Leandro Bacuna - Sold

[MoetVillan]

Me and my two year old have been singing Bacuna Matata.  No worries!

[Brend'Watkins]

It's a tremendous ability to score from a free kick like that.  He must have been doing it consistently in training for Lambert to give him the responsibility, it bodes well for future games. 

[frankmosswasmyuncle]

He's better at full back than midfield imo.
And agree with Eamon, and said it last week after the Norwich game - he takes no shit. Gets stuck in and enjoys remaining "cool" in the storm of the game.
Cracking free kick - cracking goal!
Interesting that he ran over to Lambert and gave him a big hug!
(in a manly, we're in this together Boss, kinda way!)

[tom jennings III]

Still no song for this chap? Seems a shame not to be producing a wall of noise for him if he's going to keep banging in free-kicks of that type!

[eastie]

Developing nicely - could be an outside bet for the Dutch World Cup squad .

[nigel]

Developing nicely - could be an outside bet for the Dutch World Cup squad .

Was only saying this yesterday evening.
I'm sure Vlaar will be putting in a good word

[amfy]

Still no song for this chap? Seems a shame not to be producing a wall of noise for him if he's going to keep banging in free-kicks of that type!

Jane & I developed the Macarena complete with dance routine just before the free kick yesterday. It is now a lucky dance so we'll have to do it for every free kick!

Dadadadada Leandro Bacuna
Dadadadada Leandro Bacuna
Dadadadada Leandro Bacuna
Leandro Bacuna
aaaay!


Sadly, we don't really know the moves, but chances are we will usually be pissed enough to try it anyway!

[PaulWinch again]

When we signed him I thought he'd be utility cover. He's turned himself into a guaranteed starter who regularly performs to a high level and his free-kicks are magnificent.

[exigo]

To the tune of Rock the Casbah, by The Clash.

Leandro Bacuna, ooh, ahh.
Rock the Holte End
Rock the Holte End.

[timeoutbigbar]

He's better at full back than midfield imo.

I agree completely.  He isn't bad in midfield, but he's got a great cross on him, good first touch, powerful and a bit of pace.  Far better option than a currently off form Lowton.

[Smoke]

Must be an amazing feeling for him to have scored 2 magnificent free kicks into the Holte end.

[kippaxvilla2]

To the tune of Fernando.

'When he strikes the ball Leandro' - no idea what to put next.

[eastie]

Apologies - posted in match thread but probably more apt here -

Leandro Bacuna may soon be knocking on neighbour Christian Benteke’s front door asking for his job as Aston Villa's penalty taker.

Bacuna lives next to striker Benteke in a Birmingham apartment block.

The pair are big pals - and Bacuna has now started to emulate Benteke’s scoring heroics.

His perfect free-kick broke the deadlock in the 2-0 win over Cardiff and was his second crucial set-piece of the season.

He also curled in a brilliant free-kick against Man City in September in the Villans' other home win.

And now the versatile defender-cum-midfielder, admits he fancies taking penalties too.

Bacuna, 22, played up-front as a kid and had a 100 per cent record from the spot for old club Groningen.

Benteke, on the other hand, missed a costly penalty in the home loss to Everton a fortnight ago.

Overall, the Belgium international striker’s goals have dried up since his fourth of the season went in on September 14.

Bacuna said: “The gaffer makes the decisions and Christian’s been taking the penalties. I won’t go there and start a fight!

“Christian lives next door to me. We hook up a lot and he’s a good guy. Sometimes we chill out together, we watch a lot of football on TV.

“I was taking penalties in Holland but I only just came to Aston Villa, Benteke takes the penalties here. I’m not going to be like saying: ‘I’m taking the penalties’.

“But I didn’t miss any in Holland and if I was asked I would take them here. If you take a penalty well then the ball is faster than the keeper.”

Bacuna’s 76th-minute strike after Gary Medel had brought him down finally broke Cardiff’s dogged resistance.

With keeper David Marshall again in top form, Cardiff were hard to break down with five across the middle and 10 men behind the ball.

It frustrated the hosts who had gone seven-and-a-half hours without finding the net.

But Cardiff had to open up after conceding and Libor Kozak headed in a second goal late on.

Victory leaves Villa level on points behind Midland rivals West Brom, who they visit next.

And boss Paul Lambert is delighted with Bacuna, a bargain £1million summer signing from Groningen - the Dutch club that developed Arjen Robben and first brought Luis Suarez to Europe.

The Scot said: “We got him for a really low figure and I’m pretty sure he’s not worth that anymore so his value - like a lot of them - has probably gone up.

“The way he is playing his confidence has gone up and he’s enjoying it. His free-kicks have certainly helped us. They came at critical times in games.”

[not3bad]

Surprised "Bacuna Matata" hasn't caught on as a chant yet.

[Hoppo]

A few renditions of 'Bacuna Bacuna he loves a Chicken Bhuna..' were on Holte yesterday. Its not my fault!