[Archived] Blackburn Sign Chilean Superstar Carlos Villanueva

[den]

Extremely harsh assessment that, we got off to a sluggish start and it looked momentarily like another "Coventry"

Carlos then quickly turned the game completely on its head, first with a superb strike from distance then with another bit of opportunism which left Derbyshire a tap in.

After that, he (and Rovers) were cruising but he looked a class act throughout. Skill and technique with the ball in abundance and I look forward to seeing him against Premiership defences.

It was obvious that lots of people would be coming on here, exuding the skills of Carlos. All I wanted to do was put a bit of a realism into his performance. He does have a couple of things about his game that could stop him becoming good enough to make an impression in the Prem.

He's very small and he's slow. I simply wonder how he'll fit in? There's no room for slow strikers in the prem and there's little room for tiny CM's. that can't tackle, - That's all.

[RevidgeBlue]

He's very small and he's slow. I simply wonder how he'll fit in? There's no room for slow strikers in the prem and there's little room for tiny CM's. - That's all.

He's small in stature certainly, that would be the only possible reservation on last night's performance, although to counter that I thought he looked quite tenacious and certainly not afraid to get stuck in.

Not sure where the lack of pace bit comes in, I can't say I noticed that at all.

[den]

He's small in stature certainly, that would be the only possible reservation on last night's performance, although to counter that I thought he looked quite tenacious and certainly not afraid to get stuck in.

Not sure where the lack of pace bit comes in, I can't say I noticed that at all.

Hmmm.... slow, how do I define that? Maybe I should just have said that he didn't show any pace. A difficult one to demonstrate. Maybe I'm wrong then? Hope so.

[LeChuck]

For those who remember him well, would Georgi Kinkladze (of Man City fame) be a fair comparison? From what people have said about him who went last night, he sounds very similar.

[Flopsy]

A Tugay that plays further forward? Eyal Berkovich?

[den]

In his style of play, [not ability] a little bit like Matt Jansen, in that he's all left foot, plays 5/10 yards behind the front man, likes to turn sharply, but isn't a winger.

In stature, Baz said he looked like David Thomson. [Carlos, not Baz].

[RevidgeBlue]

A Tugay that plays further forward? Eyal Berkovich?

Definitely much more of a forward than Tugay or Berkovich.

Never saw enough of Kinkladze to make a comparison but possibly slightly fuller of running and not so much of a fancy tricks merchant as he was.

[Rob of the Rovers]

I don't think a lack of pace will be a problem for Carlos. He has the skill to give himself a yard of space on his left foot to either shoot, pass or cross, all of which he did with some aplomb at some stage of the game. In fact, one of the things that impressed me most about him was his decision making. If the best option was to lay the ball off first time, that is what he did.

All in all, the most impressive Ewood Park debut since......

Brett Emerton!

[3rdpillar]

To the tune of "We love you baby"

Carlos, Carlos, Villanueva!

Carlos, Carlos, Villanueva!

Carlos, Carlos, Villanueva!

Wooooaahhhhh!!!!!!!

We love you Carlos... and if it's quite alright

We love you Carlos... you're gonna make my night

We love you Carlos... Score a goal if you can.

[cruz]

.

There's no room for slow strikers in the prem and there's little room for tiny CM's. that can't tackle, - That's all.

Santa Cruz?

McCarthy?

Shearer (for 5% of his career)

Newell

Sutton

the list of players that play in the prem without pace is endless and Scholes is small and can't tackle. Will he not make it?

[T4E]

Sheringham

Jansen

Ashton

Di Canio

Cantona

[den]

I said "slow".

[DingleBaiter]

It was obvious that lots of people would be coming on here, exuding the skills of Carlos. All I wanted to do was put a bit of a realism into his performance. He does have a couple of things about his game that could stop him becoming good enough to make an impression in the Prem.

He's very small and he's slow. I simply wonder how he'll fit in? There's no room for slow strikers in the prem and there's little room for tiny CM's. that can't tackle, - That's all.

So, you're 'keeping it real' by judging a player who's only trained a handful of games, hardly speaks the lingo, new country, new club, recovering from 2 weeks off in probably the fastest, most physical league in the world? At least give him the chance to get match fit hey?

Look at Barry Ferguson - how long he took to get into the pace of the game (and when he did, he sloped off home!).

Methinks you're either Sam Allardyce or Charlie Hughes, and thought the Greece Euro 2002 winning side was model football?

If he has a couple of things that stop him making an impression in the Prem, I doubt they'd count much TBH set against what good he can do. I agree we shouldn't put too much expectation on him too early, nor should we criticise him too early, but it would be prudent to accept the positives what he can give instead of being boorish & churlish saying what he can't.

I guess you're the type of guy who'd win a Lamborghini for nowt then complain about the colour?

