Dirk Kuyt.

[RedReet]

shaggy - he played a blinder on saturday - infact that's the best i've ever seen him play for us. He ran all day like he does normally but he had some quality to go with it.

its rare for him to combine his effort with anything of any quality but against united it came together and I for one was delighted for him because ive given him plenty of stick in the past and im sure i will give him plenty in the future.

one good game doesnt make a great player but if he can keep up that level of football then maybe there's more to the dirk kuyt story.

kuyt does have good movement when he plays inside. unfortunately his first touch is crap so his ability to find good positions comes to nothing. Yes he played well against united - is he the long term solution to partner torres - no that's keane.

Is he completely useless - no he probably isnt.

How come people keep highlighting this? Against United I only noticed his first touch let him down twice and that was in the 87th and 88th minute, when one would imaging fatigue would have played a part considering the running he had done. The second time he even kept hold of possession so it was no big deal.

[RedReet]

I think the bit in bold is particularly true after his miss in Blackburn for last season. On the other hand I'm hopeful that he will turn at least that round - he did get in the right positions and he never shirked an opportunity to put a shot in on goal which are good things.

I remember arguing (largely with you) that Dirk would come good if played further forward before last season. I think I have been proven wrong in that you are certainly right he will never be a prolific scorer but he showed again yesterday how useful he can be at creating goals and if he keeps making the right runs he may also contribute a decent number of goals as well. That to me would make him a very valuable member of the squad as he seems to complement both our probable first choice forwards.

I'm not really sure why people see the need to try and make him out to be something he is not (i.e. a top class goalscorer) but equally I find it frustrating that some people are willing to over look what he does bring to a number of our best performances. In many ways he is a catalyst for much that we do right but unless he starts scoring goals it is difficult to argue for his position in the team as Alonso and Mascher won't get many and Kuyt scores less than Gerrard behind the forward and is unsuitable for the right in a 4-4-2 and we still need more goal threats in the team.

That said at present I would have Kuyt ahead of Keane in the starting XI and assuming Gerrard and Torres. To challenge this season we need Kuyt, Riera and Keane to chip in with a decent number of goals as at the minute none look like giving us significantly more cutting edge than we had last year and we are still crap at freekicks.

I think the signing of Reira will really benefit Kuyt when playing on the right. Regardless of his strengths and weaknesses out wide, one thing Kuyt always does very well is get in the box and offer support to the strikers. We seen on Saturday how he can make a nuisance of himself in the air and with Nando pulling defenders out of position as he does so well, I can see Kuyt getting a lot more opportunities if Reira stays out wide whipping balls in like he did on Saturday.

He will never be the pacey, tricky by-line winger that everyone wants, but with Reira in the team I think it gives us good balance as Torres often likes to peel out wide and this will leave the space for Kuyt to exploit. I do think there is more to Kuyt playing out right than just not being good enough for up front, and once we have a full strength team (which I think includes Kuyt) it will become more obvious.

[Lennonwasared]

Have to say I disagree with this strongly.

It's easy to forget that Kuyt played up front for roughly the first half of last season, before he was taken out of the firing line and moved to the right. In those four or five months, he scored just three goals - two pens (in the same game) and a fluke. It is easy to forget how utterly frustrating and impotent his performances were. Yes he was a decent foil for Torres but the bloke never looked like scoring a goal in open play. He wasn't missing chances - he simply never had any. He was moved to the right for a reason.

IMO if he wants a future with LFC then it is on the right of a 4-2-3-1, as a squad member. He will never make a top class centre-forward.

\Absolutley agree with the above. I dont think he is good enough up front as he wont get us the goals that will win us the league and as a winger he may work his socks off but he is not a genuine threat and will never beat a man. I cant fault his workrate but as I said I would not be starting him all the time. Maybe its time to turn him into more of a squad player.

[Mike]

\Absolutley agree with the above. I dont think he is good enough up front as he wont get us the goals that will win us the league and as a winger he may work his socks off but he is not a genuine threat and will never beat a man. I cant fault his workrate but as I said I would not be starting him all the time. Maybe its time to turn him into more of a squad player.

In a year or two yes but not right now.

[Johnny]

Kuyt is a very important player.As long as he`s one of the eleven in a winning team I could`nt give a ****e how many goals he scores.

[BG1973]

I don't usually knock Kuyt but I'm not sure why he's getting so much praise after this one. He missed two absolute sitters which could have been hugely costly. And the pass to Babel for the goal he almost cocked up too by somehow making the ball bounce into Babel's path.

When the game finished I couldn't help thinking if we had a technically better player than Dirk on the pitch we would have scored more.

I repeat I don't knock Kuyt I'm just surprised at how different my opinion of him in that game was to other peoples.

[Nicey]

He is a sublime player and only muppets cannot see that ... you dont see shrek banging them in each week yet I have rarely heard a Manc complain about it ..

Not only works his bollix off, but rarely gives away possession, shuts up shop down the right hand side, is always available for the ball, can trap a ball with ease and gives better and better service with each game played ...

[Elvoz]

He is a sublime player and only muppets cannot see that ... you dont see shrek banging them in each week yet I have rarely heard a Manc complain about it ..
Not only works his bollix off, but rarely gives away possession, shuts up shop down the right hand side, is always available for the ball, can trap a ball with ease and gives better and better service with each game played ...

he is not a sublime player fella
and much as i cant stand rooney i think you will find he scores loads more goals than kuyt


he works hard aye mind a minimum requirement surely

still we have done this many times

lets just all get behind the team and lets the good times roll (which you have i may add )

[Assassin]

he is not a sublime player fella
and much as i cant stand rooney i think you will find he scores loads more goals than kuyt


he works hard aye mind a minimum requirement surely

still we have done this many times

lets just all get behind the team and lets the good times roll (which you have i may add )

He does not score more goals in the CL

[Elvoz]

He does not score more goals in the CL

he has to play a game in it this season to score i beleive old boy

[Mike]

Kuyt is a very important player.As long as he`s one of the eleven in a winning team I could`nt give a ****e how many goals he scores.

Think everyone feels that way, but the chances of us winning could improve if we use Babel on the right instead.

[Woobus]

When the game finished I couldn't help thinking if we had a technically better player than Dirk on the pitch we would have scored more.

Could also say if we didnt have him working so hard closing down the United defenders that they might have scored more as well. Him and Keane tortured there defenders and didnt let them play from the back. At the end they gave up trying to pass it out and started to hump the ball up in hope.

[Nicey]

he has to play a game in it this season to score i beleive old boy

And he has ...

I think you will find that fat lump scored 4 goals in Europe last season and "our" Dirk scored 7 this year Dirk has already got on the score sheet in Europe whilst fatboy again is shooting blanks and he has played in Europe this season

[Rashid]

He would laughed out of town as soon as Rafa sells him, like Crouch. It's a shame so many people on here rate players based on what Rafa thinks. Kuyt is a player who works hard and runs all day making chances for the team through sheer hard work. Myself, I'd prefer a player with more talent and can provide quality.... on too many occasions things break down at Kuyt's feet which for an attacking player should not be the case. It may be feint praise but Kuyt would be a good right back!

[Reece]

It's a shame so many people on here rate players based on what Rafa thinks.

That's exactly why people rate him Rashid. No one has their own opinion at all. Good post.