[Archived] Blackburn Sign Chilean Superstar Carlos Villanueva

[Hughesy]

Thanks for that mate - Happy chappy, hope we sign him up

[Bennisfromheaven]

Lets see if any of the press over here pick up on that interview, i somehow doubt it!

[tonyoz]

Thanks Chileandude..............much appreciated. It makes good reading too.

[American Rover12]

Yes Chileandude, I know a few have said it but it is much appreciated; especially when it's positive!

[joey_big_nose]

After originally being sceptical I too have to say I would like to see him play just behind Cruz. We are looking striker heavy at the moment (Cruz, Roberts, Fowler, Derbyshire, Carlos, McCarthy!) but with Roberts appearing terminally out of form after a good start to the season it is time to have the South American duo up there with McCarthy coming off the bench.

[Billy Castell]

Thanks once more for the tranlation Chiliandude.

Maybe a Teddy Sheringham type role would be profitable for us.

[tonyoz]

Or a Matt Jansen role?

[Hughesy]

How about playing 4-3-3 but with 2 of the 3 strikers (Villanueva and Derbsyhire/ Pedersen/ Roberts) playing abit deeper and therefore forming a 4-5-1 when defending? It should give us abit more when attacking and would also allow us to play 3 in the middle from Emerton, Warnock, Andrews, Axe, Tugay.

[T4E]

I actually think that's a pretty good idea - we've got the big target man in RSC and two smaller/trickier players than can play off him, and we've a lack of creativity in centre mid that we could cope without in this system. I guess Grella, Emerton and Andrews in the middle with Carlos/RSC/Derbs up front would be the best way.

Definitely worth a try.

[Hughesy]

You got Ince's phone number? Il give him and ring and see what he thinks.

The formation is very similar to what Villa did with Carew who was supported by Young & Agbonlawhore.

[Eddie]

Villanueva-RSC-Benni for me. If Benni has a bit of freedom to roam and can get involved in midfield but has the freedom to move forward then I think he can be effective.

[DingleBaiter]

Lets see if any of the press over here pick up on that interview, i somehow doubt it!

Why are we paying two guy's mortgages for PR IF they don't push this story 'out there' then?

Oops, is it cos they're pants? The counter-story they put out when the original 'lost in translation' story was broke was so poorly written, it looked more 'out of context' than the story it was countering

Let's see if PAPR & their cohorts at the LT, and an on the website, have the wherewithal to repro this article in full? Hell, they could do no worse than take Chileandude on a retainer, or at least bung him some cerveza dinero

Thanks again to chileandude for keeping up the good fight

[CrazyIvan]

Why are we paying two guy's mortgages for PR IF they don't push this story 'out there' then?

Oops, is it cos they're pants? The counter-story they put out when the original 'lost in translation' story was broke was so poorly written, it looked more 'out of context' than the story it was countering

Let's see if PAPR & their cohorts at the LT, and an on the website, have the wherewithal to repro this article in full? Hell, they could do no worse than take Chileandude on a retainer, or at least bung him some cerveza dinero

Thanks again to chileandude for keeping up the good fight

Thats a damn good suggestion! It would be nice to see them put the story out there but it's not what I've come to expect of the club. The clubs PR being pro-active rather than re-active would make a nice change.

[DingleBaiter]

Thats a damn good suggestion! It would be nice to see them put the story out there but it's not what I've come to expect of the club. The clubs PR being pro-active rather than re-active would make a nice change.

Ivan, think you may have to define 'pro-active' for PAPR

'Fans Forum' thread continues this debate - is is that club/PAPR aren't simply good enough to act that way, or is it because they haven't the stomach for the fight?

I'm all for getting Chileandude on the payroll there, he could be our man in Santiago....

[chileandude]

Actually I like in the UK!

I just happen to read a lot of Chilean newspapers and follow Chilean football through the wonders of the internet.

[tony gale's mic]

I was in Chile about 3 weeks ago. I got talking to a few Chileans...they all knew Villaneuva and rated him highly but none of them knew he was playing for us! Seems a bit odd that their player of the year leaves Chile but they have no knowlege of where he's actually gone!

[philipl]

So Villanueva 19 Rovers shirts are doing great business down Santiago market then?

