gordoncharles

TBF I am all in favour of anglicising foreign names in any case, it removes the mystique and has become quite a little hobby. Just as an example Juan Mata and Alberto Moreno don't sound nearly as exotic when translated to Johnny Bush and Bert Brown.

technically, phonetically it's HEEL.

He was under Valencia's ownership and unlikely to win a regular place in their side, but saying he came from Valencia is like giving Chelsea the credit for developing Courtois. I'm sure it's merely coincidental that two of Elche's side from last season and now in the Villa team. I am not kidding when I say that the direct replacement for Carles is actually a more effective player. There are loads of players around in Spain plying or learning their trade in lesser clubs and scouts ought to know who they are - but it depends on being the right fit and, like all signings, there's more luck involved than people are willing to give credit for. He came from Valencia's academy though didn't he? Absolutely, but my point is that if he hadn't spent the last two seasons in the first team at Elche, you'd never have heard of him. For all the b/s about scouting, half a dozen Copa del Rey appearances wouldn't have given anyone the confidence to suggest he could definitely play at a high level.

He was under Valencia's ownership and unlikely to win a regular place in their side, but saying he came from Valencia is like giving Chelsea the credit for developing Courtois. I'm sure it's merely coincidental that two of Elche's side from last season and now in the Villa team. I am not kidding when I say that the direct replacement for Carles is actually a more effective player. There are loads of players around in Spain plying or learning their trade in lesser clubs and scouts ought to know who they are - but it depends on being the right fit and, like all signings, there's more luck involved than people are willing to give credit for.

As I mentioned before he is very used to playing on the right, he played there in 75% of his games for Elche. Having watched the game (remember, I'm not a Villa fan), it was noticeable that he was shifted to the right at half time. This isn't a bad option, it's one that Barcelona have convinced Messi to adopt in the last couple of weeks to great effect. The comparison's a bit daft but the principle is the same, there's a lot more space out there for a creative player to work in than in the congested centre. It worked well today, but it won't work all the time though, better defences will just force him back into the centre unless others are making great runs in support. Is that likely?

...and nothing wrong with that PaulC. In principle I agree with you, although I don't generally find their matches against the top sides boring. Whisper it quietly because this is heresy, but Barcelona have been as dull as a leaden sky for the past three years. Only in the last couple of weeks have we seen something that might evolve into entertainment.

He was a big favourite of the Elche Head Coach, there was no lack of belief in his ability from him.

There's a danger that mentioning a player's weaknesses makes it look like I'm denigrating him, when in reality I think he's a good player, but pinning your hopes on a slight young lad from another country is setting too many people up for a fall. I'm trying to add a cautionary note. I don't think anyone would suggest Carles Gil was a failure at Elche, that is definitely not the case, but neither can I remember a game when he was a major influential figure. Partly that was to do with Elche's tactics last season and the position he played - mostly he would have been out on right in a standard 4-2-3-1, the main objective last season being not to concede goals as we had dearth of attacking players. That wouldn't be his natural position, which would be a central attacking midfielder ("media punta" in Spanish). He played there more when we were in the 2nd Division and looked the part, but on the few occasions he had the opportunity last year it wasn't to any great effect. In the games I've seen him in for Valencia this season he seemed again to be used from wide positions - as is common for young players, and especially left-footed ones. What would worry me about him going to England is that he always seemed a little fragile, I seem to remember him often limping off during matches and then not re-appearing for a couple of games. I don't think he has any obvious weakness in his game, he could have scored more goals and got into goalscoring positions more often, but those he did score were good finishes. Elche weren't able to keep the players they actually needed this season (one of which would have been Sanchez), but to be fair he might have been better off in the current side which is better going forward but a pushover defensively. On balance I might have done him a disservice because although his direct replacement has been better than him, he would probably still be playing most weeks if he was still around.

His contract with Valencia didn't expire till summer 2016. I have commented on this thread before as I am an expat Elche season ticket so know this player very will indeed, and don't misunderstand what I might say below because I like him, he has excellent potential. But.... He was surplus to requirements at Valencia, they sold him so they could strengthen their squad in other areas plus they have a similar player to him on loan at Cordoba who, IMV and probably theirs, is better. No way on earth is Carles currently worth more than Villa paid for him. In fact, at this moment he's not worth even that because (again IMHO) you overpaid based on the risk. He's a good, skilfull, classy looking player but even at crisis-hit Elche you won't find many fans who were desperate to keep him. In fact the club's forum has made comparisons all season with his replacement and you would be hard- pressed to find a fan who didn't think his replacement (called Victor Rodriguez) has been better for us. This is not to say he won't make it and be worth a king's ransom in two years, but honestly, as much as I joined this forum to keep tabs on Villa's growing list of our former players (do you need a keeper? You can get Caballero from Man City), you're all getting carried away.

I've come to loathe this over-used Mourinhoism as much as I loathe Mourinho himself. I agree that sometimes Atletico games can be very dull to watch. This normally applies to games against lesser sides though where their lack of creation is more evident, not against their bigger rivals. In this game they had 8 shots on goal and 5 corners. Not the stats of a team set only on blanket defence. Some perspective is needed. Barcelona's wage bill for this season is 347,900,000 euros. Atletico's is 30% of that at 105,000.000 which is, at the current exchange rate - roughly the same as Villa's.

...their real name contains the entire "villa" so the link is even stronger.

Gil, Sanchez - have Elche got any more like them? A couple maybe! Background - I am an expat Elche season ticket holder and have joined this site as my adopted, appalingly run club (you've got problems?) now appear to be some sort of feeder side to your own. I am always astonished that for the millions that are allegedly spent on scouting networks there isn't an English club that could hoover up talent in Spain. OK, the football there is a little different as most people know, more tactical, but the standards are largely the same. Sanchez and Gil were'nt even our best players last season and we are a team that only avoided relegation in the penultimate week of the season. Which is not to say that Carlos Sanchez has not been missed as neither he, nor a couple of other key midfielders have been replaced to the detriment of Elche's goals against column. However Carles has not been missed as his replacement is actually a more effective (though more experienced) player. But you have to know where to look. Carles Gil. as you have already seen now, is a stylish player who could well develop into a top-class one, but that's unknown, you have bought potential. Although he was considered the jewel of Valencia's youth system I was surprised by the signing as Valencia have a very similar player in style and age who they sent out on loan this season to Cordoba called Fede Cartabia. IMV he is currently better than Carles and that's quite evident as he is far and away Cordoba's best player, which for all his qualities you could not say about Carles Gil at Elche. All signings are gambles, no matter who's involved, but I would have been less surprised if you'd gone for him instead. There's dozens of these players at lesser clubs in Spain who could be considered by PL clubs. It's no good looking at regulars at the likes of Sevilla or Villarreal. Sevilla's model for many years now has been to buy low and sell high and they are very effective at that. Villarreal have excellent players but they are under no pressure to sell as unlike any other senior club in Spain they have a sugar-daddy owner. In the lower reaches, and even in the second division, any decent scout would surely be able to identify a suitable player in any area of the field. Anyway, good luck to Carles in England, and may he develop into the player he ought to be.

Hello all, I've joined this site as an ex pat Elche season ticket holder, now forced into supporting Villa by your club's determination to sign our players. We've got loads, going very cheap right now or as they might say here - Ocasion! I'd already been looking out at La Roca's performances even before the signing of Carles Gil so if it's OK with you, I'll be an honorary fan for a while?