Liverpool FC Forum

by **El Nino_#9** » Thu Aug 04, 2005 12:14 pm

For all our options on the left now, despite Riise's ever present determination, and two experienced nancy's in Kewell and Zenden, I can really only see one lad making the spot his own.........

Mark Gonzalez has been talked up by the liverpool staff and me as well almost as much as the French Gems were (le tallec and sinama). Reports are that Rafa refused to wait until next summer (apparantly that's when he really wanted to sign him) through fear of the lad moving over to one of Europes big guns before hand. He still could of course, and he could just as easily prove as frustratingly average as Le Tallec, but if he proves his talent after getting back to full fitness and makes himself a regular figure for the European Champions, I'd hope Rafa would then be able to make the lad put pen to paper..

As for the two nancy's..

Zenden has a good season as a central attacking midfielder after years of mediocrity on the wing for Barca and Chelsea. So Rafa snaps him up on a free, a good piece of business for an international who's just won player of the year at his club. Yet he sticks him on the wing again, although i can't blame him (his got to compete with gerrard, alonso, sissoko and hamman!) and throughout pre-season he just proves how average zenden is on the wing!

Kewell's a fantastic player (or at least he was! , but despite his injury problems I don't always think the desire or determination that seperates the best from the nearly men is always there.

The problem we have now with 'arry is that he's missed yet another preseason, so he will always be playing catch up throughtout the season, and you can bet yer bottom dollar that instead of getting his head down and getting fully fit, he'll spout off inconsistancies all season to the press and anyone who'll listen, that he's-
-Fitter than he's ever felt, only to pick up a niggling injury and then Mandic will blame the manager for rushing him back to soon.
-When he does come back and he's playing as average as he has for the past 18 months he'll blame it on not being fit enough but playing against the pain barrier for the teams sake.
Be prepared for Harry's make or break season, and probably another 12 months of spin, only this time there'll be a young lad (gonzalez) snapping at his heals ready to take his place and send Kewell into football mediocrity.. i cannot wait till this lad gets fit!

This lad is the most exciting purchase we have aquired under rafa, except for alonso that is IMO. what do you lads think?

by **tubby** » Thu Aug 04, 2005 12:22 pm

I dont think anyone can really say anything until we have actually seen him play which wont be till Octoberish. So i suggest save the threads for then otherwise you will allstart talking and talking him up and imagining him being a world beater, which he could be. The point im making is just wait till we see the lad first.

by **109-1093441336** » Thu Aug 04, 2005 4:13 pm

I watch more Spanish football than English (sitting through Betis v Sevilla is enjoyable in comparison to Blackburn v Everton, for ex) and i can say to those who dont watch la Liga that Gonzalez is more similar to Reyes at Arsenal. He's very skillfull although a little slight, (he is only 20 y.o. though) maybe not quite as quick as Reyes but he offers the same feints, which will entertain us no doubt. His dribbling style is similar (hunch back, head down, kicks the ball 10 yards and races) but also like reyes can disappear in a game, if the established players of the team lose thier way. Overall he is a mile better than judo arm and quicker than kewell although not as technical YET.

by **Fernando Morientes > 19 <** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 12:15 pm

If he is rated so highly by Rafa then i think he will be a good addition to the squad.

Before their arrivals, who knew about Alonso and Garcia, although the former Barcelona star took more time to adapt.

by **El Nino_#9** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 12:28 pm

Fernando Morientes > 19 < wrote:If he is rated so highly by Rafa then i think he will be a good addition to the squad.

Before their arrivals, who knew about Alonso and Garcia, although the former Barcelona star took more time to adapt.

i knew about alonso. :nod

by **Matt D** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 1:23 pm

not as technical as who.............Harry Kewell, dont make me giggle, biscan was more technically gifted than Kewell.

by **66-1112520797** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 1:38 pm

Core blimey is she alright Matt D,

by **El Nino_#9** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 1:52 pm

she looks like zara from hollyoaks!

by **stoney** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 3:39 pm

Speedy Gonzales iz quiker than reyes (well he should be if he aint lost any of his pace from the injury) and he will trun out to b a class playa 4 us as he can beat a man wit his pace an has got a great left strike on him. Hes like Giggs bt will be better

by **Paul C** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 4:07 pm

Rafael Benitez has expressed his surprise and disappointment at the decision by the Department of Education and Employment to deny Liverpool a work permit for Chile winger Mark Gonzalez.
The Reds attended a hearing in London on Thursday to argue their case for granting Gonzalez a permit but were shocked when a panel of judges refused them.

