Liverpool FC Forum

[Leonmc0708]

about fuc.king time too

[wee_boi888]

BUMP BUMP BUMP

I re-read this thread, all the optimism and hopes etc.

I got to say he has been disappointing, but his clips from Sociedad, and a couple of glimpses of his talent this year makes me think he can make it - he just needs to reach his potential...

Rumours have been suggesting he is off to Spain again, for good. Could it be that Rafa feels he doesn't have the potential? Or that we need more than potential for the moment? I hope he stays one more season at least to prove his worth...

Sabre, what is your take? You saw him at the San Sebastian often, and see him play for us...why the dip in form? Is it that much different/harder for him? Or has his style of play just changed?

[Emerald Red]

To be perfectly honest, he's just struggling with the style of football to cut a long story short. He may have potential, but he'll never realise it, or fit in with our game. Too many times has he had the chance this season, and he never really had one good match that I can recall. Too many wasted passes, missed chances to cross or pick someone out in the area or edge of the box. Too many times did he try to pick the ball up in wide areas and cut inside. only to have a half-hearted tackle being put in, and he runs into it, wasting possession. Too many times did he try to beat players to get a cross in, and failed. He just looked like a player struggling. He may have set La Liga alight in some games, but then again, so did Cisse in France, and the likes of Forlan in Spain also.

The difference is that the pace between the two leagues told on him. He was known as 'Speedy' in Spain. Well, if I'm correct, I think the Spanish league is a slower pace than the Premiership, and he's come here thinking his pace would tell on defenders. It hasn't. He's been well matched in that department, and as such has probably taken a lot out of what he had in his locker. Some players just rely too much on pace alone. He just seemed to lack any real conviction and foresight into what he wanted to do with the ball. Headless chicken comes to mind. I'd get rid, asap!

[Sabre]

BUMP BUMP BUMP

I re-read this thread, all the optimism and hopes etc.

I got to say he has been disappointing, but his clips from Sociedad, and a couple of glimpses of his talent this year makes me think he can make it - he just needs to reach his potential...

Rumours have been suggesting he is off to Spain again, for good. Could it be that Rafa feels he doesn't have the potential? Or that we need more than potential for the moment? I hope he stays one more season at least to prove his worth...

Sabre, what is your take? You saw him at the San Sebastian often, and see him play for us...why the dip in form? Is it that much different/harder for him? Or has his style of play just changed?

Yes, I was very optimistic, and unfortunately I was wrong.

Now, about the questions.

Is it that much different?

Yes, it is much different. Liverpool Football club is not a classic middle team of Spain, but a top club of England, and that implies some differences:

* Gonzalez played every single match since he arrived, except for the first ones in which he only played 30 mins due to being physically weak. He had not competition in the left wing, there's not rotation as such in my team when we don't play Europe, so he had continuous games. In LFC, due to rotation and competition, he had scattered games.

* Both because LFC is a top club, there's much competition and the chances to show your value are less than in a middle Spanish club, I've seen Gonzalez very nervous, anxious, and thus taking a lot of decissions wrong in the pitch. Trying to do things he doesn't know to do,  rash in his decissions.

* At the start of the season Mark didn't play much and suddenly was given the Manchester United away game. The game was awful, we lost against an archenemy, and Mark did a horrible game. That multiplied his anxiety, and started to dissapoint the crowd (when you play archenemies the heroes are more heroes and the villains more villains).

* Another difference was that in Spain he was the first man of the hierarchy to shoot long range free kicks and he scored 3 goals this manner. Goals give you confidence and that's what he lacks in LFC. In LFC, he'll hardly be even the second or third option for free-kicks, he hasn't that hierarchy. The only set pieces situations he has executed are corners in some games. IMHO, a good corner taker.

Then Gonzalez dissapeared from the line-ups until this last stage of the league in which he reappeared. He was not awful anymore, he's just been poor, which is an improvement  , but still not good enough to convince.


Or has his style of play just changed?

He's the same player, but very intimidated by the big club syndrome. And in football mind is everything in a player.

I'll make up this last question

Even at his best, is he good enough for LFC?

Even at his best he doesn't know to dribble, as many pacy players his crosses while running are poor and he's ball control isn't top notch. And I doubt he'll get any better on this features. He's not a great passer neither, but not as bad as he has shown to be in england due to the anxiety.

But on the bright side, he's fast, he goes forward like an arrow to finish counterattacks carried by other team mates, does know finishing those final balls, has a very strong left foot for range shots, and can beat many RB by pace.

While he's poor crossing while running, his crosses with a dead ball are good (he wouldn't be a corner taker in LFC if he wasn't). I also saw him a good heading technique in San Sebastian, not in England. Since that are things that cannot be forgotten, I blame again anxiety.

I'd keep him because against deep oppositions good dribblers like Kewell are better, but against advanced defences like Wigan's a man like Gonzalez can make havoc.

That's my take on Gonzalez, he has his limitations and many of those won't get any better, but he has some things I've mentioned that can give points in many league games. He can be a good squad player, IMHO.

If there's too much competition in the left wing next season, a loan in England might be a good idea. But I wouldn't get rid of him.

[wee_boi888]

Thanks Sabre for the insight. Muchly appreciated. I take it that his mentality isnt as strong as he says it is?

I recall he sounds qute confident in himself, but it could be just a case of bravado...

[Sabre]

I'm afraid you are correct.

A Bravado case make worse by the pressure of having a whole country looking at him, I mean Chile. His performances are followed with the same interest Beckham is followed by the tabloids. The lad has to rise above all that pressure, focus on working, and let's see if lady luck comes.

[7_Kewell]

have to laugh reading through this thread 

[Igor Zidane]

Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

[Sabre]

have to laugh reading through this thread 

And what exactly did you find funny?

If it's the fact that I was wrong on the impact in the first season, that's nice, because I'm wrong often.

If it's because you're happy he's not good enough so that we realise Kewell is not impressive, then that would be sad.  Becase what we all should wish is to improve the squad. As much as Alonso is a player of my town, I'm happy that Mascherano comes, and even sits down him, because that's better for the club, that means LFC squad is stronger, which is the point.

So, what was that funny?

[7_Kewell]

have to laugh reading through this thread 

And what exactly did you find funny?

If it's the fact that I was wrong on the impact in the first season, that's nice, because I'm wrong often.

If it's because you're happy he's not good enough so that we realise Kewell is not impressive, then that would be sad.  Becase what we all should wish is to improve the squad. As much as Alonso is a player of my town, I'm happy that Mascherano comes, and even sits down him, because that's better for the club, that means LFC squad is stronger, which is the point.

So, what was that funny?

easy fella, i wasn't laughing at anyone in particular     

Just amusing reading everyone's hopes and predictions for a player they knew nothing about.  We all do it, its just funny reading back 

[Sabre]

Yes it is, to be honest, it's funny. 

Because if coaches and scouts get wrong their predictions, imagine us, simple supporters.

I was wrong with morientes too, right with Alonso, and quite right with Reina. 50/50, so you can say that Sabre's predictions are worth the tossing of a coin. 


There are other fun predictions in this forum too, like the "Manchester United will win the champions league" one 

[7_Kewell]

There are other fun predictions in this forum too, like the "Manchester United will win the champions league" one