Tim Sherwood: I can unlock the Gabby Agbonlahor enigma
IT IS a conundrum which has proven beyond every Aston Villa manager since Martin O'Neill, yet Tim Sherwood hopes he has finally found the answer to unlocking the enigma that is Gabby Agbonlahor.
Tim Sherwood intends to release the shackles on Gabby Agbonlahor
The forward delivered his best display in recent memory in running West Brom ragged during Tuesday's Premier League win at Villa Park, scoring his first goal since November in the derby duel.
Four days on, the sides must do it all again in today's FA Cup quarter-final with a place at Wembley at stake.
Sherwood admits he identified inspiring Agbonlahor to turn back the clock as one of his top priorities upon succeeding Paul Lambert three weeks ago.
And he has lifted the lid on a series of heart-to-hearts with the England international in a bid to help him shoulder his side of a partnership with Christian Benteke which Sherwood claims is the best outside the top six.
"Did I identify him as someone to tap into? Absolutely," Sherwood said. "I had a lot of chats with him, a lot of chats with Christian.
"They've got to be the best strike partnership outside the top six on the basis of their history.
"But on paper doesn't make any difference, you have to go and prove it."
Sherwood expects hard game against West Brom [AMBIENT]
Agbonlahor hit double figures in all four seasons under O'Neill's stewardship from 2006 to 2010, improving his tally each campaign and scoring a career-high 16 in the Northern Irishman's last season at Villa Park.
He has rarely hit such heights again. The following season, under Gerard Houllier, he scored just five and managed only one more the following term under Alex McLeish, receiving his last England call-up during the Scot's reign in November 2011.
Paul Lambert appeared on the right path when the forward hit 12 in his first campaign in charge, six of them in Villa's last nine matches, which played an integral part in them staying up.
Did I identify him as someone to tap into? Absolutely
Tim Sherwood
Yet it has been merely flashes since. His goal against the Baggies took him to four for this campaign, equalling his entire efforts for last season.
Sherwood has revealed he leant on the experience he gained cultivating red-hot Tottenham forward Harry Kane and now hopes to reap the rewards.
"It's about this time when Gabby normally comes out and starts keeping this team in the league," Sherwood added.
"His performance on Tuesday shouldn't be ignored and it was appreciated by the fans.
"They were singing his name – you can't imagine how much players grow from that.
"I've managed one of the hottest strikers in English football at the moment, Harry Kane, and he had to win over those Tottenham fans."
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Jet-heeled Agbonlahor, 28, made Baggies veteran defender Joleon Lescott look every inch his 32 years on Tuesday, although Sherwood insists his forward is capable of doing that to any centre-back.
Now he intends to release the shackles on Agbonlahor, who is back in his preferred central position.
"Every game I've told him to play on the shoulder and look to get in behind, because once he gets in behind you he's very quick and hard to stop," Sherwood added.
"Joleon 10 years ago wouldn't catch him. It's nothing to do with age or players.
"Gabby is an extraordinarily quick player and I'm hoping we can just keep him fit.
"He's had a lot of games now, a lot of experience, and I'm saying, 'Just go out there and play where you think you can hurt them, you take up positions'."
The former Tottenham boss admits he could not have imagined a better script for Tuesday's game after Benteke's added-time penalty earned the boss his first League victory to move them out of the bottom three.
"If I knew the outcome I would have taken that - win 2-1, local derby, 94th minute, two strikers scoring, blooding a young kid [Jack Grealish] for 35 minutes, the longest he's played on the pitch," he smiled. "I don't think I could have dreamed it up."
