Dirk Kuyt....

[Craig_H]

Firstly, let me just say i like the guy a lot, i like his workrate, the fact that he's a team player, i like that he's altogether a very good all round footballer, intelligent on the ball, not usually wasteful and he loves the fans, who rightly love him back...

But...Dirk, me old mucker...it's time to remember that you're a sodding STRIKER! I appreciate the workrate, the movement, the effort etc. But i'd appreciate it a lot more if you got yourself acquainted with the fecking six yard box, after all, that's basically your job.

Taking Voronin's goal yesterday - a real poacher's goal, lurking around the danger area and then gobbling up a nice easy tap-in.

Can anyone imagine Kuyt scoring that goal? I cant. He would've been milling around somewhere between right wing and in 'the hole'.

I'm confused because in Holland, he was prolific. So does this mean it's Rafa who has instructed him to stop being a proper striker? Or has he adapted his game off his own back for some reason? Because playing like he does, he wont get 25 goals per season, as he was doing in the (albeit easier) dutch league. And i find it hard to believe he scored that many in Holland by playing the same way.

I love Kuyt's attitude and like Crouch, the fact that he's such a top lad means i'll always have time for him. But does he really have a STRIKER's instinct? I have my doubts.

[Tom]

Oh god here we go.

[NICKZS]

Is Kuyt an instinctive striker? In a word, no, IMO. However, what he does do is bring the midfield into the game brilliantly. Pennant, in particular, benefits from the 'dirty work' Kuyt does around the top 1/3 of the pitch and I think if he continues to work like he does and keeps combining well then Rafa will persist in choosing him ahead of Crouch and Voronin.

[anfieldanfield]

It's got to the point where we just have to accept Dirk for what he is.

A ****ing hard working striker, with good link up play and a big influence on the game, albeit not a natural goalscorer.

I want him to be a 30 goal a season striker. But I also want to have sex with Pamela Anderson and buy a pack of all black wine gums. You dont always get what you want in life.

[Craig_H]

Oh god here we go.

Ooh, independent thought alarm go off or something?

Sorry dunk...

[Craig_H]

It's got to the point where we just have to accept Dirk for what he is.

A ****ing hard working striker, with good link up play and a big influence on the game.

I want him to be a 30 goal a season striker. But I also want to have sex with Pamela Anderson and buy a pack of all black wine gums. You dont always get what you want in life.

I appreciate all that mate. Just frustrating when a ball comes into the box and flies harmlessly away, as you're wondering why Kuyt's in the centre circle...

Wont matter so much if others are getting into the box, i suppose. It just reduces our threat sometimes and it's frustrating.

[checkpoint]

Taking Voronin's goal yesterday - a real poacher's goal, lurking around the danger area and then gobbling up a nice easy tap-in.

Didn't Kuyt get the shot in that Voronin poached? He can't be everywhere can he?

[lfcruleus]

Kuyt is playing as a link striker, thats the formation, he does as he is told, we debate this every week, Voronin's goal was easy as Kuyt got the ball there, he should have scored yesterday with a volley in the first half but overall he was part of a very professional team performance and he always contributes.
None of our strikers will score 25 a season, thats not the idea, 4 x 15 is the idea, although if Torres gets a few more before teams work him out a bit better he may get 20 league goals.

[tommyg]

Didn't Kuyt get the shot in that Voronin poached? He can't be everywhere can he?

Haha so true

[redblood]

Firstly, let me just say i like the guy a lot, i like his workrate, the fact that he's a team player, i like that he's altogether a very good all round footballer, intelligent on the ball, not usually wasteful and he loves the fans, who rightly love him back...

But...Dirk, me old mucker...it's time to remember that you're a sodding STRIKER! I appreciate the workrate, the movement, the effort etc. But i'd appreciate it a lot more if you got yourself acquainted with the fecking six yard box, after all, that's basically your job.

Taking Voronin's goal yesterday - a real poacher's goal, lurking around the danger area and then gobbling up a nice easy tap-in.

