Garcia

[Pachuco]

Alright, so what's your verdict on Garcia? I know it's only first game in, but it would be interesting to hear what people think.

Personally, he's a bit slow and gets beat 1 on 1. He does seem to be well organized though and his positioning was ok. Overall he's an alright udefender, certainly not great from what I saw.

Nana and Serioux are better in my opinion, so, that means we've potentially added an expensive defender who isn't better then what we have.

If I go by today only, I start Nana over him. Which means when Brennan and Wynne are back that this guy could be on the bench? I'm sure he'll get lots of playing time. I was just really hoping that if we brought in a defender at 200K that he would make the defense noticably better.

[Super]

I thought he did alright. He made a couple of mistakes, but other than that he appears to have a very high football-IQ and understands the game very well. I think we need a General at the back more than we need someone who is super fast or technically gifted - and he just might be the guy.

[Cal]

Garcia was San Jose's highest paid defender.

[profit89]

Slow but good football sense.

[FluSH]

Alright, so what's your verdict on Garcia? I know it's only first game in, but it would be interesting to hear what people think.

Personally, he's a bit slow and gets beat 1 on 1. He does seem to be well organized though and his positioning was ok. Overall he's an alright udefender, certainly not great from what I saw.

Nana and Serioux are better in my opinion, so, that means we've potentially added an expensive defender who isn't better then what we have.

If I go by today only, I start Nana over him. Which means when Brennan and Wynne are back that this guy could be on the bench? I'm sure he'll get lots of playing time. I was just really hoping that if we brought in a defender at 200K that he would make the defense noticably better.

He had that great tackle in the 2nd half right after the Serioux snafu that could have lead to a goal... If he hadn't tackle that guy it could have very well been a diffeernt ball game...

Overall I liked him... yes he is slower but he showed confidence.

[Broadview]

I thought he played pretty good. He better watch out though, if Andrea Lombardo manages to track him down he might take his old hairdo back.

[KRO]

Garcia's positional sense was excellent. He's a 'stay at home' defender and heads a ball very well despite being smaller than your usual CB. I can see him and Nana making a solid defensive pair.

Serioux can move forward into midfield for me. As much as I like him he seems to have got into the habit of making a big mistake every game and last night he didn't get away with it.

[denime]

He is reading the game very good,he might be slow but his positioning and experience giving him the edge over other younger players.
I think good signing overall.

[druid]

His tackle to cover for Serioux was excellent.

I also noticed a defender coming right at him at pace earlier in the game. He held his line and stripped the ball without fouling, it wasn't stunning but certainly composed.

I'm sick so I watched the game from home for a change. Craig Forrest claimed that Serioux and Nana are both quiet defenders and Garcia has a reputation as a communicator/organizer.

Hopefully Garcia will kick the run of bad form and Serioux and him can work out the chemistry. It might also let us use Nana and Garcia at CB and move Serioux into midfield for Robinson.

[FluSH]

Garcia's positional sense was excellent. He's a 'stay at home' defender and heads a ball very well despite being smaller than your usual CB. I can see him and Nana making a solid defensive pair.

Serioux can move forward into midfield for me. As much as I like him he seems to have got into the habit of making a big mistake every game and last night he didn't get away with it.

I think this is exactly the reason why it doesn't matter if he is slower than Nana...

[Yohan]

I thought Garcia was just as advertised.
Showed lots of footy IQ, positioned himself well and communicated well. Composed when making tackles.

He is not as fast, but remember that Kandji is above average in terms of pace for MLS player, almost at Wynne level of speed.

Also keep in mind that this was Garcia's first game. There were times because Garcia and his new teammates didn't know each other, little mistakes were made (esp one where both Serioux and Garcia didn't take charge of a header that went between them) but as they get more games, they will jell better.

I'm comfortable with Serioux - Garcia - Attakora in the back for Mtl game

[VPjr]

Garcia looked ok. His positioning was good most of the time and clearly he's a physical player.

I caution against being overly excited about this guy based on a couple of games vs. perhaps the worst team in MLS (my lord is NYRB Shit).

The real test will be when they play teams with better pace and more dynamic central players than what NY threw at TFC last night.

From what I've seen of Garcia when he was with SJ the past 1.5 years, I saw a guy who has no ability to deal with quick players who like to dart between defenders. That's when he earns the bulk of his fouls and yellows.

However, a backline that includes Serioux, Garcia and Nana (as Yohan states above) is definitely an improvement over the alternative of having Velez or Harmse back there.

by the way, was it me or did Juan Pablo Angel look bored/disinterested out there last night?

[ensco]

by the way, was it me or did Juan Pablo Angel look bored/disinterested out there last night?

I saw that. To me, he seriously and perpetually pissed off at his teammates. He got no service at all.

[jabbronies]

Garcia looked ok. His positioning was good most of the time and clearly he's a physical player.

I caution against being overly excited about this guy based on a couple of games vs. perhaps the worst team in MLS (my lord is NYRB Shit).

The real test will be when they play teams with better pace and more dynamic central players than what NY threw at TFC last night.

Agreed. Ny is fucking horrible. This wasn't a good test of his playing ability, however, without trying to downplay last nights performance, his positional play last night as well as his physical game seemed to be good.

by the way, was it me or did Juan Pablo Angel look bored/disinterested out there last night?

He either getting old and his age is catching up with him or he just didn't give two shits about playing on this extremly crappy team. Fuck they sucked!!!

[Mr. Bigby]

Let me see know, Harmse/Velez or Garcia......Hmmmmm, who to choose...., wait - give me a second, I'm sure the answer will come to me...

