Having seen the past few games that he has played in, I beginning to wonder whether he is actually all that good!! He looks slow and doesn't chase when the ball gets turned over. Is he just a big con or does he really have talent? I don't think the excuse that he needs match practice still holds. I think it's time for him to show us why he was worth 7 million and why he should be in the England squad....mind you if Heskey can get in the squad, then so could Stomper!! If he doesn't improve then maybe we should be looking elsewhere.
He's had a career threatening injury and sometimes players just never get back to what they could have been. I'm not hopefull about Ashton.
Welcome to the party. I've been bitching that we need a forward because we can't count on Ashton. He obviously has some ability but he hasn't shown it for ages. My sister keeps saying that with his receding hairline and predilection for bleaching his hair, he resembles John Hartson circa 1998 and is treading a similar career path. He's had a bad injury but if he's not fit enough to play, he needs to be dropped. Problem is, until Zamora and Bellamy are fully fit, he's in the team.
If the lads a striker, and he is, give him a go. If the lads good, and he sounds it, give him a go. Considering where we are at the moment what have we got to lose?
Agreed Trevor, I watched the game yesterday, and Ashton reminded me of a Sunday morning pub player!.....again, it appeared to me that he was trying his best, but his best just ain't good enough right now.
We know Ashton has the ability because we have seen him do it before. We know he is fit otherwise he wouldn't be played. The question is 'is he motivated'? This is a management issue which could be an on or off the pitch matter. An off the pitch matter could mean that he is moving on, an on the pitch matter could mean that AC's tactics aren't suiting Ashton and/or AC is not getting the best out of him. It would he heart breaking to see Ashton leave only for his new manager to turn him into the next England star and top EPL goal scorer. My instincts lead me to believe that AC does not know how to use Ashton to get the best out of him.
I hear where you're coming from but in all honesty I'm fed up with 'primma donna' like attitudes from footballers. Ashton may not earn as much as others in the team but surely his pride should make him want to play. How much more motivation does he need than the England Manager sitting in the stands!! Whether AC knows how to use him (and I probably agree that he doesn't) or not should not be what Ashton determines his footballing future on! Compare Ashton and the team he is playing in this year to the efforts of Tevez and the team he played in last year. Carlos played his heart out for a team he probably knew he would not be with the next year.
I think he's got a cheek if the stories about him wanting more money are true. When he signed he was in and out with injury, then he gets a serious injury on England duty and out all season getting £20,000 pw sitting on his fat backside all year, then comes back looking like a porker, gets injured again and is now back playing and looking like a white Titi Camara.