Liverpool FC Forum

by **LFC1982** » Thu Sep 25, 2008 1:29 pm

He played well in the Champions league final too!!!

by **Jimmy the Weasel** » Thu Sep 25, 2008 1:54 pm

In a 4-4-2, on the right hand side it has to be one of Gerrard, Babel or Pennant for me.

Kuyt copes as part of the front 3 in the formation we played at the end - he is absolutely hopeless in a conventional wide-right position.

I much prefer Gerrard through the middle, and feel his impact is marginalised playing out wide - that said he's as good there as most nevertheless, we're just losing his impetus through the centre.

Babel is unproven there, but I feel would flourish with more willingness to take the ball on his right and go down the line rather than taking it back inside where the pass came from all the time like he does on the left side.

Pennant for me is the most natural right midfielder - he wants to be there, he naturally sits there and provides width, a bit of pace, as well as a willingness to beat a man down the line, which nobody else has proven they can do out there in recent memory.

I also feel Pennant has suffered in recent years from an absence of genuine quality up front - a player who will break his neck to get on the end of a cross that's whipped in blind. I accept that his crossing often leaves something to be desired, but I also think that a winger has a right to expect somebody in the box to gamble to get on the end of a ball, so should be able to whip it in without having to look up.

In Torres and now Keane, (as well as natural left-sided player in Riera at the back post possibly) we have players who will get onto it. Keane has got on the end of a couple only to finish poorly in his last 2 matches, but he actually got there on the end of it and that's what Pennant needs to help him I think. Riera was at the far post when Alonso's shot arrived there only for Van De Sar and Brown to slot it in for him, suggesting he'll provide an attacking threat at the back post at times as well.

Against Crewe, even Lucas showed determination to get in and win that header, when you look at where he started from in his run up. Suddenly Pennant has an assist from a looped cross into the box.

(Over to you all, pull that to bits!)

by **Reg** » Thu Sep 25, 2008 2:30 pm

Pennant has no future at top level and is simply a drain on our overheads. Get shut in january.

by **Effes** » Thu Sep 25, 2008 2:33 pm

Jimmy, I don't disagree with any of that.
Except, maybe you over-rate Pennant.

I think he has enough ability to start some games for us, but lacks consistancy maybe,
also, I think his head isn't always right.

by **Jimmy the Weasel** » Thu Sep 25, 2008 4:00 pm

Effes wrote:Jimmy, I don't disagree with any of that.
Except, maybe you over-rate Pennant.

I think he has enough ability to start some games for us, but lacks consistancy maybe,
also, I think his head isn't always right.

I think I rate him slightly higher than a lot of people, yeh I'd agree with that. I don't deny he's hit and miss though, but I don't necessarily think he's done much wrong attitude-wise since he's been with us - I might be wrong, I don't know.

Maybe it's similar to how people might see Kuyt at times - I've seen positives in Pennant in the past that I'm prepared to hold on to for a bit. That he cause Paolo Maldini no end of problems in Athens is one of them. (Paolo effing Maldini!!!)

In a world where classic, out-and-out wingers are at a premium, I think he's a bit better than some of the alternatives.

Wright-Phillips (Shaun, not Bradley!) would be a slight improvement I think, but not a huge one - I was about to say I do wonder why we weren't in for him, but I think I know the answer to that question really!

by **Roger Red Hat** » Thu Sep 25, 2008 4:22 pm

Last time i watched him play he looked pretty good. It was last seaon mind.

by **destro** » Thu Sep 25, 2008 4:34 pm

I feel sorry for Pennant, sitting on the bench picking up his huge wages and then having to go home to this !

My heart bleeds for him

by **Jimmy the Weasel** » Thu Sep 25, 2008 5:08 pm

She is effing awesome isn't she?

by **Reg** » Thu Sep 25, 2008 5:19 pm

Jimmy the Weasel wrote:She is effing awesome isn't she?

Pretty yes, but must be as thick as two short planks if she´s with Pennant.

by **Toffeehater** » Thu Sep 25, 2008 5:57 pm

by **Jimmy the Weasel** » Thu Sep 25, 2008 6:36 pm

Reg wrote:
Jimmy the Weasel wrote:She is effing awesome isn't she?