[Fushida]

a bit slow indeed. without wynne we'd probably have one of the slowest back lines in the league. from my vantage point kandji and rojas were running circles around garcia and serioux at times... kandji especially was just physically too much. i'm glad we only conceded 1 but to be honest they were bossing us on the wings.

[Pachuco]

Let me see know, Harmse/Velez or Garcia......Hmmmmm, who to choose...., wait - give me a second, I'm sure the answer will come to me...

There's no doubt I would have him in there over Velez or Harmse. But remember, when everyone is healthy, the back line would have been Brennan, Wynne, Serioux and Attakora (pre-Garcia). All I'm trying to say is that I would still prefer that lineup over taking one of those four out and inserting Garcia.

He'll get alot of playing time anyways because we have Wynne out for a while and we always seem to get injured back there. But I don't think he's good enough to start when all our defenders can play and he makes 200K.

I saw the game at home when I got back from a wedding. From my point of view, Serioux and Nana were by far the better defenders. Garcia got beat multiple times 1 on 1. There was one where Kandji ran right at him and Garcia was running away from him. If Kandji could finish it would've been a tie game and everyone would've noticed the poor defending. Serioux noticed, he yelled at him

Anyhow, I'm a little pessimistic about this guy after watching him play. Hopefully he's better then he showed.

[tfc2007]

He is finally a leader on the back line. We have needed this for a while.

[Stugatzo]

Slower maybe but consider...

brennan serioux garcia wynne

That's a pretty sick backline!

[VPjr]

^ I'm not crazy about either Wynne or Brennan anymore, especially Brennan.

Something was happened to Jim but he's definitely lost something. He's a definite liability defensively and he doesn't make attacking runs anymore. At the beginning of the season, no one would have considered that LB might be a weak spot but it looks more and more like it is.

[TFC~Vatreni]

^ I'm not crazy about either Wynne or Brennan anymore, especially Brennan.

Something was happened to Jim but he's definitely lost something. He's a definite liability defensively and he doesn't make attacking runs anymore. At the beginning of the season, no one would have considered that LB might be a weak spot but it looks more and more like it is.

You know how it is, people are blinded by the fact that he's "Jim Brennan" and ignore how he plays on the field.... sigh. I totally agree he's a liability.

[elvis]

I thought it was great to see him barking orders not only to to back line but to Frei as well. His best years might be behind him but this first game tells me we might finally have the leader in the back we were missing for so long (forever).

[Ageroo]

I thought it was great to see him barking orders not only to to back line but to Frei as well. His best years might be behind him but this first game tells me we might finally have the leader in the back we were missing for so long (forever).

For sure....after Frei flubbed that one kick in the second half horrible...and had a stint where his distribution was a bit off...It was Garcia that stepped back to Frei and told him to relax and calm down. That is the type of football IQ the back line needs.

[Lucky Strike]

He had a fairly good match, though does anyone else think Garcia is a bit on the tubby side? I foresee more pie jokes in the future. Seriously though, glad to have him.

[FluSH]

I thought it was great to see him barking orders not only to to back line but to Frei as well. His best years might be behind him but this first game tells me we might finally have the leader in the back we were missing for so long (forever).

This is something that Marshall used to do... at least more so than anyother defender we've had...

[Ageroo]

He had a fairly good match, though does anyone else think Garcia is a bit on the tubby side? I foresee more pie jokes in the future. Seriously though, glad to have him.

From my vantage point in 115, I did not think that really. He was pretty solid though and bossed some guys around physically. If he is a bit out of shape I am sure Winsper will fix him up real quick!

[felipe]

I'll just go ahead and disagree with everyone.

Garcia was our best defender yesterday, by far. Nana played well too. Harmse was a relevation.

I'll never understand the constant love-in for Serioux; his positioning at DC is horrible. Those gaping holes are caused by him running around or making the wrong decision.

I love his heart and passion and his tough tackling - but he needs work on his footy IQ. I'd keep him in the mid as a shield for the D. His running around will cost us less there.

I share the concerns with Wynne and Brennan this year - while not horrible, or a weakness, they are certainly not playing like they have in the past.

[FluSH]

I'll just go ahead and disagree with everyone.

Garcia was our best defender yesterday, by far. Nana played well too. Harmse was a relevation.

I'll never understand the constant love-in for Serioux; his positioning at DC is horrible. Those gaping holes are caused by him running around or making the wrong decision.

I love his heart and passion and his tough tackling - but he needs work on his footy IQ. I'd keep him in the mid as a shield for the D. His running around will cost us less there.

I share the concerns with Wynne and Brennan this year - while not horrible, or a weakness, they are certainly not playing like they have in the past.

In regards to Serioux,

His constant pain and harmstring is starting to get me worried... It's pretty much every game now... this could be a liability when we need him the most...

[jloome]

Slow by reputation, not observation. Not one defender managed to actually "blow by" Garcia yesterday; twice, Kanji got a step on him wide, but who gives a shit if he gets a step wide? I'll take the crap shooting angle or a cross when we have five guys in the box already anyday.

Lots of people "observing" his speed here after one game in which he didn't leave the back third. Nonsense. May end out being true, but you couldn't make that observation off of just yesterday's game.

[Yohan]

In regards to Serioux,

His constant pain and harmstring is starting to get me worried... It's pretty much every game now... this could be a liability when we need him the most...

He needs a rest big time.

I love the Predator but he can't work himself into the ground like this

gotta love his heart though. that last ditch header where he went full in against Wolyniec in last moments of the game shows his character