Liverpool FC Forum

[Sabre]

I think it's worth discussing.

I think the same thing of one month ago and for months ago, he's a good player. The variations of his game means to me that the player has better and worse form, I don't see a tendency to worsening if you see what I mean, just simple up and downs. But as a whole, I'm very happy with his contribution so far.

Needless to say, he'll need a rest soon because alongside Alonso and other he's playing everything.

An early criticism that was made at the beginning, concerning his dives or reactions when tackled, still are fair, I must say.

Not worried at all with him.

[Fo Dne]

Am I alone in becoming a fraction concerned about his actual contribution to games? Now this is not some lame attempt by me to re-visit my extreme reservations about us initially signing him, I've already said I was totally wrong on that score. He is a far better player than I remember from his City days, and has proved already that I was talking nonsense pre his signing.

I've said a few times though that despite providing obvious balance to the team, he has a tendancy to kind of run in snatches. Often he starts games brightly before fading, and whether thats as a result of tiredness or the full back getting into him a bit I'm not sure. I do feel though that his actual meaningful contributions to games, not counting nice flicks on the half way line and the rest have lessened over the last few weeks.

My view is he's becoming a bit ornamental, and needs a rocket up his erse. If Dossena wasn't quite so bad, I'd advocate Aurelio moving to left midfield for a game or two and giving Albert a bit of a rest. I just get the feeling that we need to see a lot more from him. Kuyt on the other side is a quarter of the footballer, but this season has contributed far more and my hunch at least is that Riera is on a bit of a downward spiral.

You're having a laugh?

The lads form has dipped a little but his ball retention and use of the ball is superb. He's extremely intelligent and his movement, passing and quality show in just about every game he plays and he's a major reason we're up at the top of the league such is the improvement he's made to our team in that position. Just because the lads lost a bit of form over the last 3 or 4 games means absoloutely nothing.

He's quality, he's added alot of ability to the team and he's helped the likes of Alonso and Gerrard at times produce some of the best football we've seen from this side in years. If we had another player as good on the right as him we'd have one hell of a front six providing the clown played them all in the correct position.

[maguskwt]

Am I alone in becoming a fraction concerned about his actual contribution to games? Now this is not some lame attempt by me to re-visit my extreme reservations about us initially signing him, I've already said I was totally wrong on that score. He is a far better player than I remember from his City days, and has proved already that I was talking nonsense pre his signing.

I've said a few times though that despite providing obvious balance to the team, he has a tendancy to kind of run in snatches. Often he starts games brightly before fading, and whether thats as a result of tiredness or the full back getting into him a bit I'm not sure. I do feel though that his actual meaningful contributions to games, not counting nice flicks on the half way line and the rest have lessened over the last few weeks.

My view is he's becoming a bit ornamental, and needs a rocket up his erse. If Dossena wasn't quite so bad, I'd advocate Aurelio moving to left midfield for a game or two and giving Albert a bit of a rest. I just get the feeling that we need to see a lot more from him. Kuyt on the other side is a quarter of the footballer, but this season has contributed far more and my hunch at least is that Riera is on a bit of a downward spiral.

You're having a laugh?

The lads form has dipped a little but his ball retention and use of the ball is superb. He's extremely intelligent and his movement, passing and quality show in just about every game he plays and he's a major reason we're up at the top of the league such is the improvement he's made to our team in that position. Just because the lads lost a bit of form over the last 3 or 4 games means absoloutely nothing.

He's quality, he's added alot of ability to the team and he's helped the likes of Alonso and Gerrard at times produce some of the best football we've seen from this side in years. If we had another player as good on the right as him we'd have one hell of a front six providing the clown played them all in the correct position.

so who has rafa played out of position this season?

[Fo Dne]

Am I alone in becoming a fraction concerned about his actual contribution to games? Now this is not some lame attempt by me to re-visit my extreme reservations about us initially signing him, I've already said I was totally wrong on that score. He is a far better player than I remember from his City days, and has proved already that I was talking nonsense pre his signing.

I've said a few times though that despite providing obvious balance to the team, he has a tendancy to kind of run in snatches. Often he starts games brightly before fading, and whether thats as a result of tiredness or the full back getting into him a bit I'm not sure. I do feel though that his actual meaningful contributions to games, not counting nice flicks on the half way line and the rest have lessened over the last few weeks.

My view is he's becoming a bit ornamental, and needs a rocket up his erse. If Dossena wasn't quite so bad, I'd advocate Aurelio moving to left midfield for a game or two and giving Albert a bit of a rest. I just get the feeling that we need to see a lot more from him. Kuyt on the other side is a quarter of the footballer, but this season has contributed far more and my hunch at least is that Riera is on a bit of a downward spiral.

You're having a laugh?

