' JAVI GUERRA '

Wednesday 19th November 2014

By Paul Abbandonato

Gareth Bale and Cardiff City's Javi Guerra ... why there was nothing to choose between Wales superstar and Bluebirds outcast

Guerra scored the same number of La Liga goals as Bale, so why do strike-shy Cardiff continue to overlook him?

Here’s your starter for ten.

Name the footballer who has scored against Real Madrid and Barcelona, netted as many goals in Spain’s La Liga as Gareth Bale last season, but isn’t regarded as good enough to make a Championship side over here?

The answer is simple, but probably puzzling nonetheless, to Cardiff City fans.

Javi Guerra arrived in the Welsh capital as a much-heralded Vincent Tan capture for the Bluebirds, the Spanish hit-man who was going to fire the goals to get Cardiff buzzing again this season following their Premier League relegation woes.

He cost precisely £8million less than Andreas Cornelius, but in his own way is just as big a Bluebirds disappointment - for whatever reason.

What is it with Cardiff signing strikers from abroad, only to then choose to give them next to no game time?

Cornelius has to rank as the worst value for money transfer deal in the club’s history. He was a youngster, with an unproven record, who we quickly came to realise wasn’t going to cut the mustard with Cardiff City.

We’ve seen even less of Guerra than Cornelius, so it’s a little unfair to judge him one way or the other.

I’ve seen two brief versions. There was the Javi Guerra who played 22 minutes as a substitute for Kenwyne Jones in the 3-1 victory over Huddersfield. He looked real quality that day... good passing, good link up play, excellent at holding up the ball.

Given his undoubted goal-getting ability, here was a top acquisition the Bluebirds could build their Premier League promotion hopes around, we thought.

Then there was the Guerra who was unceremoniously hauled off by caretaker boss Scott Young after just 37 minutes of the 3-0 Capital One Cup home defeat to Bournemouth, accused of “lacking pride” and having “no will” to play in the game.

Although, to be honest, Cardiff were so bad that night any one of the starting X1 could have been substituted.

That match took place on September 23. We haven’t seen sight or sound of Geurra since. You could forgive him for being somewhat mystified about why Tan bothered to give him a three-year contract in the first place.

Of course, the big difference between Guerra and Cornelius is that he came here with a proven track record. An impressive one at that, too.

The 15 goals Guerra struck in La Liga last season were as many as the tally managed by the world’s most expensive player.

The difference was that Gareth Bale’s goals came for a star-studded Real Madrid team who went on to conquer Europe and he, quite rightly, has been viewed as a roaring success.

Guerra’s were struck for a struggling Real Valladolid team who ended up being relegated, so in a way it’s an even more impressive feat.

And most of Guerra’s goals came against the better teams in Spain, too. Barcelona, Sevilla and Villareal, who each qualified for European football as top six sides.

There was a hat-trick in a 3-0 triumph over ninth-placed Celta Vigo, as well as strikes against Rayo Vallecano (12th) and Espanyol (14th).

In the previous season, when he wasn’t so prolific, Guerra still managed to score against Barcelona again and also Real Madrid

Prior to that, in two seasons played in the Secunda Division which is Spain’s version of the Championship, he smashed 49 League goals.

No wonder Tan reckoned he had pulled off a coup in persuading Guerra to come to Cardiff. He must have been rubbing his hands with glee at the prospect of how many goals the striker could net in the Championship.

Yes, there were other striking options. Kenwyne Jones, Federico Macheda, Adam Le Fondre, Nicky Maynard. But how many of those could boast the type of goal CV Guerra had to his name in recent seasons?

And then it went unfathomably wrong. Guerra was handed those hugely impressive 22 minutes as substitute for big Kenwyne against Huddersfield early on, before getting just two minutes of game time in the 1-0 win that followed over Wigan.

There were a further 17 minutes as a replacement for Anthony Pilkington in a 1-0 home loss to Middlesbrough, a League Cup outing against Port Vale and those 37 minutes in the next round against Bournemouth.

And, to date, that’s been it, Guerra seeming certain to be heading back abroad when the transfer window reopens in January.

Cardiff, in the meantime, have not scored in four successive away games. Are they possibly missing a trick here, some fans may wonder?

Anyone know slades email address to send this to???? Lol

The one trick Pony is missing a lot of tricks. He is slowly building for another 50 years in the championship, shipping quality and talent out on the first bus

The one trick Pony is missing a lot of tricks. He is slowly building for another 50 years in the championship, shipping quality and talent out on the first bus

Please say something positive for a change?

I cannot help feeling that Cardiff City are missing out on the talents of Guerra and others in the squad who Slade and Young are ignoring. We need goals and I think Javi Guerra, given a run of games, would provide those goals.
Come on Slade, see the light!!

The one trick Pony is missing a lot of tricks. He is slowly building for another 50 years in the championship, shipping quality and talent out on the first bus

Please say something positive for a change?

Its nice to see a manager in track suit! Shows character

The one trick Pony is missing a lot of tricks. He is slowly building for another 50 years in the championship, shipping quality and talent out on the first bus

Please say something positive for a change?

Personally, and sadly, I think our Scandinavian friend is right. The stage has well and truly been set for another fifty year struggle.

I just sense the recipe of self destruction,,,without any remorse!

I support all City players and I like and respect Le Fondre and believe he should play on Friday. However, how can Slade say he hasn't seen Guerra score, especially when playing alongside non first teem players, and yet continually select Le Fondre who has scored very few goal since joining us. Slade has made his mind up about Guerera , or has had it made up for him, and that is simply unfair.

