Liverpool FC Forum

[Lando_Griffin]

The thing with Beni is he WILL pay big money, but only for the right player. We saw that with Xabi.

[A.B.]

The thing with Beni is he WILL pay big money, but only for the right player. We saw that with Xabi.

True, and that's the only player we've payed double figures for since he's arrived here.

[whylongball?]

Not good enough.

Pennants a better player, younger, english and would cost half the price.

havent seen much of simao but Pennant is definitely a good alternative choice......and cheaper as stu said....
more importantly he is already familiar with the league

[The_Rock]

We have a good chance of getting pennant next season (becos birmingham will deffo get relegated). He would make a great squad player for us.

Just because arsene wenger does not rate him doesn't make him a bad player..... Just look at the other winger that wenger doesn't rate (thomas of charlton).....

[tubby]

Pennant is skillfull but he hasnt got the mentality.

[115-1073096938]

He's got it all.

He lacks the mentallity because he hasn't been forced to have the right mentallity. If he came to Liverpool and played next to the likes of Carragher, Gerrard, Xabi and Didi Hamann he'd develope the mentallity.

The lad has all the talent in the world, is english, used to the game over here, can cross a ball as good as almost anyone in the league, has superb pace, can skin defenders for fun with skill or pace, has a decent brain on him and works hard for the team, he's a complete winger.

[bigmick]

Pennant is a smashing player but by all accounts a bit of a lad. I think it's quite feasable that he has alcohol problems of a Tony Adams/Paul Merson type of magnitude. That said he is only a kid and probably still suffers from his ill-advised move to London as a 16 year old boy.
Simao I know little about other than seeing him once against Manure. Never one to hold back on giving an early opinion/guess, here's mine on him. I think he won't cut it in our league. I think the pace and physical commitment will be too much for him over here.
Clearly signing any player is a gamble. With Pennant, as I see it you are gambling that you can stabalise him as far as his personal life is concerned. His football ability can be taken as a given in my view, it's purely the off the pitch stuff. If it does go pear-shaped you've done your money (probably about 4 million after his latest faux-pas) as nobody would touch him with barge pole. With simao it's that age old connundrum as to whether he could adapt to our game. What would opposition defences do against his undoubted talent and ability? Get after him that's what, and could he cope? If not, then you'll have to sell him back to Spain/Portugal for about 1/2 what you paid for him (about 10-12 million by all accounts).
Given the variables (and assuming that the Joaquin thing won't happen) I would go with Pennant. Given his age, he needs to meet himself a nice girl and have a baby. He wouldn't be the first young bloke who was a bit of an ersehole but suddenly changed when that scenario was acted out. If we're honest, it holds true for most of us.

[stmichael]

get castelan from feyernoord. he's pure class.

[drummerphil]

watched a bit of Holland v Italy last night not impressed with Dirk Kuyt on that showing.

[Ciggy]

Personally I dont think Liverpool should touch Pennant with a barge pole, not because of his footballing ability the lad has bags of talent, its clear for everyone to see, but he's been in jail, been banned from driving and is on his last warning at Birmingham for turning up to training drunk a few weeks ago.
Such a shame to waste his footballing career on the drink as footballers have a short career span, I dont think he will change his bad boy ways and we rid ourselves of the spice boys we had.
It would be a mistake if we signed him IMHO. Plus I dont think he is a Rafa type signing.

[LFC #1]

Plus I dont think he is a Rafa type signing.

I think thats what it comes down to in the end. Rafa always says he wants players with the right "mentality", and unfortunately I don't think Pennant has it.

[bigmick]

Personally I dont think Liverpool should touch Pennant with a barge pole

It's hard to know Lynds, you might be spot on. I guess you've just got to wiegh up the size of the gamble. I wouldn't pay 6-7 mill' for him myself, but if you can pick him up for 3-4 mill' then he's got to be worth a punt given his talent. That said, it's all conjecture anyhow because as you say, Rafa wouldn't go near him anyway.
One thing I would say about the kid is that his attitude while actually on the pitch looks to be first class. None of the Kewellesque posturing or the histrionics of a Cisse, he seems to give his all and get stuck into the job.

[Ciggy]

because as you say, Rafa wouldn't go near him anyway.

Hiya Mick, I know where your coming from mate but I just dont think for one minute Rafa would sign him.
As I said before his attitude off the pitch stinks, probably not his fault, signing for Arsenal at such a young age and getting to big for his boots and a massive ego too boot.
But the lifestyle has nearly all but ruined him.
Rafa likes hungry players, he wont come out and blatently say that Carra is his favourite player, but you know that he is.
Under Houllier Carra was on the ale all the time, but the players got away with murder in them days, there is noway what so ever now that rafa would put up with any kind of carry on.
Rafa didnt bring Diouf back cause of his baggage and I think Pennant has a few suitcases with him now, I just dont think he's got the right personality or mentality to be in Rafa's plans.
I may be wrong, but I just cant see it TBH.

[The Canadian Red Army]

Personally I dont think Liverpool should touch Pennant with a barge pole

It's hard to know Lynds, you might be spot on. I guess you've just got to wiegh up the size of the gamble. I wouldn't pay 6-7 mill' for him myself, but if you can pick him up for 3-4 mill' then he's got to be worth a punt given his talent. That said, it's all conjecture anyhow because as you say, Rafa wouldn't go near him anyway.
One thing I would say about the kid is that his attitude while actually on the pitch looks to be first class. None of the Kewellesque posturing or the histrionics of a Cisse, he seems to give his all and get stuck into the job.

for the right price you could take a gamble on him, but the problem if it doesnt work out what do we do? Ive seen him a couple of times and he does look pretty good. Whats to say he doesnt stop the whole drinking binge. A lot teams would sign him if he wasnt lugging around a keg everywhere he goes. We would probably have to sell him back to birmingham. As ciggy has stated, it really doesnt look like rafa is that type of man. I think he would much rather go out and buy a young player with potential, than go out and spend 4 million on Pennant.

[A.B.]

CGGY is spot on regarding Pennant's off the pitch attitude. Diouf has done well for Bolton, and he has ability however his mentality is poor off the pitch. Even after the spitting incidents he got in trouble again recently with the law.

Benitez just doesn't want those kind of players.