Liverpool FC Forum

by **ry_math** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 4:28 pm

i think he is a good player, but i wouldn't start him agains manure i would fetch him on in the secong half for the fresh legs!

by **REDTILLDEAD** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 4:34 pm

Its cisse for me, pongy is the type of player i would have on my subs bench...handy to bring on to "shake things up" but not an automatic starter. :no

by **Leonmc0708** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 5:52 pm

stmichael wrote:I'm not basing this on last night's game alone. I think the guy is absolutely top drawer. I've advocated playing him on the right for some time now but surely he can't get dropped after last yesterdays performance. First half especially, I thought he was absolutly top drawer. The control and finish for the goal was superb. I've always said that he probably has the best first touch of anybody at the club.

Hardly surprising either that Garcia is pushed more central and all of a sudden he has more of an impact on the game. Add this to the good display from Crouch and things are looking positive going into the manure game on Sunday.

Sinama Pongolle has to start against manure imo. However judging by Rafa's team selection yesterday nothing is guaranteed.

What do you reckon?

by **DrTNT** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 6:01 pm

Have to agree with every thing you have said St Mic. Pongolle has looked promising for a while as there was signs of his quality in the Carling Cup matches last year. He looks to be the best player we have to play on the right side of midfield until we get RM in January or in the summer. Then I expect him to be competing with Garcia for the position of playing off the lone striker as I believe Rafa prefers to play 4-5-1 and will use it more often as he has brought in players that suite its criteria.

by **7_Kewell** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 6:03 pm

the lad done well, especially after all the racist abuse he got from the fans

by **anfieldadorer** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 6:08 pm

his rate is 7 goals/52 games, still too far from expected
it's too early to expect much from him, but, being optimistic, let's start building all our judgement over his last night performance

by **PepeMomo** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 7:56 pm

indeed i think we will be better off to utilise Sinama in a 4-3-3 formation, FSP and Garcia supporting Crouch/Morientes up front.

Cisse hasn't demonstrated much intelligence on use of the ball since his arrival in Anfield... I believe it's fair to hand FSP a chance to shine.. his pace and flair has reminded me something about Beardo... :blues:

by **stmichael** » Thu Sep 15, 2005 11:12 am

PepeMomo wrote:I believe it's fair to hand FSP a chance to shine.. his pace and flair has reminded me something about Beardo...

jeez, talk about over the top.

if FSP can display even a fraction of the ability that beardsley had we'll have one hell of a player.

by **tubby** » Thu Sep 15, 2005 11:39 am

I think FSP is a good striker and hes still young. That was a great finish against Betis but remember he does score other important goals aswell. He also scored as we all know one of the 3 against Olympiakos. I think this season could be his chance to get into double figures. Best of luck to him. I think Rafa knows in his head that FSP is first team quality (or closely approaching it) which is why hes just kept queit about him until now, and which is alos why he didnt get worked up over not signing Owen.

by **SouthCoastShankly** » Thu Sep 15, 2005 11:50 am

In a european situation he will shine and have great games, look at the Olympiakos game last season. I think the problem with him being a permanent fixture in the side is that in a league environment he will struggle due to the physical nature of the game.

In a european game you can't be overly physical, thats why players like FSP can show they talent without being taken out because you just skinned your marker

I also think his place is a super sub

by **stmichael** » Thu Sep 15, 2005 12:43 pm

Pongolle to play on right

Sinama can be right man for Reds - Benitez Sep 15 2005

By Chris Bascombe, Liverpool Echo

FLORENT SINAMAPONGOLLE hopes his midweek Champions League performance has provided Liverpool with an answer to their right sided problems.

The French youngster's claims to the role have the backing of manager Rafa Benitez following his goal-scoring return against Real Betis.

Sinama struck his first European goal since the famous victory over Olympiakos in last season's competition, and Benitez says the 20-year-old can expect to feature in the role more in the months to come.

"We've been looking for different solutions on the right hand side because we wanted to use Luis Garcia between midfield and attack, where I feel he played very well on Tuesday," said Benitez.

"Flo has the pace and intelligence to play there. He gives us a good option. I remember he played in the position very well against Arsenal last season. He played really well that day, as well as in the first half on Tuesday.

"There is an opportunity for him to learn the position."

For Sinama, Tuesday's goal was particularly special as it was his first senior start and goal since recovering from cruciate knee surgery.

"It's the first time I've started a game in the Champions League during my career so I was very happy to score," said Sinama.

"The manager told me he needed someone to play wide and I've told him this is a job I want to learn if it means I'll be in the team.

