Ngog, David

[TLW 247]

DAVID NGOG PROFILE by Alex Woo & Dave Usher Date of Birth - 01/04/89 Nationality - French Position - Forward Games - 63 Goals - 9 Club Hons (Lpool) - None Club Hons (Other) - Coupe de la Ligue 2008 (PSG) Intnl Hons - French U21 caps. Other Clubs - FC Franconville, Paris Saint-Germain, Bolton Wanderers

French starlet David Ngog was brought to the club in July 2008 after being scouted by Laurent Viaud for several seasons. The cousin of one time Liverpool target Jean-Alain Boumsong arrived at the club with a big reputation due to his tremendous goalscoring record at French international youth level.

He had made several first team appearances for PSG, scoring once in 18 games in what was a disappointing domestic season for the club.

With only 12 months left on his contract, Liverpool swooped and paid £1.5m for the youngster who signed a four year deal. It looked like a shrewd bit of business after some impressive performances in pre season. In four appearances he bagged two very good goals against Rangers and Valarenga.

Rafa Benitez was quick to dispell comparisions of any fellow countrymen of his position saying "There are players with his qualities in England but the supporters can decide whether he is like Emmanuel Adebayor or Nicolas Anelka or whoever. I don't like to think too much about this."

Ngog was fast-tracked into the first team set up quicker than Benitez would have liked, as Robbie Keane was sent back to Tottenham and no replacement was signed. Ngog had featured sporadically in the first team prior to the sale of Keane, and he had scored his first goal for the club in a Champions League game at PSV Eindhoven.

His first Premiership strike came in March 2009 against Sunderland, and the following season saw the young Frenchman feature regularly in the matchday 18 due to the injury problems of Fernando Torres and the lack of other striking options available to the manager. Despite being extremely raw and often looking quite lightweight, Ngog displayed an eye for goal and a commendable work ethic.

With Fernando Torres still on holiday at the start of the 2010/11 campaign after his World Cup exploits with Spain, new boss Roy Hodgson was forced to turn to Ngog to lead the line in the Europa League qualifiers. He didn't disappoint, scoring the goals that ensured the reds' qualification to the group stages. He then followed it up with a terrific goal against Arsenal on the opening day of the season as ten man Liverpool almost pulled off an unlikely victory only to be denied right at the death.

That was as good as it got for Ngog, Torres returned to the side and then in January Roy Hodgson was sacked. Kenny Dalglish took over, Torres left but in came Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll. Ngog's days were numbered and he joined Bolton in the summer of 2011.

His finest moment in a red shirt came in the 96th minute of a home game with Manchester United in October 2009, when he ran clear at the Kop end and showed a cool head to slide the ball past Edwin Van Der Saar and put the seal on a much needed 2-0 win.