Aston Villa News 24/7Writer: imavillan 
Date:Sunday August 19 2007
Time: 12:39PM
UK time is: 07:01:31
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John Carew - Yes Or No?
Imavillan submitted the following article, so I thought I'd expand it and put the question up as our latest poll. John Carew, yes or no!?
Is it me but as of yet I am not totally convinced about our main striker, John Carew.
I cannot see him getting 15 goals this season which is what is required from your main centre forward as a minimum these days in the Premiership if you want to be doing more than mid table mediocrity.
I know he nearly scored yesterday with a long range shot but he just does not do it for me. In my opinion he just lets the ball bounce off him and he doesn't do enough in the penalty area.
I think Martin O'Neill needs to sign a quality striker in the remaining 12 days of the transfer window or give Luke Moore a chance?
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Your Comments
I'm in the totally unsure camp. He is a big sod for sure and looks like he could be handy, but not seen anything outstanding yet and I'm not sure we've got any striker who will get more than 10-15 this season? We need one to shoot us into Europe, is it the strikers or is it the service? Time will tell I guess. Hope he fulfils his potential though, he should certainly be able to terrorise opponent defences with his size and speed.
The Fear
If we have him we need a goalscorer next to him. We ain't got one at the moment. For me Gabby and Luke should be learning their trade and Harewood should never had been signed. Instead a proven goalscorer. But who we gonna get with our wage structure????
Gazvilla
As per other thread, not sure we have a wage structure, think wages will be paid dependent on the players brought in. If we can attract a star (if mon wants one) then I would suggest the wage demands would be met. Personally I'd try for Anelka, i know he is a journeyman and a sulk, but he is also an awesome striker!
The Fear
I'm going off the big man. As said above he doesnt seem too good at bringing other players into play, rather just lets the balls bounce off him and back to the oppositon. Also gives players an easy option to lump the ball forward which I dont like. He'll get 10 goals which isnt enough. Luke would get Moore! ;)
DeanoVilla
Hes definatly the man for us. Hes strong quick and is proven quality champions league player!
It is not his fault for villa's lack of goals, it is the way we play football. Villa seem to always play simple knock the ball up the field and hope carew does something! We never play possesion football and try to play fluent football.
How often does John Carew get a 1 on 1 chance? Never!
We lack creativity get rid of petrov!
suky
Jc is class. End of. He gives us something different.
weller77
What a pathetic and pointless thread this is. Carew is a quality player. Best leader of the line we have had in years, put a quality striker alongside him (eg. Defoe) and we would have a formidable strike force. Of course in some deluded peoples eyes he will never be as good as the "great" JPA and "goldenballs" Luke Moore.
wislor
Suky, did you watch the game yesterday ? never play possesion football ? knock it up and hope Carew does something ? we played a decent game yesterday, and if we keep building on performances like that, we will do fine. I'm not one to panick, but, we really need signings now, injuries are just around the corner.
astonmilan
Carew - will never score a lot of goals - if thats what your hoping from his - the he will always dissapoint. However he leads the line well - and keeps the opposition on there toes. I like him - i think we would be much poorer without him.
a 20 goal a season man is going to cost around £20m - I am yet to be convinced the MON has access to those sort of funds.
qKing
Why is it pointless wislor? Football is about discussion and opinions, that all this is, talk about our strikers. Take that away from the game and what do fans do, just trot off to the game and leave silently at the end of it? You've expressed your views well and maybe you are right, with quality up with him he would be even better.
The Fear
Its just my opinion, I think he is a top player. I agree with qking 100%. also i wish people would get off Harewoods back and get behind him. Yes, not one of us would of signed him but he his here now so back him and get off the poor the lads back.
wislor
I like Carew..he's got good ball control and contrary to some other opinions i think he links up well with other players..admit i don't think he will score 15-20 goals, but maybe he will help someone else to achieve that..is it just me or does Gabby seem to be having a slowish start to season..maybe MON should start Moore against Fulham then bring Gabby on later when their a bit knackered..UTV
Kuffit
Carew is a good target man, leads the line well, has good touch and reasonable pace, and is always a physical threat. From what I have seen, the one thing that he isn't is a natural goalscorer at premiership level. I cannot see him scoring 10 league goals this season. That is not all his fault as we do tend to keep hoofing the ball up to him.
If we play Carew then we need to find a true goalscorer who will get 15 to 20 league goals, but that is easier said than done.