The ruling clearly upset Benitez who argued that Gonzalez is not only the best player in Chile but was also one of the most exciting players in Spain last season.

"He's a player we have scouted for over six months," Benitez told liverpoolfc.tv. "I can tell the Liverpool fans who don't know too much about him that he's a player with lots and lots of ability. He's very fast, he's good in the air, he's good at crosses and he can score goals. In fact, he's the best player in Chile. We have had reports on the player from our own scouts, professional players, former players and other managers and they all say the same - that he is a very good player for now and even better for the future. We haven't been awarded a work permit though and I was very surprised to say the least.

"We must now wait because one of the problems is that his national team are not ranked in FIFA's Top 70 [they are currently 72nd]. If they win a couple of games, maybe they will move up the FIFA rankings and things may change.

"[Mark] Gonzalez is already a player who will shine in the Premiership but very soon he could be one of the most exciting players in England. Liverpool supporters love to see players who can lift them out of their seats and Gonzalez is exactly that sort of player. You saw the reaction when Djibril Cisse came on against Kaunas on Wednesday. The fans were jumping up and cheering when Cisse raced down the wing. With Gonzalez, the fans would be out of their seats the whole time because he can play like Cisse but on the wing."

Benitez had agreed a loan deal for the Chile international from Spanish side Albacete earlier in the summer with a view to a permanent move but now the Kop must wait to see the player who was expected to complete his recovery from a cruciate ligament injury in late September.

For Benitez, Gonzalez and Liverpool supporters, Chile's next match away to Brazil in September has taken on extra significance.

by **stoney** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 4:12 pm

You shoudn't really get 2 worried by dat as dese days no 1 iz eva getting a work permit from 1st time of asking

. usually if u just appeal den da permit should come thru in da end.

by **stapo1000** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 4:24 pm

i know absolutely nothing about gonzalez. what i heard from a friend was that other than electrifying pace, he's not got any of the qualities needed to be a good winger

by **stmichael** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 4:36 pm

Paul C wrote:Rafael Benitez has expressed his surprise and disappointment at the decision by the Department of Education and Employment to deny Liverpool a work permit for Chile winger Mark Gonzalez.
The Reds attended a hearing in London on Thursday to argue their case for granting Gonzalez a permit but were shocked when a panel of judges refused them.

The ruling clearly upset Benitez who argued that Gonzalez is not only the best player in Chile but was also one of the most exciting players in Spain last season.

"He's a player we have scouted for over six months," Benitez told liverpoolfc.tv. "I can tell the Liverpool fans who don't know too much about him that he's a player with lots and lots of ability. He's very fast, he's good in the air, he's good at crosses and he can score goals. In fact, he's the best player in Chile. We have had reports on the player from our own scouts, professional players, former players and other managers and they all say the same - that he is a very good player for now and even better for the future. We haven't been awarded a work permit though and I was very surprised to say the least.

"We must now wait because one of the problems is that his national team are not ranked in FIFA's Top 70 [they are currently 72nd]. If they win a couple of games, maybe they will move up the FIFA rankings and things may change.

"[Mark] Gonzalez is already a player who will shine in the Premiership but very soon he could be one of the most exciting players in England. Liverpool supporters love to see players who can lift them out of their seats and Gonzalez is exactly that sort of player. You saw the reaction when Djibril Cisse came on against Kaunas on Wednesday. The fans were jumping up and cheering when Cisse raced down the wing. With Gonzalez, the fans would be out of their seats the whole time because he can play like Cisse but on the wing."

Benitez had agreed a loan deal for the Chile international from Spanish side Albacete earlier in the summer with a view to a permanent move but now the Kop must wait to see the player who was expected to complete his recovery from a cruciate ligament injury in late September.

For Benitez, Gonzalez and Liverpool supporters, Chile's next match away to Brazil in September has taken on extra significance.

don't worry, he'll get one on appeal.

the same happened with baros.

by **109-1093441336** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 6:14 pm

Matt D wrote:not as technical as who.............Harry Kewell, dont make me giggle, biscan was more technically gifted than Kewell.

Here is something, what boots does Gonzalez wear?

if you can answer that i'll respect your comparison that Gonzalez is technically astute than kewell, it'll show that you have actually seen gonzalez play before. If you can't you have no opinion on the merits between kewell and Gonzalez.

by **andy_g** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 9:11 pm

apparently the appeal has already been turned down and the news is that we may have to make a renewed bid in january.

january!! - it was already feeling like too long that we'd have wait until october and him getting over his injury. there's a lot of us who are very much looking forward to seeing this fella play. i hope this nonsense doesn't make the whole deal collapse and he goes back to spain.

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