[tony gale's mic]

I made a point of wearing my Rovers shirt...I just got a look of bewilderment! Although our profile is higher in South America in general now because of RSC playing for us, hes pretty famous in that part of the world.

[philipl]

We could clean up in Asuncion market presumably- shame Paraguay is the poorest country in Latin America.

[chileandude]

I was in Chile about 3 weeks ago. I got talking to a few Chileans...they all knew Villaneuva and rated him highly but none of them knew he was playing for us! Seems a bit odd that their player of the year leaves Chile but they have no knowlege of where he's actually gone!

Maybe they weren't football fans? Or more likely they weren't Audax Italiano supporters. Audax Italino is a small midtable team in Chile that just so happened to have a few good years recently and has produced a few top quality. Carlos Villanueva is the best of them, then U20 Fullback Corvetto (Udinese) and winger Orellana, who still plays at Audax.

I made a point of wearing my Rovers shirt...I just got a look of bewilderment! Although our profile is higher in South America in general now because of RSC playing for us, hes pretty famous in that part of the world.

This is true...many Chilean Villanueva fans, when they found out Blackburn was interested in Villanueva, their initial reaction was 'Ah! It's the Roque Santa Cruz team!'.

We could clean up in Asuncion market presumably- shame Paraguay is the poorest country in Latin America.

That sad title goes to Bolivia...then Paraguay. Venezuela is also down there but Chavez oil money has gone a long way in helping them. Also Paraguay is well known in S.America for their superb black markets...you can get a whole lot of 'pradda', 'guchi', 'rolekx'...and probably an 'official' Blackburn Rovers kit as well.

[chileandude]

ISLA AND VILLANUEVA RETURN TO 'LA ROJA' AGAINST SPAIN

The players of Udinese and Blackburn will be the surprises in the friendly against the European champions. The fax announcing the calls has been sent from the ANFP (Chilean Football Association)

José Antonio Acosta

06/11/2008 - 10:11

Yesterday ended the deadline for the ANFP to nominate players who play abroad, for the friendly duel next 19 of November before Spain. The thick of the list will be the same base Marcelo Bielsa utilized for the last two qualifier encounters before Ecuador and Argentina. This time there will be two great surprises: Mauricio Isla and Carlos Villanueva

Both attacking midfielders will have a new chance in the process of the 'Rosarino', after, for different motives, not been considered by the manager lately.

ISLA CASE

The last match of the Udinese midfielder defending 'La Roja' was against Israel. After that friendly he declared not feeling comfortable in the national team, because of the way Bielsa treated him. His words costed him dearly, since the manager excluded him for the qualifying games against Bolivia, Venezuela, Brasil, Colombia, Ecuador and Argentina.

But thanks to his good performances in Serie A and the absence of an undisputed right attacking midfielder, 'El Loco' opted for calling him before the match against the Spaniards.

It's for this reason that, after the victory against Argentina, the national team staff has specially followed the campaign of 'El Huaso' in Italy. "I'm in Russia (today he plays for UEFA) so I don't know about the fax. I hope it's like you say, because I'm eager to play for the NT", Isla declared.

VILLANUEVA CASE

The current Blackburn Rovers midfielder was not considered for the matches against Ecuador and Argentina, so he has never been called since his move to the Premier League.

The reason for this new call would basically be explained by the absence of Mark Gonzalez through injury. For Bielsa, the former Audax Italiano player is an alternative as a left winger and not as a creator. So he will have to fight for a place in the starting lineup with striker Jean Beausejour.

In the rest of the nominations there will be no mayor surprises, except for the absentees due to injuries: 'Speedy', Waldo Ponce and Gonzalo Jara. Because of this it is very likely that the promising Universidad Catolica defender Hans Martinez will get a new chance, since he already had his debut in the qualifying match against Argentina.

Chile will also play with the unmovable pieces Alexis Sánchez, Matías Fernández, Jorge Valdivia, Humberto Suazo, Claudio Bravo, Pablo Contreras, Arturo Vidal and Carlos Carmona.

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It's odd that Bielsa insists on using Villanueva as a winger when he lacks the pace. I think he rates his quality crosses highly. Enough that he is willing to overlook his lack of pace in exchange of a few good crosses that might turn into assists.

If he crosses like this against Spain I have no complaints: http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=0sbHMHiCQvY

[DingleBaiter]

ISLA AND VILLANUEVA RETURN TO 'LA ROJA' AGAINST SPAIN

.......