"I'm comfortable there because you get a chance to go one against one with the defender and I feel I can do well. I can cross and get opportunities to score.

"Maybe I'm the solution for the right side, but that's for the manager to decide.

"My last goal in the Champions League was against Olympiakos, so after such a long injury it means a lot for me to play and score."

....................................................................................

attitude comparison...

Flo - The manager told me he needed someone to play wide and I've told him this is a job I want to learn if it means I'll be in the team.

ALT - If I can't be in the first team i'd like to go on loan.

Is it any wonder one of them is still here and one of them plays for sunderland?

by **BringBackTiti** » Thu Sep 15, 2005 4:28 pm

French youngster Florent Sinama-Pongolle wants to solve Liverpool's right-sided problem after his Champions League triumph.

The 20-year-old was converted to a right midfield role for Liverpool's European clash with Real Betis in Seville on Tuesday and scored within 90 seconds of the start as the Reds secured a 2-1 victory.

Now Sinama-Pongolle is challenging to continue in that role for Sunday's Premiership battle with Manchester United at Anfield.

He could come up against Kieran Richardson, who was forced to play left-back for the Red Devils when Gabriel Heinze was carried off with a knee injury during the Champions League away draw with Villarreal on Wednesday.

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez failed in his quests to buy a right-sided midfielder before the transfer window closed, missing out on Nolberto Solano and Stelios Giannakopoulos.

That search was brought about by the failure to get a work permit for Chilean starlet Mark Gonzalez, who would have been a £4.7m signing from Albacete before the British Government stepped in and wrecked the move.

So Benitez turned to Sinama-Pongolle in Spain, and the youngster said: "The manager has been looking for someone to play wide right, maybe I can be that player. I'll do my very best there and hope that he makes a decision that includes me in his plans.

"I was asked to play on the right against Betis. It's not my best position but I'll do it gladly and I want to learn to do the role because the manager obviously wants to find someone who can play there.

"I felt comfortable in the position, one of my attributes is that I'm good one against one and it's something that I can do on the right. I can go inside or go to the line and make crosses."

The match was Sinama-Pongolle's first start in the senior side since his serious knee injury back in January against Watford in the Carling Cup semi-final.

He said: "I was delighted with the goal in Spain, it was the first time in my career that I've started a Champions League match and to score an important goal was very exciting for me.

"This means a lot to me, I was out for a long time with injury last season and missed all the end of the season. So to get my first start in a Champions League match was tremendous.

"And to get the opportunity to score was good for me and the team."

Benitez is clearly considering giving Sinama-Pongolle the chance to claim the spot, having tried Djibril Cisse there recently - a role the former Auxerre man did not appreciate.

Benitez said: "We've been looking at different solutions on the right because we don't really want to use Luis Garcia there, preferring to play him between the strikers and midfield. Florent played very well there, and scored, on Tuesday.

"Flo has the pace and intelligence to play there, I remember him playing very well there against Arsenal last season, he gives us options."

by **66-1112520797** » Fri Sep 16, 2005 2:06 am

I agree that Pongolle could do the job out on the right for us and this isnt a knee jerk reaction i have said this way before the Betis game.
He is our only obvious choice there especially in terms of going forward Finnan to could play there and he might do sunday but he wont give you the cutting edge in the final third the same as Pongolle will.
The only other candidate to fill that role would be Stevie ,again he has all the assets to play that position but he may be missed in the middle ,but if Rafa were to try that tactic i wouldnt be against it.

But until then i think the positions Pongolles or should be anyway ,give him a run in the side and i believe he will do an exceptional job there.

by **hobbes** » Fri Sep 16, 2005 2:47 am

Sinama Pongole is best in his form and his best position is centre forward. He shouldnt be on the right wing. That is just not his place. If you watch closely, Betis easily attacked us from the right. Pongole couldnt curtail them from moving further down. He couldnt play there.

Even Garcia is not good there.

We have too many centre forward talents.

Sinama & Garcia finish well from the centre.

Sinama should start with Ciise against Man U. Man U would have predicted that Rafa's selection would be the same as in CL as we can and have scored 2 in the 1st half. But knowing Rafa and his surprises... HE might just pair Sinama and Ciise.

We never know what Rafa has in his mind. Maybe he wanted some set piece goals in the first half itself with Man U.

by **hobbes** » Fri Sep 16, 2005 2:51 am

Finnan should move to right midfield. We have Josemi to defend. He fairly good at the back. So Finnan can move up.

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