Liverpool FC Forum

[112-1077774096]

I got to thinking a few days ago about our forwards and I realised we dont have a legend up front anymore.

look at our history, we had Hunt, then onto Keegan, then Dalglish, then Rush, then fowler, then Owen, then....................................

we dont have anyone up front that I am confident will do something and win us the game, where is our legend. Its like someone is missing form the team. Does anyone else have this feeling?

None of the above players were world class when they arrived with us, in fact some came from the youth team, Keegan and Rush from the lower divisions but they all made an imediate impact and started scoring goals.

Do we have one of those players at the moment? I dont think we do. you could argu that nando is world class but when is he going to show us that?

we dont have a forward anymore that other teams want, all the players above could have alked into any team and ben a star but the ones we have now would struggle

were is our next legend coming from?

[bigmick]

you could argu that nando is world class

Not while keeping a straight face you couldn't.

[JBG]

A thing that annoys me is that in the past 10 years or so, all of our main rivals have had a foreign talisman playing in the hole, inspiring the team and sometimes pushing average to good sides into the realm of excellence.

Man UTD were a middling side until they found Contona. He had a huge impact there.

Chelsea had Zola.

Arsenal had/have Bergkamp.

All three of these players started their careers spectacularly, before hitting a speed bump. Bergkamp was a brilliant prospect before things started going wrong for him at Inter Milan. Once he settled in at Arsenal - especially after Wenger arrived - he produced the best football of his career.

Contona made a big name for himself in France before he went dramatically downhill. He resurrected his career at Leeds, but it was at Man UTD that it all came together for him.

Zola had a wonderful career in Italy before he came to England. People forget that. However, he stagnated at Parma, but had an Indian summer at Chelsea.

We haven't been so lucky. Evans thought Karl Heinz Reidle would be our man, but he was more of an old fashioned target man rather than a genius like Zola, Bergkamp and Contona.

We all thought Jari Litmannen would be our man. He certainly was in the Bergkamp/Zola category, but a combination of his own waning powers and Gerard Houllier not really trusting him meant it all ended in tears.

I think Rafa and Rick Parry identified Morientes as our Contona, but it hasn't worked out, which is strange. Morientes was famed for having the "big game mentality" in Europe, and there were countless matches throughout his career where he was the difference between two equal teams. What is more, for a continental player, he had a reputation as being beefy and strong in the air, which surely would have equipped him for the English game.

Morientes (so far) complete lack of success is puzzling.

A guy like a Zola or a Contona would perform wonders for this Liverpool team. Can anyone think of a guy out there, in the 27-30 age category, a world star down on his luck or stagnating in a foreign league that we could snatch for about £10million that could radically change our fortunes? This time last year many of us would have said Morientes, but look what has happened.

The one guy that comes instantly to mind is Del Piero.

[JBG]

I got to thinking a few days ago about our forwards and I realised we dont have a legend up front anymore.

look at our history, we had Hunt, then onto Keegan, then Dalglish, then Rush, then fowler, then Owen, then....................................

we dont have anyone up front that I am confident will do something and win us the game, where is our legend. Its like someone is missing form the team. Does anyone else have this feeling?

None of the above players were world class when they arrived with us, in fact some came from the youth team, Keegan and Rush from the lower divisions but they all made an imediate impact and started scoring goals.

Do we have one of those players at the moment? I dont think we do. you could argu that nando is world class but when is he going to show us that?

we dont have a forward anymore that other teams want, all the players above could have alked into any team and ben a star but the ones we have now would struggle

were is our next legend coming from?

Just going back to Peewee's initial point, we have always had brilliant forward players. This is the first time in living memory that we've haven't had one forward that was the envy of the rest of the league.

[LFC #1]

Can anyone think of a guy out there, in the 27-30 age category, a world star down on his luck or stagnating in a foreign league that we could snatch for about £10million that could radically change our fortunes? This time last year many of us would have said Morientes, but look what has happened.

The one guy that comes instantly to mind is Del Piero.

funnily enough Del Piero sprung to my mind also. He is actaully playing very well for Juve at the minute, and I can't see him leaving Italy at this stage of his career, especially when he is at one of the best clubs in Europe.

Not many others I can think of, perhaps Totti, but I doubt he'd leave either ,and well, he wouldn't cost close to 10 millin, probably 20.

We were linked with Raul, he's another one you might look at, but again unlikely to leave Madrid.

[112-1077774096]

I got to thinking a few days ago about our forwards and I realised we dont have a legend up front anymore.

look at our history, we had Hunt, then onto Keegan, then Dalglish, then Rush, then fowler, then Owen, then....................................

we dont have anyone up front that I am confident will do something and win us the game, where is our legend. Its like someone is missing form the team. Does anyone else have this feeling?

None of the above players were world class when they arrived with us, in fact some came from the youth team, Keegan and Rush from the lower divisions but they all made an imediate impact and started scoring goals.

Do we have one of those players at the moment? I dont think we do. you could argu that nando is world class but when is he going to show us that?

we dont have a forward anymore that other teams want, all the players above could have alked into any team and ben a star but the ones we have now would struggle

were is our next legend coming from?

