Mbwana Samatta
Aston Villa’s latest signing and the first Tanzanian player ever to play in the premier league, Mbwana Samatta, issued a message to the fan via twitter in which he asked them to stop criticising his teammates after the loss against Bournemouth. Samatta scored his first goal for the club which was no more than a consolation as Villa went down 2-1 to Bournemouth.
Mbwana Samatta said “All fans from Tanzania I understand that all of you love me because I am your son. I also know that you would like to see me perform well with my new team but, here, I am making a request in a very humble way; stop criticising or abusing my fellow teammates or the team. Personally, I am not happy with that at all.”
Samatta’s message could be assumed to be directed at those who are criticising other players, possibly Jack Grealish, as has been suggested on social media.
Ex-Chelsea legend and current Herth Berlin player Salamon Kalou revealed how he got very close to joining Aston Villa a few days ago but for the premier league rules that prevented him in joining his ex-captain and current Aston Villa assistant coach John Terry.
Salamon Kalou said “England would have appealed to me very much. I got a call from my good friend John Terry, who is now coaching at Aston Villa. At that time he was our captain at Chelsea and a real leader. I would have loved to play under him. We tried until the end if there was a possibility. But I’m not a European, I don’t play in the national team anymore, that was the problem.”
Dean Smith, though, did manage to get in Borja Baston through the door which gave him further options in the attacking half.
Dean Smith was pleased for the fact that he could get in Borja Baston late on from Swansea which would be a huge boost for him as his side battle it out after the winter break to survive in the premier league. Baston became the second deal of January for Villa after Samatta to give Dean Smith more options in the final third. His arrival was announced when there were less than 10 minutes to go for the transfer day deadline. Baston was signed by Swansea for £15.5 million from Atletico Madrid three years ago but he had only scored three goals in thirty-eight matches for the Welsh club.
Dean Smith said ” I’m really pleased (to get a striker). I told everyone I wanted to get another striker and we’ve brought in Borja who, for me, will be someone who’s really hungry who’ll want to go and prove himself and that’s the type of player we want at the football club: hungry people who want to go on and challenge.”
Baston was the fourth signing of the window for Villa after Samatta, Danny Drinkwater and Pepe Reina.
Dean Smith gave a scathing assessment of his side’s loss to Bournemouth by lamenting the slow start from his team. Phillip Billing and Nathan Ake had scored inside the first half to give the cherries a two-goal lead. Even though Jefferson Lerma received two yellows and Mbwana Samatta scored his first goal for Villa, it was too little too late.
Dean Smith said “We weren’t good enough in the first half, the players knew that at half-time. For me, we didn’t pick up enough second balls. We knew that Bournemouth wanted to start quickly, but when we won the ball, we probably weren’t bright enough on it. The second goal shouldn’t have stood. It was a clear push on Ezri Konsa when he was in mid-air and they go up the other end and get a free-kick and score from the second phase.We could have had a penalty when Bjorn Engels got punched in the face when he headed the ball over, but I don’t think VAR works for those ones. Anywhere else on the pitch I think that’s a foul. “
The loss left the Midlands club in the 17th position, just one spot and one point above the relegation zone.
