Liverpool FC Forum

by **stmichael** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 2:11 pm

Before anyone flies off the handle and accuses contributors to this thread of judging new players on only a handful of games, let me say that the purpose of this thread is to compare opinions now to those at the end of the season.

I'll dig out this thread in may and we can compare our opinions of the new players with our opinions now. Given that we've started the league campaign relatively poorly I expect big differences where some players are concerned.

As Paletta has yet to really feature we'll not include him.

Aurelio - Not impressed sofar. Doesn't look like a left back and doesn't look like a left midfielder. Seems to be one of those players who would fare better in a wing back system. His delivery of crosses hasn't particularly good and neither have his corners etc. Has looked defensively suspect on a number of occassions. Hasn't shown enough to suggest he's a better player for full back than Riise. To be fair he's adjusting to a much quicker league and does have the quality to succeed. At the start of the season he's the player I'd have most expected to struggle but to then find his feet and perform well. Let's hope he does so.

Kuyt - All the signs are good. Probably the best striker we've had at keeping hold of the ball for quite some time. Tremendously hard working, intelligent footballer. Yet to see him with a clear cut chance so I can't really judge his finishing. He unsettles defences and defends from the front. Very happy with this signing but only time will tell.

Gonzalez - Again a player we've not seen much of. Hasn't been as quick as I thought he would be and he's yet to really terrorise a full back. Did enough in the Haifa game at home in the last few minutes to suggest he's a goal threat and a good deliverer of crosses. I don't think he's the most skillfull in terms of beating a player with tricks etc, but more of a knock it past a defender and run type. Seems relatively direct in what he does. I think out of all the players brought in there has been the biggest anti climax over Gonzalez. Some seemed to expect him to come in and murder defenders as he did on youtube. It was never going to happen in a new league.

Pennant - Has looked a good signing so far. Good pace and a decent cross. I've been particularly impressed with his first touch on the ball. Able to take down a forty yard crossfield pass with a single touch and be off running with it at full pelt in seconds. Think he'll be a success here but he does seem reluctant to go out the outside of a fullback. I expected him to be doing that with the pace he has, but he has a tendency to come inside sometimes when the better options seems to go the other way.

Bellamy - Has done well so far. Very direct as we expected but won't be a twenty goal a season striker. Good link up play and all round game. Nice finish against Haifa. Another player that consistently worries defenders, another defend from the front type player. Yet to really see how good he is at taking his chances.

Thoughts?

by **taff** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 2:30 pm

seems fair,

For me so far Pennant has been dissapointing but I think more settling in time is required.

Agger looks good and may take Big Samis place this year with him being relegated to the scrapping games, Bolton, Man City etc.

Kuyt loads of positive publicity and I hope this rubs off on the squad, while Bellamy, I hope his crazy will to win rubs off

But early days yet

by **Sabre** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 2:39 pm

I agree most of that, I'm quite happy with all the new boys.

I disagree some members here that think that Gonzalez is going to provide the impact he's supposed to next season. I do think that in December you'll all be praising him big time!

by **sepak** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 2:48 pm

Aurelio - a signing mistake - he couldn't defend well, he hasn't provided good crosses or good corners, his free kick might be accurate, but lack of pace n power to go back of the net.

Gonzalez - still need more games to be judged.

Pennant - a great signing. He has made our right side most exciting to watch and more threatening. Besides his pace, his ball control is great.

Bellamy - Our best signing of this season.

Kuyt - A bit disappointed though he did play well ,because what we need is a striker who can score plenty of goals, doesn't matter simple goals like what Moreintes scored yesterday.

Agger - I hope to see him playing every game.

by **stmichael** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 3:08 pm

On Bellamy and Kuyt, the sooner they start scoring the better. Every other aspect of their game is top notch so hopefully the goals will come sooner rather than later.

Whatever anybody says, apart from Fowler, all of our other three strikers do the majority of their best work outside the penalty area.

by **Pedro O'Maradona** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 3:13 pm

jeez give them half a season to settle at least! Altho Agger and Kuyt have settled very quickly.....granted agger is there a little longer than the others....

by **SouthCoastShankly** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 3:14 pm

From what I've seen of Kuyt he has impressed, so much energy and desperate to score. Decent buy.

Bellamy has been unlucky regarding all the chopping and changing of his strike partners, its apparent that he needs players around him who can predict his movement. Currently aside from Gerrard no one has done that.

Aurelio is still settling. He is never going to be solid defensively but going forward he offers a lot more in the way of creativity. If he doesn't score this season, barring injury, I'll cut my legs off!

Pennant for me has fitted in well, probably because he does not need time to adapt to english football. More starts and more possesion will really show off the damage he can create from the wing.

by **onizukaeikichi** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 3:27 pm

from what i have seen, Agger, Bellamy and Kuyt has impressed me so far. Its a shame to have Riise injuired right now especially when so many vital games are coming. I guess we can see why Warnock > Aurelio in wing back because Aurelio is too soft and during EPL games, people will take advantage of it.

by **bigmick** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 4:16 pm

I think they've all done pretty well, particularly Bellamy and Kuyt who look to be bargains at the price to me. My suispicion is that Kuyt will become a legend at Anfield and that Bellamy will let nobody down at 6 million quid. Pennant looks tidy and I'm encouraged by his increasing tendancy to come in off his wing, he even had a shot last night. As I've said before I think Aurelio is a very good player who will improve out of all recognition whereas Gonzales is going to need plenty of time.