The one trick Pony is missing a lot of tricks. He is slowly building for another 50 years in the championship, shipping quality and talent out on the first bus

Looks like your right mate.
Possibly getting rid of Ravel, Daehli & Javi & bring in a few league one workhorses!

When you hire a simple bread & butter manager, he will pick the bread & butter players, hence the reason cala, guerra & daehli are not getting a sniff.

When you hire a simple bread & butter manager, he will pick the bread & butter players, hence the reason cala, guerra & daehli are not getting a sniff.

And we will get bread & butter results.

When you hire a simple bread & butter manager, he will pick the bread & butter players, hence the reason cala, guerra & daehli are not getting a sniff.

And we will get bread & butter results.

Wednesday 19th November 2014

By Paul Abbandonato

Gareth Bale and Cardiff City's Javi Guerra ... why there was nothing to choose between Wales superstar and Bluebirds outcast

Guerra scored the same number of La Liga goals as Bale, so why do strike-shy Cardiff continue to overlook him?

Here’s your starter for ten.

Name the footballer who has scored against Real Madrid and Barcelona, netted as many goals in Spain’s La Liga as Gareth Bale last season, but isn’t regarded as good enough to make a Championship side over here?

The answer is simple, but probably puzzling nonetheless, to Cardiff City fans.

Javi Guerra arrived in the Welsh capital as a much-heralded Vincent Tan capture for the Bluebirds, the Spanish hit-man who was going to fire the goals to get Cardiff buzzing again this season following their Premier League relegation woes.

He cost precisely £8million less than Andreas Cornelius, but in his own way is just as big a Bluebirds disappointment - for whatever reason.

What is it with Cardiff signing strikers from abroad, only to then choose to give them next to no game time?

Cornelius has to rank as the worst value for money transfer deal in the club’s history. He was a youngster, with an unproven record, who we quickly came to realise wasn’t going to cut the mustard with Cardiff City.

We’ve seen even less of Guerra than Cornelius, so it’s a little unfair to judge him one way or the other.

I’ve seen two brief versions. There was the Javi Guerra who played 22 minutes as a substitute for Kenwyne Jones in the 3-1 victory over Huddersfield. He looked real quality that day... good passing, good link up play, excellent at holding up the ball.

Given his undoubted goal-getting ability, here was a top acquisition the Bluebirds could build their Premier League promotion hopes around, we thought.

Then there was the Guerra who was unceremoniously hauled off by caretaker boss Scott Young after just 37 minutes of the 3-0 Capital One Cup home defeat to Bournemouth, accused of “lacking pride” and having “no will” to play in the game.

Although, to be honest, Cardiff were so bad that night any one of the starting X1 could have been substituted.

That match took place on September 23. We haven’t seen sight or sound of Geurra since. You could forgive him for being somewhat mystified about why Tan bothered to give him a three-year contract in the first place.

Of course, the big difference between Guerra and Cornelius is that he came here with a proven track record. An impressive one at that, too.

The 15 goals Guerra struck in La Liga last season were as many as the tally managed by the world’s most expensive player.

The difference was that Gareth Bale’s goals came for a star-studded Real Madrid team who went on to conquer Europe and he, quite rightly, has been viewed as a roaring success.

Guerra’s were struck for a struggling Real Valladolid team who ended up being relegated, so in a way it’s an even more impressive feat.

And most of Guerra’s goals came against the better teams in Spain, too. Barcelona, Sevilla and Villareal, who each qualified for European football as top six sides.

There was a hat-trick in a 3-0 triumph over ninth-placed Celta Vigo, as well as strikes against Rayo Vallecano (12th) and Espanyol (14th).

In the previous season, when he wasn’t so prolific, Guerra still managed to score against Barcelona again and also Real Madrid

Prior to that, in two seasons played in the Secunda Division which is Spain’s version of the Championship, he smashed 49 League goals.

No wonder Tan reckoned he had pulled off a coup in persuading Guerra to come to Cardiff. He must have been rubbing his hands with glee at the prospect of how many goals the striker could net in the Championship.

Yes, there were other striking options. Kenwyne Jones, Federico Macheda, Adam Le Fondre, Nicky Maynard. But how many of those could boast the type of goal CV Guerra had to his name in recent seasons?

And then it went unfathomably wrong. Guerra was handed those hugely impressive 22 minutes as substitute for big Kenwyne against Huddersfield early on, before getting just two minutes of game time in the 1-0 win that followed over Wigan.

There were a further 17 minutes as a replacement for Anthony Pilkington in a 1-0 home loss to Middlesbrough, a League Cup outing against Port Vale and those 37 minutes in the next round against Bournemouth.

And, to date, that’s been it, Guerra seeming certain to be heading back abroad when the transfer window reopens in January.

Cardiff, in the meantime, have not scored in four successive away games. Are they possibly missing a trick here, some fans may wonder?

Excellent post ....
Totally mirrors what I hear many City fans talking about in the pubs and clubs, and on the buses to away games.
What do you reckon Wayne Rooney's performances would be like if HE was ignored by the first team and put in Man Utd's development side ?
Do you honestly think he'd show any interest whatsoever ?
As regards the Bournemouth game, I was there and to this day I am still totally mystified why Javi Guerra and Kim Bo Kyung were taken off by Scott Young after 30 odd minutes when our defence, led by an aging, unfit, and almost embarrassing Danny Gabbidon had already conceded three goals, and if not for the post and David Marshall would have conceded FIVE by half time in what was the biggest and most complete shambles of a first half I have ever witnessed during my time watching Cardiff City.