We really miss Garcia

[spencer]

His creativity and eye for goal have been sadly missed this season and he makes the difference in games like last night.

I know he's not everyone's favourite because not all the flicks and tricks come off but he's one of the few players in the squad who can make something out of nothing - and he would still spend more time in the penalty area than Dirk!

Edited May 24, 2007 by spencer

[Sir Tokyo Sexwale]

Indeed we do. He can create a goal from nothing & would have given us more options yesterday

[£440,000]

Yep, Luis would have made a big difference last night. I'm not sure who Rafa would have omitted to play him though. Probably Pennant I suppose, but I'd prefer to have seen Zenden make way.

[abc]

What we miss most is his knack for getting into the right goalscoring positions, and also following up teammate's parried shots.

[pipnasty]

What we miss most is his knack for getting into the right goalscoring positions, and also following up teammate's parried shots.

 

 

Like Pennants shot that was saved by Dida in the first quarter of the game.

[Zoob]

One of the most intelligent players we have, a big game player and an excellent finisher. Really missed him.

[abc]

Like Pennants shot that was saved by Dida in the first quarter of the game.

 

Not just that, but countless moments throughout the second half of the season.

 

One which recall very vividly was against Man Utd at Anfield, a shot popped in from the right, Van der Sar spilled it, but Gonzalez was on the edge of the box just watching.

 

Last night, there was a cross that came in from the left and Harry was on the end of it at the far post, put it into a good area but nobody challenged for it so Dida came running out and made an easy catch. Little things like that hurt us.

[Zoob]

Last night, there was a cross that came in from the left and Harry was on the end of it at the far post, put it into a good area but nobody challenged for it so Dida came running out and made an easy catch. Little things like that hurt us.

 

That was a really strange moment. At first it looked as if Kewell had done the most pointless header ever, but it only looked like that because none of our attacking players were within 10 yards of the ball. I don't even know if any of our players were in the box.

[pipnasty]

That was a really strange moment. At first it looked as if Kewell had done the most pointless header ever, but it only looked like that because none of our attacking players were within 10 yards of the ball. I don't even know if any of our players were in the box.

 

 

That really stuck out for me too - kinda summed up a lot of what is wrong with our game at the moment.

[abc]

With Fowler gone, Luis Garcia is our most natural goalscorer. In fact, he's the only one with a poacher's instinct in the team.

 

That is our biggest problem with the team as an attacking force.

 

Slag him all you like, but I watched Lampard very closely on Saturday and I thought he was excellent in getting ahead of the play and into dangerous areas. He was also able to stay close to the play and was very often an outlet for the ball carrier. Stevie Gerrard is still the superior player in my eyes, but Lampard is better at running off the ball and bringing teammates into play. Which is something Gerrard might start doing more of when we get better players in the team.

[psl]

With Fowler gone, Luis Garcia is our most natural goalscorer. In fact, he's the only one with a poacher's instinct in the team.

 

That is our biggest problem with the team as an attacking force.

 

Slag him all you like, but I watched Lampard very closely on Saturday and I thought he was excellent in getting ahead of the play and into dangerous areas. He was also able to stay close to the play and was very often an outlet for the ball carrier. Stevie Gerrard is still the superior player in my eyes, but Lampard is better at running off the ball and bringing teammates into play. Which is something Gerrard might start doing more of when we get better players in the team.

 

 

Right, lets see if I can get them all.

 

He's fat, obviously.

Injured Xabi and has done a number of bad tackles on him since.

All his goals are deflections or penalties.

Most over-rated player in the league and/or world.

Ridiculous he was rated second best player in the world once.

Only scores goals because the Chelsea team are built around him.

Tried to tap up Stevie.

Once put his finger to his lips when he scored at Anfield.

His continued presence in the England team means Stevie has to play out of position.

Moans in the press that he gets abuse when he goes back to West Ham.

 

Surely that's all the forum favourites?

[CaptainXabi]

Nice try psl, but you're no Cobs

[smicer07]

You don't know what you've got til it's gone. The amount of people slagging Garcia for giving the ball away, both on the fora and at the matches... wonder if people have changed their minds now.

[mooks]

What we miss most is his knack for getting into the right goalscoring positions, and also following up teammate's parried shots.

Agree 100%.

 

This is one of the aspects of Kuyt's game that is lacking. There have been so many times this season he has been 5-10 yards back when there's a loose ball in the box.

 

With Stevie's chance to equalise last night it would have been nice if Kuyt had been far enough forward for Stevie to knock the ball across. As it was, he was far enough back that he wouldn't have got to the rebound if Dida had parried it.

[RP]

Slag him all you like, but I watched Lampard very closely on Saturday and I thought he was excellent in getting ahead of the play and into dangerous areas. He was also able to stay close to the play and was very often an outlet for the ball carrier. Stevie Gerrard is still the superior player in my eyes

 

 

 

No sh** Sherlock.

[Falconhoof]

Garcia will have a bit part next season if we get the wingers/forwards we need.

People go overboard about his talents. Sometimes he does the spectacular but he's not consistent enough.

[RP]

Disagree. Think he could have made the difference last night. He's a very talented footballer.

[Falconhoof]

I'm just questioning his consistency over a league campaign which is why I think Rafa will bring in players he can trust to do the spectacular on a weekly basis.

 

Garcia will have a role but the way Rafa is talking we'll be going for the absolute top level of players now. We can safely assume we'll be paying big money for at least one winger and one striker.

That leaves an awful lot of players on the fringes fighting it out for the other side of midfield or the support striker role.

[RP]

A player who does the spectacular on a weekly basis?

 

Such a player does not exist, there is certainly not enough of them in the world to make a whole team of them.

[Guest mark5times]

A player who does the spectacular on a weekly basis?

 

Such a player does not exist, there is certainly not enough of them in the world to make a whole team of them.

true they dont exist but something close to them exist.. we missed luis garcia because of his tenacity and ability to conjure up magical moments but looking ahead we need a Ronaldinho.

[RP]

A Ronaldinho?

 

Where can we get one of them then?

 

And will he be just like the Ronaldinho whp plays for Barca? And has he got a dozen or so brothers who are just as good?

[Guest mark5times]

A Ronaldinho?

 

Where can we get one of them then?

 

And will he be just like the Ronaldinho whp plays for Barca? And has he got a dozen or so brothers who are just as good?

well if we are ambitious enough why not.. His agent in Brazil (Im sure its his brother) said that he will leave Barcelona in the summer

[Falconhoof]

A player who does the spectacular on a weekly basis?

 

Such a player does not exist, there is certainly not enough of them in the world to make a whole team of them.

 

There are players around who break a defense down with skill rather more consistently than our Luis does.

 

We're going to have to agree to our differences on this one, I don't mind that, its all about opinions. I seem to remember having similar discussions with people over Smicer and Murphy. These players are all good players but its goals and creativity that we've fallen short on for many years now and to really go for the league we are going to have to take a quantum leap with our forward players.

 

As you say, there aren't many of the top players around and I think people are looking at the money side of it too much. Rafa's big task is finding players good enough that will come to us and then we don't know how they'll adjust to this league. I'm confident he can do it given time but it won't necessarily be a case of going out and buying superstars and instantly challenging for the league.

[abc]

No sh** Sherlock.

 

In my defence, that was a disclaimer for some muppets who are ready to tear down anyone who dares praise an opposing player when comparing him with one of our own.