CARLOS VELA - LOST IN TRANSLATION
Once a player who looked like he could conquer the world, Carlos Vela's slow decline is something that puzzles not only me, but others around me and most likely the Arsenal contingent. Carlos "the chip" Vela caught my eye in a Carling Cup match against Sheffield United, scoring a hat-trick and producing one of the most fantastic chipped goals I have ever seen. The buzz around him was fantastic, people hailing him as a natural forward who could scare defenders to the extent of Lionel Messi! But the decline was somewhat inevitable.
In a time where Emmanuel Adebayor, Robin van Persie, Eduardo and Theo Walcott were all vying for places to lead the line, Carlos Vela waited in the wings for his chance at the big time. Appearances limited from the bench, Carlos managed to score 6 goals in his first season, with performances that gave evidence to suggest that he could be the missing ingredient in an Arsenal line-up that could give them the spark in order to succeed.
The following season showed a decline in performances, his game time being limited in order to accommodate for more experienced players in the team. With the occasional goal and another barren season for the club, Carlos moved to West Brom in 2011 in order to gain more Premier League experience, with the intention of giving him that edge to come back the next season and show the world exactly what the skilful young Mexican forward could do.
However, these hopes were not fulfilled, Arsenal announcing that he would be going on loan to Real Sociedad for the 2011/2012 season. I was puzzled - how could a bright young spark who was now scoring goals in the Premier League for fun decided to go on loan to a middle of the table club in Spain? My questions were never answered directly, but the English press is informative enough to give me an idea of what has happened.
In a time where Emmanuel Adebayor, Robin van Persie, Eduardo and Theo Walcott were all vying for places to lead the line, Carlos Vela waited in the wings for his chance at the big time. Appearances limited from the bench, Carlos managed to score 6 goals in his first season, with performances that gave evidence to suggest that he could be the missing ingredient in an Arsenal line-up that could give them the spark in order to succeed.
The following season showed a decline in performances, his game time being limited in order to accommodate for more experienced players in the team. With the occasional goal and another barren season for the club, Carlos moved to West Brom in 2011 in order to gain more Premier League experience, with the intention of giving him that edge to come back the next season and show the world exactly what the skilful young Mexican forward could do.
However, these hopes were not fulfilled, Arsenal announcing that he would be going on loan to Real Sociedad for the 2011/2012 season. I was puzzled - how could a bright young spark who was now scoring goals in the Premier League for fun decided to go on loan to a middle of the table club in Spain? My questions were never answered directly, but the English press is informative enough to give me an idea of what has happened.
"Wenger is the one who must make the most important decision," he said.
"If he tells me I have to leave then I will look at my options. If he says I will stay then I will fight him.
"My intention is not to return to Arsenal.
"I don't know if I'm going to stay here at Sociedad. I don't know what will happen in my life next year.
"My registration belongs to Arsenal and I can't tell them to give me away as a gift to Sociedad because I'm happy here. They will want something back after all those years."
It seems like Carlos in one interview has summed up everything that is wrong with Arsenal at the moment. The fact that he would show such disrespect to a manager who had courted him for years, paying wages, praising him and believing in him shows lack of class from the boy. But what happened? Was the man management so bad that he felt that there was no hope for him, at an Arsenal side missing striking options in depth? Is homesickness such a factor that he believes staying in Spain will keep him at least a little closer to home? Or is there something deeper?
One thing is for certain; Carlos Vela has been lost in translation.
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