CZECH striker Milan Baros has shaved his head, trimmed his weight and given Gerard Houllier plenty to think about.
The 21-year-old has been a revelation in Liverpool's preseason build-up and it seems he is about to prove the £3.4million the Anfield chief spent last Christmas is money well spent.
Baros had scored the winner against Le Havre two weeks ago and took over from Michael Owen with 30 minutes left of Tuesday's 1-0 friendly defeat by Lazio to give the Liverpool fans a glimpse of his talent.
Houllier describes Baros' dramatic change as "like having a different player," and it is clear the former Banik Ostrava player needed to shape up.
After a protracted work permit wrangle last term, he finally became a Liverpool player in December, but then sunk without trace in Houllier's squad.
He had just one chance as a late substitute in the Champions League in Barcelona in March and never got a sniff of a league run-out. He spent most of the final months of the run-in to the Premiership second spot watching from the back of the Liverpool directors' box.
But it is clear he has wised up, having arrived from the Czech Republic with a reputation in his homeland for a quickfire temperament that saw him sent off playing for his country last term.
Now it seems Houllier has knocked him into shape. The French coach says: "He has come back pre-season having lost several kilos in weight. There has been a dramatic improvement in Milan.
"He is looking a different player and has already scored in pre-season."
Baros came on for his first taste of the Anfield atmosphere with Lazio ahead and Liverpool needing to do something to save face.
HAVE your say on our Reds Messageboard - click 
RSS News Feed