Liverpool FC Forum

[alessandromagno]

Kuyt seems the best buy...Gonzales and Pennant haven't quite had the galvanising effect everyone was hoping for as yet. Aurelio is OK and should be very good when he settles in--still sometimes a weak link in defense though (at present). Bellamy was a good buy and will prove it over the course of the season.

[Reinas No.1 Fan]

Kuyt is class so far, hard worker and great hustler of defenders. His enthusiasm and seeming never say die attitude is great. Glad he got his goal against the geordies

[kunilson]

i can see Kuyt going places, in this team. Bellamy is proven in the premiership and im sure he can do well when he can find his finishing touch....i think that when Pennant has been given the chance he has shown what he is capable of, and the only way i can see him flourishing is if he is given the chance of having a regular starting place, which is unlikely due to rafa wanting to have momo,alonso and gerrard in his midfield. But seeing that rafa has a different gameplan for every team pennant will have to make do, as will urelio and gonzalez especially when riise is back to full fitness.

I have seen positives from every one of our summer spendings, and i hope that bellamy/kuyt will prove the best ones, because we have been longing for an owen replacement...in terms of goals per season.

[Bad Bob]

Apparently, Gonzales has been suffering with some sort of illness, according to today's ECHO.  This explains why he's only started in 2 of our 9 competitive matches this year, and subbed into only a few more matches.  Sounds like he's healthy now, though, and may feature more frequently (especially if he continues to chip in with goals!):

I'll thrive on Anfield pressure - Gonzalez

Sep 25 2006

By Chris Bascombe, Liverpool Echo

MARK GONZALEZ is confident he can justify the hype which preceded his summer move to Liverpool, after claiming his first Premiership goal for the club at the weekend.

The Chilean says he finds the high expectations placed upon him a help rather than a hindrance as he adjusts to life in England.

A year's delay before securing a work permit made Gonzalez one of the most anticipated arrivals in recent times.

And although a virus prevented him making as many starts as he'd like so far, the 21-year-old has still made an immediate impression.

"I like that all the fans knew me and were watching me before I joined the club, because then they know the kind of player you are and the qualities you have," said Gonzalez.

"Now it's up to me to show them, because if people know what to expect, there's no reason why you can't show it.

"I feel I can contribute a lot of goals here, scoring and creating, just like I did in Spain. I always look for goals, and I think I'm the type of player who can get them.

"I want to show everything I have in my game. Right now I don't think I've shown everything for many reasons. I've not played a lot and I'm not used to English football yet. Hopefully that won't take long, but it's not easy. As soon as I adjust I'm sure I will be a different player.

"I'm happy with what I've done for now, with scoring two goals, but I'm determined to do a lot more."

Gonzalez contributed his second in Liverpool colours in the 3-0 win over Spurs, and senses the Reds are already putting their early season troubles behind them.

"I'm really happy with my goal because it was really important for us to keep winning," he said. "Now we've two wins in two games, so we need to keep this going if we want to think about the championship.

"It's not been easy for me because I've not played many games, but the more you play the more you learn and get used to it.

"I wasn't in the squad for a couple of games because I was ill, but this time it was my turn to play and I felt comfortable out there and happy with how I played. Now I need to keep learning.

"English and Spanish football is very different which I've known from the beginning. The pace and physical side of the game isn't the same as Spain.

"The physical side is what I'll be working on most. You have to do a lot of running in England and that takes some getting used to."

[eds]

Gonzalez will come good. He showed shades of his brilliant self against Spurs and will only get better. Soon everyone will be asking "Harry Who?"

Joint top scorer so far. How many minutes has he played?

   

[account deleted by request]

I thought it might be interesting to bump this thread and see how our views of the players has changed since early in the season.  I think I got a few right, Kuyt(almost everyone got Kuyt right)has obvious quality,good work rate and seems a genuinely nice bloke as well.

Bellamy I expected more than we have seen so far, but there is still time and a goal or two may make all the difference.

Aurelio's injuries have set him back but hopefully he will show more on his return.

Pennant I think I got him spot on, he has never looked the answer to our right hand side.

Gonzales hasnt made the progress I expected, but has shown flashes of his talent, but too little hopefully not too late.

Agger has lived up to my early season judgement with some impressive displays.

I think I did O.K. with my predictions of the new players up to now, hopefully they will soon show us more of why Rafa bought them.