Jermaine pennant - Leaps and bounds

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Postby 66-1112520797 » Tue Sep 11, 2007 11:20 am

Jermaine Pennant believes he is in 'the best form of his life' after an impressive start to the season with Liverpool.



The Reds winger has caught the eye at the beginning of the Premier League campaign and has proved a versatile asset for manager Rafa Benitez.


Liverpool currently top the Premier League and Pennant appears to have finally settled at Anfield after a £6.7million move from Birmingham in 2006.


"I am probably playing the best football of my career at the moment," Pennant told Liverpool's official website.


"The team are playing well, we're scoring goals, winning games and I think we're all enjoying our football.


"I think my attacking play has been good but I'm also working hard all the time on the defensive side of my game and that's getting better all the time.



More to come


"I finished last season well and my aim over the summer was to make sure I started this campaign in the same way.


"I still have work to do though. Although I'm happy with my form at the moment I know there is more to come. For a start, I could score more goals.


"That's a part of my game which I'm definitely capable of improving on and I'll be looking to get on the scoresheet more often as the season goes on."


Pennant has also reiterated his disappointment at missing out on Steve McClaren's England squad for the current Euro 2008 qualifiers, but the 23-year-old insists Liverpool take priority over his country.


"Of course I want to play for England," Pennant added. "It's everyone's dream to play for their country and I'm no different.


"All I can do is keep working hard for Liverpool and see what happens. Liverpool is my priority. If it came down to a choice of winning the league with Liverpool or playing for England then there's only one winner there."

Taken from sky sports.

If it came down to a choice of winning the league with Liverpool or playing for England then there's only one winner there."


'He's not English, surely he's Scouse ?'  :D

I'm sure Stu_the_red would be sitting here reading this with a smirk on his face. As I recall last season, telling him that Pennant was and never will be good enough for Liverpool. Although at the time I think Stu himself had a few doubts.

But from January onwards his form improved immensly, and thus has carried it over into this season. For me he has been one of our best performers this season, and I think I've gave him MOTM a couple of times already. His confidence has grown and he appears to be firmly settled into the team now.

He's been very lively down the right flank so far, and is looking like he's mixing up his play a bit. By not hugging the sidelines and just looking to whip in crosses from out wide, but also cutting in linking up with the strikers and central midfielders with neat one/two's etc. He's a hard worker and has a bit of a temper (even though he's probably a pussy  :D ) I do like that about him as it gives him, like so many a bit more of an edge to their game.

Like he said himself though he does need to score more goals though, if he were to add his fair share of goals to his game I'd be over the moon with him and the 6.7 million we paid would seem a snip.
Last edited by 66-1112520797 on Tue Sep 11, 2007 11:23 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Postby Sabre » Tue Sep 11, 2007 11:33 am

I hope the ones that are giving stick (few posters but still) to Babel will remember how Pennant improved a lot after his adaptation.

When he talks about his game he always praises himself and that's something that should be done by someone else, I didn't like when he asked for a place in the english squad, as he's young and he just arrived a big club.

Pennant must keep the hardwork. I always rated and defended him, but at the same time I think he has to improve some aspects of the game. Definitely good enough for this club.
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Postby Ace Ventura » Tue Sep 11, 2007 11:54 am

He has improved an awful lot compared with when he first signed and now looks like the player we expected.
I still think (like he said) that he needs to not only score more goals but also get himself in the right positions when we are attacking to give himself more of a chance.

I also dont like the fact that he shouts the odds about himself, last season before he had even established himself in our side he was talking about England.
He needs to keep doing what he is doing, keep his head down...add a few goals to go with the assits and make it hard for Mclaren to leave him out of the England squad.

Not that any of us give two f'cks about England anyway  :D
Last edited by Ace Ventura on Tue Sep 11, 2007 12:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Postby stmichael » Tue Sep 11, 2007 12:21 pm

if he improved his goal return he'd be england's best right sided player bar none. i think the kid's easily as talented as SWP, lennon and bentley but at the end of the day, the aforementioned always chip in with 6-8 goals a season where as pennant struggles in this department.

the chelsea game last season when he scored that wonder goal was the turning point for me. up until that point both himself and bellamy looked almost overawed by the step up in quality and expectations from what they'd experienced in the past. however since that chelsea game, it could be argued that he's actually been our best attacking weapon.

it's just good that his form means we no longer need to have the "gerrard on the right" debate in the near future because he's undroppable at the current time (cue rafa to start benayoun on the right on saturday).  :D
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Postby account deleted by request » Tue Sep 11, 2007 12:23 pm

He should try keeping off the beer as it doesn't seem to agree with him.

