Dirk Kuyt

[Neil Young]

Wouldn't dispute that at all, I like him a lot.

A striker with a goalscoring record of 71 goals in 101 games would surely suggest, in anyone's book, a goal machine.

Dutch league though. Also, I thought there must be something in it for van Basten to play him out on the right in the World Cup.

[Slim]

He does seem to be beginning to form a decent partnership with Bellamy though. Their movement and link-up play was good on Saturday, just lacked the finishing touches.
Don't think Crouchie has really had a chance to link up with Bellamy yet to see how they fair. Its odd that when he couldn't hit a cow's arse with a banjo last season Rafa really stuck by him and picked him almost every game, yet he has been in good form since the World Cup but he cannot get a start in the team.
With the busy Xmas period coming up though I'm sure he'll get his chance again.

[Marky]

No way is Anelka a natural finisher.

Solskjaer probably is a natural finisher, but he never was really first choice.

Owen isn't a natural finisher - he had all the hallmarks of one, but if he was in a rut, then nothing went in. And he hit the rut too often to be classed as Natural.

Absolute nonsense, all strikers go through sticky patches Owen was no different, people were writing him off before his hat-trick at maine road about 3 or 4 years ago, he's as natural a goalscorer as there is, scores all different types of goals - right foot, left foot, volleys, headers, one on ones.

[Shaggy]

He does seem to be beginning to form a decent partnership with Bellamy though. Their movement and link-up play was good on Saturday, just lacked the finishing touches.
Don't think Crouchie has really had a chance to link up with Bellamy yet to see how they fair. Its odd that when he couldn't hit a cow's arse with a banjo last season Rafa really stuck by him and picked him almost every game, yet he has been in good form since the World Cup but he cannot get a start in the team.
With the busy Xmas period coming up though I'm sure he'll get his chance again.

Yeah it's strange that Bellamy & Crouch have barely been given an opportunity to work as a partnership. I actually think they could make an excellent pair, although as you say, Kuyt & Bellamy linked up brilliantly at times on Saturday.

[paulcooper4]

[/B]

Absolute nonsense, all strikers go through sticky patches Owen was no different, people were writing him off before his hat-trick at maine road about 3 or 4 years ago, he's as natural a goalscorer as there is, scores all different types of goals - right foot, left foot, volleys, headers, one on ones.

[Marky]

What are you jaw dropping for? wasn't at all rash with my views imo.

[paulcooper4]

What are you jaw dropping for? wasn't at all rash with my views imo.

I thought the words I had oversized, put in bold and made bright red might have given you a slight clue as to what I was referring to mate

[Marky]

I thought the words I had oversized, put in bold and made bright red might have given you a slight clue as to what I was referring to mate

Sound

[Red Chilli]

Don't remember him getting that many volleys either Coops

[paulcooper4]

Don't remember him getting that many volleys either Coops

neither do I fella, cup final excluded. Was just giving him a bit of leeway as he is oirish, so obviously a bit "challenged"

[disco]

Personally :

A couple of chances were fecking difficult, would have been more luck than judgement for any striker to have finished them.

He was passing across goal for Mark Gonzales, who checked his run. (OR, Traore deflected the ball, may be both)

It was (nearly!) a great finish for the chance which just hit the post.

I'm not worried basically

The only 'bad' attempt was a header from a corner which looked like it had taken him by surprise.

[Red Chilli]

He's in my fantasy team, so that's all you need to know about my opinion.

He'll get a bucket full of goals after Christmas.

[El Diego]

Not Henry. He is a sidefoot'er, just like owen.
BEsides, he rarely scores with his head.

I would count solskjaer as a natural.

As for the main topic, Dirk is in a funk, and I find it just a little bit worrying that he misses a lot. He seems to lack some composure and coolness in front of goal atm.
I hope it is just temporarily.

I think that he just needs a goal of his backside.

[Rigadon]

Kuyt (and Bellamy) has contributed well to a team that has scored 11 goals in 3 games (in the same way that Rooney is contributing to Utd – playing well for the team but not scoring many goals). I think he will be rested against Arsenal in the League Cup but continuity in the Prem is important. It takes time for a strike partnership to gain a good understanding.

[Airman]

I would say he needs to work on his first touch. A lot.

He needs to work on his passing. A lot.

Also needs to work on his decision-making. Somewhat.

Finishing will come with the first three.

His all-round hustle and bustle looks good, but at the moment, I would say Crouch is just as effective and looks likely to score more goals. How replacing him with Crouch would impact the rest of the team though, is a liitle more difficult to know.

He'll settle in, in the long run though.