Pellegrini LOVES Garcia.

[Foreverinbluedreams]

If he loves him so much then why did he start with the second string last night?

Btw he was successful with 95% of his tackles against Chelsea and to all those that say he just passes backwards and sideways have a look at the graph provided in this link

http://squawka.com/news/2013/10/28/play ... 3102829754

I don't think he's good enough for our first XI but as seems the norm he is ridiculed by many for not being world class. It's all a bit pathetic really.

Tend to think these things are built on bollocks, but Garcia did play reasonably well that day imo.

I also, very sadly, thought that Cahill, Terry & Ivanovic (3 players who, 2 years ago, when our defence was good, were nowhere near good enough to get in our team & haven't improved) were miles beter than Nastasic & Zabs, who were both ball watching for much of the game & letting people run past/behind them, Clichy (who imo was playing better than Cole at that time) was a joke & if a manager had a choice of all 8 players for the next game, only Demichelis looked anywhere near good enough to get in Chelsea's starting back 4, but still wouldn't get in.

2 years ago, Zabs Vinny Lescott Clichy were head & shoulders a better back 4 than theirs & Hart was at least as good keeper.

Why so?

Somebody has decided that certain factors qualify for points plus and minus but how can it be an accurate system ? There are so many other factors in any given performance than just the obvious stats.

Ah right, I agree with you there, stats will never give the full picture and a rating system based on them is extremely flawed but at the same time they can't be just dismissed either.

For example, the claims by some that he can't tackle are clearly bullshit as are the claims that he just passes backwards and sideways as shown by the stats compiled. By all means criticise him, he has a number of flaws in his game, I just don't like to see him ridiculed over things that patently aren't true.

[Ted Hughes]

If he loves him so much then why did he start with the second string last night?

Btw he was successful with 95% of his tackles against Chelsea and to all those that say he just passes backwards and sideways have a look at the graph provided in this link

http://squawka.com/news/2013/10/28/play ... 3102829754

I don't think he's good enough for our first XI but as seems the norm he is ridiculed by many for not being world class. It's all a bit pathetic really.

Tend to think these things are built on bollocks, but Garcia did play reasonably well that day imo.

I also, very sadly, thought that Cahill, Terry & Ivanovic (3 players who, 2 years ago, when our defence was good, were nowhere near good enough to get in our team & haven't improved) were miles beter than Nastasic & Zabs, who were both ball watching for much of the game & letting people run past/behind them, Clichy (who imo was playing better than Cole at that time) was a joke & if a manager had a choice of all 8 players for the next game, only Demichelis looked anywhere near good enough to get in Chelsea's starting back 4, but still wouldn't get in.

2 years ago, Zabs Vinny Lescott Clichy were head & shoulders a better back 4 than theirs & Hart was at least as good keeper.

Why so?

Somebody has decided that certain factors qualify for points plus and minus but how can it be an accurate system ? There are so many other factors in any given performance than just the obvious stats.

Ah right, I agree with you there, stats will never give the full picture and a rating system based on them is extremely flawed but at the same time they can't be just dismissed either.

For example, the claims by some that he can't tackle are clearly bullshit as are the claims that he just passes backwards and sideways as shown by the stats compiled. By all means criticise him, he has a number of flaws in his game, I just don't like to see him ridiculed over things that patently aren't true.

Garcia is a good tackler but often slow getting there. He put in plenty of killer tackles for Benfica. Great in the air too, just not with the nous of a centre back.

An example of where these stats would possibly fail imo, is comparing last night's showing with the Chelsea game. Would his passing chart look that different ? I wonder. Yet I was watching him & Rodwell last night, & both were avoiding responsibility to make angles for the defenders to give them an out ball, putting the onus on the defenders to find passes to the front players. I thought that was very poor from both.

Yet, it wouldn't surprise me to find a similar number of forward passes on his chart compared to the Chelsea game (where he made himself available often to recieve the ball, presumably because he had Fernandinho next to him asking for the ball & felt more comfortable).

I would mark him down a lot last night for not helping the defenders enough in posession but would there ever be a stat which shows it ?

[MilnersJaw]

Why so?

I think people have more problem with him that he's starting games ahead of better players. When vin was injured we had 3 cb that could and should start ahead of him, 4 now including the argie. And in midfield clearly Milner would have been a far better choice than Garcia against Chelsea too.

[Foreverinbluedreams]

Why so?

