da roleta： Carles Gil is Aston Villa’s first signing of this January transfer window, with Paul Lambert’s side acquiring the attacking midfielder from Valencia. Gil has already made a good start to life in the Midlands, scoring a lovely goal as Villa defeated Bournemouth in the FA Cup last weekend.
da dobrowin： Signed on a four-and-a-half-year deal, Lambert will hope Gil can reinvigorate a Villa attack that is currently the most impotent in all of England’s top five leagues.
This has led to an online petition calling for Lambert to go, though the ex-Norwich boss will have faith that his new signing can help to reverse the growing negativity that surrounds Villa Park.
Lambert said of his new signing: “We’ve been on the lookout for a creative player and he will certainly bring that extra element to the side – he has a lot to offer and I know we can get the best out of him.”
So who is Gil and where has he come from?
Gil is a Spanish under-21 international, gaining an assist in a lone appearance for his country, showing his talent is widely recognised. The attacking midfielder is a product of the renowned Valencia youth system, first appearing for their B team in 2009 – impressive considering that Gil was only 17.
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Various loans in the lower Spanish leagues gave him experience, before gaining notoriety for his excellence during a two-year loan to Elche across recent seasons Gil was a crucial player in the Elche said that gained a remarkable double of not only gaining promotion to La Liga in 2012-2013, but defying the odds to stay up the following season.
The new Villa recruit managed just three assists and five goals across 66 appearances, but this is forgiveable given that many of his outings came when shielding the back four. This as opposed to more attacking midfield roles, to which Gil’s came is clearly better suited.
Since returning to Valencia, Gil has struggled for opportunities due to intense competition for places, leading to a move to the Premier League. But with Villa having scored just once in six Premier League games, what can Gil do to change Villa’s dwindling fortunes?
Gil can help Villa to regain some creativity and quality service to help Christian Benteke find more opportunities, and his scoring touch. Currently no Villa player has more than two league assists, a void that the Spaniard’s arrival can help fill.
The Spaniard is versatile, easing tactical problems for Lambert when seeking to accommodate his most capable attackers. The new signing can play on either flank and in the number 10 role, most probably behind Benteke, Villa’s best chance of finding regular goals.
The midfielder is primarily left-footed, and has evident technical ability, though understandably the question will be whether Gil can handle the physicality of the Premier League. The Spaniard has certainly been thrown in the deep end, with fixtures against current leaders Chelsea, a resurgent Liverpool and a top side in Arsenal all coming up in the next few weeks.
However, with Villa sitting precariously above the relegation zone, Gil appears as good a chance as any other realistic signings Lambert could make to help his side regain their attacking edge.
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