Its a hard life Oscar.

[AmexRuislip]

http://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/sport/11450147.Garcia_not_given_Seagulls_credit_he_deserves/

 

[Barrel of Fun]

The article is fair enough, from a skim read.

We were incredibly boring, but we did sneak a playoff place despite a chronic injury crisis. I think he did very well to keep us at the right end of the table.

However, success and excitement did not go hand in hand. Ultimately, we failed in the lottery of the playoffs (quite miserably) and the only real excitement stems from nickong a place at the death. There was no other moment that one could hark back to in years to come.

I think there was also an element of disappointment in what Garcia promised or what supposed to have promised. We were told attacking football was coming to our fair shore and we assumed that half of Barcelona B were heading our way.

His name and history promised to be enigmatic, but it didn't quite happen like that.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

Every place I look Watford fans are saying they are dead certs for Promotion. Odd, considering last season and them bottling it (as we did) versus Palace the year before that.

 

[beorhthelm]

The article is fair enough, from a skim read.

We were incredibly boring, but we did sneak a playoff place despite a chronic injury crisis. I think he did very well to keep us at the right end of the table.

something else was a half dozen teams conspiring to avoid 6th place. i recall at one point feeling like there was something we didnt know as team after team fluffed up a string of games. he did keep a steady ship to allow us to benefit.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

something else was a half dozen teams conspiring to avoid 6th place. i recall at one point feeling like there was something we didnt know as team after team fluffed up a string of games. he did keep a steady ship to allow us to benefit.

That's very true. It felt like an extraordinary season. Any other trek, we would have been dead and buried, but other teams seemed keen to finish below, perhaps to avoid the embarrassment.

 

[trueblue]

I thought Oscar did a decent job. But if I was a Watford fan, I'd be concerned that we seemed to lose our sense of direction as the season went on and in the play-offs Garcia's tactics were well and truly taken apart. The changes he did make came far too late. One interpretation could be that he basically did well with Gus's squad after the initial settling in period, but didn't really have much of a plan beyond that. Will be interesting to see how it shapes up at Vicarage Road.

 

[Keeping The Dream Alive.]

something else was a half dozen teams conspiring to avoid 6th place. i recall at one point feeling like there was something we didnt know as team after team fluffed up a string of games. he did keep a steady ship to allow us to benefit.

That's very true. It felt like an extraordinary season. Any other trek, we would have been dead and buried, but other teams seemed keen to finish below, perhaps to avoid the embarrassment.

Yet we were only 3(?) points off the previous season's total. It was slightly bizarre I agree, but I think I'm right in saying the points total we amassed would get you into the play offs most seasons. I think the top 5 were just a lot better than everyone else in the league.

 

[Dick Head]

I hope Watford appreciate him more than some of us did. Having said that though, I hope Sami's Seagulls muller them this season.

 

[Simster]

I really can't believe some of what I read on here about OG to be honest. Such a re-writing of history.

 

[Biscuit]

Watford have been playing fast, direct, attacking football for a few seasons now.

They're going to hate Garcia after a few months,

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

We never really knew what football Garcia wanted to play. There was no set pattern, other than playing too many defensive midfielders.

 

[Bladders]

Average team? He took over the team that came 4th and a couple of points off automatic.

Who writes these shit articles?

 

[Bladders]

We never really knew what football Garcia wanted to play. There was no set pattern, other than playing too many defensive midfielders.

Even at the death at Forest, needing a goal to get into the play offs, injury time and all that..........still only Ulloa in the box when CMS popped that cross in. Thank god it was accurate!

Fast forward to the Charlton game, just an early season league game.

Sami had the whole team including the keeper in the box when we needed a goal.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

But in his first season in English football, with an average squad and after suffering several key injuries, the Seagulls surprised most by securing a place in the play-offs in dramatic fashion on the final day of the season.

That just about sums it up.

Liam Bridcutt and Andrea Orlandi, two crucial players, suffered injuries in the first two games and - baring a 45-minute return for the latter - were both out until November. Leonardo Ulloa was sidelined for more than two months, Kazenga Lualua missed around six weeks and it didn't get any easier for Garcia during the second half of the season.

Bridcutt and Ashley Barnes were sold in January and Andrews Crofts missed the second half of the campaign with injury. Key players like Will Buckley also struggled for form.

But Garcia always found an answer; either tactically or by playing someone out of position. The Spaniard made the best of difficult situations.

Defensive organisation and their excellent away record were the cornerstones of Brighton's success. Only Burnley conceded less than Brighton's 40 goals last season and no other side let in less than the Seagulls' 19 on the road.

Case for the defence.

Garcia stated he loves attacking football on his arrival at Brighton but it ended up becoming quite functional at the Amex Stadium, which has tainted the view of some Seagulls fans.

We got the play-offs but he did not deliver the attacking football we were led to expect. Would he have done had he had the full team - who knows. We will find out in this season about Oscar.

 

[albionalex]

'Average squad'. Certainly wouldn't call last seasons squad average.

'Garcia always found an answer; either tactically or by playing someone out of position. The Spaniard made the best of difficult situations.' I don't remember anyone being played out of position.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

'Average squad'. Certainly wouldn't call last seasons squad average.

'Garcia always found an answer; either tactically or by playing someone out of position. The Spaniard made the best of difficult situations.' I don't remember anyone being played out of position.

Well he persisted with playing Lopez out wide where he was woefully ineffective, rather than in the middle where he might have done some damage. Does that count?

 

[Mowgli37]

Well he persisted with playing Lopez out wide where he was woefully ineffective, rather than in the middle where he might have done some damage. Does that count?

Spanish Dave was one of my favourite players and it really pained me to see him shoved out on the right. We got maybe 20 minutes of him in the centre at home to Wigan(?) and even in that brief period you could see he'd been misused all year.

 

[DumLum]

something else was a half dozen teams conspiring to avoid 6th place. i recall at one point feeling like there was something we didnt know as team after team fluffed up a string of games.

This. I think it was called 'The race for 7th place' at the time.

 

[Stat Brother]

Well he persisted with playing Lopez out wide where he was woefully ineffective, rather than in the middle where he might have done some damage. Does that count?

Spanish Dave was one of my favourite players and it really pained me to see him shoved out on the right. We got maybe 20 minutes of him in the centre at home to Wigan(?) and even in that brief period you could see he'd been misused all year.

And yet from out wide SD single handedly beat far and away the best team in the division, Leicester.

In yet another really really boring game that had me wishing I didn't have a season ticket, vowing I'd never come back, wishing Oscar would leave so I could slag him off ... 5 months later.

It'll be tempting to go back to NSC that weekend and read up on all those people slagging Oscar off.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

And yet from out wide SD single handedly beat far and away the best team in the division, Leicester.

In yet another really really boring game that had me wishing I didn't have a season ticket, vowing I'd never come back, wishing Oscar would leave so I could slag him off ... 5 months later.

It'll be tempting to go back to NSC that weekend and read up on all those people slagging Oscar off.

Well you won't find any such posts from me. I've never slagged him off. The revisionist bit is the article suggesting the team was shit and he somehow worked wonders, with players filling in all over the place.