Oscar Garcia - Is he what we hoped he would be?

[Bold Seagull]

The only change I would have made to the starting XI on Saturday would have been March in for Andrews with a midfield of Ince, JFC and Lopez, with March and Lingard either side. I'll concede though that would have left us very exposed on the counter attack, but perhaps it is that kind of risk Oscar needs to start taking.

That said, if it wasn't for the red card we were reasonably comfortable and who knows how the game might have panned out if not for that decision that was entirely outside the control of our manager.

 

[Deadly Danson]

I am getting a bit fed up, 3 wingers on the bench at home was f***ing madness

And you know for a fact that all 3 were fully fit and available to play the full 90?

 

[Simster]

I'm not convinced by any means, but we could certainly have done a lot worse. I'm likely to be far more vocal in my opinions of the guy (pro or anti) after he's had a pre-season with which to build his own squad of players.

 

[n1 gull]

And you know for a fact that all 3 were fully fit and available to play the full 90?

I don't understand your point?

 

[Hotchilidog]

The OP lost me almost straight away. Underachieving? are you serious. Given that OG's hands have pretty much been tied behind hack since he got here and i say he is doing just fine. Whilst chance have been few and far between in the last two league games, they have been in plentiful supply before that, we just didn't convert enough.

OG consistently makes attacking substitutions unlike certain other managers I could name.

This season was alway going to be tough given the disruption of the summer, add to that the serious injury list we have had and the difficulty in strengthening the squad due to FFP restrictions.

Are we going to get these threads after every non-stellar performance? Will we conveniently forget the good performances and attach less weight to their importance?

I am quite happy with how we are doing under Oscar and I expect us to be a lot better next season. We may not get promotion, or even the playoffs, this year, but that is hardly the end of the world. We can go into the summer with a more settled environment both in term of finances and club personnel. I think this will give use better launch pad for success whichever division we are in.

 

[Deadly Danson]

I don't understand your point?

I guess the question is - if all 3 had been fully fit would OG have started one of them? He may have felt it a risk given their injury record to start them. Given that none of the 3 are able to play a full 90 (although I'm not sure if Solly is 100% yet?) was OG better to keep it tight and then unleash one or two of them as defenders were tiring in the second half? Incidentally, if that was the plan then it was working perfectly until GG got sent off. I can't deny that I was disappointed none of them started but unless we know the reasons for it it's difficult to comment fully.

 

[Tubby-McFat-Fuc]

And you know for a fact that all 3 were fully fit and available to play the full 90?

You are sounding very boring, repeating this rubbish over and over again. Is that all you have. We get it, you want someone to tell you for a fact they were not fit. It's not going to happen on here so give it a rest and change the record.

Do you know for a fact that they were not fit to start?

If so, why are they on the bench?

Why put three wingers on the bench that cannot play?

Their injuries are muscle problems, mainly with the hamstrings I think. They are not the type of injuries that will wear down during a game. If their muscles go, they will go. If they were not fit to start, then they were not fit to come on for 10/20/30 minutes, so why have them on the bench?

 

[Deadly Danson]

You are sounding very boring, repeating this rubbish over and over again. Is that all you have. We get it, you want someone to tell you for a fact they were not fit. It's not going to happen on here so give it a rest and change the record.

Do you know for a fact that they were not fit to start?

If so, why are they on the bench?

Why put three wingers on the bench that cannot play?

Their injuries are muscle problems, mainly with the hamstrings I think. They are not the type of injuries that will wear down during a game. If their muscles go, they will go. If they were not fit to start, then they were not fit to come on for 10/20/30 minutes, so why have them on the bench?

Cheers for the insult. The injury aspect is extremely relevant to the team and formation OG selects.

 

[Grombleton]

You are sounding very boring, repeating this rubbish over and over again. Is that all you have. We get it, you want someone to tell you for a fact they were not fit. It's not going to happen on here so give it a rest and change the record.

Do you know for a fact that they were not fit to start?

If so, why are they on the bench?

Why put three wingers on the bench that cannot play?

Their injuries are muscle problems, mainly with the hamstrings I think. They are not the type of injuries that will wear down during a game. If their muscles go, they will go. If they were not fit to start, then they were not fit to come on for 10/20/30 minutes, so why have them on the bench?

