Seems like Dirk Kuyt is untouchable

[blacky]

Either play kuyt right in a 4231 or as a second striker in a 442. Play him as a wide midfielder and he is ineffecive. He drove me nuts last night but he has a lot of bottle and did not stop running for 120 minutes. Love him or hate him he is an important part of the team. Ideally as a squad player.

[RedReet]

It's not really.

Torres’s goal against Sunderland was a flash of sheer brilliance. A matchwinner doing what he does best - winning a game with a moment of utter class.

Gerrard (WTF – he got MOM???? News to me) scored a less brilliant goal but still it was a great finish into the top corner.

Kuyt shinned one in from 2 yards. Important? Yes. In fact it was massive. Right place right time? Yes. A moment of brilliance? **** no.

I never said it was a moment of brilliance, but I do think it proves his value to the team and proves he’s not as useless as everyone makes out.

Its tongue in cheek... but the point remains.

One goal does not mean that Kuyt has now become a winger in our eyes. Its still a waste of options playing him out wide.

But as Rafa says, it gives up options. Kuyt is never gonna be the winger everyone on here wants, but he’ll always be an effective player.

[Shaggy]

But he was completely and utterly ineffective for about 110 minutes last night. With our right side it was like playing with nine men. Complete garbage, the pair of 'em.

[Laz]

What point was your statistic backing up though?

Look, at no point did I claim to be making a point by mentioning a statistic so I suggest you stop looking for one. I was merely providing a sliver of information that some people on here may have found surprising. It's called adding to a debate. I didn't expect anyone to take a black and white conclusion from it.

Oh yes, and that's 26 in 100 now.
_______________________________________________ <-- (Line drawn under that)

I thought Kuyt worked hard last night but was largely ineffectual as an attacking force on the right. He offered a lot more when switched to the centre and I thought he played much better 'between the lines' as Rafa likes to say. In different circumstances it would be worth giving him a spell there to see what understanding he and Torres could build up although I can see that that is unlikely with Keane in the frame. (Unless he's put out on the right )

[dww]

It's not really.

Torres’s goal against Sunderland was a flash of sheer brilliance. A matchwinner doing what he does best - winning a game with a moment of utter class.

Gerrard (WTF – he got MOM???? News to me) scored a less brilliant goal but still it was a great finish into the top corner.

Kuyt shinned one in from 2 yards. Important? Yes. In fact it was massive. Right place right time? Yes. A moment of brilliance? **** no.

I've said for ages that a big problem in our team is the lack of players willing to make exactly that run (to the back post) as it yields so many easy goals for other teams. Last season it seemed only Kuyt and Benayoun (and the latter against crap teams in general) as such I think Kuyt deserves credit for being intelligent enough to do things that others don't and the goal was the reward for the intelligence of his run.

No one should come out of the game with much credit (except Reina) but I do thin there is a tendency for people to under values Kuyts performances for us in the last year and a bit (especially in the CL). He has scored at a rate of 1 in 2 in the CL pretty much and so arguable Kuyt was just doing what he has been doing for a year - scoring key goals for us in Europe.

That isn't to ignore the fact he has flaws as a player but he is a very valuable squad member in my opinion even if I would prefer us to have better starters. FWIW I would have started the season with him swapping with Gerrard behind Torres and eased in Keane as I think we should have tried to keep the momentum from the end of last season in Kuyt and Gerrards performances.

[RedReet]

From you maybe but the laughing Red Reet seemed to think he'd made a great point when he hadn't at all.

IMO

I never said that, was merely highlighting that Gerrard and Torres were absolved of all criticism purely because they scored the winners. How they scored them is irrelevant.

[anfieldanfield]

Kut was disgusting last night. Utter ****e.

[RedReet]

Unlike some I’ll reserve judgement on the match and performances until I’ve watched it again in full through sober eyes.

Benni, Arbeloa and babel had absolutely no impact at all on Saturday, none whatsoever. Kuyt did, and he still got slated.

Kuyt was poor last night, like most, but SCORED the winner and it’s still not good enough.

[FatTony]

I never said it was a moment of brilliance, but I do think it proves his value to the team and proves he’s not as useless as everyone makes out.



But as Rafa says, it gives up options. Kuyt is never gonna be the winger everyone on here wants, but he’ll always be an effective player.

I wouldn't say he's always effective, but I think he would be more effective played as a striker.

[Vermilion]

Kut was disgusting last night. Utter ****e.

As were all the outfield players. He at least contributed a goal. A very important & valuable goal.

[RedReet]

As were all the outfield players. He at least contributed a goal.

[FatTony]

Unlike some I’ll reserve judgement on the match and performances until I’ve watched it again in full through sober eyes.

Benni, Arbeloa and babel had absolutely no impact at all on Saturday, none whatsoever. Kuyt did, and he still got slated.

Kuyt was poor last night, like most, but SCORED the winner and it’s still not good enough.

Kuyt was not the only one last night granted, but its the same old story for him unfortunately. Benni has come on as a sub in several games and made an impact, as to has Babel. Kuyt always plays from the start and almost always offers nothing out wide.

Kuyt is consistently average as a winger, thats the problem.

[Shaggy]

Kuyt was not the only one last night granted, but its the same old story for him unfortunately. Benni has come on as a sub in several games and made an impact, as to has Babel. Kuyt always plays from the start and almost always offers nothing out wide.

Kuyt is consistently average as a winger, thats the problem.

I wish he was as good as average.

[Angry Dan]

I really feel sorry for Dirk we find a formation that seems to suit everyone (4-2-3-1) and in particular Dirk, then we buy Keane and abandone the formation that seems best suited for his game and go for 4-4-2. We then stick him out on the right hand side of the 4 where he continues to work as hard as he can, follows team orders but the flaws in his game are highlighted.

[Vermilion]

Bloody hell, be honest, are any of you sorry he scored.....lighten the **** up.

That goal will set him up for a good season...i can feel it.

Ps, update, i can't feel it...that was something else....He'll still have a good season though, i can.. er....say that he erm will !!