Paul Lambert dipped into the winter transfer market for the first time yesterday by acquiring the attacking midfielder Carles Gil from Valencia on a four-and-a-half-year contract. The under-fire Aston Villa boss talked up his new playmaker’s versatility as he looks to bring the fans back on board after a series of poor displays led to many signing an online petition calling for his dismissal:
We’ve been on the lookout for a creative player and he will certainly bring that extra element to the side. He’s only 22 years of age but he will come here and give us something I don’t think we have at the moment. He can play either role, coming in off the sides or playing in behind as well. He can create chances and get those chances put away. He has a lot to offer and I know we can get the best out of him.
The History
A product of the Valencia youth system, the diminutive Gil was handed his debut for the club’s B team as a 17-year-old in 2009 and went on to score five goals in 53 appearances over three seasons in the lower leagues. Farmed out on a two-year loan to Second Division Elche in 2012/13, he was a key component in a side that clinched promotion to La Liga and also helped the club retain their top-flight status the following season, producing a total of five goals and three assists in 66 appearances. Gil returned to his parent club last summer but, having failed to secure a regular role, he produced just a single goal and assist in 11 matches for Los Che. On the international stage, he has played once for the Spain Under-21 side and provided an assist in a 4-0 win over Austria.
The Prospects
With a single goal scored in their last six league matches, Villa will surely welcome the young playmaker with open arms. Bearing in mind that Andreas Weimann is top for assists, with a mere two to his name thus far, it’s glaringly obvious that Lambert needs more creativity in his side to help get the misfiring Christian Benteke back amongst the goals.
Predominantly left-footed, Gil offers Lambert an option on either flank in a 4-3-3 and could even be handed the role in “the hole” behind Benteke if the Villains boss opts for a 4-2-3-1 formation.
Reports in the Spanish press regard Gil as a technically gifted player, with impressive vision and ball control that is likely to get the Villa fans off their seats. Looking at the stats, though, his 40 key passes in La Liga last season – although more than any Elche team-mate – was still some way behind Ashley Westwood’s total of 64 for the Midlands outfit in 2013/14, for example.
With his side now sitting just three points ahead of the drop zone, Lambert certainly hasn’t splashed the cash for the new boy to sit on the bench. Gil – who could also be handed set-piece duties – is expected to be immediately installed to the Villa starting XI as the Midlands outfit desperately try to engineer a scramble up the table.
Yet to be added to the Fantasy games, a maximum price of 5.5 looks the likeliest scenario in Fantasy Premier League, though with upcoming matches against Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea, Gil hasn’t been handed the easiest of starts. The fixtures do take a turn for the better in Gameweek 25, though taking their recent toils into account, Lambert’s side need to vastly improve before we can seriously look at their attackers once again.
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