If You are going to pull up this thread in May St Mike, my predicttions for the new signings/players are as follows.

Agger: I think that by the end of the season he will have replaced Hyppia. That said those that were impressed by the young Dane last night and are being quick to write off Hyppia are probably a bit ahead of themselves IMHO. PSV provided no aerial threat and against teams that do, Hyppia will still play plenty of games for now.

Aurelio: By the end of the season I think most everyone will be amazed we got him on a free. This fella is no Josemi or Kromkamp, he can really play. Needs one free-kick to go in and he become the best dead-baller at the club, if not in the Prem. Needs to stop trying silly volleys and first time shots from 35 yards out though.

Pennant: Will probably play about half the games all season. Needs to score regularly to become a permanent fixture in the team. Obviously needs to stay off the beer if he's going to realise his potential.

Bellamy: I fancy him to score more regularly than he has givent he impression so far, but fear that Rafa Dodd has done his £100 in that he won't score more than Johnson who plays uptop on his own for Everton. Probably 12 goals in all comps, one in every three starts.

Kuyt: No worries whatsoever. A brilliant signing and a steal for the money. If this blokes not a top-class player then I know absolutely nothing about football whatsoever. it follows that if Sepak is disappointed with him so far, I think he knows nothing about football whatsoever.

Gonzales: I'm unsure about him. Rafa really rates him and obviously I think Rafa is the man for spotting talent. Sabre, our much respected and loved Spanish correspondant really rates him and once more that is good enough for me.
All that said, he has shown the best part of feck all so far so I can only assume he will take time. Please, before anybody says remember Pires, Henri etc etc don't bother, we've done all that before. I know it takes time for a player to settle, but when I say he's shown us nothing so far I mean exactly that, nothing. Not a flash of pace, a nice bit of control, a piece of cultured movement off the ball, a nice trick, a good shot, nothing. Actually I tell a lie, he does track back with enthusiasm. By the end of the season my suspicion is that he will have provided a few Garciaesque cameo flashes of brilliance and we will be hoping for more consistency next campaign.

by **stmichael** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 4:23 pm

SouthCoastShankly wrote:Bellamy has been unlucky regarding all the chopping and changing of his strike partners, its apparent that he needs players around him who can predict his movement. Currently aside from Gerrard no one has done that.

that's a great point.

it can't be easy when you're playing with a different partner week in week out.

bellamy strikes me as the kind of player who needs to play week in week out though.

by **48-1119859832** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 4:24 pm

Too early to give an opinion, although I think Aurelio will prove to be a poor signing.

by **GOAT** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 4:30 pm

bigmick wrote:I know it takes time for a player to settle, but when I say he's shown us nothing so far I mean exactly that, nothing. Not a flash of pace, a nice bit of control, a piece of cultured movement off the ball, a nice trick, a good shot, nothing. Actually I tell a lie, he does track back with enthusiasm.

Well he did show us something in the haifa match, he showed great control and hit a superb shot for the winner

Cant think of anything else hes done though, im not sure on Gonzalez either, hopefully he will get better once he gets used to a new league

by **coddy** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 4:38 pm

stmichael wrote:
SouthCoastShankly wrote:Bellamy has been unlucky regarding all the chopping and changing of his strike partners, its apparent that he needs players around him who can predict his movement. Currently aside from Gerrard no one has done that.

that's a great point.

it can't be easy when you're playing with a different partner week in week out.

bellamy strikes me as the kind of player who needs to play week in week out though.

plus i want to see Rafa-Dodd win his bet with AJ. :suspect:

by **Bad Bob** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 10:50 pm

For me Kuyt and Bellamy will quickly establish themselves as our first choice strike partnership. The awareness they've shown with each other in a game and a quarter is just the tip of the iceberg: wait until they really figure each other out!

I've been impressed with Pennant so far. Nothing too flash but he's given us width, put some dangerous balls in, has gotten around the edge of the area on occasion and even seems to be tracking back well. He's a very good option for us on the right and I think he'll be good value for money.

I honestly don't think Aurelio has been as poor as people are suggesting. It's not like he's cost us a bunch of goals and I think he's shown some decent toughness for a Brazilian moving to the Prem. Like Big Mick, I wish he'd stop trying to take on the low percentage shots but some of the passes he played yesterday were quality--particularly the first time pass to Kuyt to spring him loose.

Agger is coming into his own and will really push Sami this season. He and Carragher have a bright future together as a CB partnership.

As for Gonzales, it's hard to judge him when he only seems to come on for the last 10-15 minutes of matches and no one seems to get him the ball. I'll keep my own council on the lad for now.

by **CardinalRed** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 11:02 pm

Let me try my two-penn'orth:
Agger : Going to be real quality, he's already shown flashes of it and while it probably won't happen this season, he's gonna be Sami's long term replacement.

Kuyt: A class act, when the midfielders get more used to his running, he'll be even more effective.

Pennant: He's come from a club where he played week in week out and this may be the thing that hinders him most, that is, being rotated... If he get's used to it and if the rumours of his extra curricular activities are wrong, then he'll turn out to be a good buy.

Bellamy: A proven goalscorer at this level but again, he's used to playing all the time, how he adapts to Rafa's ways will be the key for him...

Gonzalez: I've gotta trust in Rafa's judgement as he hasn't had enough pitch time to show his mettle as yet.

Aurelio: My fingers are crossed, I want him to succeed so much but sometimes he seems to try too hard and that's counter-productive... I'd rather see him build up a series of steady performances a la Finnan so he can become a reliable entity.

:cool:

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