When was the last time....

[red g]

Malouda has taken a while to get going......

[red g]

I woudld say most foreign imports need a little while to get used to the premiership.

[lucas]

Pires is surely the best example of this. Pants in his first season and ****ing fantastic thereafter.

100%

[Craig_H]

Look at the trophy brothers, sucking up to each other

[Taxi]

all non LFC players though

We're struggling to come up with evidence to support this argument over a 6 year period. We don't have a lot of money to spend, so we're increasingly looking for players around the world with raw talent who we can develop. Hence we try not to expect too much in the first season on this basis, but to be honest, those first few months normally set the standard for the rest of their career with us.

I'm not aiming this at the youngsters we bring in, but once they get into their 20's and they transfer to us, they should be able to show us what they've got from the start and if they don't, they're normally off again within another season or two, just look at our list of failed wingers over the years.

Does this indicate a lack of player development at the club? Torres really developed but world class players always will, Gerrard was pretty much the finished article already imo, Alonso definitely became a better player but I can't recall anyone else coming here above a certain age besides those players who've actually improved much.

This is particulary noticeable in the number of attacking players who've passed through Anfield during Rafa's reign. I'm sure I read an ex player interview once who said that there was very little talk or practice of attacking play but mostly just defending. Then you look at our goals scored (last season obviously) and we were banging goals in? Maybe that was more to do with a fitter Torres and Gerrard.

I think Rafa pretty much needs the finished article when he buys a player or it won't happen, yet our budget won't allow it. Babel for me would be a much better player with the right guidance.

[Liverpel]

Pires is surely the best example of this. Pants in his first season and ****ing fantastic thereafter.

Alex Song is a more recent example.

[Taxi]

Malouda has taken a while to get going......

would that be the 2 goals he scored on his debut against us

I think he just fell out of favour with scolari, I've always rated him as a half decent winger though and was blasted for it last season

[leftpeg]

Mark Gonzalez was pants in his first year, then we got rid, thus a considerable improvement.

[Taxi]

Mark Gonzalez was pants in his first year, then we got rid, thus a considerable improvement.

That was a huge improvement.

[Robbie-9-Fowler]

step up Alberto Aquilani

[Exiled_red]

step up Alberto Aquilani

[Liverpel]

step up Alberto Aquilani

He'd probably trip up!

[saj]

Steve Finnan

[Redshadow]

Hi - I'm new here so forgive a little naivety in my first couple of posts if you will but to answer the original question?

Javier Mascherano
Martin Skrtel
Peter Crouch
Yossi Benayoun (His second season 2008/2009)
Djbril Cisse - TBF though he didn't HAVE much of a first season did he?
Also How about John Aldridge? (MUCH better in 1987/1988).

[Tatterdemalion]

Hi - I'm new here so forgive a little naivety in my first couple of posts if you will but to answer the original question?

Javier Mascherano
Martin Skrtel
Peter Crouch
Yossi Benayoun (His second season 2008/2009)
Djbril Cisse - TBF though he didn't HAVE much of a first season did he?
Also How about John Aldridge? (MUCH better in 1987/1988).

Aldo was signed in summer 1987 wasn't he?