I think people have more problem with him that he's starting games ahead of better players. When vin was injured we had 3 cb that could and should start ahead of him, 4 now including the argie. And in midfield clearly Milner would have been a far better choice than Garcia against Chelsea too.

That's fair enough, it's not his fault he's selected though and he doesn't deserve half the abuse he's getting imo.

[sheblue]

Why so?

I think people have more problem with him that he's starting games ahead of better players. When vin was injured we had 3 cb that could and should start ahead of him, 4 now including the argie. And in midfield clearly Milner would have been a far better choice than Garcia against Chelsea too.

That's fair enough, it's not his fault he's selected though and he doesn't deserve half the abuse he's getting imo.

The abuse he is getting is purely in relation to his abilities as a footballer, i am sure he is a nice chap, but its about him as a professional well paid footballer and clearly he is just not good enough to be in this squad.

[Ted Hughes]

Why so?

I think people have more problem with him that he's starting games ahead of better players. When vin was injured we had 3 cb that could and should start ahead of him, 4 now including the argie. And in midfield clearly Milner would have been a far better choice than Garcia against Chelsea too.

That's fair enough, it's not his fault he's selected though and he doesn't deserve half the abuse he's getting imo.

The abuse he is getting is purely in relation to his abilities as a footballer, i am sure he is a nice chap, but its about him as a professional well paid footballer and clearly he is just not good enough to be in this squad.

I think he would adapt, given time, but even so he isn't the best player we could have in that role.

[Rag_hater]

The boss must be getting his mates to put a bet on that he is the squad.

[Original Dub]

The boss must be getting his mates to put a bet on that he is the squad.

It's the only explanation.

[AG7]

Wasn't Garcia the first player Pellegrini moved on from Real Madrid when he went there?

[Foreverinbluedreams]

Wasn't Garcia the first player Pellegrini moved on from Real Madrid when he went there?

Pellegrini bemoaned the transfer strategy at Madrid after he left so I'm not sure how much say he had over Garcia staying or not.

[MilnersJaw]

So sky still do player cams? Cos seriously I will watch this cunt all game

[zuricity]

So sky still do player cams? Cos seriously I will watch this cunt all game

Mmmh ! Just to announce on here that you think he is 'shite' again ?

[Beefymcfc]

He is totally average at best, can't understand why he plays anywhere to be honest. Milner would clearly be a better option in midfield.

Looks like he's getting better if he's now upto average. I reckon he'd do well beside Lescott.

[zuricity]

Looks like he's getting better if he's now upto average. I reckon he'd do well beside Lescott.

Could be a good pairing Beefy. Well spotted.

[horlock2000]

The simple fact is... Garcia is shite at CB or DM! Looks like he's dragging a tractor when he's running, he's that slow!

All these "he did alright..." Comments are basing this against his previous abysmal performances. So the fact he didn't really do a lot wrong really means...he just didn't do a lot!. Which as a DM or CM these days is just stealing a living. They are supposed to be at the centre if near enough everything dictating the game.

I'm surprised the media haven't picked up on him properly... He has got to be one of the worst signings in PL history! 16 million?!! Benfica must be laughing their cocks off!

In summary: He's shite and isn't good enough to play for a top 10 PL side never mind a club challenging to win it.

[dazby]

...and yet he gets picked and also selected to play for Spain, being picked ahead of very good players.

[zuricity]

...and yet he gets picked and also selected to play for Spain, being picked ahead of very good players.

Yeah I remember someone on here referring to Del Bosque as something like a 'Fat clown', what does Mr. Del Bosque know eh, that we don't?

[john@staustell]

...and yet he gets picked and also selected to play for Spain, being picked ahead of very good players.

Yeah I remember someone on here referring to Del Bosque as something like a 'Fat clown', what does Mr. Del Bosque know eh, that we don't?

Indeed.

I'm getting a bit despairing on here these days. We've got people screaming for Lescott, who would look out of place holding the ball in a Sunday league game, and people screaming against Garcia, who is clearly better on the ball than most of the players we've had in the last 30 years.

[Breks]

He is a shit Gaz Baz.

[zuricity]

Indeed.

I'm getting a bit despairing on here these days. We've got people screaming for Lescott, who would look out of place holding the ball in a Sunday league game, and people screaming against Garcia, who is clearly better on the ball than most of the players we've had in the last 30 years.

Good job we're playing on Saturday , this week. !