So Garcia's not going anywhere in the summer

[R A Softlad]

Grauniad

[Lee W]

So one bust-up that didn't happen.

[Guest Jack Bauer]

Does this mean it's ok to get him on next seasons jersey?

[R A Softlad]

No cos Owen's takling number 10 back.

[hideNseek]

Brilliant news. Now for Rafa to tell us why Mori is staying:-)

[AE]

Garcia is a player worth keeping IMO. As the article says he may frustrate the hell out of us, miss easy chances, but so far when it really matters that he found that touch of brilliance to win us big matches.

[mercury]

Garcia is a player worth keeping IMO. As the article says he may frustrate the hell out of us, miss easy chances, but so far when it really matters that he found that touch of brilliance to win us big matches.

 

is right

[Benitez]

 

This sums it up really:

"You have to accept he is what he is," said Benítez, who had previously worked with García in the Spanish second division at Tenerife. "I tried to change him at Tenerife. But while you can tell other players to pass inside nice and simple, he likes to be different. You can see him giving away easy balls sometimes, but also scoring fantastic goals. As a manager, you need players like him. If you need to change the game but you only have one kind of player, you can't. He tries to do something out of the ordinary. "He's under contract, playing well and scoring good goals, and I think he's happy here. I'm very happy with him. I know sometimes you can hear the supporters are disappointed when he gives the ball away, but he keeps trying to be different.

 

He's never afraid to try and, when something doesn't come off, he tries it again."

 

He's always going to be like this. If Rafa can't change him, no one can! Yet Rafa still brought him here, and wanted him at VCF. And for winners in semi finals, in derbies, spectacular goals, a midfielder who's pretty much guaranteed to hit double figures in goals every season, I'll gladly put up with the annoyances!

[owenthomas]

if you want a player like Garcia in your team then you have to accept that every now and then he will piss you off.. i accepted that long ago with little Luis and nothing will change my mind about him - he's fkin boss..

[Romario]

He's the kind of player we've been lacking for years so I'll put up with the dodgy passes as he does deliver when it counts. He scores vital goals when the team has often run out of ideas. Thats a gift.

[Lee W]

What I find strange is that Danny Murphy got virtually no leeway from our fans, yet strangely Garcia seems to get a little more slack from the fans.

 

Weird one that...

[owenthomas]

though i did like Danny, i have to say that Garcia's better than him for me Lee..

[Cooldude]

What I find strange is that Danny Murphy got virtually no leeway from our fans, yet strangely Garcia seems to get a little more slack from the fans.

 

Weird one that...

 

Perhaps has something to do with Luis being a much much better player than Spud

[Benitez]

Perhaps has something to do with Luis being a much much better player than Spud

 

 

I think that may well have something to do with it!

 

But Spud was the Manc Slayer

[Kahnee]

He's never afraid to try and, when something doesn't come off, he tries it again."

 

which either makes him stubborn or a slow learner

[Lee W]

Perhaps has something to do with Luis being a much much better player than Spud

 

Not sure about that. Different qualities maybe but I wouldn't say there was too much between the two in terms of ability.

[RP]

I like Danny Murphy a lot but Luis Garcia is a higher quailty player.

 

We were crying out for years for a player who could change a game or break down a packed defence - Luis is just such a player.

Edited April 26, 2006 by RP

[Mikael Akerfeldt]

Lovely little dig at Mourinho in the same story from the Offal:

 

"He's always a player from whom you can expect something different. If you're struggling in a game you can either do two things, send your centre back up front as a centre forward or use Luis Garcia between the lines".

Edited April 26, 2006 by Riise6

[Benitez]

Lovely little dig at Mourinho in the same story from the Offal:

 

"He's always a player from whom you can expect something different. If you're struggling in a game you can either do two things, send your centre back up front as a centre forward or use Luis Garcia between the lines".

 

 

lol!

 

Here's that whole Offish article:

ere

 

RAFA: WE CAN'T CHANGE LUIS

 

Rafael Benitez today admitted he's given up trying to persuade Luis Garcia to cut out the party tricks in his game.

Garcia, by the manager's own admission, often leaves the Liverpool supporters screaming in frustration when his flicks and tricks don't come off but, at the same time, he's also proved himself on more than one occasion to be the man for the big occasion with crucial goals in big games.

 

His winner against Chelsea on Saturday was his second important goal against Jose Mourinho's men following on from last season's Champions League winner, and when you add in his goalscoring contributions against Bayer Leverkusen, Juventus and Everton in particular over the last couple of seasons you begin to understand why the manager is happy for his Spanish playmaker to continue playing his normal game.

 

"You have to accept he is what he is," said Benitez. "I tried to change him, for sure, at Tenerife. But he likes football. He likes to do things on the pitch.

 

"You can tell other players to pass inside, nice and simple, but he likes to be different. That's good for the supporters to see a player who offers different things.

 

"He's scored a lot of good goals in the last two seasons. You can see him giving away easy balls sometimes, but also scoring fantastic goals.

 

"If a player tries to do different things then you need to accept it'll be a risk. I've told him to try and do them as close as he can to the opponents' box. That way it's less dangerous for us and more difficult for the other team to try and stop him. He knows that, but I need to keep reminding him - many times!

 

"If you analyse his career he's scored in double figures almost every year for each of his clubs. There were 13 goals last season.

 

"He's always a player from whom you can expect something different. If you're struggling in a game you can either do two things, send your centre back up front as a centre forward or use Luis Garcia between the lines.

 

"As a manager you need to have players like him. If you need to change the game but only have one type of player then you can't change the game.

 

"He tries to do very difficult things and he's not afraid to try again if they don't come off. You cannot change your form if you don't try things."

[Cooldude]

Not sure about that. Different qualities maybe but I wouldn't say there was too much between the two in terms of ability.

 

Luis is probably technically better, a little bigger a goal threat, and as two footed a player as you can find. He can seemingly make a Xabi like pass outta nowhere occasionally as well, if it comes off that is

 

Spud's better with the dead ball and bloody ace against the Mancs (Something Luis is yet to master )

 

The only two things they're equal at is their ability to give away possession needlessly, with Spud, it was irritating as he doesn't produce those brillant moments as often as Luis does, who makes it all worthwhile especially the fact that he does it in big matches so bloody often

[_00_deathscar]

What I find strange is that Danny Murphy got virtually no leeway from our fans, yet strangely Garcia seems to get a little more slack from the fans.

 

Weird one that...

 

Murphy scored the occassional goal against some random teams, was good at set pieces and was a Manc Slayer.

 

Garcia on the other hand has a tendency to score in HUGE games...

 

Besides...Garcia's probably the best header(er) of the ball in our team (Hyypia aside).