There's a difference between being 'fit' in the sense that you have no injuries and being 'match fit', which i think is what they were getting at. As all three have had injuries they've not had a sustained run in the team so need an initial 20-30 mins to warm them into it, which will extend as the days/weeks go on.

 

[ruthers]

I do feel Oscar prefers to keep his powder dry by keeping attacking options available to him on the bench. If we start with an all out attack we'd have no options should we find ourselves, say, 0-2 down. His style appears to be soak up pressure, keep it tight, maybe scrape a goal and see where we are after 60 minutes for the crucial substitutions.
Without the sending off I think we'd have gone on to win the game once he brought on Buckley, Lua Lua & perhaps Obika (to rest Ulloa) and stretch Reading who'd have been chasing the game. He did pretty much this against Leeds recently.

With a bit of luck he might go for width against QPR who I think have a weak link in Ekotto. Need to put Ince on Barton to nullify that big girls blouse.

 

[Tubby-McFat-Fuc]

Cheers for the insult. The injury aspect is extremely relevant to the team and formation OG selects.

I think you deserved it mate, because that's all you are saying over and over again.

Okay, turn it around. Prove they are not fit to play 90 minutes.

Prove for a fact they could not play from the start, and if so how long could they play?

Otherwise, everyone has read your point many times, and fully get it. Just be nice as you keep repeating it, for you to back it up. Otherwise, stop asking people to prove the opposite, when you cannot even prove your fact.

 

[Goldstone1976]

I do feel Oscar prefers to keep his powder dry by keeping attacking options available to him on the bench. If we start with an all out attack we'd have no options should we find ourselves, say, 0-2 down. His style appears to be soak up pressure, keep it tight, maybe scrape a goal and see where we are after 60 minutes for the crucial substitutions.

Yes, I'd agree with that.

My point is that this is not being "obsessed" with attacking football, is it? I do like much (nearly all) of what Oscar does. However, I would respect him more if he either put teams out that showed an obsession with attack or alternatively simply said in an interview "You know what? I've played 30 games in the Championship and have decided that the best way to get results is if we played somewhat differently tactically". All the time he leaves the statement out there that he is obsessed with attacking football and then doesn't pick a corresponding team I will worry.

 

[Tubby-McFat-Fuc]

There's a difference between being 'fit' in the sense that you have no injuries and being 'match fit', which i think is what they were getting at. As all three have had injuries they've not had a sustained run in the team so need an initial 20-30 mins to warm them into it, which will extend as the days/weeks go on.

THats all cliche mate. Hoskins, CMS I agree with, not this three. They are impact players. Their injuries are not the type that will wear during the game. If there hamstrings are going to go, they are going to go, whether it be in the first or 91st minute.

If they are fit to sit on the bench with that type of injury, they are fit to start. I fully believe that any off those three could have started had Oscar choose to, so why not? Why have three wingers on the bench. Or was their injuries so bad, he was expecting to put Buckley after an hour, and then sub him again?

In fact it makes even less sense having them on the bench then starting them. At least if the injuries do reaccure when they start, we can sub them. Chasing the game and there injuries come back, we are another man down.

I firmly believe they were on the bench as thats where Oscar wanted them. If there were all 100% fit (and we don't know that they are not), I still think none of them would have started.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

I would also add that OG has had nowhere near the backing Poyet had in the transfer market and I also have it, on pretty good authority, that (I suppose I should add allegedly) he's not overly amused by this and was less than impressed when Barber stated he had a slightly bigger budget to play with. That's not a criticism of the board by the way - it is what it is but again if you add a crippling injury list to a potentially weaker playing budget then he's doing perfectly fine.

I haven't yet finished reading the whole thread so this might have already been said, the club said OG has a bigger budget than GP so how is that not getting the same backing ?

 

[Icy Gull]

I haven't read the whole thread but Oscar needs to be given until the end of next season to form a sensible thought out decision...imo.

 

[Grombleton]

Can anyone find where it says he is 'obsessed' with attacking football?

Genuine question, as i've seen it banded about a lot but not read/heard it explicitly.

 

[Grombleton]

THats all cliche mate. Hoskins, CMS I agree with, not this three. They are impact players. Their injuries are not the type that will wear during the game. If there hamstrings are going to go, they are going to go, whether it be in the first or 91st minute.

