Nigel Posted November 11, 2013 VT Supporter Share Posted November 11, 2013 He's a squad player, he will get his chance in time, its a long season. I don't get the lets just throw him in, when we have Benteke and Kozak. Thats just it, I would have thought having 2 of our main strikers out would constitute a chance; Especially with a substitute place up for grabs too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SikhInTrinity Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 He's a squad player, he will get his chance in time, its a long season. I don't get the lets just throw him in, when we have Benteke and Kozak. Thats just it, I would have thought having 2 of our main strikers out would constitute a chance; Especially with a substitute place up for grabs too. So who would you have played him instead of? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Posted November 11, 2013 VT Supporter Share Posted November 11, 2013 Well its a toss up between Guzan and Bowery really. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rovers13 Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 Westwood didn't start till November, last year, maybe Lambert prefers giving the more physically slight players a chance to adjust longer than others? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post AaB-Aalborg Posted November 13, 2013 Popular Post Share Posted November 13, 2013 Have patience with him Okore stepped up to the challenge (before injury) but costed 3 times what you paid for Helenius - as a defender. Tonev is older and costed 2 times the sum of Helenius. Kozak was around 5 times as expensive. Off course, you can't tell only from the transfer sum, but he was bought because he has potential - and as i have said earlier, he will need time to adjust. To play his game on PL-level, he will need to gain a few kilos and learn to play a little faster. As well as adapting to the role as a wide attacker in the Villa-system (he was the front attacker in AaB). I have not seen Gabby or Weimann, so i cant answer why he is not given the chance, if they are playing as bad as it sounds in here. But i can understand that they have performed earlier, so maybe Lambert wants to stick with them and see if he can get them going again - and not rush things with Helenius. I have seen him when he has come in from the bench, and though he has his moment, he does'nt look like he's ready to play with impact 90 minutes on PL-level. Give him a few more months and hopefuelly he will be able to contribute to the team some time during the spring. Having seen him play regualrly, do you really think he can adapt to playing as a wide forward especially in the system and football we play? I don't see him as particularly quick for example. IMO he looks like the type you play just off the main forward, someone who'll drop back and link up with midfield, a sort of Berbatov type or even Robbie Keane who did that job well for a few months. He is actually quick (not Usain Bolt-quick, but above average) - just does'nt look that way because he has a funny running-style. I would also say that he would fit better into the role just behind the main forward, with the skill-set he had when you bought him. But i can also see, that he has some qualities that, if developed, would make him really good as a wide forward. He made a lot of assists for us - he can make a challenge, really decent shot, decent pace. Probably PL has a plan with him, trying to develop his skills and form him into the player he wants to play on the wide position. At some point he will need game time to "implement" these learnings. You will probably see him struggle in the beginning and thinking "he needs to improve...." something - then 3-6 games later you will catch yourself thinking "he has improved that something..". That was how he developed in AaB. First i was thinking, his 1st touches are a bit off - 4-5 games later it was much better. Then his strength and ability to hold up the ball was a weak spot, and that was improved significantly during a winter-period and 2-3 matches in the spring. Next was his heading, which was never a strength, but he became a lot better in the end. So he know his weaknesses and keeps improving them. If PL tells him to improve on certain areas, i am sure that is what he is doing right now - and with some game time and further improvement, i am sure you will end up with a good player. But as i wrote when you signed him, people in Denmark was quite surprised he moved to the Premier League, having him as a subject for the dutch or belgian league - i was also surprised, because i think he would have benefitted from a year or two with further development (in a bigger league than the danish), before making a move to the bundesliga or premier league. So i did actually not expect him to get any game time before the spring, in the end of the season. PL has signed him early, paying 1-2M for him, insted of waiting till next summer, paying perhaps 3-6M if he did well in belgium/holland. I am sure he was not meant to play much this fall, and i see it as a positive sign of him is developing after PL's plan, that he has actually been quite consistently on the bench and has mad a few apperances already. 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaChris Posted November 13, 2013 Share Posted November 13, 2013 Cheers for that aab, what's his crossing like, can't be any worse than Tonev's surely? Helenius is an interesting player imo, I've liked what I've seen from his little cameos. For example against Spurs he should've won us a penalty and had Vertoneghen sent off. Against Liverpool he played in Benteke for the late chance at the end. We only signed him for 1.5m so he could turn out to be a bargain especially when you consider Cardiff splashed out 7m on Cornelius who I don't think has actually started a game for them yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SikhInTrinity Posted November 13, 2013 Share Posted November 13, 2013 Cheers for that aab, what's his crossing like, can't be any worse than Tonev's surely? Helenius is an interesting player imo, I've liked what I've seen from his little cameos. For example against Spurs he should've won us a penalty and had Vertoneghen sent off. Against Liverpool he played in Benteke for the late chance at the end. We only signed him for 1.5m so he could turn out to be a bargain especially when you consider Cardiff splashed out 7m on Cornelius who I don't think has actually started a game for them yet. Think he has started for them but he