Can anyone imagine Kuyt scoring that goal? I cant. He would've been milling around somewhere between right wing and in 'the hole'.

I'm confused because in Holland, he was prolific. So does this mean it's Rafa who has instructed him to stop being a proper striker? Or has he adapted his game off his own back for some reason? Because playing like he does, he wont get 25 goals per season, as he was doing in the (albeit easier) dutch league. And i find it hard to believe he scored that many in Holland by playing the same way.

I love Kuyt's attitude and like Crouch, the fact that he's such a top lad means i'll always have time for him. But does he really have a STRIKER's instinct? I have my doubts.

Sid mate I have to pick holes in this, it was Kuyt's effort that was parried back into Voronin's path, you can't expect the lad be in 2 places at once although he does try to.
Also it was Torres out on the left wing who laid the ball into Kuyt so should Torres not be there either, Kuyt does a job and as with Tuesday night you could see for yourself he will get goals, not as many as we would maybe like to see him get for all his endeavour but he gets into positions he creates space for others and his assists must be through the roof so far this season.
Which is something else he gets criticised for.
I said I was going to stop defending him and honestly yes it would be nice if he scored more but if he continues to do what he's doing and we keep winning and if he didn't score a league goal all season but we won the league with him featuring prominently in every game I wouldn't give a ****.

[cobain]

It's got to the point where we just have to accept Dirk for what he is.

A ****ing hard working striker, with good link up play and a big influence on the game, albeit not a natural goalscorer.

I want him to be a 30 goal a season striker. But I also want to have sex with Pamela Anderson and buy a pack of all black wine gums. You dont always get what you want in life.

Can we stick this post on top of the forum or as a welcome message when members arrive at est1892.co.uk?

[anfieldanfield]

Can we stick this post on top of the forum or as a welcome message when members arrive at est1892.co.uk?

God my posts are good.

[Craig_H]

Didn't Kuyt get the shot in that Voronin poached? He can't be everywhere can he?

No of course he cant. But the point is, arent strikers usually meant to be lurking around the 6 yard box for those kind of goals? Remember a certain welshman called Rush? He adopted that style a fair bit, and it didnt do him much harm

[Craig_H]

Sid mate I have to pick holes in this, it was Kuyt's effort that was parried back into Voronin's path, you can't expect the lad be in 2 places at once although he does try to.
Also it was Torres out on the left wing who laid the ball into Kuyt so should Torres not be there either, Kuyt does a job and as with Tuesday night you could see for yourself he will get goals, not as many as we would maybe like to see him get for all his endeavour but he gets into positions he creates space for others and his assists must be through the roof so far this season.
Which is something else he gets criticised for.
I said I was going to stop defending him and honestly yes it would be nice if he scored more but if he continues to do what he's doing and we keep winning and if he didn't score a league goal all season but we won the league with him featuring prominently in every game I wouldn't give a ****.

I agree that if we're winning games, no bother.

As i said though, when crosses fly into the box and nobody's there, or just one man being dealt with by 3 or 4 defending players, it can be frustrating.

[Dhav]

No of course he cant. But the point is, arent strikers usually meant to be lurking around the 6 yard box for those kind of goals? Remember a certain welshman called Rush? He adopted that style a fair bit, and it didnt do him much harm

Yes, but why do we need to have him there in and around the 6 yard box when someone like Torres or Voronin are there instead?

it's different when he's playing as the lone striker (a la Athens) - then he simply must stay in the centre (which he didn't do), but when he is partnering Voronin, Crouch or Torres, I think that is less of a concern as all these players seem much more inclined to stay central than Dirk.

What I am wondering is if it is his natural inclination to goo wide or deep or if he is following instructions? Either way, he plays the link-man very well, and we have already seen how much Torres can benefit from that.

My main concern is that Kuyt is not very clinical, if he could bury the one or two good chances he gets in the game we'd all be a lot more satisfied.

One other thing, he is not a lone-striker and should never, ever be played in that role.