the digler

[desertscouser]

There was an example yesterday when Voronin cushioned a lovely lay off into the perfect area on the edge of the box - the area in which Kuyt should've been steaming into - yet he was nowhere to be seen and the attack fizzled out. Honestly, that side of his game reminds me of Heskey. He spends far too much time outside the box...in the centre circle, even, when we're attacking. He has no killer instinct.

Do you think though that maybe he's following instructions from Rafa to play as deep as he is? I mean, for Feynoord, did he play that deep?

[Shaggy]

Do you think though that maybe he's following instructions from Rafa to play as deep as he is? I mean, for Feynoord, did he play that deep?

My gut instinct tells me no - I think it's Kuyt's 'choice' - but then there's no way he'd survive in the team (or even at the club) if he was ignoring Rafa's instructions.

So then you'd have to assume he's following the manager's instructions - which begs the question, why, Rafa? Why? He never played any other striker so deep...so deep that to call them a striker would be plain wrong, so why play Kuyt there? It's not as if he's got Hoddle-like vision and threads great little balls through. He's like the strike force equivalent to Momo. A 'destroyer' who plays up front and scores a few goals.

Puzzling.

[JPK]

He reminds me of Mark Hughes.He puts himself about and always shows for the ball.He always gives 100% and he is'nt the worst finisher when he gets a chance.His first year was alright.Nothing special.He is a team player and wont let you down.I'm critical of alot in our squad but I like Kuyt.
He will get important goals for us this year.

[Guest]

My gut instinct tells me no - I think it's Kuyt's 'choice' - but then there's no way he'd survive in the team (or even at the club) if he was ignoring Rafa's instructions.

So then you'd have to assume he's following the manager's instructions - which begs the question, why, Rafa? Why? He never played any other striker so deep...so deep that to call them a striker would be plain wrong, so why play Kuyt there? It's not as if he's got Hoddle-like vision and threads great little balls through. He's like the strike force equivalent to Momo. A 'destroyer' who plays up front and scores a few goals.

Puzzling.

I think some of Rafa's decisions are starting to piss people off. When Torres came on he played as a right winger of some sort and didn't have any impact on the game whatsoever. Squared pegs in round holes and all that.

And I'm also questioning the fact that Kewell is still considered as a winger. He doesn't seem to have that turn of pace anymore to outrun his defender, but still he's being played there.

We've seen nothing in the game yesterday to give us any hint that we're improving in an attacking sense. It's just basically a carbon copy of a performance from one of our away game last season.

As for Kuyt, he started playing as an out and out striker then started dropping deeper and deeper. Maybe it was borne out of the fact that he wasn't fed quality balls.

[smither]

there was a big point made of him getting 20 goals and 20 assists for feyenoord, maybe torres is the man to convert the assists he offers, but i doubt kuyt will get 20 goals this season

[WILF]

i meant the lynch mob on me fella not DK

Ok mate, in that case we ought to get the mob ready and fired up right now

#Note to self:don't skim read posts !!!

[smither]

I think some of Rafa's decisions are starting to piss people off. When Torres came on he played as a right winger of some sort and didn't have any impact on the game whatsoever. Squared pegs in round holes and all that.

but surely it's better to try this out in a friendly and see how it goes instead of risking it in a game that matters

[dww]

I still want to see our wide midfielders get closer to our strikers, or if he is in the middle then Gerrard can do that role. I like Kuyt and think at a team with more players trying to get into the box he would be a revelation. As it is I still think he will do well for us and is a better starting choice than Crouch - however he isn't if Torres also wants to play so deep.

[Shaggy]

there was a big point made of him getting 20 goals and 20 assists for feyenoord, maybe torres is the man to convert the assists he offers, but i doubt kuyt will get 20 goals this season

Aye it was Martin Jol who called him a 20/20 player. Kuyt was his first choice for ages but turned to Berbatov when it was clear Dirk only wanted to come to us.

I'd call him a 10/5 player.

[Neil Young]

The Guardian says his performance was the consolation of the match:

They were thwarted here by poor luck and even worse finishing, although there was a silver lining in a typically astute equaliser by Steven Gerrard and the performance of Dirk Kuyt. The 27-year-old deserved a goal for a display brimming with industry but, not for the first time, the net remained undisturbed...

For Kuyt this was a golden opportunity. The high-profile arrival of Fernando Torres has made him an endangered species at Anfield and he would have shifted uncomfortably in his seat last Friday when the Spaniard deftly opened his Liverpool account against Shanghai.

But if Kuyt was feeling the pressure he did not show it. He took only seven minutes to send a venomous shot fizzing over the crossbar and moments later a typically marauding run was capped by a cute lay-off to Voronin, who embarrassingly missed his kick from six yards.

A role-reversal in the 16th minute almost put Liverpool ahead. Voronin's through-ball to Kuyt was weighted to perfection and the Dutchman comfortably shrugged off the attention of his markers before barging into the area and pinging a firecracker shot off the woodwork.

You see what you want to see.

[desertscouser]

Aye it was Martin Jol who called him a 20/20 player. Kuyt was his first choice for ages but turned to Berbatov when it was clear Dirk only wanted to come to us.

I'd call him a 10/5 player.

Berbatov...now he's a 20/20 player. This lad has everything. One of the best players in the PL imo.

[WILF]

Surely he must be following Rafa's instructions to always be playing so deep.
I don't like it and disagree with it tactically but we cannot blame Dirk.

IF Rafa continues with this" 4-6-0 make sure we don't lose" plan I fear we will not see much improvement away from home.

I hope to see changes in personel and tactics for the Villa game.

[Shaggy]

See what we want to see?

"Brimming with industry, but the net remained undisturbed"

We all saw the same thing - and nothing we didn't already know about. Hard work, no goals.

[Harv]

Aye it was Martin Jol who called him a 20/20 player. Kuyt was his first choice for ages but turned to Berbatov when it was clear Dirk only wanted to come to us.

I'd call him a 10/5 player.

I think your a tad harsh on Dirk mate.

When he first came to the club he was firing shots at goal from all angles. I didnt see the games yesterday, but i did see the Pompey game, and he would of had at least a couple if it wasn't for James pulling of a couple of blinding saves.

I doubt he will score more than 20 in all comps...but he can easily get 15. Which when you consider what we payed for him isnt too bad.

If Crouch, Kuyt and Torres all get 15+ each (which is a distinct possibility) we should do pretty well.

[Harv]

Berbatov...now he's a 20/20 player. This lad has everything. One of the best players in the PL imo.

Is that the same Berbatov that scored less than Kuyt