This time last week we were raving about the three-goal super show by Christian Benteke – and rightly so – in the stunning 6-1 victory over relegation rivals Sunderland.
Yet whilst Benteke’s hat-trick heroics last Monday night earned him most of the plaudits, and the headlines, I was equally impressed with the performance of Gabriel Agbonlahor.
And I was at Carrow Road on Saturday to witness one of the individual performances of the weekend by the Villa thriller whose two goals gave Paul Lambert’s men a massive survival boost.
Agbonlahor led the Norwich back line a merry dance with his pace and power as he continues to rediscover the form which made him an England international not so long ago.
At the age of 26, Gaby is now considered one of the ‘senior citizens’ in a young Villa side manager Lambert has invested so much time and faith in.
It’s a role Agbonlahor seems to be revelling in, and Lambert was full of praise for a player who has been at Villa Park all his career, and has claret and blue blood running through his veins.
“It’s not just in recent weeks that Gaby has been playing really well, he’s been on fire for most of the season,” said Lambert after his second victorious return to Carrow Road.
"Gaby is all about pace and power and if you have that in modern-day football, it is a terrific weapon to have. If he can keep doing that and we keep building, it will be great."
Personally, I really hope Villa can survive this season because it would be a massive boost to the development of a young side which has real potential to go on to great things.
All credit to Paul Lambert for keeping the faith, refusing to buckle under pressure, and Agbonlahor summed up the feeling in the camp when he said: “Hopefully if we can get this season out of the way you will see more improvement next season.
"The young lads have had a lot of pressure on them and great credit to them they've stuck at it, carried on playing and fighting in big games. Long may that continue.”
Source: DSG
