The Vibe

[Shaggy]

In all comps? Wanna bet?

Not really cos I never back against us in any way - I certainly wouldn't want to bet on one of our players being ****.

A sportsman's bet, though, if you will...

I can't see him getting more than a dozen...tops.

I'd love it if he proved me wrong.

[Robster007]

Last season he scored ONE CL goal - which was with almost the last kick of the entire campaign. Not one CL goal en route to the final.

This year he has three - so fair play. One in the CL proper and two in the qualifiers (which strangely 'don't count' in the CL goalscorer charts).

You're surely not trying to argue he's scoring enough goals to warrant being selected for almost every game?

No wonder Crouch is seemingly so pissed off. He's sitting in the stands, or at home, virtually every week and he's seeing the bloke who is primarily keeping him out never even look like scoring.

Crouch, for the most part over the last year more, has scored more often than not when selected - yet he's the one in the stands.

He must wonder what the **** he has to do, and by the same token, what Kuyt has to do to fall out of favour.

The strange thing about the Crouch situation is that (again, i'm going from memory so please correct me) the stats from last season showed that Crouch covers the most ground of any of our players during a match. Could there be something else going on? It is confusing.

I stick by what I said about Kuyt though. Let's see if he cuts the mustard in his best position. If he doesn't, move him on. Simple as.

[lfcruleus]

Im goin for 18 cos he will get the games cos Rafa sees what he gives us. You shouldnt be jealous of his colourful hair, you could die yours you know? Or are you a secret ginger and thats why you resent him going public?

[Shaggy]

The strange thing about the Crouch situation is that (again, i'm going from memory so please correct me) the stats from last season showed that Crouch covers the most ground of any of our players during a match. Could there be something else going on? It is confusing.

I stick by what I said about Kuyt though. Let's see if he cuts the mustard in his best position. If he doesn't, move him on. Simple as.

Yeah it was true - Rafa even commented that in one particular game, Crouch covered even more ground than Momo did...which is a pretty exceptional feat.

I can only assume Crouch's work-rate has dropped. Personally I haven't noticed a drop - he always works hard, tackles back, closes down and wins a lot of headers defending corners in our box.

Granted, in his fleeting performances this season he's been pretty lame, but strikers need rhythm and no-one can come into the side once in a blue moon and be brilliant. FACT!

[Shaggy]

Im goin for 18 cos he will get the games cos Rafa sees what he gives us. You shouldnt be jealous of his colourful hair, you could die yours you know? Or are you a secret ginger and thats why you resent him going public?

He gives us phenomenal work-rate and Rafa sees that - but that's just Rafa's more cautious, pragmatic side coming out. I love Rafa but I do wish he/we could be just a little bit more expressive.

[Icon]

Kuyt may as well be a midfielder with his play.

But going back to original post - I also believe this is going to be a MASSIVE season for one reason or another.
No. 19?
No. 6?
Not sure, maybe both.......

[Robster007]

He gives us phenomenal work-rate and Rafa sees that - but that's just Rafa's more cautious, pragmatic side coming out. I love Rafa but I do wish he/we could be just a little bit more expressive.

We'll get there.

Remember Rafa's Valencia? Firstly they would destroy the oppositions spirit by denying possession, then systematically take them apart. We'll never play Arsenal type football, but it's a different type of beauty.

[andyinswinton]

I can't see him getting more than a dozen...tops.

Regardless of how hard Kuyt works for the team, if he is only going to score 12 goals in a season, he shouldn't be playing.

I'm still very undecided about him but he is there to score goals. We might as well try Crouch, Voronin or even Babel up front with more emphasis on midfield creating chances than sticking with Kuyt.

Its as if we have gone back 5 years debating Heskey playing with Owen or Fowler.

[Robster007]

Kuyt may as well be a midfielder with his play.

But going back to original post - I also believe this is going to be a MASSIVE season for one reason or another.
No. 19?
No. 6?
Not sure, maybe both.......

Would be nice, wouldn't it. Personally, I would settle for No. 19 this season. Maybe a CL semi-final/final appearance.

[Shaggy]

We'll get there.

Remember Rafa's Valencia? Firstly they would destroy the oppositions spirit by denying possession, then systematically take them apart. We'll never play Arsenal type football, but it's a different type of beauty.

Absolutely, but we're not at Valencia's level yet. I thought we were, actually, but we're not doing it often enough.

I remember Rafa's Valencia well having seen them in the flesh, and I would kill for us to be that good....to be that ruthless.

Some way to go though...although we're closer now than at any point in Rafa's reign.

[lfcruleus]

He gives us phenomenal work-rate and Rafa sees that - but that's just Rafa's more cautious, pragmatic side coming out. I love Rafa but I do wish he/we could be just a little bit more expressive.

Thats Rafa's game man, he aint gonna change, he thinks it will work and we aint had a bad start so i find it hard to moan, Im not RCDNWB as he pisses me off with his unpredictable selections sometimes and cost me £700 with it in Athens, but i think Kuyt is a vital cog in our tactics, we get more ball with him in the side because of the pressure he puts on the oppo defense. We would have lost in Porto without it.
He tried to be more expressive against Brum and got slated for dropping Torres, he played DK and AV as they are better creators in less space.

[Robster007]

Regardless of how hard Kuyt works for the team, if he is only going to score 12 goals in a season, he shouldn't be playing.

I'm still very undecided about him but he is there to score goals. We might as well try Crouch, Voronin or even Babel up front with more emphasis on midfield creating chances than sticking with Kuyt.

Its as if we have gone back 5 years debating Heskey playing with Owen or Fowler.

I think that's what we all thought/hoped for. Especially considering his history.

The point is, that's not what Rafa plays him for by the looks of it. It's to pester defenders, hold play up etc. It's just not suited to him. He gives it a good ****ing go though doesn't he? He'd give his all if he was asked to play in goal! You have to love the attitude at least.

[AFII]

Absolutely, but we're not at Valencia's level yet. I thought we were, actually, but we're not doing it often enough.

I remember Rafa's Valencia well having seen them in the flesh, and I would kill for us to be that good....to be that ruthless.

Some way to go though...although we're closer now than at any point in Rafa's reign.

We don't have an Aimar or good enough wingers yet. That is our problem. Maybe our new signing from Real will be our Aimar in two, three years time.

[Robster007]

Absolutely, but we're not at Valencia's level yet. I thought we were, actually, but we're not doing it often enough.

I remember Rafa's Valencia well having seen them in the flesh, and I would kill for us to be that good....to be that ruthless.

Some way to go though...although we're closer now than at any point in Rafa's reign.

That's what I meant about the vibe Shaggy. That's where we're headed. Yes, it's taking time (longer than most of us hoped i'm sure), but look how long it took Ferguson.

That type of game is what Benitez is all about, and he's not going to let anyone/thing stop him.

[AFII]

Well, we are playing almost the same system as Rafa did with Valencia. The only real difference is that our wingers cuts inside more and that we play with a hard working second striker. Rafa had Aimar in that position.

We don't have skillful enough players yet to get our game flowing like Rafa's Valencia did but we will soon be there IMO.

Lucas, Leto, Insua and Gerardo is a step in the right direction.