What is the problem with Dani Pacheco?

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Dani Pacheco arrived at Liverpool in the summer of 2007 from Barcelona and was widely regarded as one of the brightest prospects in football. Arriving from the youth system of Barcelona, Pacheco was tipped to take the Premier League by storm. Also known as El Asesino, the Spaniard played for Liverpool Reserves initially and he eventually made his Liverpool debut in a Champions League game against Fiorentina as a second half substitute for Alberto Aquilani in late 2009. He further made six more appearances taking his tally to seven first team appearances however failing to score in any of them but he did provide an assist in a Europa League game against Unirea Urziceni. As far his international career is concerned, Pacheco won the Golden Boot at the 2010 UEFA European Under 19 Football Championship scoring 4 goals.

So the question which arises in my mind is that why isn’t he playing more games for Liverpool? Why is he always left on the bench? Rafa Benitez, Roy Hodgson and Kenny Dalglish, all of them have left Pacheco on the bench for most occasions, But why? We all know that he is extremely talented but is he really good enough to play for the first team? Or are there other reasons for him not playing? Obviously we don’t know what the reasons are, but we can only imagine that he hasn’t done enough to play for the first team regularly. But I still believe that he is worth a try and will produce once given the chance to play on a more consistent basis.

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47 Comments

  1. Rafa rarely play Pacheco coz he’s still a kid during Rafa reign..by the time Rafa started to draft Pacheco slowly for the 1st team, Rafa got sacked. I think the problem now is,beside Borrel and Segura, no one rate foreign kids..only the British one is given the chances to shine..We will lose Pacheco in d summer and Suso will follow suit..After all, this is what most fans wants..more Englishness for LFC..Carra and Gerrard are smiling. No more. Spanish influence..

  2. To be honest I think it is just a case of sheer numbers of midfielders at the club at the moment. That may change in the summer. Poulsen and Coles futures may be elsewhere. Not overly worried as Dani has recently signed a new contract, I think and Dalglish has already proved he is happy to play young players. Spearing, Shelvey, Kelly and Wilson immediately spring to mind. So an interesting question but not one that worries me unduly. His time will come when Dalglish has had time to sort out the players he actually wants at the club. YNWA.

  3. I’m just going to come right out and say it – and please don’t flame me folks. I’ve had enough of the Spanish mercenaries. Just look at Torres’ disrespectful comments today about chaos and professionals, Reina’s clear lack of focus and lacklustre performances as he eyes up Van der Sar’s job, and Benitez having no shame in trying to plug himself for the Pool job when no chairman in their right mind would hire him after the nightmare he DID play a part in with regards to our currently lacklustre squad.
    Pacheco is probably just not good enough because he doesn’t have the heart or strength. On the few occasions he did play for the first team, it was clear he was a boy amongst men and didn’t want to get physical. Bar the brilliant Alonso, this is another Barca reject who wanted some team practice before rejoining his boyhood club. Thanks Benitez for this and the other worthless trash you’ve put on our payroll.

    1. What a load of rubbish – Rafa did more for this club than any manager since Kenny. Only Torres has behaved live a mercenary!

  4. I think he should b given 1st team chance!!!
    this wont hapnd at liverpool fo few more years but v can let him go out for season loan like daniel sturridge n jack wilshere was loaned!!!
    I knw he wil b good player fo us in few comming years!!!!
    v should loan him in any of d top half premier side or la liga side!!!

  5. He clearly isn’t ready and I suspect he will be sold this summer. The difficulty is always that a lot of players are proclaimed as the next best thing at youth level and then just don’t make the step up. I think Dani might prove to be one of those. It’s interesting that he seems no nearer actually playing for the first team and yet he is not making headlines for the reserves either.

  6. Dani Pacheco is too old !

    He is also too heavy .

    When he ws 16 he was good enough because he was skinny & not strong now he is too old , he has started shaving & now weighs too heavy at 65 kilos .

    1. are you for reel to old he’s 20- going by what you say Gerrard is ancient!!! what should he weigh 30 kilos???

