His first goal for the club was a stunning effort against Liverpool last season and he doubled his tally with another eye catching effort at Wolves last night.
The Spaniard, who has hardly had a kick at first team level this season, admits that it is not an accident that he is so adept at set pieces.
“I stay behind after training some days and work at free kicks alongside Carlos Tevez, Craig Bellamy and Robinho and it has paid off,” smiled the former winger turned left back.
“Last night Carlos wanted to take the kick but I asked him to let me have a try because in that moment I felt so confident I could score.
“Perhaps the goalkeeper was surprised and was expecting someone else to take the kick but the ball did exactly as I wanted it to and it was an important goal in an important game.
We have great players here who are better than me at free kicks so I had to take the chance when I felt it was right.
...Javier Garrido
Garrido admits that he has had some frustration at being on the sidelines in recent months but the 24-year-old has never given up hope of a recall to first team action despite the presence of both Wayne Bridge and Sylvinho.
Until he came on as a substitute against Sunderland on Boxing Day he had not kicked a ball in anger in the Premier League but he knew he would be ready if asked by new boss Roberto Mancini.
“I am someone who works hard every day in training so that I am ready when called,” he declared.
“This is an exciting moment for me. The new manager is giving everyone some minutes and it is a chance to show what I can do.
“Every player wants to play in every game but that is not always possible but you have to stay mentally and physically sharp and ready for opportunities.
“The win at Wolves was a big result for the club. It means we have won three games in succession following the defeat at Spurs and we are close to the top four places in the league.”
