Mexican forward Carlos Vela has given his first interview since being awarded his UK work permit, allowing his switch to Arsenal to finally go through, after spending over two years on loan with Celta de Vigo, Salamanca and more recently Osasuna.
Vela admitted it is a “Dream Come True” to be given the chance to play in England, but was keen to stress he has not yet done enough to merit a regular place.
“I’ve been waiting two years for a work permit. Now my dream has come true. I have to take advantage of this opportunity to stay in England. I hope I’m lucky enough to be at Arsenal for a long time.”
The 19 year old’s agent Eduardo Hernandez rubbished claims from the Spanish media that being loaned in Spain was pointless last week, and Carlos shared this sentiment, as well as told fans they have not seen the best of him yet.
“I’ve achieved a lot in Spain. It has been a useful experience to play for several different teams and move around. At Osasuna I had a difficult experience because of the relegation battle but I always had a place in the team.
“I played well all season. But I expect to have a much better season next year. I’m sure all my efforts will pay off.”
Vela finished the interview by looking forward to life with Arsenal, and feels that after the loan spells, as well as Mexican International duty he is ready to play for “One Of The Biggest Clubs In The World”.
“I’ll be playing in one of the best teams in the world that plays competitions like the Champions League – I want those games as soon as possible. I have changed a lot, I’m more mature as a person and player. “I feel ready for Arsenal.”
He also said he has been told that he will make his debut during the Emirates Cup clash with Juventus, after competing for Mexico in the CONCAF World Cup qualifier’s.
With Fran Merida currently away with Spain’s Under 19’s, it meant Pedro Botelho is the only loanee to report on this week, as his UD Salamanca took on mid-tabled Racing Ferrol. With left back Jeorge Alonso injured, many thought the obvious replacement would be the Arsenal wing back. However the Brazilian was again left on the bench.
Salamanca have been impressive at home this season, and Quique Martín bagged his team a 1st minute lead, before a second half strike from Carlier levelled the scores. With both sides level pegging it seemed the game would finish 1-1, but David Rodríguez had other ideas. His strike 9 minutes from time gathered all three points for Salamanca.
Update To Follow
Article By – J.Sanderson
Did Pedro get on the pitch?
I’m disappointed by how many games Pedro is left on the bench, thankfully i didn’t bother spending time trying to find a link to see the game as i have done before only to watch him sit on the bench for 90 mins. I don’t know enough about Botelho or Salamanca to know whether hes better than their other options down the left either as a winger or a left back, but its sad to see how little of a chance hes been given this season. However he is still young and hopefully next season, whether its with Salamanca or some1 else, he’ll get to play a more prominent role for the side and pick up some of that invaluable experience that comes from playing first team football at a professional level.
As for Vela, im still worried about how much of an opportunity he’ll get next season considering we have Van Persie, Adebayor, Walcott, Bendtner and Eduardo (when hes back), as well as Barazite and possibly Simpson all going for the forward positions, and what it’ll mean for the others if he gets as many games he seems to be hoping for, especially Bendtner (Walcott can always get games on the wing). But he seems like an honest and humble young man, and i hope he gets and takes his chances and becomes one of the clubs more prominent players. I’m still fuming that we couldn’t get him a permit on he special talent clause considering what he did for Mexico at the U17 world cup, but i think hes done well on loan and i believe the experience hes gained on loan has done him nothing but good. Any1 claiming it was “pointless” knows very little about football.
I would have thought Vela is ahead of Barazite in the pecking order. With Eds still out and Theo on the wing he’s 4th choice, which for a 19 year old aint too shabby. Even tho Wenger sees him as an out & out striker, he could still get game time on the left wing too.
“I would have thought Vela is ahead of Barazite in the pecking order. With Eds still out and Theo on the wing he’s 4th choice, which for a 19 year old aint too shabby.”
Agreed but when Eduardo comes back he’ll be down to 5th, and Barazite will need games if hes going to make it as a first team player (not necessarily in the league mind you), and in my opinion Walcott is a striker and will need games up front if hes to for fill his potential in that position, i just think it’d be a waste of his talent to train him up as a winger because any1 who’s seen him in the England U21s like me will know, like me, that he is in fact a fantastic finisher on his day, and an explosive young striker.
I’m just slightly concerned about how many players we now have in the first team and that have the obvious potential to break into the first team who play up front. There again we can trust Wenger and the coaching staff to pick the right ones to keep if we find ourselves in a position where we have to let some go.
“Did Pedro get on the pitch?”