Just going back to Peewee's initial point, we have always had brilliant forward players. This is the first time in living memory that we've haven't had one forward that was the envy of the rest of the league.

yeah, this is the point i was getting at jbg. it goes back to over 40 years ago and i have only named 6 players and they have actually spanned that period (there may be a slight space between hunt and keegan).

its that special forward that we need

[bigmick]

The other night I (very unusually for me) watched a Spanish game on telly. It's not difficult to see why the players who ply their trade in La Liga have trouble adapting here, the game is completely different. Anyhow I digress, the game I watched was Real Madrid versus Valencia. There were many top players on view but the one guy who stood out for vision and quality for me was Aimar. He played one reverse ball through to the striker in the second half which for it's perception and subtelty was the best pass I've seen all season..
If, and it's unlikely in my personal opinion, Aimar could handle the rough and tumble of the Prem then he is your man.

[66-1112520797]

I got to thinking a few days ago about our forwards and I realised we dont have a legend up front anymore.

look at our history, we had Hunt, then onto Keegan, then Dalglish, then Rush, then fowler, then Owen, then....................................

we dont have anyone up front that I am confident will do something and win us the game, where is our legend. Its like someone is missing form the team. Does anyone else have this feeling?

None of the above players were world class when they arrived with us, in fact some came from the youth team, Keegan and Rush from the lower divisions but they all made an imediate impact and started scoring goals.

Do we have one of those players at the moment? I dont think we do. you could argu that nando is world class but when is he going to show us that?

we dont have a forward anymore that other teams want, all the players above could have alked into any team and ben a star but the ones we have now would struggle

were is our next legend coming from?

Like you say Peewee our legends have either come from lower division clubs or the youth academy.
Our next star in the making is the young lad Callister by all accounts , but he probably wont be playing regular first team football for a while if he can cut it.

This situation , finding a striker who will be our next legend is something Liverpool FC havent had to do to often.

[*XABIALONSO*]

If he gets chances cisse will be a legend

[76-1115222408]

Can anyone think of a guy out there, in the 27-30 age category, a world star down on his luck or stagnating in a foreign league that we could snatch for about £10million that could radically change our fortunes? This time last year many of us would have said Morientes, but look what has happened.

As you got to here in your post, I also thought of Del Piero. EDIT - AS DID LFC#1 (after reading rest of posts after my post!)
He has been playing mainly from the bench this season (and this seems to have given him a kick up the jacksy) and he is beginning to come back into form.
A great, great player and will probably go on until he is at least 35 or later (considering the Italian diet) as did/have/do Zola, Baggio and Maldini to name but a few.

The one thing that makes me think it would be hard to get Alessandro, is the fact that he is a 'mummys boy'. This is both good and bad.
Good - He doesnt swan around town like the 'Big Man' and is quite an insular person, who is VERY family orientated.
BAD  - As he is a 'mummys boy' it is very unlikely that he would leave Italy (IMO) due to this, but also may have the problem of him not fully immersing himself into the team and becoming part of the squad and 'one of he lads'.

If it was down to ability alone, then he would be perfect for us, he can play as a out and out striker, in the hole or out wide (preferably left, so he can cut in!).

As for other players in such a position, I cant really think of one, though I reckon Steed Melbranque could do a good job for us in that position, he is very creative and has good vision, and is strong and adpated to the Prem already.

As for a legendary striker, I think we may have one is Cisse, well a better word would probably be cult hero, as he definetly hasnt done any legendary goalscoring.
I still believe if we had kept one Nicolas Anelka, that he had the ability to become a legend for us. A scorer of ALL TYPES OF GOALS and not too shabby in the assist department either.

We could still get him, as I believe he went to Turkey, allowing himself the oppurtunity to get back into a big club via Turkey. Ie; he knows the Turkish teams wont really knock him if a 'big' team comes in, also he is probably thinking that he could also leave Turkey relatively cheap, seen as there is not a on of money in the Turkish game at the moment, especially outside Istanbul.

[66-1112520797]

A great, great player and will probably go on until he is at least 35 or later (considering the Italian diet) as did/have/do Zola, Baggio and Maldini to name but a few.

The reason they go on way into there mid 30's has nothing to do with duracell, But its the fact that the Italians have spent most of there careers walking through the game.

[76-1115222408]

PS As Bigmick points out (and dont know how I forgot him) Aimar, is of course another possibility.
But then, that is not staying on point with the thread, so I think Anelka can be that 'Legend' that we so badly require!

[Mikz]

Id quit looking at foreigners completely, there comes a time like-if we cant attract or afford the very best abroad then keep it british. English Scottish and plenty of IRISH -When we look at peewees list there- hunt keegan dalglish etc theyre all british. Robbie Keane for Legend!!

[primodua]

[quote]Morientes (so far) complete lack of success is puzzling.

Isn't it ironic to see players like of Veron or Forlan performing better than their previous clubs?
I think foreign players should be given ample time to adjust with the premiership style of play. Outstanding players like both veron and forlan, were ineffective because they weren't given ample time to adapt the premiership style of play. But now forlan is one of the most intimidating strikers in the Primera Liga.
So how much time exactly players like morientes, cisse actually played on the field?. Both suffered lengthy injury last season. I would like to give em more time to prove us that they're worth wearing the red shirt. I have seen morientes played with both real and monaco and he was magical. Same goes to Cisse. He was without question the best striker in the French Ligue. Come on guys, these two fellas are among the best gunners in the world. Give em more time!!
You could see how desperate and how hungry morientes and cisse were in tonight's game.

[Alonso14]

Thinking about JBG comments, could that man be Luis Garcia for us. I mean he has the crativity that Bergkamp has. And likes to sit deep when he gets the chance to play up front, and ofcourse his a little lad like Zola, that always helps.   

Although I do still think Morientes has what it takes, maybe he wont be a 30 or even 20 goal a season man, but I can see many assists and flicks that lead to goals in him. I just hope he gets a run in the team.