[rover6]

Den, you admit that Villaneuva is a second forward - and then you worry that he's too slow to be a striker!?

That's the point! He's not an out and out striker (or for that matter, a central midfielder).

He's a second forward. A position often filled by slower players - Bergkamp, Jansen, Sheringham, Berkovic, Deco, Totti, Riquelme, Hugo Viana to name a few.

However, I would agree that no-one should go over the top after one game, I don't need to name a certain Aussie or a Norwegian ex-Southampton striker. Ince certainly has problems with selection. Santa Cruz likes the ball to feet and to drop. Will he and Villaneuva work as a partnership - with Santa playing more stationary target man role? Where does that leave Roberts, Benni and Derbs (on the bench maybe?).

Ince's post-match quotes strongly suggest that King Carlos will be on the bench against West Ham. APparently, the current side has done too well to be changed but now he knows that there are players on the bench ready to make an impact. To me that sounds like, Jason Roberts, my man, don't fret, you will start against Spam.

[LeChuck]

Odd that you chose to put Hugo Viana in that list...

[den]

I give up. I'm only trying to give MY impressions of him.

However, I bow to your superior knowledge of Carlos. He'll be fantastic Rover6. You would know wouldn't you.

[cruz]

The obsession with pace is why the Premiership will never ever be the best league in the world outside the Sky sports hype bubble.

Yes the premiership can be great to watch at times but 70% of stuff is average hoofball due to the obsession of pace before skill.

Look at england. The so called golden generation can't pass a ball straight

[T4E]

I give up. I'm only trying to give MY impressions of him.

However, I bow to your superior knowledge of Carlos. He'll be fantastic Rover6. You would know wouldn't you.

Goodness me Den. You've made a point, some people disagree and are putting their point across with examples to back them up. No need to see your arse over it.

[gumboots]

Goodness me Den. You've made a point, some people disagree and are putting their point across with examples to back them up. No need to see your arse over it.

I think slow is as much an exaggeration as some of the over the top reactions from others. He's not theo Walcott but nor is he a snail. They used to say of sheringham that his positioning more than made up for a lack of pace. I saw Villanueva getting into good positions, making runs, passing well and standing up to a physical challenge that is at least as strong as anything he'll meet in the premiership. The Grimsby defenders were big lads and not afraid to use their arms to try to intimidate him. I'm not going over the top but I thought he showed definite promise last night of being a creative player who once he adapts to premiership play could be very useful to us. Lots of players take a while to adapt - Tevez and Mascherano were slated when they first went to West Ham and everyone wondered why they were there and what all the hype had been about. Ince seems like he's going to be sensible about him and use him sparingly at first. Glad we made it back from holiday on time to get to the match last night and see his debut.

[LeChuck]

The obsession with pace is why the Premiership will never ever be the best league in the world outside the Sky sports hype bubble.

Indeed. Premier League clubs have been crap in the Champion's League over the last few years, haven't they?

[JAL]

Carlos showed lots of promise last night... I has very impressed and so were most of those around me... in fact not one negative comment...

We love you Carlos... and if it's quite alright

We love you Carlos... you're gonna make my night

We love you Carlos... Score a goal if you can.

How many Rovers Players have their own song... how many get it on their debut... not many... extra verses apply here!

Let's all be positive for a change...

This lad, albeit a short arse!, is gonna make Ronaldo look like an amateur...

Like the song, heard a couple of lads in the Blackburn end singing something like that last night, couldnt quite work out the words but i'm sure if you keep the momentum up you'll soon have the Rovers fans singing it.

[Sysagent]

Is he a player more akin to Junihnio would you say?

[DanLad]

Physique of a Diego Maradona?

[LeChuck]

Torso of Roque Santa Cruz...

[JAL]

Don't get too carried away by Carlos. He has a certain talent on the ball, but is very lightweight and very slow.

I suspected a while ago that he wouldn't fit in a centre mid position - and he wont. So, he's either a left winger that wouldn't dislodge Ped yet, or he's a second front man. However, his lack of pace will always be a problem. The best chance of getting him into a team, would be to play with 5 in midfield, but that causes other problems.

A good start from him though. Strikes a ball well and turns well with it. We'll have to see him against the John Terry's and Rio Ferdinands of this world to properly judge.

Have had to temper my excitement and joy at what we witnessed last night, what a joy it was to watch Carlos Villaneuva, cant remember being so thrilled to have watched someone play in the blue and white jersey in a long long time.

Hes definitely an up front somewhere type of player but his creativity and invention was on a level we've never seen before, he definitely brings a new dimension to Rovers which can only be good, but yes den, the question is can he do it against the big boys that will be interesting but he didnt show any fear about getting bashed about by Grimsby.