When Kansas City Wizards head coach Bob Gansler discussed the plan to use a 3-5-2 formation previous to his team's tilt with defending MLS champion D.C. United, he hoped for an increase in concentration and responsibility from his players.
Gansler clearly felt he had just the man to marshal the Wizards defense from the sweeper position -- Nick Garcia.
An accomplished five-year MLS veteran at the youthful age of 26, the Wizards defender has rarely been seen as the No. 1 leader of the Kansas City back line. But it isn't like the Plano, Texas, native has never been the last line of defense before.
"At [Indiana University] he came in as a freshman, and he was their sweeper. He was the guy who was in charge of barking out orders. He hasn't had to do it here all that often because of veteran people he was surrounded by," said Gansler, referring to Peter Vermes, who headed the defensive corps in 2000 and 2001, and current center back Jimmy Conrad, who arrived in 2003.
"I played sweeper in college, so it was just getting back to the basics and switching and the intricacies of doing that. I think it helped the team overall," said Garcia of his adjustment and his side's 1-0 victory at United's RFK Stadium. "Thank God that Sasha [Victorine] scored for us, and everything worked out. Bo [Oshoniyi] came up with some good saves.
"[Playing sweeper] gives me more freedom back there to do stuff and organize and have the team in front of me to put out the fires. That's what I did. It wasn't any more spectacular than Sasha's goal or somebody else's important plays. It just happens to be that I'm the last guy and happen to be closer to the goal."
Said liberty is somewhat contradictory in nature though, because a sweeper has many responsibilities, but Garcia was able to be his own man and do things how he saw fit as the Wizards gained the away shutout in a place where wins are difficult to come by. And some fine one-on-one plays highlighted Garcia's considerable abilities.
"Nick was superb. He had two tackles in the first half that we're applauding him on in any league. They were tackles, and they were good defensive plays. He not only won [the ball], but he started us going the other way," said Gansler.
A 38th-minute slide tackle in his own box executed against a solo penetrating run by D.C. midfielder Dema Kovalenko was sublime for both its delicateness and power.
"I think it's the toughest thing you can do," Garcia said. "If you touch them at all, the referee has the discretion to call a PK. It's just one of those things where you're playing that fine line and you're hoping for the best."
Gansler, who made Garcia the seconnd overall pick in the 2000 MLS SuperDraft, has seen him mature over the years, including this season.
"Nick has had a better season this year so far than he had last year mainly because there has been a little bit more consistency and he's really serious about responsibility. That's good to see," Gansler said.
With Garcia growing more imposing in this role and the Wizards defense looking up to the task every night, MLS opponents may have to get used to seeing more zeros on their side of the scoreboard.
Robert Rusert is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