I have been as harsh a critic of Pennent as most and he's certainly well on the way to changing my view of him.
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Postby thegreedo » Tue Sep 11, 2007 12:31 pm

Have to agree! I was more than a little sceptical when we signed Mr Pennant (it has to be said more for his off the field antics than any lack of talent) but I have been more that pleased with his development through the last third of last season and the beginning of this.
I think he realises he has been lucky enough to find himself at one of the worlds biggest clubs despite his previous exploits so it seems he is determined to make the most of this opportunity. I wasn't sure before if he was a "Liverpool" player. He is rapidly proving me wrong. Long may it continue!!
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Postby The_Rock » Tue Sep 11, 2007 2:57 pm

The most naturally talented english RW by far....... This will be a big year for him.

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Postby hello_red » Tue Sep 11, 2007 3:10 pm

I was pleased with the business side of things when we bought him because I thought he was a decent plyer that could make the step up. Obviously got overwhelmed when he first got here but slowly imposed himself onto the game. Played progresively better from xmas onwards and culminated in a very good performance against a very good Milan side. Not to mention Barca at home. Played well against Chelsea aswell. He has so far this season been showing up some so called big money signings in how to float past a player like there not there and whip a quality ball in, he could chip in with more goals but that will come because he is still improving and could be world class one day soon!
6.7million was a bargain in all honesty.
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Postby lakes10 » Tue Sep 11, 2007 3:50 pm

I just hoipe the photos of him drunk the other night that were on Sky news are just a one off.
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Postby hello_red » Tue Sep 11, 2007 3:59 pm

Drunk didnt know about this? But he did have two weeks off I suppose.
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Postby Jedi » Tue Sep 11, 2007 4:02 pm

Still average and one good game against Derby won''t change that.
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Postby Rafa D » Tue Sep 11, 2007 4:05 pm

Jedi wrote:Still average and one good game against Derby won''t change that.

That was me.

I'm in work and Jedi was automatically logged in here at Rock Ferry.

:D  You should read that guys PM's.
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Postby The Ace1983 » Tue Sep 11, 2007 4:11 pm

We all raved about the signing of Peter Crouch (eventually) and he came from a relegated team. But, imho, Pennant has really begun to shine. The season before we bought him, he put in more successful long range passes (including crosses) than any other player in the league (Xabi and Sami were 2nd and 3rd). That wasn't the case last season and most of the time he was playing second fiddle to Stevie on the right. But now that he is first choice (with Yossi hot on his heels) he's really coming good. After the Houllier years when our traditionally strong wingers withered into nonexistance, he has helped to restore them (along with Kewell last season). Kudos to Rafa for signing him, and kudos to Jermaine for upping his game and delivering some sparkling form of late. He has every right to question his ommision from the recent England team. I was going to type "Pennant for England" but perhaps that's not too wise...

Anyway, the boy has improved greatly. He looks top quality and will only get better.
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Postby hello_red » Tue Sep 11, 2007 4:12 pm

Rafa-Dodd wrote:
Jedi wrote:Still average and one good game against Derby won''t change that.

That was me.

I'm in work and Jedi was automatically logged in here at Rock Ferry.

:D  You should read that guys PM's.

Average? I think you are wrong my good man and i shall tell you why.

1. His work down the flank left or right is skillful and direct can go past any defender with pace or without.

2. Can cross in a very good ball, especially on the counter.

3. Has the potential to add alot more to his game like more support in attack ie scoring goals which I think we shall see this season.

Dont tell me you are one of those lets get a Portugese bloke in becasue the Mancs have a good one???
Please no!

Your thoughts?
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Postby RUSHIE#9 » Tue Sep 11, 2007 4:16 pm

I too have been really pleased with Pennants improvement in quality and attitude over the past few months. What really sounded the alarm bells for me when we first signed him were the comments about he had nothing to prove to anyone after signing for us and then the later comments about how he had done enough to be in the England team. They were totally the wrong things for him to be saying, especially after some of the poor performances he was putting in over the first 1/2 - 2/3 of the season.

Now however he seems to have finally clicked into place at the club and is undoubtedly deserving of an England call (I however will be happy to see him overlooked again and again if it means LFC are gonna reap the rewards.  :p )

The continuing stories that keep coming out every now and again are concerning (I hadn't seen/heard anything of these latest pics) and you do fear that it's only a matter of time before it interferes with his football. The biggest loser would undoubtedly be him but going on his recent form the team would also lose out.

Big improvement for him and for his sake I hope he can keep it going as he's proving alot of people wrong. ME included!
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