10 Underwhelming Liverpool Signings Who Became Cult Heroes

5. Maxi Rodriguez

Most people will remember Maxi Rodriguez for one moment in his career - that sumptuous 25 yard volley against Mexico in the last 16 of the 2006 World Cup. For Liverpool supporters, unless they were avid La Liga followers, that was all they had to go on for the Athletico Madrid veteran as he pulled into Melwood for his first day of training. That had been four years ago, however, and judging from his career trajectory, he hadn't done much since. With Liverpool having already been unceremoniously dumped out of the Champions League and FA Cup by January, it was hard for Reds supporters to get excited about anything as their side languished in the midriff of the Premier League table. Signing Athletico Madrid's Maxi Rodriguez on a free transfer simply looked like another cost-effective way of penny-pinching, with Benitez forced to contend with a pair of squabbling owners. While it took a little while to settle, failing to ignite under the incoming Roy Hodgson, Rodriguez was reborn under Kenny Dalglish in the latter half of the 10/11 season, bagging ten league goals - including two hat-tricks. The following season, he would score the opener at Stamford Bridge in an important 2-1 victory, before netting against them again nine days later in what would prove to be a glorious League Cup campaign. Rodriguez finished his two and a half year spell with the Reds with 17 goals in 72 appearances - while not an extremely prolific record, it certainly warmed the heart of a Reds nation during a time when they didn't have much to smile about.