Doest sound like it…again. Even when they do bring him on it always seems to be for the last 3-10mins of the game.
Not sure if he got on yet, but like Johnny said probably only got the final minutes.
He has spent alot of time injured, and seems to have lost his place.
Wenger’s already said Theo will be played on the wing next season. And no one knows when Eds will be back and how long it’ll take him to get back to his best, if ever. Barazite is 17, if he gets a few games in the carling Cup and makes the bench for a few other games, that wouldn’t be bad for the fella, in my opinion.
At least with Thor on the right side of midfield, we have an actual goal threat there, unlike with Eboue.
Have you ever seen him play? I think hes more important than people realise because we basically now have Clichy at left back in the first team and a few players who can play there but would rather not. There is Rodgers and Evina ofcourse but im still not convinced Rodgers is good enough and Evina is still too young in my opinion.
He will be fifth if we have all of our first four strikers fit, but when’s the last chance that ever happened? I imagine, with the fact that there will be 7 substitutes allowed from next season, he will at least get a place on the bench for most of the year, and will get chances in the CC and early round of the FA Cup.
Er, what are you going on about? Seen who play?
“At least with Thor on the right side of midfield, we have an actual goal threat there, unlike with Eboue.”
True, and i dont think Theo on the wing is bad for him or the side, its probably infact a very good thing, i just feel slightly uncomftable that he may end up being classed as a winger, because i dont feel thats where he can best make it in football. He can become a good winger, but he can become a great striker.
Thats just my opinion however and i definatly wont be dissapinted to see Walcott name on the team sheet in the right wing position next season. Especially if its him instead of Eboue, who im now convinced should be considered a squad player who can fill in at right back or right mid.
“Er, what are you going on about? Seen who play?”
Pedro, and that question was directed at J.Saderson but feel free to answer it if you have seen him play.
Theo is a striker, but he’s gonna spend next season out on the wings, well, according to Wenger anyway. The fact that he has an eye for goal and is a top finisher too can only be a good thing, especially given how few goals we got from midfield last season. (Cesc apart)
And shit, I really hope Eboue is used on the odd occasion Sagna needs a break, nothing more.
Er, spike who the blazers is thor?
JM;
Sorry mate, haven’t seen that Pedro at all, yet!
madgunner;
Thor = Theo!
Fair enough, im just worried that (injury aside), he not getting games because hes simply not good enough. But feel free to call me paranoid and yea, he is still at that age where its his age alone thats keeping him off the pitch rather than any lack of talent, in that the coach at Salamanca (no idea who he is), may feel uncomftable about telling his first team players, no your on the bench today, im playing the kid instead of you.
Sanderson how is H.Nordtveit progressing? Any chance we see him in the first/carling cup team next season?
And an excellent blog by the way.
Ok im guna shut up now, just realised how much ive written already. Im probably just paranoid about everything anyway, Wenger will get it right, Vela will do fine, the other players will coninue to get games depite his prescence, Theo will be young player of the year and score a hattrick against Chelsea, and Pedro Botelho is Guarracha’s (spelling?) second coming.
Spike I get you now, just could not get my head around it as he would not be looking anything like the norse god of thunder.
We’ll be motoring next season with our V W {Vela and Walcott combination} GTI
Does anyone know if Fran scored for Spain in theire U19 3-0 win?
Uefa have not updated the site …so we don’t know who the scorers were.
Madgunner; Haha! Just my crap typing skills fella!
JM; Don’t worry about whether you’re posting loads or not, mate.
Fair enough, does any1 know if Wilshire will be involved in the England u17 game tomorrow vs Poland, or any Arsenal players for that matter? I see Gibbs was involved in qualifying but apart from him i dont recognise any Arsenal names on the team sheets. Isnt Gibbs too old now aswell?
Jeorge Bird’s Arsenal Youth
Fran Merida- Spain 3 Turkey 0
Arsenal’s Fran Merida completed 45 minutes yesterday as Spain took a giant step towards qualification for this summer’s UEFA u-19 European Championships which take place in Czech Republic in July. Having overcome Ukraine in their first fixture, Spain knew that a victory against Turkey would edge them closer to the finals. Merida again started the game in midfield and his neat passes set up several openings early on. However, Merida was replaced by Ivan Bolado at the break. Parejo gave Spain the lead early in the second half and then Fran’s replacement Bolado made it 2-0 on 62 minutes. Reported Arsenal target Ignasio Camacho then sealed the win eight minutes from time with a sweet strike. Spain’s final fixture is against Armenia on Tuesday and Fran is expected to recover in time for that one. Spain sit top of the group on six points with Ukraine and Turkey both below them on three points each.