  7. @rushie, Mate what you spouted is little better than xenophobia. There are tons of fans who are not from Liverpool or UK. Does your non Spanish bias and mercenary tag extend to supporters as well. May i remind u what pennant used to say about LFC. What Paul konchesky and his mom brigade said about us. How many fans would take back Alonso if he came back , do u know? I know not all lfc supporters are like you. I hope not….If you are so happy to go all British then u have found a friend in Carragher. He wants nothing better than all British Liverpool.

  8. A bit unnecessary bitterness, Rushies Back, me thinks. Rafa has done Liverpool good by setting up the Academy to do well and until recently the Spanish have acquitted themselves very well.
    I am not happy about Reina’s remarks but I am also not happy that the former owners have put us in this position with Torres and Reina to begin with. I don’t blame Rafa for his remarks because I am sure that he feels strongly about the best interests of Liverpool and I have no doubts about his loyalty to Liverpool. Perhaps Pacheco just needs more time to build a physical presence that can withstand the rigors of first team EPL? Suso will prove to be better than Pacheco and will also not get a real chance for another 2/3 years. So it is mate!

  9. yes he only give a chance to english players am a liverpool fun for the past 26 years and i dont what the player is from as long as he play hard for my fever team but i see that pachico never got his chance this year and you who star talking a bout spanish players shame in you because you forgot what they did for our club for the past few years beside torees

  10. Like any other player he has to take his chances when he is brought on, for me he has’nt done that, his passing is wayward, his first touch needs work, his main strength is his workrate but even this makes him run around like a headless chicken someimes – he is probably trying too hard.
    However, just now and then he shows a little potential – just enough for the club to persevere, I think he would benefit from a loan spell somewhere where he could compete every week. For the long term I think he will make it.

  11. Pacheco only got one problem iat the club…he is not british. Shelvey have been shite and still got chances and Spearing..omg he is not good enough by far..

    why not give him a chance….with shite like Jovanovic, Maxi, Cole, Aurelio, Kuyt on the wings…there surely must be possible to give him a match or two…hell Lucas have had 100 matchens and 1 good so some get loads of chances..

  12. Simple – he is still a “boy” amongst men. Like a lot of young spaniards, good ball player though he is, he is too slight and not yet strong enough. He has to come up against big good/rough premier league defenders. Easy to “bully” off the ball at this level. Needs to bulk up a bit and gain strength, if this spoils his speed or intricate game, get rid as he may not be suited to the premiership. Can quite see why managers have overlooked him.

  13. i think he is a gd player, n given the chance ngog wz given. this lad wld hav definately proved himself. he is as gd as a young micheal owen.

  14. What a silly headline! There is nothing wrong with Pacheco. He is simply not good enough to play for Liverpool although many fans think otherwise.

  15. Rushies Back, what an idiot. Played out of positon, given the last 5-10 mins of games. And as for not making headlines for the reserve team. Hes being played as a deep lying midfielder which is not his positon.

  16. I can kind of see where rushies coming from. At this moment there is so much young english talent coming through the liverpool ranks its hard not to give them a chance, with english players they are more likely to be longer term players for liverpool and alot of spaniards have stabbed us in the back lately, personally i would love to see pacheco do well but we need more players that will make it to the top level and stay there for us

  17. Dani’s a good player,only d beefers&those who have neva tried to kick the ball at any stagẹ of their life wud say he’s nt this or dat enough. Smthg tells me Rushy back is a liverpool manager and dat’s why Dani has nt been given a chance. If nt,who is
    Jay spearing:he gav poor passes&was dispossesd in d europa match yet he wasn’t removd. Who is Jonjo :though beta dan Spearin bt he cudn’t score from a killer pass from Meireles. Bt who’s Pacheco, I have nothin to say. Play him so dat we can say smthg abt him.Oh! I forgot Ngog he’s even poorer i think he shld be a keeper. We’re playin him out of positn.

  18. People can say ‘it’s because we have too many midfielders’ but:

    1) we dont
    2) shelvey who plays in similar roles to Pacheco is always used ahead of him
    3) pacheco can play up front too

    if they thought he was able to break in to the first team he’d be getting a lot more minutes for the first team as he is now! Definitely something going on!

  19. I think Pacheco is a clever player who’s best (probably only) position is ‘in the hole’. For some reason he has not been tried there at all in the first team. In the Carling Cup Roy Hodgson played him on the wing-he is not a winger! I would like to see him get a chance in some games this season, last 20 mins or so. He does need to get stronger to deal with Premier league defenders though. I hope he gets his chance and takes it.