UTV SOTC
Rickymeister
Again, facts are fprgotten... Last week he had a stomach illness - yesterday he was actually INJURED for a good portion of the time he was on the pitch, and is mainly why he was brought off.
the_lergy
dont believe this thread either! carew is quality,so strong,quick,good feet,brings others into play,good in the air.dont believe he is the sort 2 get 20 goals or anything but would be surprised if he didnt get at least 15 and with a natural goalscorer up alongside him eg defoe he would almost certainly get 20 goals as carew more often than not gets 2 defenders tight on him because he is such a threat which in turn creates space for the other centre forward and whoever else wants 2 run into it!!!!! UTV
Belfast Villain
We have problems. The game yesterday was one for the taking. At the moment we are big on effort but woefully inadequate at creativity. It makes no difference who you have upfront if the supply isn't there then they won't score. I believe that the strike force with Carew and Luke Moore would be enough if we had a creative player in behind the strikers aka Maloney/Berger. Play 3-4-1-2 when attacking and 3-5-2 when defending.
myleftfoot
Who was the last player to score a hatrick for Aston Villa? Answers on a postcard!
Nigel-not-Reo
His should be one of the first names on the team sheet. A quality centre-forward, with a proven pedigree at the very top level. Thought he put on another very good showing yesterday, but desperately needs a quality goalscorer alongside him. We're questioning John Carew's right to a starting position? Personally I cant believe it.
glensider
-Nigel-not-Reo : My bet would go for Luke Moore, is that right? ;-)
delirium
John Carew definetely put on a good performance yesterday, and I tend to thing that the boy's not a 100% ready for the season yet, probably because of his recent injury. We need to give him further time to settle I think, and the goods will be delivered...I doubt he'll score 20 this season, but he might well be involved in over 20 goals, and that's already something, I think.
delirium
Luke, sorry Nigel no stamps!
silkie villain
I'd certainly like to see a sharp, intelligent player alongside "Big John". Defoe would be my chice or Luke Moore with Gabby on the bench to come on in the last period and blast the opposition when they are tiring.
villacross
Agree about Defoe villacross. Luke may or may not be the ready made answer, but until/unless he gets an extended run out, we'll never know. As things stand though, lack of goalscoring will cost us dear this season.
glensider
DON'T START HYPING ON ABOUT DEFOE AGAIN FOR F**K SAKE. MON will find the balance during the first four or five games, we haven't even used Maloney or Berger yet ! and we certainly looked a lot better as a 4-4-2. It will come.
astonmilan
Well done delirium, you fought off some stiff competition from silkie villian to claim first prize.
Nigel-not-Reo
Yes, that is my final answer.
*Holte*End*Star*
Play Luke with John from the start till Xmas That will give them both the chance they need
FatKev
It has to be said that Carew does not look fully fit, which begs the question why not start with Luke. I think Carew could score 15 goals but i am sure that Moore could given a decent run.
return of godzvilla
Anelka?
tarzan
I agree I would start with Luke god knows why the ill not so fit Carew starts
Christo
Anelka for £9m or Yakubu for £11m both are absolute bargains and will score 20 goals in our team because the service will be better than at Bolton or Boro. Go get one of them MON
notthedougellisstand
I would of thought Anelka would be worth more then the Yak man
Christo
Carew is not a 20 goal a season striker - and we should not put that much pressure on him. Carew is the guy to hold the ball up, bring others into the game. He is also the guy to rattle defenders and give us that 'other dimension' up front. He is the target man in other words - he just needs an alan shearer playing off him (i thought Baros would be ideal with Carew but never mind) and we will have no problems up front.
tylervilla
There seems a lot of support on here for playing Luke Moore alongside Carew, and I agree.
Big man little man, Toshack/ Keegan, Withe/ Shaw can work a treat - if the quality is there. While the jury is out on Carew, it has not been allowed to take a seat to conclude on Luke Moore - but on the available evidence he looked a winner at the start and end of last season. Give gim half the crack of the whip that Gabby has had, and a quarter of the chances that Petrov has had and see him deliver. Leave him as a boi part player no longer.
stennyvilla
correction typo - bit part player!
stennyvilla
AstonMilan, I did watch the whole match with newcastle and liverpool and thats why i commented about our football! we had a decent game but if we want to get into europe we need to win these sort of games. We do just knock it up the field, How many times did we break down newcastle to get through on goal, i can only think of gabby's chance in the 1st half! Once is not enough to win games especially without a clinical striker
suky
I have to say our service from the centre of the park is pretty woeful, at the end of last season we looked effective and played fluent passing creating very good goals. But Petrov for me against Liverpool and Newcastle was poor, apart from his near-good-shot on the half-volley at Newcastle. We need a rightback to let Gardner get back to the middle, where he is so much more effective. Petrov needs to be dropped for a while, might prove to him that he's not guaranteed a place, and we might score some good goals in the process.
Dizzy Villan
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