IS CARLOS VELA THE SOLUTION?

Eboue Can't Defend · Post by **Eboue Can't Defend** » Mon May 28, 2007 12:18 pm

GIVEN THE CURRENT DEBATE AS TO WHETHER TO SIGN OWEN/BENT/A.N.OTHER PROVEN GOAL-SCORER, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY FELLOW GOONERS ARE AWARE THAT WE HAVE A TALENTED YOUNG MEXICAN STRIKER CURRENTLY ON OUR BOOKS CALLED CARLOS VELA.

I FIRST HEARD ABOUT HIM TWO YEARS AGO WHEN HE HELPED MEXICO WIN THE WORLD UNDER 17 CUP. VELA SCORED TWICE AS MEXICO BEAT BRAZIL 3-0 (ACTION AVAILABLE ON YOUTUBE) AND, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, HE ENDED UP THE TOURNAMENT'S TOP SCORER. NOT LONG AFTERWARDS, I READ THAT ARSENAL HAD SIGNED HIM AND WAS VERY EXCITED BY THE PROSPECT OF SEEING HIM IN THE RED & WHITE.

ALONG WITH MEXICO TEAM-MATE DOS SANTOS - WHO HAS BEEN SNAPPED UP BY BARCELONA - VELA IS RATED AS A CERTAINTY TO BECOME ONE OF THE NEXT GENERATION OF WORLD SUPERSTARS.

HAVING ONLY SEEN A LIMITED AMOUNT OF HIM IN ACTION, IT IS DIFFICULT TO KNOW FOR SURE IF HE CAN MAKE THE STEP UP FROM GREAT YOUTH PLAYER, ESPECIALLY HERE IN THE PREMIER LEAGUE, WHICH IS MUCH MORE PHYSICAL THAN HE HAS BEEN USE TO.

HOWEVER, HE APPEARS TO HAVE ALL THE INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO BE A SUCCESS, IF NOT HERE THAN CERTAINLY IN LA LIGA, WHERE HE IS CURRENTLY PLYING HIS TRADE ON LOAN TO SALAMANCA (OR IS IT NOW CELTA VIGO?).

I BELIEVE HE IS OUT ON LOAN IN SPAIN UNTIL HE OBTAINS A EUROPEAN PASSPORT, WHICH WILL THEN ENABLE HIM TO JOIN US WITHOUT REQUIRING A SPECIAL WORK PERMIT (OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT). DOES ANYONE ELSE KNOW FOR CERTAIN WHEN HE WILL BE ALLOWED TO PLAY FOR US? I'VE HEARD IT WON'T BE UNTIL AFTER THE SUMMER OF 2008, BUT ALSO READ SOMEWHERE THAT HE IS ELIGIBLE TO PLAY FOR ARSENAL NOW.

FROM THE LITTLE THAT I HAVE SEEN OF HIM, HE HAS THE PACE, STRENGTH, SKILL, HEADING ABILITY AND PREDITORY INSTINCT (YES, A FOX IN THE BOX!) TO MAKE AN IMPACT IN OUR SIDE. ALTHOUGH HE IS ONLY 18, HE HAS ALREADY MADE AN IMPACT IN SPAIN AND ON THE INTERNATIONAL SCENE - ALBEIT THE YOUTHS.

CESC FABREGAS HAS ALREADY PROVEN THAT IF YOU ARE GOOD ENOUGH, YOU'RE OLD ENOUGH, SO IF HE IS GOOD ENOUGH, LETS DRAFT HIM INTO THE SQUAD AND GIVE HIM A TRY THIS SEASON. YOU NEVER KNOW, HE MIGHT END UP SAVING THE CLUB A FEW MILLION QUID.

Chopper · Post by **Chopper** » Mon May 28, 2007 1:03 pm

Had forgotten we had him.

Certainly has the potential to be the answer to our goalscoring problems, not sure what sort of goals/games ratio he has in spain but worth giving him a go. Like you say not sure when he can play for us, have heard he could play next season.

Gunnerz4life · Post by **Gunnerz4life** » Mon May 28, 2007 5:47 pm

Expect him to play in the Carling Cup next season.

Chopper · Post by **Chopper** » Mon May 28, 2007 8:04 pm

Vela's stats for Salamanca this season:

Games - 26, Substituted - 12, Substitute 3, Goals 8.
Yellows - 6, Straight Reds - 1.

tenementfunster5 · Post by **tenementfunster5** » Mon May 28, 2007 8:24 pm

Apparently Vela was to spend 2 years in Spain to get around the issue of work permits. This should mean that Jan 2007 he would be eligible to play for the gunners from this coming season.

Eboue Can't Defend · Post by **Eboue Can't Defend** » Mon May 28, 2007 10:09 pm

CHOPPER,

THANKS VERY MUCH FOR THE STATS.

BY MY RECKONING - AND THAT'S NOT ALWAYS PERFECT DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF WEST INDIAN WOODBINE I SMOKE - THAT MEANS HE HAS SCORED 8 GOALS IN 14 FULL APPEARANCES. NOW THAT'S PROLIFIC!!!

I KNOW THE FAMOUS QUOTE ABOUT THERE BEING "LIES, DAMN LIES AND STATISTICS", BUT AT THE VERY LEAST HE KNOWS WHERE THE NET IS.

AND JUDGING BY HIS DISCIPLINARY RECORD - WHICH YEARS AGO WOULD BY ITSELF HAVE MADE HIM PERFECT FOR US - HE SEEMS TO HAVE A BIT OF SPARK IN HIM. AT THE VERY LEAST IT WILL MAKE A NICE CHANGE FROM THE PASSION-LESS DISPLAYS THAT WE'VE SEEN FROM THE LIKES OF BAPTISTA, HLEB AND EBOUE.

Fabregas_Is_My_Hero · Thu May 31, 2007 11:43 am

Vela is another young striker with bags of potential (Walcott, Bendtner, Rhys Murphy) but when will he break into the team?

He seems to be quite small, and he might struggle against the Centre-Halves employed by Northern teams, so he'd need to be playing alongside Adebayor or Bendtner if he plays in those matches.

would I be right in thinking that the worst case scenario is that he cannot make his debut until August 2008? (if the whole work permit issue means he has to spend another full season in Spain?)

His stats from last season show that he's got talent and potential (and a disciplinary problem, but at least it shows that he's passionate about the game!)

Post by **I Hate Hleb** » Tue Jun 05, 2007 3:02 pm

Re: Carlos Vela,

Just read on another website (Arsenal World, I think) that Vela will be staying in Spain for at least another 6 months. Apparently, he won't be staying with Salamanca and is likely to be loaned to a Spanish 1st Division club.

If true, it could mean that he will be available to Arsenal from the beginning of 2008. If so, maybe that is the reason Arsene doesn't seem too bothered about finding another striker?

I just hope we give the young man a chance to prove himself in an Arsenal shirt. According to reports, he is rated in Mexico as the new Hugo Sanchez!

IS CARLOS VELA THE SOLUTION?

IS CARLOS VELA THE SOLUTION?

VELA

Vela at Arsenal in 2008?