If they are fit to sit on the bench with that type of injury, they are fit to start. I fully believe that any off those three could have started had Oscar choose to, so why not? Why have three wingers on the bench. Or was their injuries so bad, he was expecting to put Buckley after an hour, and then sub him again?

In fact it makes even less sense having them on the bench then starting them. At least if the injuries do reaccure when they start, we can sub them. Chasing the game and there injuries come back, we are another man down.

I firmly believe they were on the bench as thats where Oscar wanted them. If there were all 100% fit (and we don't know that they are not), I still think none of them would have started.

I think you've missed what I was getting at: If a player has missed even a couple of weeks through an injury, it can be a while before they've regained the stamina and strength to last 90 minutes in a competitive fixture. Of course, it won't take as long as people like CMS or Hoskins as they've had longer out. They can be fit in the 'i don't have the injury that kept me out' sense, but just not 'fit' in the 'i can play 90mins with no ill effects' sense.

 

[Kevlar]

our attack is clearly misfiring but to be fair for a season and a half in championship under Gus
it wasn't much better.
I do think Oscar has not shown enough imagination to try and turn around along
series of very poor attacking displays so few goals so few shots on target.
Where I completely disagree with the poster is regarding the quality of the squad.
I have seen no evidence that I have been watching a team whose players
are superior to the opposition just been let down by the style we play.
Orlandi and Buckley have shown potential and injuries have been frustrating( I am
not convinced Buckley will ever be as quick again) but even these two have not
scored or assisted enough over their brighton careers.Spanish Dave and Lua Lua
have been even less effective.Other than Leonardo only Barnes regularly
chipped in with goals.
As to our midfield they have kept the ball well and protected the back four well
with Ince we have barely missed bridcutt but going forward they again not contributing
goals and assists ( except the injured crofts)
On Saturday we could not find a trusted midfielder for the bench
hardly one of the strongest squads in the league.
Oscar's achievement is that we are still in the hunt for the playoffs
despite a very ineffective attack.I like others occasionally disagree
with team selection but none of our wide attacking players or our
attacking midfielders are playing well enough to deserve a place
in the team that is why Lopez and JFC are still being picked
the alternatives just have not delivered on the pitch when they
are fit enough to play ( which is not often)
The miracle is despite having such a distinct lack of quality in the final
third we are still in the hunt for the play offs largely thanks
to our STYLE of play keeping possession and protecting a well
organised defence.
It was the same under Gus .
Brighton rising to our best position in the leagues for decades
on the back of a very sound defensive record.
If you think we have one of the best group of attacking players
in the league it is time to remove those rosy colored fan specs
we haven't
BUT if young Jesse can blend in and Orlandi and Buckley
find some form and fitness then we still can make the play offs
because of the style we have played
DESPITE the lack of quality of the attacking players available for
selection this year

 

[Tubby-McFat-Fuc]

I haven't read the whole thread but Oscar needs to be given until the end of next season to form a sensible thought out decision...imo.

Disagree. I don't think he anywhere near that long. THe problem isn't the results. The problem is the boring negative football. I think people could put up with it if there was entertainment, but it just so boring, I really fear for the season ticket sales next season. Out of my group of 5, 2 are definitely not renewing. I have spoke to a number of others who say they will not renew and a lot are saying they are seriously considering it.

If we have another drab season next year, then the club could be in serious problems with season ticket uptake. I feel this is an issue that the club and manager need to address sooner rather than later.

When Oscar first got he, he said he prefers an attacking style. Doesn't like drawing, he would rather go for it and win games.

IMO he needs to start delivering or at least attempting this. Otherwise within a few games he's likely to have a problem with the crowd turning on him.

 

[Goldstone1976]

Can anyone find where it says he is 'obsessed' with attacking football?

Genuine question, as i've seen it banded about a lot but not read/heard it explicitly.

“My obsession is to attack, to attack the opposition, to keep the ball and to have the ball as many times as possible. If we have the ball we will have many chances to score and win the game. That’s my philosophy. If you play good football you will have more chances to win than if you play bad.”

http://www.seagulls.co.uk/news/article/oscar-impressed-by-albion-883784.aspx

First ever interview for the website, 28 June.