Dirk Kuyt

[Mattimetal]

I think a lot of the criticism of Kuyt is unfair. I watched the game last night and noticed the striker to go missing the most was the crow. He was pretty useless yesterday and I blame his lack of movement for our poor showing up front. What you have all failed to notice is Kuyt and Babel work really well together as they understand each others play. Babel has a great subtle touch to play close one-twos in the box, and he managed to create that snap chance for Dirk in the 1st half which he fluffed as he had no time really and was surrounded by defenders.

There were at least 3 instances yesterday where Stevie tried to play some tight, deft little through balls in the box that were just too wide or had too much on them to let Dirk slip it past the keeper. He makes intelligent runs and it was his lay off on the edge of the box to Torres that led to Crouch fu cking up our best chance of the game by ignoring Stevie screaming for the ball to tap/drive it in.

On current form drop Crouch he's doing nothing and I believe it's partly down to his press in the first month about not playing etc. He should shut up about not being first choice because at his height he should be burying almost every header that comes his way. Never forget what Andy Gray said about him last year after his superb header against the Arse: "If he can learn to do that more often he will be world class".. Problem is I don't think he'll ever learn to head the ball effectively.. it's too late, if he hasn't learnt by now he'll never learn.

Dirk and Torres are the strikers for me as their partnership at the start of the season was working beautifully, however after the int break it's all gone tits up.

[sid]

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.

This is why i believe Benitez keeps playing him week in week out - hoping he scores a couple eventually and then we might get a suitable offer/price for him.

[JPK]

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.

Stats dont lie about Pennant.One goal in 59 and no assists in 5months.
Birmingham would accept that but it is not good enough at Liverpool.
For all the possesion he gets he just cant cross.
He has a small bit of pace and he looks good on the ball and that is what is fooling people.It would be intersting to see Nunez's stats for 59 games.
If your wingers dont create and score then you have problems.

[carlton]

I thought dirk was going to be the 'fox in the box' this season? did he not score his goals for Feyernord playing closer to goal? I hope he comes good asap though he really seems to love the club and looks to be a great team man. His first touch is as woeful as I ve seen from an EPL player. I cant see much changing tbh as hes a benitez type of player hard working etc, etc which is great cept he suppossed to score goals and that is hard to do whn youre running around like a headless chook in the midfield

[JPK]

Kuyt has been our second best striker this year and had the wrong partner saturday.
That said he was not anywhere near his best.Rafa bought Kuyt,Crouch and Voronin and if they are not up to scratch then he should take the blame and move them on.

Personally I think Kuyt has a future but probably as 3rd choice to Torres and a new exciting striker like Torres.Crouch and Voronin will go this summer IMO.

[AFII]

Stats dont lie about Pennant.One goal in 59 and no assists in 5months.
Birmingham would accept that but it is not good enough at Liverpool.
For all the possesion he gets he just cant cross.
He has a small bit of pace and he looks good on the ball and that is what is fooling people.It would be intersting to see Nunez's stats for 59 games.
If your wingers dont create and score then you have problems.

He needs help to get past his man, he can't do it himself and that means one player out there to help him that could have been in the box instead.

Garcia lost a few balls but he didn't need help to get past his man. That is why he always will score more goals than Pennant. He can do it himself without any help.

He can make a cross but only one sort of cross, a soft high ball that is easily cleared by the keeper/defenders. How many goals will we score with crosses like that? The stats shows how many, zero.

Compere Pennant with Garcia and Pennant hasn't got a chance. People moaned that Garcia wasn't good enough, he lost to many balls but they say that Pennant is good enough. Very, very

[Pacman]

I like Pennant a lot I think he's a cracking little player.

I can't think of another winger who is worth the money that could do the job better.

People should lay off Kuyt I think he is a great foil for Torres Rafa just needs to play them together more often.

[Diego]

So if the next game is Utd you'd start with that attack force?

torres with voronin and kuyt on the bench just in case we need a defensive midfielder up front...

crouch is toast imo, i think he's out in january...

[AFII]

I can't think of another winger who is worth the money that could do the job better.

Surely that is a joke?

Pennant hasn't scored a goal or made a assist for ages and he is an attacking player. Some people are happy with flair without any end product whatsoever.

The end product just happens to be the most important thing.

[Diego]

He needs help to get past his man, he can't do it himself and that means one player out there to help him that could have been in the box instead.

Garcia lost a few balls but he didn't need help to get past his man. That is why he always will score more goals than Pennant. He can do it himself without any help.

He can make a cross but only one sort of cross, a soft high ball that is easily cleared by the keeper/defenders. How many goals will we score with crosses like that? The stats shows how many, zero.

Compere Pennant with Garcia and Pennant hasn't got a chance. People moaned that Garcia wasn't good enough, he lost to many balls but they say that Pennant is good enough. Very, very

pennant is a very good motd player, he has skills and he can beat men, but his end product is seriously lacking, he doesn't create enough, he isn't a match winner, we need a match winner on the right, babel has that in him it will show i think, at least he is more of a threat even though he isn't as consistent as pennant...

[Pacman]

Surely that is a joke?

Pennant hasn't scored a goal or made a assist for ages and he is an attacking player. Some people are happy with flair without any end product whatsoever.

The end product just happens to be the most important thing.

Nope and I don't care for your FM2007 pluck from the air suggestions that Flexio Icandokeepyupio from some obscure league will do any better than Pennant. Granted he needs to score a few more goals but other than that as long as he keeps improving like has been then he'll do for me.

[carheex]

Its the fact people are saying "so what he works hard", thats Rafa game, he buys workhorses, Torres is a completely different animal for Rafa.

I think where he plays at the mo stops him getting into the box often enough to score the sort of goals he scored for Feyenoord, Dickheads on here saying STAY UP FRONT DIRK seem not to realise that if he wasnt doing what Rafa was asking him he wouldnt be bloody playing.
Rafa never plays 2 out and out strikers, not many teams do nowadays, he is told to play in the hole, i dont think it particularly suits his game but he plays there because of his closing down sorry workrate again...When Dirk gets chances in the box he usually hits the target, Newcastle/Chelsea last season frankly unstoppable, but from outside the box he wont score many (West Ham away last season was a cracker though).

Kuyt isn't good enough to be the frontman OR the dropping deep man, unfortunately.

[REDSCOUSER]

I have always been a fan of KUYT as I thihk he is a big asset to our team. People like to find a scapegout every season and this season it seems to be Kuyt.
The original poster seemed to have an agenda against Kuyt since the day he signed, the same poster had the same agenda against CISSE when he signed for us.
Manson seemed to want Cisse to fail on purpose to prove his point and he's doing the same BS on Kuyt now.

Niall I think you are harsh with your assessment on Kuyt, please do not take this as an attack on your views, its just the way I see it. Cheers.

[Morph]

anyone think rafa still isn't convinced with 4-4-2, and sees kuyt as the ideal man to give him a pseudo 4-5-1

[peekay]

anyone think rafa still isn't convinced with 4-4-2, and sees kuyt as the ideal man to give him a pseudo 4-5-1

Especially with an Alonso/Gerrard midfield