Liverpool FC Forum

by **god_bless_john_houlding** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 12:24 am

Scottbot wrote:
god_bless_john_houlding wrote:Obviously it's just me who sees nothing in Hleb. I just don't see anything by him that's impressive.

People tried to credit him with an assist against us, but truth is this...he had three chances to play the ball through for Fabregas but he decided not to, and when it did fall for Fabregas it was a deflection of Mascheranho's shin. Not a pass by Hleb.

Watch him closely the next couple of times you see Arsenal play mate. The guy is quality. Typical Wenger player - Very quick (with his feet and head) and technically superb.

Lets hope he has the worst game of his life against Wigan and I'll come back and look at you and nanny as ask for explainations :laugh:

by **NANNY RED** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 12:35 am

Scottbot wrote:
god_bless_john_houlding wrote:Obviously it's just me who sees nothing in Hleb. I just don't see anything by him that's impressive.

People tried to credit him with an assist against us, but truth is this...he had three chances to play the ball through for Fabregas but he decided not to, and when it did fall for Fabregas it was a deflection of Mascheranho's shin. Not a pass by Hleb.

Watch him closely the next couple of times you see Arsenal play mate. The guy is quality. Typical Wenger player - Very quick (with his feet and head) and technically superb.

Thank you Scott lad i thought i was going off me trolley for a mo there the lads a brilliant player who i rate highly

by **god_bless_john_houlding** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 12:44 am

I think it'd be easier to compare Pennant to the rest of the out and out right wingers in this divison. Pennant or Lennon...Lennon for me. Pennant or Wright-Phillips...Wright-Phillips. Pennant or Young...Ashley Young for me.

So maybe Pennant isn't as good as there is...but for me he's good enough and as good as we currently have out on the right.

by **LFC2007** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 1:37 am

Scottbot wrote:
god_bless_john_houlding wrote:I would/have and do call Hleb . I think he's a waste of space and couldn't believe it when I heard Barcelona were after him. I'd have Pennant ahead of Hleb.

You've lost all credibility for me there with that single post mate. I like Pennant, he's a decent player and on his day he's a very good player. However, he's probably playing a little above his level at LFC and consistency has been a problem for him.

How you can claim him to be a better player than Hleb is completely beyond me. Hleb isn't a winger but he's an excellent player. He's lighting quick, an EXCELLENT passer of the ball, is technically superb, has quick feet, a good first touch (and second) and he chips in with a few goals. I'd swap him for Pennant and Kewell plus i'd be tempted to throw in Bennayoun as well.

Agreed, just seeing him the other night against Milan, he was outstanding along with Fabregas and Flamini.

by **Bad Bob** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 3:27 am

ruskiy playmaker wrote:
Billy_5_Times wrote:Jimmy Case, former Liverpool right winger, was never profific but look here.
1st team games: 269
1st team goals: 46

A goal every five games or so.

Sammy Lee another former Liverpool right sided midfielder scored 19 goals in just under 300 games, having a goal ratio of 1 goal to 15 games. Still better than Mr Pennant.

Jermaine Pennant. 1 goal in every 60 games or so, can't really say that Pennant is a top winger.

Compare to that Billy Liddell. 229 goals in less that 550 games. That's the kinda goalscoring return that's expected from wingers.

So Mr Houlding, poor post mate.

The problem is that he rarely gets a game. How the hell is he suppose to score goals with such limited playing time? And maybe we are set up so that he rarely gets into good goalscoring positions. Remember last year when he scored that screamer vs Chelsea and Rafa looked disgusted probably because Pennant chose to shot instead of passing the ball. Look at Arsenal's Hleb you wouldn't call him a player because he rarely score too. I still think we need a better wide player but the amount of Pennant receives on here is unfair.

He rarely gets a game this year. Last season he started more games than anyone in the team--even Gerrard and Carra (amazing stat, I know) and still managed just the one goal. That's poor for an attacking wide player. It might be forgiveable if he had lots of attempts and they just weren't going in for him but he rarely gets in a position to shoot let alone has a go. For me he's a decent squad player at best.

by **god_bless_john_houlding** » Sun Mar 09, 2008 6:30 pm

I've watched the Arsenal-Wigan game for the first 65/70 minutes, and I haven't seen Hleb do anything...AGAIN. Whenever I watch him for Arsenal for a full 90 mins, not the highlights on MOTD or goals on sunday but a full 90 minutes he looks very average at best. It's not as if he's playing against a top full back either, he's playing up against Mario Melchiot. Saying that, the entire Arsenal side have looked poor today.

