Maxi Rodriguez was in blistering form for Liverpool at the tail-end of last season, scoring 7 goals in 3 games, including two hat-tricks in a row. That clearly wasn't enough to move him higher in the first-team pecking order though, and this season, the Argentinean has struggled to get into Kenny Dalglish's first eleven. Former Liverpool defender Gary Gillespie believes that Maxi needs to alter his game slightly to improve his chances of regular selection.
Speaking on the LFC TV Channel, Gillespie observed:
"I think he's a clever player...and technically he's very gifted. However, I think, like Jordan Henderson, he takes the easy option too much at times.
"Maxi has a lot more ability that what he thinks himself. That sounds daft considering the number of times he's played for Argentina, but when balls get knocked into him I think he's got to let the ball run through his body a little bit more.
"He needs to get at people, because when he does that, I think he's a far more dangerous player"
Maxi has been granted a meagre 14 minutes of Premier League pitch time so far this season, so it's obvious that Kenny Daglish doesn't see him as integral to his team.
As Gillespie says though, Maxi is a clever player, and I think he could be utilised better in the league. After all, he did chip in with 10 league goals in total last season, and with the likes of Stewart Downing struggling to provide any specific, measurable creative impact, surely Maxi deserves the occasional start?
Jaimie Kanwar
Speaking on the LFC TV Channel, Gillespie observed:
"I think he's a clever player...and technically he's very gifted. However, I think, like Jordan Henderson, he takes the easy option too much at times.
"Maxi has a lot more ability that what he thinks himself. That sounds daft considering the number of times he's played for Argentina, but when balls get knocked into him I think he's got to let the ball run through his body a little bit more.
"He needs to get at people, because when he does that, I think he's a far more dangerous player"
Maxi has been granted a meagre 14 minutes of Premier League pitch time so far this season, so it's obvious that Kenny Daglish doesn't see him as integral to his team.
As Gillespie says though, Maxi is a clever player, and I think he could be utilised better in the league. After all, he did chip in with 10 league goals in total last season, and with the likes of Stewart Downing struggling to provide any specific, measurable creative impact, surely Maxi deserves the occasional start?
Jaimie Kanwar
I really wish Kenny would reconsider playing Maxi on the left.
ReplyDeleteLast year our left side was a great outlet in attack with him there.
Personally, I think Maxi doesn't figure in Kenny's plans because of his
age (doesn't see him as part of the future), which is a shame as he
still has much to offer.
His technical ability & link up play with Suarez is far superior to any our the English wingers.
At the moment I would certainly be giving him more game time.
Hopefully in the next transfer window we can bring in Gary Cahill & Gaston Ramriez.
Ramriez on the left would go a long way to forging our left flank into a fearsome weapon.
Those two players would improve our overall gameplay immensely.
Hope Kenny's on the same wavelength.
Maxi is talented and creates as well as scores unlike some of the useless big money transfers we have got recently. but the kenny can do nothing wrong brigade wouldn't want useless to be sat on the bench where they deserve to be
ReplyDeleteHow long did it take Maxi to start creating or scoring anything last season?? I'm pretty sure at this point in the season he was contributing even less, both individually and as part of a team, than Downing or Henderson has this season.
ReplyDeleteI'd rather see some of the reserves step up onto the wings than see Maxi given any more game time. He should've been sold on in the summer when we still had the opportunity to recoup a little fee and get his wages off of the books. The guy is a passenger as far as I'm concerned, and we shouldn't be wasting time and money on senior players that have proven themselves to be as such
A guy who scores 10 goals is a passenger and the four combined big time Charlie's signed for 80million 5 goals between them. wonder where the money has been wasted ...
ReplyDeleteOh yeh forgot they're for the future ..they'll come good in 2015season. you just have to believe
Until then they are generating us money..they don't even take a wage because the wage they are paid..they return it because they love playing for the club.
Henderson has scored 6 goals all his life.
ReplyDeleteDowning 29 goals in 10years
Maxi is a passenger??
I hope maxi never plays for Liverpool again. He is absolute shit.
ReplyDeleteHe is the only player that I don't like at LFC.
How many games did Maxi play to score his goals?
ReplyDeleteHow many games have "the big time Charlie's" played for Liverpool?
Oh yea, I forgot - as far as you're concerned Maxi and the like played no part in Liverpool falling down the table right and should take no blame for the mess that we've found ourselves in...
We just have to believe that everything would be so much different now if only they were given more time to get us out of the mess that they created. After all, at least they all returned their hard earned wages after failing the club so miserably, because they love LFC so much right?
Yep.
ReplyDeleteWhen the team was struggling for form, what exactly did Maxi do to help the team out of its troubles? Absolutely nothing!
He then tucked in a few goals when the going was good, without ever actually putting in a good all around individual performance himself.
Perfect example of a passenger as far as I'm concerned.
In kenny we trust brigade...lets blame every but kenny. lets blame the refs..the opposition..the weather ..the days and times we play
ReplyDeleteHow about you remove Suarez from Liverpool.
ReplyDeleteMaybe then you can identifiy the passengers...