Pretty yes, but must be as thick as two short planks if she´s with Pennant.

True, but I wanna boff her, not get her view on the drop in the Japanese export market!

by **redtrader74** » Thu Sep 25, 2008 10:21 pm

Pennant has all the attributes to be an excellent right winger, he has pace, decent delivery, and is fairly strong when he wants to be on the ball. Unfortunately he has the same affliction as some of our previous 'talents' Collymore and Bellamy....he is thick. I'm not being personal but anyone with a modicum of football knowledge who has seen him play live would have seen a player who doesn't even move 2 steps to create an angle for a pass to him, who can go off side all while looking across the fcking line, and someone who constantly makes the wrong decision with his passing.

On TV he can look Ok, because he will put a cross in, and in his defence we never have enough bodies in the box, but that said he should know that too and try a different pass. He offers very little off the ball and also lacks effort, and that combined with a lack of game intelligence will mean he is surplus to Rafa's requirements.

by **aCe'** » Fri Sep 26, 2008 3:37 am

redtrader74 wrote:Pennant has all the attributes to be an excellent right winger, he has pace, decent delivery, and is fairly strong when he wants to be on the ball. Unfortunately he has the same affliction as some of our previous 'talents' Collymore and Bellamy....he is thick. I'm not being personal but anyone with a modicum of football knowledge who has seen him play live would have seen a player who doesn't even move 2 steps to create an angle for a pass to him, who can go off side all while looking across the fcking line, and someone who constantly makes the wrong decision with his passing.

On TV he can look Ok, because he will put a cross in, and in his defence we never have enough bodies in the box, but that said he should know that too and try a different pass. He offers very little off the ball and also lacks effort, and that combined with a lack of game intelligence will mean he is surplus to Rafa's requirements.

i think ur being way too harsh on pennant there !
surely compared to Kuyt hes a fcking great right winger.. he can go past a player, put a great cross in.. try a through ball.. cross from the byline...cut inside sometimes when he should.. and most important of all .. hes already proved he can do all that in a red shirt..
i dont understand ur 'game intelligence' argument cause from what iv seen of him he seems way more intelligent than the likes of Kuyt and Babel .. he offers good width and shape... and more often than not i sit there thinking hey it wasnt his fault no one attacked that ball and went for the header or simple tap in cause lets face it... he puts in some great crosses every time he plays !

he didnt seem to lack effort when he had a run in last season and didnt seem to lack effort in the game against crewe.. in fact he runs more than most of our players too and does a decent job tracking back most times... we dont need a gattuso down the right side.. we dont play like that !

Between him, Kuyt and Babel.. he gets that starting spot every day of the week for me... maybe until Babel proves he can step it up a notch but for now he seems by far our best option in that position against most teams !

by **GYBS** » Fri Sep 26, 2008 11:22 am

Im sorry but you keep mentioning all these decent crosses pennant puts in but to be fair he puts in more poor crosses in than decent ones .As was mentioned he has all the attributes to be very good but doesnt use them . got lots of pace but plenty of times i see him cutting inside instead of taking the man on. At one stage i thought he started looking really good for us but then got injured and afterwards didnt seem as good , think he can do a job for us but needs to be more consistent in his delivery of the ball and a bit more clever on the ball and when taking people on , watch him and he only seems to have one trick and that involves him cutting inside using his right foot .

by **aCe'** » Fri Sep 26, 2008 11:31 am

GYBS wrote:Im sorry but you keep mentioning all these decent crosses pennant puts in but to be fair he puts in more poor crosses in than decent ones .As was mentioned he has all the attributes to be very good but doesnt use them . got lots of pace but plenty of times i see him cutting inside instead of taking the man on. At one stage i thought he started looking really good for us but then got injured and afterwards didnt seem as good , think he can do a job for us but needs to be more consistent in his delivery of the ball and a bit more clever on the ball and when taking people on , watch him and he only seems to have one trick and that involves him cutting inside using his right foot .

hahaha..
what about kuyt ?

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