  20. We seem more intrested in players that huff and puff then players with any real skill like Pacheco,Ince,Bruna and Amoo.

  21. Well the English kids are getting a run and i say great but anyone who thinks this team will be successful using only English talent is kidding themselves.
    English players are way overpriced and there just is not enough good ones around and who would say no to having Villa Iniesta etc etc.
    If they lose Pacheco and Suso it is just bad business and just remember some of the worlds best players and coaches are Spanish.

  22. I’d rather give Pacheco, Sterling, Ince, Amoo, Suso a chance than play Cole ever again. Or Spearing at the wing. Or Poulsen anywhere.

  23. he will get game time next season when we try to off load the players that dont cut it like poulsen, ngog, jovanovic, cole etc. These players are blocking the youth prospects in the first team. If we ship out the big wages some how- there will be places and more game time for the likes of shelvey, pacheco, sterling and suso. You do need a degree of strength and stamina for the prem and it could be that which the youth players have got to improve? Plus if you do play them and they dont play good- i.e ngog, then you got a confidence problem with them which will effect them. Its complicated but i hope to see the average players moved on so that there is a clear path to the first team for the youth players we have in the squad.

  24. Thanks Benitez for this and the other worthless trash you’ve put on our payroll.

    …and the fact he had a net spend in 5-6 years of £0 now Torres has been sold, and the fact that our reserves and youth team are probably the best in the country says to me that Rafa not only performed minor miracles (Constant CL football, title challenge etc)but also was obviously very committed to a long term plan as he clearly wanted the best for the club.He deserves respect for that and for speaking out about the crooked owners.
    Don’t get me wrong, I’m made up that KK’s back but I really feel sorry for Rafa and his lack of support.It was absolutely shocking the way H&G treated him.

  25. Disappointed with fans like Rushies Back, which I’m sure does not represent the view of the majority. Players of other nationalities have more than often shown more passion and determination for Liverpool than overpriced english ones. So who’s the mercenaries?

  26. pacheco is just not good enough

    when i have seen him he’s just another stan bowles, duncan mckenzie, or rodney marsh
    loads of skill, but just wants to run round people 5 times before passing
    he just needs to meet a good old fashioned tommy smith, someone who will show him the back row of the stands, and go and play for cadiz and find his level

  27. I don’t think Dani is good enough to break into the first team and from what I have seen of him so far (in the senior team) will never be. I hope he proves me wrong!!

  28. Indeed, its clear that Spanish kids just don’t have the heart or the desire. Just look at all the dross coming through at Barcelona…

  29. First off apologies if my original post was deemed offensive or racist – it certainly wasn’t the aim. Mercenaries in general (and agreed that is not limited to the Spanish players) have just ticked me off and I wrote that comment five seconds after reading Torres’ latest rant.
    Truth is I’d play Pachecho instead of Ngog any day. In fact I’d bring Sammy Lee out of retirement and have him play instead of Ngog if needed that’s how embarrassing it is.

  30. Rushe’s back is a clear example of a sky sports or talksport idiot. also a racist against foreign players. rafa was stitched up, read the true story, not what sky tell you. moron.

  31. I think Pacheco is a victim of too much hype. He is a good player at reserve level. However, I feel he is not strong enough for the Premier League. I think, like with N’Gog, we made a mistake of not loaning them both out in order to gain much needed experience and confidence. The way our team is shaping, I just don’t see a future for Pacheco. Remember he only signed a years extension to his contract, possibly to protect his value in order to transfer him in the summer. Just a theory. I’m concerned about Sterling going down the same path. I think as fans we need to stop creating so much hype around the players. Kelly came under the radar, that is how they should come to the first team.

  32. Rushies back it was big of you to apologise as I felt you went way over the top in your original post. This all Brit team is silly, we’ll win nowt as you pay silly ptices for British players and there are not that many about of the right quality. The problem for Dani Pacheco is where is his best position? I don’t think he’s a wide player although he’s better than Spearing out wide, I’d allow Kenny that one without saying anything we are all human after all but please never again. He’s not a lone front man so he has to play in a two pronged attack or “in the hole”. Problem is we have Raul and Stevie to play the latter and Luis Suarez, a similiar type player, taking the tricky small player taking the former alongside Carroll. He could be the 4th striker (If we decide not to buy another forward) but time is running out for Dani to prove himself.

