only three goals last term after hitting double-figures the previous three. Alex McLeish spoke of getting him back to the level he was at before and although still not playing him in his preferred central role he has got him back amongst the goals.

Against Blackburn he looked sharp, sharper than I’ve seen him for months and he terrorised their defence, rounding it off with a contender for goal of the season! It’s exciting to have the old Gabby back; when he’s up for it he’s one of the trickiest strikers in the league.

If he can keep up this kind of form (which usually dips a little around Christmas) he’ll be in with a good shot of making it to Poland and Ukraine next summer. If last year's World Cup is anything to go by a striker of Gabby’s pace would be a most welcome solution to unlocking those stubborn international defences.

What most fans want is to see him form a solid partnership with Darren Bent. This however, seems unlikely to happen. Both prefer to play off a big man and feed off of their knock on’s and flick hearers. Up until now Villa’s big man has been Emile Heskey but with Heskey now facing two weeks on the sidelines this could perhaps be a good opportunity to see if they will gel. This partnership wasn’t given a real test by Houllier and with the players all reportedly loving life under Big Eck now will probably be as good a time as any.

We potentially have a one-club player in Gabby, he truly is Villa through and through and if he does stay he could be the clubs record scorer in the Premier League. He’s already closing in on Dwight Yorke’s record but at he moment, it’s just good to see him looking hungry again.

• 

• Have your say