Pacheco

[Frogfish]

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[quote author=Asim link=topic=41080.msg1151779#msg1151779 date=1281455336]
Is he really going to play a part this season?
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Who knows? But it's refreshing to see that we're at least keeping showing the encouragement, especially in light of recent years where players would find themselves frozen out. It's a delicate situation because he's a potentially good player who's looking for more games. I doubt we were really in a position to make promises but it's nice to see us looking after our own interests by buttering him up and hoping for the best.
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I think he has already done enough to show it's more than just potential ... now it's just a case of how good he can become.
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It's potential. What's he done in the Premiership? Just because he's had a few stormers against 17 year old's, it doesn't mean he's the deal. He didn't pull up trees in the last match, for what it's worth.
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Why does it have to be in the PL ? Watch the boy play and you know it's more than just potential, although we are debating semantics here. He can play, but can he play in a Liverpool 1st team ? I don't know but, from watching him on the Offal, his UEFA U19s performances and his first start for us (in which he showed a lot of creativity, control and quality) I personally think he has the talent to do so in the not too distant future.

 

[Avmenon]

This is the exact problem tho.

I think Pacheco has the makings of a fine player; but do we really want to play him in the first XI before he's ready?

For that matter IS he ready?

 

[Frogfish]

Avy,

If you don't play him how are we ever going to find out ? There are plenty of players around the world that play in 1st teams at 16, 17, 18, 19 years of age. Dani is 19 soon to be 20. How old were Rooney, Gerrard - even Joe Cole for that matter, when they started playing in the first team ?

 

[Insignificance]

It is ofte down to what football you want to play. Some managers makes sacrifices trying to win, others makes them trying to avoid løysing. Pacheco will struggle under the latter.

 

[keniget]

He's not ready for the starting eleven, but he is ready to be part of the first team squad.

He'll get chances from the subs bench and as part of the squad rotation (cups in particular I would imagine) and we'll see over the course of the season how he fares.

 

[gene hughes]

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[quote author=gene hughes link=topic=41080.msg1151855#msg1151855 date=1281460981]
I must say I'm pleasantly surprised by the idea of him getting some games this season but i think it's a bit much to expect him to become 'a regular'. If that happens it means something is wrong with our frontline.
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He will be 20 this year, that's old enough to hold down a first team slot in many teams if you are good enough. At the moment our frontline players are (and I'm assuming now that Gerrard is moving back into midfield): Torres, Jovanovic, Cole, Kuyt, N'Gog, Babel & possibly Aquilani (as AM), we may also have another striker arriving before the end of the transfer season. However it seems Pacheco will be played on either the left or the right and in that case his competition is Jovanovic, Kuyt & Babel - It's not beyond the realms of possibility that he can get himself to #2 in that list, and become a 1st team regular, if he continues his progress.
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We have several players who can play in a three behind Torres. Gerrard, Kuyt, Cole, Aqualani, Babel and Jovanovic. I'd expect Hodgson may shuffle them to any extent possible before making pacheco a starter. At best he could be ahead of Aqualani and Babel for one of those positions.

 

[Rafiagra]

Didnt we have this chat about Insua before he broke into the team??

You have to either get him involved or send him out on loan to a team where he is better than what they have and so gets experience on the pitch, like Arsenal are doing with Wilshere.

Unless the player is a revelation, he needs a few years experience before he can really start making an impact, a bit like Milner has had. Then the combination of ability and experience will likely result in them being a good player.

 

[Squiggles]

Creative players like Cole and Pacheco, and Garcia before them, need to be given the licence to try things to unlock the opposition defences so faith is required, and in Pacheco's case, as with any young player, patience is also needed from both the coaching staff and the supporters.

Like Babel will soon find out, this patience has it's limits, so Pacheco simply has to take the chances he gets given to him.

He's certainly ready to be competing for the first team squad.

 

[RolandG]

Somehow I believe Roy will give the lads a fair crack at getting game time. They must be ready when opportunity comes knocking.

 

[Brizzle]

I think he'll be a great player to bring on against teams who park the bus, especially with the addition of cole to the team as well.