Benitez Trademark

[little dave hedgehog]

exactly. my whole point is that it speaks loads about our mentality rather than maxi rodrigueuz' personality.


kuyt have been a great player for us, and i don't think he's actually become crap, but he is way off form and could probably use a rest.

[FatTony]

I had it in my head it was about 8-10 weeks before we expected him back?

Yes it was.

[Guest]

Aquilani was never going to walk into the side. His recovery from injury took 8-10 weeks but he didn't get into the first team for a bit longer than that, that's perfectly understandable, the team was struggling.

[el matador]

We brought a player who was crocked to replace an essential part of the team.

****ing stupid thing to do and our own fault.

Hopefully he can get it together quickly and we'll get back to some form.

our prem season is over, the CL is over. Aquilani needs to treat the next five months as a settling in period for next season. He is effectively a january signing and we will see the best of him next season.

[Armchairkopite]

our prem season is over, the CL is over. Aquilani needs to treat the next five months as a settling in period for next season. He is effectively a january signing and we will see the best of him next season.

Sorry but thats bs, if we can start playing to the levels of last season we can still finish the league in a decent position. With a points total of 87 still achievable in one of the tightest leagues in years.

[Kinell]

exactly. my whole point is that it speaks loads about our mentality rather than maxi rodrigueuz' personality.


kuyt have been a great player for us, and i don't think he's actually become crap, but he is way off form and could probably use a rest.

He isn't crap, his work rate is admirable but it masks the fact he isn't what we need. Playing on the wing requires the skill to beat players and deliver a decent cross on a regular basis. He does neither opting to drift into the box or be a one-two guy. If only someone like Pennant had the desire to run all day as Dirk does.

Sorry but thats bs, if we can start playing to the levels of last season we can still finish the league in a decent position. With a points total of 87 still achievable in one of the tightest leagues in years.

I like your optimism.

[dww]

He isn't crap, his work rate is admirable but it masks the fact he isn't what we need. Playing on the wing requires the skill to beat players and deliver a decent cross on a regular basis. He does neither opting to drift into the box or be a one-two guy. If only someone like Pennant had the desire to run all day as Dirk does.

I'm not sure that this is strictly true - what I do think us that a team needs to have that option on at least one flank. In general in order to be able to make the most of the option you need one player (at least) who can do it on either flank. Currently we only have Riera in the squad and no one for the left.

Kuyt and Benayoun are both fine for the wide positions if either a/ we have a wide player on the opposite flank or b/ we are playing high up the pitch where so long as you can deliver the ball to the middle the width and ability to beat a man are both less than key.

We are both too narrow and too deep as a team at the minute to get good returns from Kuyt in a wide position. I don't think we should aspire to only having one way of playing though or to necessitate symmetric width.

[Darth Marty]

Oddly enough this season Lucas is slowly, very slowly, winning me over. He has put in some decent shifts and even the odd MOM performance.

Hes far from being a matchwinner or good enough for our best First 11 but hes young and now seems to be realising some of his potential. I hope it continues.