has been injured for a considerable time and there is a lot more pressure on Cornelius, he's cost the same amount as Benteke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AaB-Aalborg Posted November 13, 2013 Share Posted November 13, 2013 Cheers for that aab, what's his crossing like, can't be any worse than Tonev's surely? .......... Playing as a main striker in Aalborg, he did not do a lot of crosses. But he was taking free-kicks (something that he developed and actually got pretty good at in the end, there is a goal on youtube..) and has a very good technical level, so i would presume that his crossings are pretty decent. Most of the assists come from passes, where he in some way set up the other players - as we do/did not have a target player, but relatively small technical players in our offence. Again, as i mentioned earlier, the youtube videos are some of the best situation from his seasons. Expect that he will make some s*ite challenges and some wrong passes once in a while. He also have weaknesses - he does not look that agressive despite always working hard. I'm pretty sure he will never be an above average header. His marking on defensive headers are nothing to cheer about - and defensive positioning is not something he is used to, if your tactic requires him to come home and defend as a wide attacker - so that he needs to learn. But allow him to use and develop his strengths, and i am sure he will turn out to be a useful player for you, whenever Lambert decides he is ready. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villan_007 Posted November 14, 2013 Share Posted November 14, 2013 Cheers for that aab, what's his crossing like, can't be any worse than Tonev's surely? Helenius is an interesting player imo, I've liked what I've seen from his little cameos. For example against Spurs he should've won us a penalty and had Vertoneghen sent off. Against Liverpool he played in Benteke for the late chance at the end. We only signed him for 1.5m so he could turn out to be a bargain especially when you consider Cardiff splashed out 7m on Cornelius who I don't think has actually started a game for them yet. Think he has started for them but he has been injured for a considerable time and there is a lot more pressure on Cornelius, he's cost the same amount as Benteke. Thought he was more around the 9.5mill mark? or was that the oither kid for Cardiff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
romavillan Posted November 14, 2013 VT Supporter Share Posted November 14, 2013 that was cornelius at cardiff yeah Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted November 15, 2013 Share Posted November 15, 2013 on bench for Denmark now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vandaq Posted November 16, 2013 Share Posted November 16, 2013 Do note that Cornelius only had one season in fck before he came to Cardiff. He scored on his debut and had a great season with a lot of hype behind him. 18 goals in the first season. Still too expensive for a player in the scandinavian leagues but it will be interesting to see how he will do when he is settled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgyknees Posted November 16, 2013 Share Posted November 16, 2013 Some players adapt quicker than others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Papillon Posted November 16, 2013 Share Posted November 16, 2013 Adapting is one thing, like Lamela is struggling to do, but being good enough is another. I really doubt Helenius is anywhere near good enough right about now, but let's see in a couple of years if he's still at the Villa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgyknees Posted November 16, 2013 Share Posted November 16, 2013 Adapting is one thing, like Lamela is struggling to do, but being good enough is another. I really doubt Helenius is anywhere near good enough right about now, but let's see in a couple of years if he's still at the Villa. Delph cost 5m and it took him 3 years to settle. He was from this country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeyp102 Posted November 16, 2013 Share Posted November 16, 2013 Adapting is one thing, like Lamela is struggling to do, but being good enough is another. I really doubt Helenius is anywhere near good enough right about now, but let's see in a couple of years if he's still at the Villa. Delph cost 5m and it took him 3 years to settle. He was from this country. It was more due to his injuries than not settling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgyknees Posted November 16, 2013 Share Posted November 16, 2013 Adapting is one thing, like Lamela is struggling to do, but being good enough is another. I really doubt Helenius is anywhere near good enough right about now, but let's see in a couple of years if he's still at the Villa. Delph cost 5m and it took him 3 years to settle. He was from this country. It was more due to his injuries than not settling And there could be hidden issues with Helenius, he might be missing his family, finding it hard to settle etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Papillon Posted November 16, 2013 Share Posted November 16, 2013 Adapting is one thing, like Lamela is struggling to do, but being good enough is another. I really doubt Helenius is anywhere near good enough right about now, but let's see in a couple of years if he's still at the Villa. Delph cost 5m and it took him 3 years to settle. He was from this country. Which was 99% down to the fact that he got a cruciate ligament injury when he needed it the least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgyknees Posted November 16, 2013 Share Posted November 16, 2013 Adapting is one thing, like Lamela is struggling to do, but being good enough is another. I really doubt Helenius is anywhere near good enough right about now, but let's see in a couple of years if he's still at the Villa. Delph cost 5m and it took him 3 years to settle. He was from this country. Which was 99% down to the fact that he got a cruciate ligament injury when he needed it the least. Didn't stop people writing him off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vandaq Posted November 16, 2013 Share Posted November 16, 2013 I don`t think there is the need to worry about this right now. This was pretty much expected so far. Maybe a little bit more playtime but he said so himself. I would worry more if it was the same situation in a year. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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