Eric Garcia (loaned to Girona)
- Thread starter messi1995
- Start date
FCBarca
Mike the Knife
He is a similar profile to Roberto in being a converted midfielder to FB but he's less injured than Sergi and you ideally want a left footed player for LB.
Not forgetting the idea would be as a backup, not starter, and I believe he'd add valuable minutes. He can dribble better than Roberto and, for me, has a better defensive mindset than Sergi who still looks like a converted midfielder unable to shake his midfield tendencies with reverse passing & hold up play. Moreover, he's so smart in those overlapping runs not so different than Alba that Sergi rarely does
I would be a proponent for his acquisition as a backup to Alba over Firpo but of course we could've had a smarter board and kept Cucu too
Messi983
Senior Member
Why Cucu? He's even worse defensively than likes of Semedo and Roberto. He was my favorite Barca B player for years but he's not a LB. The role he's playing now for Getafe is perfect for him. I think he would struggle a lot as a LB here and he's also not good enough offensively to be converted to a LW for a big club. That's why I think Sevilla/Valencia or a foreign club of similar stature is his ceilling. Work ethic and determination are among his best attributes so he might prove me wrong but I just don't see him ever being even a squad player at a top club.
Barcilliant
Senior Member
Totally agree. Puyol and maybe Mascherano were our last genuine defenders. I am sick of these soft, ball playing CBS.
This is Pep's fault. He put more emphasis on the cb being able to pass and play out of the back.
Can't we just save our money and sign a tall physical ball winning CB ffs. Pique can already play out from the back as can Lenglet. Araujo is half decent at that too. We need at least 1 cb who's only goal is to stop the opponent scoring even if that means hoofing the ball 50 yards up the pitch and having two left feet we'd be better for it.
BBZ8800
Senior Member
Agreed.
It's Pep.
He moved on from a goalscorer no9 to a playmaking-link up No9.
He moved on from a physical pivot to light, smart ballplaying pivots like himself (as a player) and Busquets.
He moved on from pure tacklers to smart, ballplaying CBs.
Even with goalkeepers, lately we aren't looking for shotstoppers but for playmaking Gks.
Fc 11 playmakers, lol.
Pep went into extremes in a lot of things.
It's not pep's fault. He's an inspring figure in many ways in football, that doesn't mean you have to follow his principles about players. The modern game has changed, something everyone can agree on and yet it's pep's fault for the current sporting department ignoring this evolution in football?
Givenchy
Senior Member
would we be interested in this guy if he wasn't from la masia? answer is a big fat NO. This is more Barca DNA bullshit and its part of the reason i don't want Xavi to get the manager job under Font.
BBZ was right all along, we hit the jackpot with the golden generation and instead of moving with the times in the ever evolving world of football, we are still trying to relive the past and find 'the next Xavi' 'the next Messi' appointing ex-players as managers in an attempt to find the next Pep.. move on ffs
I agree with @ContraryIan
BBZ was right all along, we hit the jackpot with the golden generation and instead of moving with the times in the ever evolving world of football, we are still trying to relive the past and find 'the next Xavi' 'the next Messi' appointing ex-players as managers in an attempt to find the next Pep.. move on ffs
I agree with @ContraryIan
Genuinely curious what you mean by perfectly fine. I've watched games with him and he seems average at best. Of course he's young too but he's slow, short and weak. I can't see upside here over keeping someone like Todibo for example.
Hes calm. Thats the difference between him and countless other young CBs like Todibo. He wont win us games, but in a functioning team you can throw him in there without worrying too much. Todibo, Mina and co always look like they could fall apart any minute.
I would definitely prefer someone more physical (Kounde, Upamecano etc pp), but we are pretty devoid of cash. Hopefully next year we have more options. We need 4 CBs anyway.
The one negative for me is that you always have the danger in Barcelona that his standing gets blown out of proportion like other La Masia boys.
Raketa10
Senior Member
Raketa10
Senior Member
I just don?t think his calmness on the ball is that important or a large enough improvement than the calmness of players we already have whilst severely lacking traits other options have. Cost-benefit of Garcia seems to be he can play a pass better than the average CB which is pretty good. But poor at defending set pieces which any opposition team gets at least 5-10 per game. And is at most average at defending other types of attack.
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