Kuyt-Hit or Miss?

[anfieldanfield]

I do indeed sense a pattern. Rafa thinks a few extra goals a season isn't worth keeping a striker for if they can't perform the more basic functions of team play. And he's right. Because of that policy we'll end up with players who are quality team players AND score a pretty good amount of goals instead of a collection of unintelligent head down kick and rushers with fairly average goalscoring records.

I think you're being extremely generous to Rafa.

[Shaggy]

I think you're being extremely generous to Rafa.

But Jamo, you surely don't seriously believe Rafa "doesn't like goalscorers"??? I thought you were being light-heartedly flippant?

I agree with Polo.

[anfieldanfield]

But Jamo, you surely don't seriously believe Rafa "doesn't like goalscorers"??? I thought you were being light-heartedly flippant?

I agree with Polo.

Obviously I was half-joking.

But perhaps I should have been more clear, I found this comment from Polo pretty wide of the mark....

"We'll end up with players who are quality team players AND score a pretty good amount of goals".

Morientes ? Bellamy ? Kuyt ? Hhmmmm....

I still dont think Rafa has a ****ing clue when it comes to getting the best out of strikers.

[KK07]

Kuyt put in the same performances for Holland in the WC that he's putting in for us now,although he played on the left for Holland.

I remember thinking at the time that he worked hard for the team and did alot of running,I thought I'd see more from him when he was specifically playing up front,that hasn't happened.

Everyone is saying that maybe next year he'll be better,why?

He's working his arse of as it is so the premiereship couldn't be taking a massive toll on him,in fact his stamina is one of his biggest attributes.

It's his finishing,well not even that as he's rarely in the bloody box to attempt a finish,that needs to improve.

So far miss for me,any striker who spends less time in the box then I do at the moment is a no no.

(Thought I'd get that in before Neil Y. !! )

[Shaggy]

Obviously I was half-joking.

But perhaps I should have been more clear, I found this comment from Polo pretty wide of the mark....

"We'll end up with players who are quality team players AND score a pretty good amount of goals".

Morientes ? Bellamy ? Kuyt ? Hhmmmm....

I still dont think Rafa has a ****ing clue when it comes to getting the best out of strikers.

Come on mate, we've been over this with Crouch. Benitez is clearly getting the best out of him - a striker who, at the time, pretty much no-one on the planet would've chosen as Liverpool's new signing. Benitez has to be given credit for that one.

I take your point re the likes of Bellamy & Kuyt though. Morientes we can surely forgive Benitez for, because he's a class act who we all thought was a great signing.

[Red_Polo]

Obviously I was half-joking.

But perhaps I should have been more clear, I found this comment from Polo pretty wide of the mark....

"We'll end up with players who are quality team players AND score a pretty good amount of goals".

Morientes ? Bellamy ? Kuyt ? Hhmmmm....

I still dont think Rafa has a ****ing clue when it comes to getting the best out of strikers.

Like I said 'We'll end up...'

He'll get signings wrong along the way, big deal, that's life. That's not an argument for settling for mediocre players like Baros and Cisse.

Kuyt has scored more league goals in his first season with us than Cisse did last season, and has offered the team infinitely more in other departments. Perhaps more significantly, his presence on the pitch does not cause the breakdown of our patterns of play time after time. I don't even need to make an argument for Crouch.

[Airman]

Do you really believe for a moment that Rafa would continue to play a player who doesn't obey instructions?

I would not be surprised if he's been payed so much, even when clearly out of form, in order to justify Moores having to dip into his own pocket to fund the transfer. I give him one more season and if he hasn't improved by then, Rafa will get shot of him like he has everyone else that has underperformed.

At the moment, a big miss. His first touch on the ball is one of the worst I've ever seen on a professional footballer and I cannot see how he can ever succeed in the Premiership unless that improves enormously.

[Shaggy]

Exactly. There's much about his game that concerns me, but most of all it's his woeful first touch. Seriously, mine is better.

All this "ooh give him time to adapt" stuff is all well and good but when his first touch is so bad, no amount of time is going to improve him. If he can't bring a ball under control at age 26, he'll never be able to do it.

Sorry Dirk.

[anfieldanfield]

Fair play Shaggy/Polo....some valid points.

[redblood]

For me he is a HIT. Adjusting to the prem is not easy especially if you come from a much weaker league such as the Dutch.
He's scored 11 goals already and I think there is plenty to come from him till the end of the season.
He works hard, link up well and can finish. He has proved that so far.
Two parts of his game I would like to improve on
1- his first touch lets him down sometimes.
2-he needs to be in the 18 yards box more often, sometimes a cross comes in to the opponents box and there is noone there to receive.

I have no doubt that KUYT will be a much better player next season but for now he has done reasonably well for a first year player in the prem.

I'd have to echo most of those sentiments mate.

[thesilverfoxlfc]

A Miss, in what he was signed for and thats to score goals. Great player for the team and very intelligent player.

I want to see him smacking in the goals from now on

[Michael]

I'll fill some of you guys in ...... RB played Kuyt up front as a loan striker against City to try and force him to play further up the pitch .... breaking the habit of hanging back if you like.

He was left a little frustrated!

[Mr Tourette]

Exactly. There's much about his game that concerns me, but most of all it's his woeful first touch. Seriously, mine is better.

All this "ooh give him time to adapt" stuff is all well and good but when his first touch is so bad, no amount of time is going to improve him. If he can't bring a ball under control at age 26, he'll never be able to do it.

Sorry Dirk.

sorry to jump in, but exactly the sentiments i posted earlier.

I like him but Its his worrying lack of the basic ingredients that worries me. Give him time?... well hes going to get another season to prove himself obviously - but why should he be able to hide behind that as a strong, super fit, english speaking, dutch international playing at the club of his dreams at the peak of his career and now has probably 35 or 40 games experience? christ if he was homesick hes only a half hour flight away. i dont see any other excuses sadly?