It was good to see Pennant play and score yesterday (even if the goal was helped mainly by luck) I think if he's given a run of games we'd see the best of him again. We've seen it work for Babel and Kuyt in the last few weeks, I think that's all Pennant needs.

by **KennyisGod....still** » Sun Mar 09, 2008 6:39 pm

god_bless_john_houlding wrote:I've watched the Arsenal-Wigan game for the first 65/70 minutes, and I haven't seen Hleb do anything...AGAIN. Whenever I watch him for Arsenal for a full 90 mins, not the highlights on MOTD or goals on sunday but a full 90 minutes he looks very average at best. It's not as if he's playing against a top full back either, he's playing up against Mario Melchiot. Saying that, the entire Arsenal side have looked poor today.

It was good to see Pennant play and score yesterday (even if the goal was helped mainly by luck) I think if he's given a run of games we'd see the best of him again. We've seen it work for Babel and Kuyt in the last few weeks, I think that's all Pennant needs.

Hope you'll be watchin when we play them then.......

Find it hard to accept Pennant as anyth other than a stop gap for us, albeit the best we hav for that position. Said it b4, we hav other priorities to sort first, but Pennant aint my idea of a good player.

by **LittleHobo** » Sun Mar 09, 2008 6:43 pm

i want wingers who weigh in with their fair share of goals

pennant doesnt do this so should never be first choice

benayoun over pennant imo (short term), because of the goal threat.

still a need for a world class winger though.

hopefully babel can keep improving so we only need one.

by **god_bless_john_houlding** » Sun Mar 09, 2008 6:47 pm

Kolo Toure on right wing for Arsenal

and another great ball from Hleb straight to the Wigan centre half

As for Pennant's goal threat, he doesn't score that many because he's a natural winger who believes his job is to get chalk on his boots, not make it into the box. He doesn't come infield enough to score.

by **RedBlood** » Sun Mar 09, 2008 7:19 pm

ive said for a long time if pennant adds 10goals a season to his game he would be a top class winger...because he can beat players for fun and gets alot of assists

by **JC_81** » Sun Mar 09, 2008 7:25 pm

No way is Pennant better than Hleb :laugh:

Different types of player, but Hleb is technically better, is a better team player, has a better attitude and is more consistent.

One thing they do have in common is lack of goals. If Hleb could add this to his game then he'd be a top class player rather than a very good one.

by **LittleHobo** » Sun Mar 09, 2008 7:26 pm

there is no excuse for his lack of goals

pennants goal tally for us is embarrassing, worse than a centre back or full back

there are many proper wingers who score 10+ a season and still still to their wing role

by **hello_red** » Sun Mar 09, 2008 7:31 pm

The grass is always greener on the other side.

Hleb wouldnt come to us anyway, argument settled.

by **Bad Bob** » Sun Mar 09, 2008 8:34 pm

god_bless_john_houlding wrote:Kolo Toure on right wing for Arsenal and another great ball from Hleb straight to the Wigan centre half

As for Pennant's goal threat, he doesn't score that many because he's a natural winger who believes his job is to get chalk on his boots, not make it into the box. He doesn't come infield enough to score.

That's part of the problem--he doesn't come infield enough. I don't mean when he has the ball, because he has been known to drive toward the edge of the area rather than go the outside route. I mean when the ball is on our left flank. In those situations he needs to get on his bike for the back stick to provide another red shirt in the box. I think he's got decent skill and, at his best, is a solid attacking asset but he still feels a squad player at best to me.

by **god_bless_john_houlding** » Sun Mar 09, 2008 10:36 pm

People seem to question a winger for scoring, but aren't arsed with the central midfielders who don't score. Mascheranho and Alonso between then have scored two goals all season (in the same match against Debry back in August) and between they've played a lot more than Pennant has.

Now Pennant should chip in with a few more, but so should many of our side, but it seems Pennant to be the scapegoat whereas Mascheranho is player of the year, a fella who hasn't scored at all. It can't be rule for one and one for others. Carrick, Essien and Flamini all play that defensive role Mascheranho does but they also chip in with a fair few goals. So surely if we're going to compare Pennant to other right wingers in terms of goals, lets compare Mascheranho's goal tally to those who play a similar position and Mascheranho would come out last which isn't a fair reflection on the lad because he's a top class player. So I think it's unfair just to blame Pennant for lack of goals in all honesty.

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