Dirk Kuyt

[Slinky Skills]

I don't think he's a bad player as such, yes we could do with an out an out striker at Liverpool, something we haven't got but he's being asked to come back and help out with the midfield and the defending all the time which is just crazy.

It's Benitez' tactics that are at fault, not the way Kuyt plays. If he, or any of our strikers were asked to stay up front and not tracking back every two minutes then we'd be banging in loads. It really baffles me why Benitez has them playing like this. A strikers job should be hogging the goal not getting back and defending.

We've got one of if not the best midfields in the world to do that job. I also don't think that ANY of our stirkers are confident at the moment because not one of them finds themselves cementing a striking berth which is not good for the confidence. Kuyt's goal ratio was very good in Holland as pointed out by someone in an earlier post, and I don't think it's fair to say that the Dutch leaugue is ****e. There's not a massive gulf between any of the european leaugues in my opinion. You've still got to put the ball in the net at the end of the day.

It's about confidence, something Rafa bleets on about all the time, but something we're massively lacking at present.

[REDSCOUSER]

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

wot you mean as a right winger or a lone striker ?

[Morph]

wot you mean as a right winger or a lone striker ?

Kuyt as the link man between the midfield and striker, kind of operating in the hole, but closer to midfield than the striker

[Red Chilli]

He's not selfish enough. Rafa should tell him, start scoring or you're binned in January.

[Pablo]

Now is the time to start judging Kuyt, he has had a season to bed into the league and the team now, and so far hes been very poor so far this season IMO, particularly in terms of goals scored.

If his form doesnt pick up then Rafa will notice it and we all know Rafa knows when its time to cash in on a player, he is ruthless like that.

Im not 100% sure we would have signed Kuyt had we had the investment a couple of years ago, I have a feeling we may still have gone in for him, Rafa really rates the lad. I think we could get our money back on him if necessary and splash the cash on a top class replacement next summer if he doesnt improve and start scoring some goals this season.

[rage]

kyut and the crow upfront is like playing 4-6-0

[CharlieMansonsSquint]

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.

Fair enough mate.

But I didn't have an agenda against Kuyt when he signed. Honestly I thought he'd be a good buy for us, but admittedly I hadn't seen that much of him play for Feyenoord.

Cisse was a different case. I knew he was alehouse before we bought him, yet many on KT bought into the hype.

I have judged Kuyt on his performances for us, and IMO he just hasn't been good enough.

Hand on heart Reds, do you honestly believe he's good enough?

[REDSCOUSER]

Fair enough mate.

But I didn't have an agenda against Kuyt when he signed. Honestly I thought he'd be a good buy for us, but admittedly I hadn't seen that much of him play for Feyenoord.

Cisse was a different case. I knew he was alehouse before we bought him, yet many on KT bought into the hype.

I have judged Kuyt on his performances for us, and IMO he just hasn't been good enough.

Hand on heart Reds, do you honestly believe he's good enough?

hand on heart Niall mate, I think Kuyt IS good enough for us, I'll tell ya why but probably others have posted it already.
He started slow for us last year cos he joined late but then around November his form picked up when he got to know his team mates. This season is the same situation, he's got 2 new strikers to get used to and judging by his understanding with Torres I think them two are going to florish given time.
He was the focal point in Feynoord where the team revolved around him. He was scoring 20-30 goals a season but with us he is learning to play a different role where he is not going to get 30 goals a season.
Similar situation to Cisse when he was at Auxerre(he was the main man scoring the whole time).
But Kuyt is a much more intelligent footballer than Cisse that is why I think he is a good acquistion for us.
If we can get 15 goals + a few assistes from him this season then I think we're all gonna be happy.
People expect too much from him when in reality he is just having a wee loss of form like the rest of the team.
Finally, as we always say here we'll agree to disagree.
Hoepfully the lad will prove all his doubters wrong.

[AFII]

RS, I agree with you about Kuyt but the problem is that it's looking like he won't play more than 20-30 games with Torres this season because of all the rotating Rafa is doing with the strikers.

I believe Kuyt could be a success if he is played with Torres week in week out upfront and not as a hard working attacking midfielder.

Another problem is that Rafa is a defensive minded manager so that isn't likely to happen.

Wenger sets his team out to win the game, they may lose the game because of it but the priority is three points so he uses his second striker as a striker.

Rafa sets us up to avoid defeat and uses his second striker to protect the defense as his first priority. That is a problem for Kuyt and it makes him look a lot worse than he really is.

[paulcooper4]

Kuyts a cracker of a player. And he has a great partnership with Torres.

[Shaggy]

Another 90 minutes on the pitch, and another total lack of threat.

I don't wanna whinge cos we've won and are sitting pretty in the league, still unbeaten, but Rafa's persistence with him is worrying. The bloke starts virtually every league game and he still doesn't even look like scoring.

DROP HIM.

[sonsofthedesert]

Starting to think the best combo up front is Torres and Veronin.

[Marky]

Another 90 minutes on the pitch, and another total lack of threat.

I don't wanna whinge cos we've won and are sitting pretty in the league, still unbeaten, but Rafa's persistence with him is worrying. The bloke starts virtually every league game and he still doesn't even look like scoring.

DROP HIM.

Agree Shaggy, the time has come for Crouchy to be given a run of games alongside Torres or maybe even try Benayoun in the hole behind Torres.
Would keep the Crow on the bench for the time being as well.
Kuyt has had a long run in the team now, the simple fact is he doesn't produce enough in and around the box.
That's my take on it all anyway.

[Tom]

Rafa uses Kuyt as almost an extra midfield player or very deep striker. He works his bollocks of in this role and by definition he's not going to score as many as if he's played further forward.

He's another player that you'd miss if he wasn't there. Alonso was getting terrible stick on this board before he got injured. Now he's not playing we know what he brings to the side.

[JPK]

Drop Pennant too so.Disappeared again in the second half and his pass for the goal will go down for an assist but he was only giving it away because he did'nt want the ball.
I thought Riise was our worst player today though.