I kind of feel bad for Gabriel Agbonlahor. The pacey Aston Villa and English national team striker and started off the season in fantastic form, including an early seven-minute hat trick against Manchester City. He’s scored eleven goals for Villa this season, a run of form that earned him two England call-ups and two caps.
The problem for Agbonlahor is that ten of those goals came in the first fourteen games. In the last fifteen, he’s only netted once, and the lack of goals has contributed to the Villans losing their eight-point lead over Arsenal. The downward spiral continued for Villa with a 2-1 loss to Spurs yesterday; this loss has them put them tied on points with Arsenal, but in fifth place (and out of the Champions League) based on goal differential.
So the fans at Villa Park did the only thing fans can really do when they’re unhappy: they booed Agbonlahor when he was subbed out in the eightieth minute.
Martin O’Neill, perhaps predictably, was up in arms over the treatment of his star striker.
“Gabby has been fantastic for this football club and I am very disappointed with what happened when he was substituted,” O’Neill told Setanta Sports News after the game.
“Ever since I have known him, two-and-a-half years ago, he has been brilliant. He is going through a period where his confidence is low but I have got to tell you that is no way to treat him after what he has done here. “
Here’s what Sky Sports had to say on the matter:
Agbonlahor’s overall contribution to Villa challenging for a UEFA Champions League berth appears to have been forgotten by section of supporters either unwilling or unable to see beyond a current dip in personal form which has coincided with the Midlands club’s recent slide.
Fair enough. It’s impossible to understate Agbonlahor’s contribution to Villa’s current run of form. He’s clearly a loyal servant to Villa, and he clearly has ability. In the grand scheme of things, this is just a slump; an unfortunately timed slump, perhaps, but a slump all the same.
If you’re a fan, though, doesn’t O’Neill’s statement kind of piss you off? Agbonlahor’s not just been not scoring lately; he’s also not really played very well. The fans were excited at the prospect of being able to play some Champions League ball next season; right in front of their eyes, that dream slipped just a little bit more. Villa have only one one game in their last six, and are coming up against a red-hot Liverpool team next week. Everton, long ago thought to be out of contention for the Champions League qualification, have grabbed eleven points out of their last six games and are only four points back from Aston Villa.If booing isn’t the right way to express your frustration, what is?
To paraphrase Chris Rock, I’m not saying that I would’ve booed him…but I understand. Let me know what you think about booing players in the comments.
I wouldn’t have booed him specifically, but moreso the team in general. After a rather spectacular start though, he may be the easiest to make into a scapegoat. Being a striker you get all the glory, and all the criticism if things aren’t going your way.
He got booed because he came off when they were down 2-0. If O’Neill had pulled Zat Knight, who was much more deserving of coming off then Gaby, Knight would have been booed off the park. Gaby was a scapegoat for a fairly wretched performance otherwise.
I take more issue with O’Neill chastising the fans; at the end of the day, the fans are your bread and butter, and you need to understand them far more than they need to understand you. I’m not sure if it was right to boo or not, but this was another abject performance by Villa when they needed to do well, and O’Neill should have some understanding of that frustration.