West Brom manager Roy Hodgson backs Arsenal loanee Carlos Vela to shine at the Hawthorns
Arsenal loanee Carlos Vela is ready to spearhead West Bromwich Albion’s fight for survival, according to his manager Roy Hodgson, who has revealed that he came close to signing the forward for Fulham last year.
Hot shot: Carlos Vela has caught the eye of Roy Hodgson Photo: ACTION IMAGES
By Sandy Macaskill 12:14PM GMT 24 Feb 2011
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The recently-appointed West Brom manager tried to take the Mexican on loan last January, but the prospect of Vela leaving Arsenal for the second-half of last season were ruined when he picked up an injury.
Hodgson’s predecessor, Roberto di Matteo, turned to Arsene Wenger for assistance in January and secured the 21 year-old on loan until the end of the season, but he has started just one of the three games he has been available.
Hodgson chose to keep Vela on the bench for the Black Country derby against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday, preferring the more physical Marc-Antoine Fortune, but Vela proved himself with a stoppage time equaliser.
"He’s ready to start games," Hodgson said. "He started games for the Arsenal so he’s more than ready for us. He’s 21, so he’s not that young either but then I knew of him already. We considered him when I was at Fulham, in January last year.
"Arsene and I spoke and he said that he might consider him going out on loan. I told Arsene that should he become available that I would be interested but he got injured and didn’t go anywhere.
"I remember one player I had turned captain of Sweden at the age of 19 when I had him at Malmo so him being 21 isn’t a problem. He’s not being left out due to his age but because people prefer better players.
"But he certainly showed enough in the 20 minute spell he was on that I’m to take him seriously and it’s good that he took his chance well.
"It was good effort on a lot of players’ part but in the 15-20 minutes Vela was lively, got hold of the ball, used it well and gave us impetus."
Hodgson will also give Fortuné another chance, despite a weak performance in front of goal on Sunday.
"Forwards have to live with negativity," Hodgson said. "Goalkeepers and forwards become heroes and villains and are often judged harshly.
"Fans won’t see how hard he’s worked to get to that ball, or the strong blow he’s received in trying to control it, or the push in the back he’s had - there are often more complicated things going on than people are prepared to appreciate.
"But I’m afraid if forwards do miss chances then they are going to incur the wrath of the crowd and whatever good work they’ve done in the meantime, people will only remember the lack of control or miss and they become villains.
"Yet they can become heroes by playing badly for most of the match and then scoring a winning goal."
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