Well said
ReplyDeleteYou aint got a chance with people who believe that ADAM is better than ALONSO .....and DOWNING is better than FRANK RIBERY
ReplyDeleteor those that believe KUYT is better than RONALDO. And MAXI is better than ROBBEN
ReplyDeleteBefore Suarez we had Torres and Gerrard playing. And the pre Suarez league results from last season were 10 losses, 9 victories & 5 draws from 24 games.
ReplyDeleteMaxi played a minimum of 30 mins in 19 of those games (starting 17 times), and contributed a massive 3 goals, 0 assists and little to no heavily influential performances.
How dare I call him a passenger - at least he puts Henderson and Downing to shame with those achievements right!
I haven't even seen that statement arise under Dalglish as yet.
ReplyDeleteYou must be getting confused in the absence of your beloved IRWT brigade...
Seeing as you refuse to look back on how much Maxi contributed last season Mali, I'll be a pal and do it for you :-)
ReplyDeleteBy this point in time last year, Maxi had either started or played more than 30 mins in 8 games (sub twice). In that time he managed to contribute ONE goal and ZERO assists to the team. Puts Henderson and Downing to shame right!
But he's not an individual type player though is he right? His game intelligence makes the team look better rather than just himself I guess? Well in those games the team won 3 times, lost 3 times, and drew twice, while delivering a host of pitiful performances. I really do miss those good ole days...
Well said, Gary Gillespie. Maxi needs to alter his game to suit Dalglish style of play for Liverpool.
ReplyDeleteI thnk Lucas is worst than Maxi. Lucas cant win a decent tackle.
ReplyDeleteSo you want us to compare Maxi under hoofball Hodgson ?
ReplyDeleteYour kidding right ?
How about you compare them all under Dalglish so we have a level playing field !!
Oh thats right, it doesn't suit your twisted argument...
yeah he needs to contribute less league goals
ReplyDeleteFact is when Kenny took over Maxi responded big time. In stead of sticking him on the flank Kenny allowed Maxi to come inside ala Lungberg or bowyer. Maxi isn't a winger he is a player who has a knack of drifting into space to conger up goal scoring opportunities. Asking him to stay out wide the way Rafa and Hodgson did is madness because that's not his game. If a player is responding to a managers style of play why not play him?
ReplyDeleteLets blame mali341!!!!
ReplyDeleteSuarez seem to link up well with Maxi as well last season and in this years Carling Cup.
ReplyDeleteDowning on the left and Maxi given a chance down the right someone to link up with Johnson like Downing links up with Enrique also you could switch Downing and Maxi with more effect.
Maxi did seem to have the knack of being in the right place at the right time last season and enjoyed playing when Kenny took over the style of play freed up all the players in the team.
This an extract from a Henderson interview so Henderson knows he has to improve.
ReplyDelete"Sometimes I can be a little bit cautious in keeping the ball, playing a safe pass rather than an adventurous one," said Henderson"Maybe I need to take more risks going forward."I need to look for runners and give the ball more quickly."It is those little balls through that create chances I need to improve on."I know with hard work and listening to the coaches at Liverpool I will certainly get better.".
The funny thing is if you look at Hendersons goals and assists for Sunderland he should already know what to do.
I'm comparing the contributions of players for Liverpool from the beginning of last season to Oct 31st, to the beginning of this season to Oct 31st.
ReplyDeleteIf you want to call that twisting an argument then that's on you...
Oh yea, I forgot - anything that happened last season doesn't count as Hodgson would threaten any players with death if they attempted to look like competent players right? And the season before doesn't count either because the Yanks were playing evil jedi mind tricks on Rafa and his boys eh...
Henderson and downing cost 40million whilst Maxi comes on a free. He puts em to shame .
ReplyDeleteYou can say or believe what you want but they are worst than cap if Maxi is crap
At that same period what were your heroes like Gerrard Carra Joe Cole doing...don't remember them pulling up trees.
ReplyDeleteIts easy to blame certain players..be fair and criticise on a level playing field. David Ngog misses and is branded crap but when Carroll misses its not fair to criticise..but yet one cost under 1million and the other cost 35million ..
you are definitely suffering from chronic soccer illeteracy and i hate to read trash comments like what you just wrote. You sit on your fat a-se and make silly comments.
ReplyDeleteMy heroes?? Really??
ReplyDeleteMali, your problem is that you create your own ludicrous arguments to argue against, instead of paying any attention to what people in front of you actually say...
Except that Henderson & Downing are contributing at least the same amount to a better team effort than Maxi did at the same stage last year.
ReplyDeleteAnd fwiw, by most accounts, Maxi is on higher wages than Henderson btw...
yogibearone;;; Downing is a waste of space !
ReplyDeleteLucas can't kick a ball,he has no shot at all.Watch the silly grin on his face when he 'tries' to have a shot at goal.
ReplyDeleteMy 3yr old grandson could kick a ball harder than him!
"YES" bring RAFA back ! anytime !
ReplyDeletewhat is wrong with liverpoolians-
ReplyDeletehow is maxi on the bench? please, reconsider; on the name of fútbol.