Gabriel - use him or lose him

S

Superbretty

Well-known member
Easily the best player on the pitch tonight, a class act. How he isn’t starting league games is beyond me.
If we don’t start playing him he will be off in the summer and who could blame him?
Also noticed that Critchley congratulated all the players apart from Gabriel when he walked over to the North. I’m starting to wonder why.
 
Superbretty said:
Easily the best player on the pitch tonight, a class act. How he isn’t starting league games is beyond me.
If we don’t start playing him he will be off in the summer and who could blame him?
Also noticed that Critchley congratulated all the players apart from Gabriel when he walked over to the North. I’m starting to wonder why.
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100%
 
I don't have a record for shit stirring (at least I don't think I do) but, I do find it weird that Gabriel is

a) clearly fit now. (90+105 Vs Forest, 90 tonight - all at full tilt)

b) is without doubt the best RWB in the squad and very possibly the league. He's a championship player all day long and one who plays with heart and soul. He's not sulking or out of form. He's playing well.

and yet... We actively choose not to play him so we can play a player who isn't really a RWB in that position.

We bring him on sometimes when he's not really got 'impact sub' attributes but the player who we play instead of him has the perfect impact sub attributes (searing pace for late in game)

It is a bit odd. I'm not slating CJ. He's done his bit this year and will continue to offer something unique and he's a good lad but a player as good as Gabriel is nailed on starter quality every single day of the week and if there was an 8th day, he'd start then too.

I don't know why I can't turn italics off.
 
td53 said:
I don't have a record for shit stirring (at least I don't think I do) but, I do find it weird that Gabriel is

a) clearly fit now. (90+105 Vs Forest, 90 tonight - all at full tilt)

b) is without doubt the best RWB in the squad and very possibly the league. He's a championship player all day long and one who plays with heart and soul. He's not sulking or out of form. He's playing well.

and yet... We actively choose not to play him so we can play a player who isn't really a RWB in that position.

We bring him on sometimes when he's not really got 'impact sub' attributes but the player who we play instead of him has the perfect impact sub attributes (searing pace for late in game)

It is a bit odd. I'm not slating CJ. He's done his bit this year and will continue to offer something unique and he's a good lad but a player as good as Gabriel is nailed on starter quality every single day of the week and if there was an 8th day, he'd start then too.

I don't know why I can't turn italics off.
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It is a crime against football if it continues after that performance by both of them in their best positions.
Granted CJ wasn't exactly playing out wide but no defensive duties has to be the norm for him, Matt.
 
Totally agree. Gabriel is probably the best player we have, hoping that he’s just been managed but it’s getting to the point where he simply has to start. Whilst I’m not CJ’s biggest fan, those two together on the right is a massive outlet and most other clubs in league one would be falling over themselves for players with that kind of pace.
 
td53 said:
I don't have a record for shit stirring (at least I don't think I do) but, I do find it weird that Gabriel is

a) clearly fit now. (90+105 Vs Forest, 90 tonight - all at full tilt)

b) is without doubt the best RWB in the squad and very possibly the league. He's a championship player all day long and one who plays with heart and soul. He's not sulking or out of form. He's playing well.

and yet... We actively choose not to play him so we can play a player who isn't really a RWB in that position.

We bring him on sometimes when he's not really got 'impact sub' attributes but the player who we play instead of him has the perfect impact sub attributes (searing pace for late in game)

It is a bit odd. I'm not slating CJ. He's done his bit this year and will continue to offer something unique and he's a good lad but a player as good as Gabriel is nailed on starter quality every single day of the week and if there was an 8th day, he'd start then too.

I don't know why I can't turn italics off.
Click to expand...
That last line 😂😂😂
 
Superbretty said:
Easily the best player on the pitch tonight, a class act. How he isn’t starting league games is beyond me.
If we don’t start playing him he will be off in the summer and who could blame him?
Also noticed that Critchley congratulated all the players apart from Gabriel when he walked over to the North. I’m starting to wonder why.
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Last sentence is absolute nonsense!
 
Superbretty said:
Easily the best player on the pitch tonight, a class act. How he isn’t starting league games is beyond me.
If we don’t start playing him he will be off in the summer and who could blame him?
Also noticed that Critchley congratulated all the players apart from Gabriel when he walked over to the North. I’m starting to wonder why.
Click to expand...
It's been mystifying me for weeks this every time I see the guy on the pitch I see quality. He wants to push forward he wants to take people on he tracks back he gets the defending done. Not sure what else he has to do to get a starting place every week. I know he came back from a long injury but he hardly looks lacking in energy to me.
 
tangerinesince88 said:
Totally agree. Gabriel is probably the best player we have, hoping that he’s just been managed but it’s getting to the point where he simply has to start. Whilst I’m not CJ’s biggest fan, those two together on the right is a massive outlet and most other clubs in league one would be falling over themselves for players with that kind of pace.
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CJ gets slaughtered on here because...Well it's AVFTT.
 
td53 said:
I don't have a record for shit stirring (at least I don't think I do) but, I do find it weird that Gabriel is

a) clearly fit now. (90+105 Vs Forest, 90 tonight - all at full tilt)

b) is without doubt the best RWB in the squad and very possibly the league. He's a championship player all day long and one who plays with heart and soul. He's not sulking or out of form. He's playing well.

and yet... We actively choose not to play him so we can play a player who isn't really a RWB in that position.

