Dirk Kuyt.

[El Jefecito]

Mate, that's a bit like saying a car offers you everything you could ever want from a vehicle, except getting you from A to B.

Mate in a football context you couldn't even define what getting from A -> B is. So forgive me if I don't bow to your greater knowledge.

How did Ray Houghton get from A->B, Sammy Lee, Ronnie Whelan, .....

[Joe King]

Before everyone jumps the gun and says Kuyt deserves Sports Personality of the Year, I thought Kuyt had his normal Champions League performance. One thing however which did surprise me was the amount of first balls he was challenging and winning against the likes of Ferdinand and Vidic. In that sense, I thought Kuyt in his positional sense on the pitch is more often than not spot on (from a standing position)

However there are times where Kuyt does frustrate the Liverpool fans. His willingness to constantly move around the penalty area does cause awful problems in our build up play. Sure at times, it can look like a great dummy however there are moments where Kuyt should just stay static and when in a position which Kuyt tends to deploy, either by instruction or by positional awareness, to stay in space can give the player time and freedom to choose his options. I thought at times, Keane was being frustrated with his movement because he kept and trying to check or move in the opposite direction even though Keane wanted to play a one-two or to get himself in a better position.

I think for Kuyt to really succeed in the league, he would like a strike partner who he is consistently playing with. His movement is ok but with a player who recognises his play, he would benefit a huge deal from it. I for one, don't think Kuyt will play a lot more up front.

[Craig_H]

Mate in a football context you couldn't even define what getting from A -> B is. So forgive me if I don't bow to your greater knowledge.

How did Ray Houghton get from A->B, Sammy Lee, Ronnie Whelan, .....

The primary function for a striker is to cause goals, either by scoring them himself or creating them for a team mate.

Houghton, Lee and Whelan werent strikers.

[El Jefecito]

He hasn't contributed positively in any game except against the Mancs IMO. He has tried and I do think he has the quality to add a great deal to us in the future though. He has been lucky results have gone our way and that criticism has largely been of Rafa otherwise I think he would be getting a lot of stick (even if I don't think he deserves it).

The thing is thought that Keane and Kuyt played a tactically outstanding game but neither looked like scoring. I also thought it was telling that he performed better without Gerrard and Torres in the team. He always seems to start in positions Gerrard wants to be in and end his runs in the same place as Torres when they play together. He is intelligent enough to improve his interplay but we need to get some relationships built up between our best players or I think we will struggle to reproduce performances like that against the Mancs.

On the topic of Kuyt I think he has been one of our steadiest performers in many ways. the problem for him is that in a 4-4-2 or any other formation that asks him to base himself deeper in the pitch he is entirely wasted as he can't carry the ball forward and his work rate produces little or nothing in terms of dangerous possession for our team.

That's class, that is exactly what I was thinking but couldn't express properly. The problem as usual, is IMO SG, he basically trumps any system you have and anyone expected to play in close proximity to him has to play according to what he is doing NOW vs. what he should be doing in terms of the formation / game plan.

That's why I say we need to play a few games so that both Rafa and Keane can work out how best to synergize. I don't think we've played our preferred lineup yet.

On Kuyt, I think he suffers from not having opta stats collected for the things he does well.

Every time he wins the ball back off of the opponents defense people say well done hard work. What they don't say is, well if he hadn't have won the ball the full back would have been away and someone would have been having a shot on our goal.

They don't count how many times he wins the ball back in the final 3rd and we immediately get a free attack. Did you know in the game yesterday 11 shots on goal were either by Kuyt or were setup directly by Kuyt?

He doesn't get enough credit for that ****. It's always the way when a player makes others look better he rarely gets credit for it.

[El Jefecito]

The primary function for a striker is to cause goals, either by scoring them himself or creating them for a team mate.

Houghton, Lee and Whelan werent strikers.

a) I said Forward, b) he's been playing as a winger, c) he did "creating them for a team mate". d) CL run 2007/8

No doubt all too subtle for you, but hey ho, I'm available for remedial teaching if you have the desire.

[Craig_H]

Nah i'll have to decline the offer thanks, you're already remedial enough for the both of us.

[El Jefecito]

Nah i'll have to decline the offer thanks, you're already remedial enough for the both of us.

Good. Stop replying to my posts then. Thanks

[Craig_H]

Just doing my bit for Care in the Community mate. But even i have a boredom threshold, so you're on your own now.

[El Jefecito]

Just doing my bit for Care in the Community mate. But even i have a boredom threshold, so you're on your own now.

You replied AGAIN. Your sacrifices on behalf of the community are duly noted. I've nominated you for the Nobel prize. Above and beyond the call of your intellect. Breathtaking

[Reece]

Give it a rest you two

[Rashid]

He hasn't scored in the league since last November, or at Anfield in the league since March 2007. He needs to step it up in that area.

[Elvoz]

He hasn't scored in the league since last November, or at Anfield in the league since March 2007. He needs to step it up in that area.

phew

i thought you were dead fella

[anfieldanfield]

He hasn't scored at Anfield in the league since March 2007

****ing hell!

[hamshanks]

Gutted when he missed that chance late on but fantastic performance from him today. He was so dominant in the 2nd half

He looked better because he was playing up front, which his position but didn't score coz he isn't good enough to be a regular centre forward for a top four side. Works hard yes, but so did Heskey

[Roboklopp]

Aye, he was immense the other day. MoM no worries-played like a man possessed.


He isnt a winger, so doesnt produce in 442. He's much better in the 4231 of last year. Keane should be in the centre of that 3 tho, with Stevie (nominally) on the right where Kuyt was- with Dirky boy as back up. Riera & Ryan should fight it out for the left & Benni back up for any of those 3, albeit as last resort on the left.