Eric Garcia to Barcelona

[bballchinaski]

No chance.

it seems clear that one of the reasons pep played him was so he would sign a new contract

 

[Neville Kneville]

For sure.

I'm definitely not advocating making Tosin or HB automatic startes for next season - just giving them the opportunities Garcia would have got.

If we go with Koulibaly, Laporte, Ake, Tosin and HB for next year, I'd be happy with that. Garcia was going to provide rotation on the right side in our lesser games, so give those opportunities to the Academy lads.

Stones and Otamendi are done, for very different reasons - we need to move on from them both next year.

It's unfortunate that there is no pre season, so it's even more difficult for the kids, especially as the new defenders will be short of time to learn our methods.

Which makes me think Stones might just get a reprieve.

 

[Manchester1894]

If he want's to go to Barca, what better game to throw him in against Real I say!

 

[Gareth Barry Conlon]

does pep play him against madrid?

Difficult. If he drops him now then he is looking for a partnership to get through to the final. My guess is that is between Stones and Fernandinho. My guess is that Stones / Otamendi have both been told to find a new club. So Fernandinho is the choice if he wants to change it.

If he plays him then might as well play him to the end.

 

[Neville Kneville]

i was going to quote your summary of Tosin a few years back, But as you have seemingly changed your stance, i shall not embarrass you.

I think Tosin has all the attributes needed to be a real top cb. But he has to do it on the pitch & learn the game, as does Garcia, without those attributes.

So no embarrassment from me.

 

[Neville Kneville]

Yeah agree but with pep coming from Spain and especially Managing there you can understand his bias.

Puyol being the agent is even more key imo.

 

[Neville Kneville]

it seems clear that one of the reasons pep played him was so he would sign a new contract

Probably, but not sure why he cared.

 

[Nicholas van Whatsisface]

It's unfortunate that there is no pre season, so it's even more difficult for the kids, especially as the new defenders will be short of time to learn our methods.

Which makes me think Stones might just get a reprieve.

Yeah - you're spot on about this year making it more difficult. The pre-season, which Pep genuinely attaches a lot of importance to, is gone - so we'd need to be pretty confident they were good to go otherwise I fear you might be right on Stones.

The thought of watching his continued public meltdown unfold before our eyes on a slow drip game after game is hardly something to inspire excitement for next season.

For his own good, I think he needs a move where the pressure isn't so great, and he can get his shit together out of the constant glare of challenging at the top.

 

[cjn]

This is interesting. Pol Ballus is basically saying here that he won't move this summer unless Barca pay up. We're thinking about him as equivalent to Ferran Torres, so 23m + add ons.

 

[Manchester_lalala]

I think it’s a blessing in disguise. He’s obviously talented, I just don’t think he’s suited to our system. We need pace at the back and hasn’t got it.

 

[Saddleworth2]

Cheers Eric.

Ok. This is going to happen unfortunately. He has not wanted to gamble on being a first choice, maybe feels home sick for spain. Who knows. We have another couple of good young prospects in Toisin and Harwood Bellis, it isn't the end of the world. We needed Koulibaly before this and we still need him.

 

[Neville Kneville]

This is interesting. Pol Ballus is basically saying here that he won't move this summer unless Barca pay up. We're thinking about him as equivalent to Ferran Torres, so 23m + add ons.

Sounds like Ballus to me.

 

[Gabriel]

Difficult. If he drops him now then he is looking for a partnership to get through to the final. My guess is that is between Stones and Fernandinho. My guess is that Stones / Otamendi have both been told to find a new club. So Fernandinho is the choice if he wants to change it.

If he plays him then might as well play him to the end.

It was Otamendi/Laporte over there when we sat in a bit, so I reckon same again with Fernandinho on the bench once more.

 

[yankblue]

Que?

Well fuck me, I'm behind. Just saw the news.

 

[damrider]

How convenient dropping that now.

I’ve been very impressed. Fast, aware of through balls, great slide tackles, reads the game excellent.

People saying Stones is better clearly don’t know much. His talent should be obvious when Pep picks a 19 year old ahead of an english international who should be at his prime and a 31-year old title winner in Otamendi.

I’ll miss Garcia a lot. Quality player, and maybe a bit too good for 4th choice.

I am not dropping it "Now", I've literally been saying for months that I am not impressed by him. Stones is not better, but I haven't seen anything from Garcia to suggest he's a good center back. Physically weak, often out of position, not too impressive in position. Just ineffective. Sorry if that annoys people, but whenever he played for us this season he seemed miles off.

 

[Neville Kneville]

It was Otamendi/Laporte over there when we sat in a bit, so I reckon same again with Fernandinho on the bench once more.

Was it really ?

Forgotten that.

 

[ctid1894]

Just don't see it with him. If he was good enough right now or the potential to be good enough, he'd be with the squad already.

If you don't see it that's your opinion, no problem. However there are multiple players, Jamie Vardy being the extreme who had to go down to non league level before signing for Leicester at 25/26. He's developed later than most into one of the best strikers in the country, Adaradiayo is only 22, there's still potential in my opinion.

 

[Carlos- the- jackal]

Was it really ?

Forgotten that.

And Laporte got injured after 30 minutes so it was Dinho and Otamendi for an hour

 

[Neville Kneville]

I am not dropping it "Now", I've literally been saying for months that I am not impressed by him. Stones is not better, but I haven't seen anything from Garcia to suggest he's a good center back. Physically weak, often out of position, not too impressive in position. Just ineffective. Sorry if that annoys people, but whenever he played for us this season he seemed miles off.

The stuff about 'reading play' & 'awareness' was all bullshit as well, repeated parrot fashion with no actual examples.

 

[ctid1894]

Not committed to the club in the most important game. Not for me. Flirt him off now. No hard feelings but it's business.

Rubbish. A player wanting to leave doesn't mean he isn't committed to performing as well as he can for his current club, especially against his boyhood clubs arch rivals. Honestly some people on here are crackers, over emotional and must have zero personal pride or professionalism in their own life to think everybody behaves in such a way. It really is quite pathetic from grown adults.