We bring him on sometimes when he's not really got 'impact sub' attributes but the player who we play instead of him has the perfect impact sub attributes (searing pace for late in game)

It is a bit odd. I'm not slating CJ. He's done his bit this year and will continue to offer something unique and he's a good lad but a player as good as Gabriel is nailed on starter quality every single day of the week and if there was an 8th day, he'd start then too.

I don't know why I can't turn italics off.
Click to expand...
I thought it was a Poulton Bus post until I noticed the 18 missing speech marks.
 
Comfortably our best player, and it's actually criminal he's playing for a league one club. I hope he starts getting more game time in the league because our chances of getting a p/off spot will go up with him playing.
 
People saying he''s match fit, he runs his tank very close to empty in the games he played, because hes at full tilt.
Was a moment tonight I thought he was out of gas. Agree that when hes 100% he has to start, I'm just not sure if he recovers well throughout the week.
 
td53 said:
I don't have a record for shit stirring (at least I don't think I do) but, I do find it weird that Gabriel is

a) clearly fit now. (90+105 Vs Forest, 90 tonight - all at full tilt)

b) is without doubt the best RWB in the squad and very possibly the league. He's a championship player all day long and one who plays with heart and soul. He's not sulking or out of form. He's playing well.

and yet... We actively choose not to play him so we can play a player who isn't really a RWB in that position.

We bring him on sometimes when he's not really got 'impact sub' attributes but the player who we play instead of him has the perfect impact sub attributes (searing pace for late in game)

It is a bit odd. I'm not slating CJ. He's done his bit this year and will continue to offer something unique and he's a good lad but a player as good as Gabriel is nailed on starter quality every single day of the week and if there was an 8th day, he'd start then too.

I don't know why I can't turn italics off.
Click to expand...
Next thing you'll be using random quotation marks and running boat trips
EDIT - didn't see Briggs5's post above. There again, have they ever been seen in the same room?
 
td53 said:
I don't have a record for shit stirring (at least I don't think I do) but, I do find it weird that Gabriel is

a) clearly fit now. (90+105 Vs Forest, 90 tonight - all at full tilt)

b) is without doubt the best RWB in the squad and very possibly the league. He's a championship player all day long and one who plays with heart and soul. He's not sulking or out of form. He's playing well.

and yet... We actively choose not to play him so we can play a player who isn't really a RWB in that position.

We bring him on sometimes when he's not really got 'impact sub' attributes but the player who we play instead of him has the perfect impact sub attributes (searing pace for late in game)

It is a bit odd. I'm not slating CJ. He's done his bit this year and will continue to offer something unique and he's a good lad but a player as good as Gabriel is nailed on starter quality every single day of the week and if there was an 8th day, he'd start then too.

I don't know why I can't turn italics off.
Click to expand...
Agree with all of that but very likely CJ starts on Saturday.

Critchley is very cautious when it comes to using players who’ve had long term injuries, might not want to play him twice in a week.
 
Superbretty said:
Strange how he gets to play into injury time against Forest though and can’t get a league start. He’s clearly match fit.
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It may well be contractual. Possibly to do with league starts or minutes on the pitch triggering a contract issue which the club don’t want. He should certainly start.
 
Shiggy said:
Agree with all of that but very likely CJ starts on Saturday.

Critchley is very cautious when it comes to using players who’ve had long term injuries, might not want to play him twice in a week.
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The point is though, why prefer him in the cup games. 🤷

I get he needs management - but the order of priority is a bit strange.
 
td53 said:
The point is though, why prefer him in the cup games. 🤷

I get he needs management - but the order of priority is a bit strange.
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Been saying it for weeks and it can only point to one thing; there's something in his contract that is triggered if he plays more league games. He's comfortably one of our best players and if you need to rest him you rest him for cup games not your priority games i.e. the league.
 
