Dirk Kuyt

[Los Rojos]

The Mash played ok, got some great tackles in

He did but then he quite often passed it straight back to a Brum player.

Regarding our attacking force, you've got to play Torres in every league match and any Champions League match where we need to get points on the board. Whoever plays alongside him (Kuyt, Crouch or Voronin) would IMO depend on tactics to be played etc. You can understand why Benitez favours Kuyt in many of these games because of his defensive qualities and I wonder whether or not it is the tactics that Rafa employs for Kuyt which makes him look so ineffective as a goalscorer.

[AFII]

Come on now, we know AF always hypes the young lads without really seeing them! I remember when Insua 1st came he was in every starting line up he did!

He was the best defender in the U20 WC. Insua is our third best left back after Aurelio and Arbeloa but will soon be our first choice.

[lfcruleus]

I know what you're trying to do!!

To be fair mate - only Arbeloa and possibly Pennant had decent games.

Just leave Dirk alone or the redhead gets it

[AFII]

He did but then he quite often passed it straight back to a Brum player.

Regarding our attacking force, you've got to play Torres in every league match and any Champions League match where we need to get points on the board. Whoever plays alongside him (Kuyt, Crouch or Voronin) would IMO depend on tactics to be played etc. You can understand why Benitez favours Kuyt in many of these games because of his defensive qualities and I wonder whether or not it is the tactics that Rafa employs for Kuyt which makes him look so ineffective as a goalscorer.

Every striker would be less effective if he is played as a hard working attacking midfielder.

[Los Rojos]

Every striker would be less effective if he is played as a hard working attacking midfielder.

So the tactics are making Kuyt look like an ineffective striker who couldn't hit a barn door with a banjo?

How would he play if his tactical requirements were to play as the front man with a brief to find space in the box and bury the ball in the onion bag from an efficient service from midfield, the wings or a co-striker.

I'm still not sure, even after just over a season.

[lfcruleus]

17 goals in 54 games according to the offal, how up to date that is i dont know but the preoccupation with him not scoring is bollocks, 1 in 3 as a support striker is not a bad record. About the same as Dalglish actually he never scored either......

[Morph]

Did you see the Brum game?

Our wingers we're the only ones that did anything

where did it get us? 0-0, just like it did the game before that and the game before that. Babel isn't a winger and as such shouldn't be playing there, Pennant isn't a goal threat and as has been rightly pointed out I don't think he has got an assist this season yet, and his crossing certainly hasn't been up to scratch.

Don't get pulled ionto that trap that just because they get ball a lot they were actually any good with it, because in truth they generally weren't

[Morph]

Torres with Lucas in the Kuyt position. Lucas is our most creative player(not that difficult being that ) and our most creative player should play behind Torres.

You really need to read over your posts before you hit the submit button, because that's complete guff

[MrMichael]

Kuyt and Torres is our best strike partnership imo. In the games the two have started together, we've scored plenty, they've got plenty of chances, and we've played well while getting good results. If I remember right, played together (all comps) Kuyt has, errr, 2 goals and 3 assists, Torres 3 goals and 1 assist? In, err, 4 or 5 games? Someone help me out here, but their partnership stats are pretty good so far

In the games we've played any other combination, with the possible exception of Sunderland away. we haven't done so well. Played together, consistently, with better creative service than they got on Saturday, the team will do well, and so will they.

[Howard_lfc]

Just leave Dirk alone or the redhead gets it

okay okay.:bird:

But Dirk'd better shape up. And quick.

[Morph]

Kuyt and Torres is our best strike partnership imo. In the games the two have started together, we've scored plenty, they've got plenty of chances, and we've played well while getting good results. If I remember right, played together (all comps) Kuyt has, errr, 2 goals and 3 assists, Torres 3 goals and 1 assist? In, err, 4 or 5 games? Someone help me out here, but their partnership stats are pretty good so far

In the games we've played any other combination, with the possible exception of Sunderland away. we haven't done so well. Played together, consistently, with better creative service than they got on Saturday, the team will do well, and so wiil they.

Statistically, Crouch and Kuyt is our best combo so far this season, 3 goals between them in 2 games, and I can understand that really, because they've known each other for a season already.

Torres and Kuyt has yielded 4 in 4, with is perfectly acceptable, but i'd like to see Crouch Torres, I think that'd be our best partnership

[IanTatt]

rafa has been banging on about 4 quality strikers, the sad fact we just have one, Torres is the only class striker we have. Add that to the creative players we have a the club, only gerrard is world class, pennant is a clown, why did he buy Benayoun?? Going forward with width and scoring is a big problem that needs sorting

[FatTony]

I think Rafa made a mistake with Kuyt (at the price) and I can't believe that he's picked to start as often as he is.

There is no way we would get our money back if we were to sell him in the transfer window, no way at all, and that should tell you if he has been a success or not.

[FatTony]

Going forward with width and scoring is a big problem that needs sorting

This has been a problem since he started.

To be fair to Pennant, other than the last couple of games, he has been fantastic and I cannot believe people are jumping on his back after his performances over the last 12 months.

[MrMichael]

This has been a problem since he started.

To be fair to Pennant, other than the last couple of games, he has been fantastic and I cannot believe people are jumping on his back after his performances over the last 12 months.

I'm not so sure he has been "fantastic". Decent. Good even. Certainly lively. But fantastic is too strong. This isn't a Pennant thread, but....

He offers absolutely no goal threat whatsoever. And basically, the sum total of his creativity is to hit as many crosses into the box as he can. Allied to the extremely raw Babel on one side, and with Gerrard playing in a two man midfield, faced by an opposition 3 as he was in the last 2 games, we haven't had quite enough consistent quality creative and attacking play in midfield, and certainly not enough goal threat. This inveitably has made good strikers look worse than they are as they've been feeding on scraps.