Nacer Barazite- Russia 2 Netherlands 2
Nacer Barazite was on target as the Netherlands were held to a 2-2 draw by Russia in their opening game of the Elite Qualifying Round. After taking a touch, the highly rated youngster smashed the ball into the back of the net.The Netherlands take on Greece tomorrow looking for their first win in the qualifiers.
Good on the Barazite front then.
1. Nordtveit is doing very well mate, he was on the bench for the final game of the season against Sunderland. And should play CC next season.
I’m worried that we have no left-back cover whatsover. When does Pedro get a Spanish passport? I presume he’s Wenger’s Clichy backup but if it’s not this summer for a passport, and if Traore is now a winger, we have only one left-back good enough to play. Do you think we might buy one? Or will Gallas have to play there (as 2nd choice) after we buy our new centre-half?
seems like at arsenal we have a lot of attack minded players for next season but not enough depth defensive wise…..compare cesc diaby theo velo roscisky barazite troure merida to gallas senderos song gilberto kolo hoyte djorou. its pretty obvious we are rather thin which is rather scary. also goalkeeping wise we not as solid as wee should be with jens gone. just a thought.
Botelho’s defensive skills are also suspect based on what i’ve read, but it’ll probably be Gallas or Hoyte filling in at LB if Clichy get sinjured, although i would prefer to see Sagna moved to LB and Eboue at RB if that happens cos Sagna can play all across the midfield. Also Botelho’s staying on loan isn’t he?
Was he a regular before he got injured?
get’s injured* even
Jimbo, you solved the puzzle in your suggestion that Sagna cover for Clichy on the LB and Eboue at RB, that option is so reliable than the weak hoyte or the slow Gallas, and at the same time gives Wenger the idea to stop using Eboue on the wing permanently.
If Wenger did play this way last season we could have avoided a lot of embarrassment that weren’t necessary.
Slow Gallas???????????
Yes I think so especially if he played as a LB, Gallas now is not the same Gallas who played for Chelsea and if he played LB he will be embarrassed by the likes of Ronaldo, Rooney, Nani and a lot others, you cant say he can keep up with them. Only Clichy, Sagna and Toure can match their speed from our back line.
crafty bison i dont know why people get worked up William Gallas can play left back so can sagna yeah i know its not there natural position but gallas played alot there for chelsea
Gallas is one of the best defenders in Europe, never mind the prem. Sorry but thats garbage fella.
who says traore is a winger. I know he’s played a couple of games there but i dont remember wenger saying that he thinks he’s a winger.Have i missed something.
yes traore is being moulded into a winger and not a left back!
You know for a player who played LB magnificently for Chelsea before and don’t convince in 2 seasons with Arsenal means he is not he same player anymore, in the middle he committed a lot of mistakes but I wont hold him fault by himself, but whenever he played other than the middle for us he failed and was suspect against players wit pace.
One more thing Spike, I don’t care if Gallas Gallas is one of the best defenders in Europe, I asked a simple question, do you trust him at LB against the likes of Ronaldo, Rooney, Nani?
You can say all you want to defend him but it will still feel like you are lying to yourself!
He is struggling in his own real position, so why try to put extra pressure on him to get embarrassed on the LB?
Don’t forget his age, even Henry was declining when he was at the same age, so where is the surprise?
We need a proper cover for LB, either way he wont accept playing there.
Note: I’m not slating him as he is an Arsenal player, and I would be sad if I saw him suffering in a position that isn’t his in the first place.
Heeey Peepz!!
Couldn’t we buy Andres Guardado from Deportivo… He’s a hreat left winger and might be with in our budget?!!
I think that we may well see the likes of barazite playing wide midfield this season when he gets a chance – even in the Carling Cup.
With there being 7 players on the bench next season, I do not forsee alot of players going out on loan – maybe Landsbury, Traore and Djourou (if he is not sold). Will be interested to see what happens with Landsbury as he looked a great prospect before his illness.
Gallas basically left Chelsea because he was used at left-back. I don’t see him filling in there without throwing a strop. “I’m captain, I play centre-back!” is why Kolo was used at right-back towards the end of this season instead of the more suited Gallas.
i’m definitely calling him thor from now on!
I quite like having the Norse God of Thunder playing for us, I don’t think the opposition would relish a ‘Mjolniir’ tackle…