  33. Pacheco deserves a chance next season-a REAL chance. I have heard people saying he should be loaned out or sold because he is not proven or too weak for the premier league. blah blah blah, heard it all before, negative nineties football mindset. If that happens to him, than it will be like with Nemeth, talented striker, who becomes a hero at another club and doesn’t want to come back to Liverpool where he knows he won’t get a chance. What you are missing out on is the next Gerrard, and we will forever be one of those clubs that only play 25+ year olds we have bought or brainwashed large English 21 year olds who finally get a chance (because they are English and big) and when the team fails to create decent chances with them, everyone decides we need to BUY more talent.

    Kenny seems to know what he is doing, and I know that this season is now damage control, so I really hope that next year Kenny makes a statement and starts playing Pacheco, Suso, and Sterling. I know that Suso and Sterling are about sixteen, but so what? 2-0 up bring them on for ten. They have ball control and awareness of the game, which I’d pick any day over Large players that control the ball with their shins. Heres to next season YNWA

  34. Also, did any of you see the second leg of Barca vs Arsenal? Did you see the desire and work rate of Barcas midfield and forward line? Winning, builds desire. Getting chances in the first team builds desire. Being backed by the manager builds desire. You Start Pacheco in the first team, and he will show you desire.

    @Rushies Back, if you are venting your anger at Torres on Pacheco, then you have a short memory because when Torres first arrived he worked extremely hard and had very high desire. You know why his desire wasn’t there towards the end? BECAUSE WE WEREN’T WINNING!!! As Kenny said, ‘transfers a part and parcel of the game’. I sinserely worry about fans like you that believe that a team of grafters (which we have at the moment) is the way forward, its seems you really DO dream of a team of Carraghers. I don’t care if a player is from spain, Morrocco, Madagascar, or Mars, If they can contribute to the team than they deserve a shot. And at the moment we don’t need anymore Kuyts, or Carraghers, We need Suso’s, Sterlings, and Pacheco’s. YNWA

  35. Can I just make a couple of points?

    1. Pacheco is primarily a number 10 style striker, not a midfielder, although has been played in midfield.

    2. Ngog is a foreign striker who has had loads of game time.

    3. It is rumoured that Pacheco is a little gob shite.

    Given all that, I very much doubt his not being picked is down to Xenophobia. I would suggest its more about a lack of application, attitude and, possibly, his not being up to scratch.

    Kenny has just spent big on a Uraguaian number 10 so clearly isn’t interested in passports.

    Cheers
    G

  36. How comes when Rafa swamped the club with Spanish coaches nowt was mentioned, I never herd a sympathetic outburst for the British coach’s that lost their jobs and when the bootroom was shutdown..again no outcry.
    I’m fed up of Rafa dis and RAfa dat, he stitched himself up. As for DP (quality will always shine through).
    P.s it is racist to want to promote British talent it is just stupid to ignore them.(kcs)

  37. Simply put, Dani’s best position is behind the front man. Unfortunately for him that is the only position in which our squad has a wealth of riches. Raul Meireles has clearly made that role his own since the turn of the year, but you could easily slot Stevie G back in there. A strong case could also be made for that being Joe Cole’s strongest position too, which would leave Pacheco 4th in the pecking order. And that’s only if you discount Dirk, Maxi, Shelvey, and possibly Suarez- all of whom are far more physically suited to Premier League footy. Don’t get me wrong I’ve been crying out for the lad to get a look in, but he’s fighting a losing battle at the minute. He set the world alight in the U21 Championships, but that was from left wing- something i’m not sure he has the pace to do in the Prem. The kid clearly has a touch of magic, but in order to get the best of him it means leaving out players better than him, something we can’t afford to do as we battle to climb the table. I hope he has a long term future at the club, but if we can’t accomodate the boy, then it may be time for him to move on…

  38. Of course we want to see some homegrown players but to slag off players and coaches for not being british is pathetic and racist. It stinks of little england mentality

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