Looking at his career statistics there isn’t anything to suggest a contract clause or trigger - including his loan spell he has played 80 odd games for us in 4 years.
I wonder if it’s more of a club issue wanting to recoup some £ for him ? Before (hopefully not) another serious injury occurs? But then why play him last night in a blood & thunder derby match ….. where towards the end he seemed to be targeted by several o t t challenges.
 
tangerinespud said:
Looking at his career statistics there isn’t anything to suggest a contract clause or trigger - including his loan spell he has played 80 odd games for us in 4 years.
I wonder if it’s more of a club issue wanting to recoup some £ for him ? Before (hopefully not) another serious injury occurs? But then why play him last night in a blood & thunder derby match ….. where towards the end he seemed to be targeted by several o t t challenges.
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Your last point completely supports what I'm saying, rather than debunks it. Rest him for the cup games and play him in the league if you need to. There's no benefit at all in prioritising the cup for his performances rather than the league.
 
straightatthewall, totally agree that Gabriel should be playing week in week out if fit.
If Critchley is easing him back in gently so be it.

Now this is pure speculation …. Gabriel (loan appearances aside) has played 41 times, league appearances, for us in 3 years out of the 4 years he signed on for. I speculate that Gabriel is a decent earner (weekly wage) in the squad - higher than the squad average? I can’t see how any league appearance contract trigger could be coming into force after 41 appearances - unless of course he is on well below squad average wages ? I thought these Oyston era contract things were a thing of the past ?

Suppose we know after the deadline what’s happening … & more importantly on Saturday at 2pm when the team sheet goes out !
If not sold today & not selected on Saturday then speculation overdrive will be out in force !
 
tangerinespud said:
straightatthewall, totally agree that Gabriel should be playing week in week out if fit.
If Critchley is easing him back in gently so be it.

Now this is pure speculation …. Gabriel (loan appearances aside) has played 41 times, league appearances, for us in 3 years out of the 4 years he signed on for. I speculate that Gabriel is a decent earner (weekly wage) in the squad - higher than the squad average? I can’t see how any league appearance contract trigger could be coming into force after 41 appearances - unless of course he is on well below squad average wages ? I thought these Oyston era contract things were a thing of the past ?

Suppose we know after the deadline what’s happening … & more importantly on Saturday at 2pm when the team sheet goes out !
If not sold today & not selected on Saturday then speculation overdrive will be out in force !
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Admittedly, we don't know the truth. I accept that. But - again - if Critchley is easing him back in gently, then why not do that in league games rather than the cup?
 
I get the Forest games for nostalgia with him being Ex Forest, & the cup games prior to build some fitness up….. in Critchley’s thinking we must trust !
If match fit & ready, I think he should have not played last night in order to play in the more important game on Saturday !

Time will tell
 
tangerinespud said:
I get the Forest games for nostalgia with him being Ex Forest, & the cup games prior to build some fitness up….. in Critchley’s thinking we must trust !
If match fit & ready, I think he should have not played last night in order to play in the more important game on Saturday !

Time will tell
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Agreed.
 
td53 said:
The point is though, why prefer him in the cup games. 🤷

I get he needs management - but the order of priority is a bit strange.
Click to expand...
Well I think it began with him being eased back into fitness through the cup games, and such is the nature of the tight schedule it’s just stayed within that rotation. We’ve been playing two games a week most weeks.

Also, I know the league is the priority but when you consider the fact that our opposition in the cup games recently has been Barnsley, Forest (twice), and Bolton, I’m actually glad Gabriel has started in those games. Would we have played as well against Forest home and away with CJ at wing back?

Like I said, I agree with you that JG is in a different class compared to CJ, and I’d be very surprised if he isn’t starting regularly within the next few weeks. I just don’t think anyone should be losing their heads on Saturday when CJ inevitably starts ahead of him. I have enough faith in Critchley and I would like to think that the only thing keeping JG out of the league XI is fitness concerns, concerns which will ease over time.
 
Shiggy said:
Well I think it began with him being eased back into fitness through the cup games, and such is the nature of the tight schedule it’s just stayed within that rotation. We’ve been playing two games a week most weeks.

Also, I know the league is the priority but when you consider the fact that our opposition in the cup games recently has been Barnsley, Forest (twice), and Bolton, I’m actually glad Gabriel has started in those games. Would we have played as well against Forest home and away with CJ at wing back?

Like I said, I agree with you that JG is in a different class compared to CJ, and I’d be very surprised if he isn’t starting regularly within the next few weeks. I just don’t think anyone should be losing their heads on Saturday when CJ inevitably starts ahead of him. I have enough faith in Critchley and I would like to think that the only thing keeping JG out of the league XI is fitness concerns, concerns which will ease over time.
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You might be right, but I struggle to see why anyone would feel it was better to keep with the rotation pattern rather than rest him for 1 cup game and get him into the league side. The quality of Forest for example is immaterial. We were never going to win the FA Cup and that would have been the case irrespective of whether played in both games, one of them or none. And I also find it absurd to think that BSM games against Barnsley or Bolton mean anything compared to the bigger picture of us getting back into the Championship. Any money gained from a cup run is dwarfed against revenues from the Championship. I certainly won't be having it as acceptable if we don't even make the play offs, but that's somehow offset because we got to the BSM final.
 
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