Chile will also play with the unmovable pieces Alexis Sánchez, Matías Fernández, Jorge Valdivia, Humberto Suazo, Claudio Bravo, Pablo Contreras, Arturo Vidal and Carlos Carmona.

------------------------------

It's odd that Bielsa insists on using Villanueva as a winger when he lacks the pace. I think he rates his quality crosses highly. Enough that he is willing to overlook his lack of pace in exchange of a few good crosses that might turn into assists.

If he crosses like this against Spain I have no complaints: http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=0sbHMHiCQvY

Lovin' your work, Chilean.

What's this 'unmovable pieces' mean - that them players are definite first teamers?

[chileandude]

Carlos Villanueva is a real talent, says Blackburn Rovers team-mate

6:10pm Wednesday 5th November 2008

comment Comments (2) Have your say »

Photograph of the Author By Gary York »

BRETT Emerton has paid Rovers team-mate Carlos Villanueva the highest compliment by dubbing him a natural match-winner.

Chilean Villanueva has shown just glimpses of his undoubted quality in the Rovers engine-room since joining on a year-long loan deal from homeland club Audax Italiano.

After netting his first Rovers goal in the Carling Cup victory over Grimsby, the silky playmaker followed that up in the Premier League, his sumptuous cross leading to Matt Derbyshire’s winner against Fulham, while he rattled the crossbar in the 0-0 draw at Bolton.

Blackburn boss Paul Ince will be keen to draw more consistency from Villanueva, 22 – as he continues to settle into a new life in England – but Emerton has seen enough of the talented South American to know he brings a different attacking dimension to the Ewood Park outfit.

“Carlos brings something totally different to the team,” said the experienced Aussie. “He’s very skilful and can create something out of nothing really.

“He’s a great player to have in your side, whether he starts a game or comes on late in the game. He can win football matches for us.”

Earlier this season, Villanueva quashed unfounded rumours that he was struggling to settle at Rovers and adapt to living in England.

Emerton, similarly, left Australia for Europe at the age of 21 to join Dutch giants Feyenoord, three years before moving to Blackburn, and knows how tough it can be crossing continents for the sake of his football career.

But he insists his Chilean team-mate is content with life in the Northern Hemisphere.

“For myself, coming from Australia, my mentality is not too much different from English people,” said the 29-year-old midfielder.

“Obviously, Carlos may be a little different, but he seems to have settled in very well.

“He’s got a few boys looking after him, like Roque and a few others, so he’s made some good friends and it hasn’t seemed to have bothered him whatsoever.”

And with David Dunn and Steven Reid both long-term injury victims at Ewood Park, Emerton expects Villanueva – and his Aussie compatriot Vince Grella – to be given plenty of opportunites to prove their worth to Rovers.

He said: “Steven and Dunny are two big losses for us because both are such fantastic players.

“But it’s a long season and there’s going to be opportunities for everyone to go out there and show everyone, most of all the manager, that they deserve to be in the starting XI.

“Tugay, at his age now, is not going to be playing in each and every game, so there is going to be opportunities for the likes of Carlos and Vince to come in and show their worth.

“Hopefully, they can do that – it makes for great competition between the players.”

Emerton added: “The one great thing about the squad this year is that we’ve got strength in depth, especially in the midfield area.

“There’s numerous players that can step in and do a good job.

“If you are not performing for the team, you are then on the bench and someone else is coming in to take your place.”

Lovin' your work, Chilean.

What's this 'unmovable pieces' mean - that them players are definite first teamers?

Cheers,

Those 'unmovable pieces' are the players Bielsa always calls...not necessarily first team players (for example Valdivia is the second option after Mati Fernandez), but definitely in the starting lineup or bench, I'd add Gary Medel to that list. The other players vary from time to time.

[den]

Rovers must decide on Carlos by the end of this year..

So, what do people think? Spend £5m out of our budget on him by Xmas, or not?

I would have to say not.

[Eddie]

The 4.5 million figure that was quoted included the 750k or so for his wages and 750k fee we paid to get him on loan, so we are really only looking at spending an extra 3 million. He certainly hasn't been fantastic, but in my opinion he has shown that he has the potential to be a very good player once he is fully up to speed and adjusted to the game.

I would say yes.