The lads form has dipped a little but his ball retention and use of the ball is superb. He's extremely intelligent and his movement, passing and quality show in just about every game he plays and he's a major reason we're up at the top of the league such is the improvement he's made to our team in that position. Just because the lads lost a bit of form over the last 3 or 4 games means absoloutely nothing.

He's quality, he's added alot of ability to the team and he's helped the likes of Alonso and Gerrard at times produce some of the best football we've seen from this side in years. If we had another player as good on the right as him we'd have one hell of a front six providing the clown played them all in the correct position.

so who has rafa played out of position this season?

Kuyt, Keane, Gerrard, some would argue Babel the waster aswell.

He's also played Ngog, Dossena, Lucas completely out of position by putting them on the pitch. Thats not to mention last season, Arbeloa centre half, Gerrard on the left, Riise centre half...

The list goes on.

[LegBarnes]

Am I alone in becoming a fraction concerned about his actual contribution to games? Now this is not some lame attempt by me to re-visit my extreme reservations about us initially signing him, I've already said I was totally wrong on that score. He is a far better player than I remember from his City days, and has proved already that I was talking nonsense pre his signing.

I've said a few times though that despite providing obvious balance to the team, he has a tendancy to kind of run in snatches. Often he starts games brightly before fading, and whether thats as a result of tiredness or the full back getting into him a bit I'm not sure. I do feel though that his actual meaningful contributions to games, not counting nice flicks on the half way line and the rest have lessened over the last few weeks.

My view is he's becoming a bit ornamental, and needs a rocket up his erse. If Dossena wasn't quite so bad, I'd advocate Aurelio moving to left midfield for a game or two and giving Albert a bit of a rest. I just get the feeling that we need to see a lot more from him. Kuyt on the other side is a quarter of the footballer, but this season has contributed far more and my hunch at least is that Riera is on a bit of a downward spiral.

You're having a laugh?

The lads form has dipped a little but his ball retention and use of the ball is superb. He's extremely intelligent and his movement, passing and quality show in just about every game he plays and he's a major reason we're up at the top of the league such is the improvement he's made to our team in that position. Just because the lads lost a bit of form over the last 3 or 4 games means absoloutely nothing.

He's quality, he's added alot of ability to the team and he's helped the likes of Alonso and Gerrard at times produce some of the best football we've seen from this side in years. If we had another player as good on the right as him we'd have one hell of a front six providing the clown played them all in the correct position.

so who has rafa played out of position this season?

Kuyt, Keane, Gerrard, some would argue Babel the waster aswell.

He's also played Ngog, Dossena, Lucas completely out of position by putting them on the pitch. Thats not to mention last season, Arbeloa centre half, Gerrard on the left, Riise centre half...

The list goes on.

Babel Is a striker I know it every one else knows it apart from you and rafa it seems. 

[Fo Dne]

Am I alone in becoming a fraction concerned about his actual contribution to games? Now this is not some lame attempt by me to re-visit my extreme reservations about us initially signing him, I've already said I was totally wrong on that score. He is a far better player than I remember from his City days, and has proved already that I was talking nonsense pre his signing.

I've said a few times though that despite providing obvious balance to the team, he has a tendancy to kind of run in snatches. Often he starts games brightly before fading, and whether thats as a result of tiredness or the full back getting into him a bit I'm not sure. I do feel though that his actual meaningful contributions to games, not counting nice flicks on the half way line and the rest have lessened over the last few weeks.

My view is he's becoming a bit ornamental, and needs a rocket up his erse. If Dossena wasn't quite so bad, I'd advocate Aurelio moving to left midfield for a game or two and giving Albert a bit of a rest. I just get the feeling that we need to see a lot more from him. Kuyt on the other side is a quarter of the footballer, but this season has contributed far more and my hunch at least is that Riera is on a bit of a downward spiral.

You're having a laugh?

The lads form has dipped a little but his ball retention and use of the ball is superb. He's extremely intelligent and his movement, passing and quality show in just about every game he plays and he's a major reason we're up at the top of the league such is the improvement he's made to our team in that position. Just because the lads lost a bit of form over the last 3 or 4 games means absoloutely nothing.

He's quality, he's added alot of ability to the team and he's helped the likes of Alonso and Gerrard at times produce some of the best football we've seen from this side in years. If we had another player as good on the right as him we'd have one hell of a front six providing the clown played them all in the correct position.

so who has rafa played out of position this season?

Kuyt, Keane, Gerrard, some would argue Babel the waster aswell.

He's also played Ngog, Dossena, Lucas completely out of position by putting them on the pitch. Thats not to mention last season, Arbeloa centre half, Gerrard on the left, Riise centre half...

The list goes on.

Babel Is a striker I know it every one else knows it apart from you and rafa it seems. 

Well yeah, after his performance against Crewe I can't really argue.

Absoloute waste of space. Cant wait till we sell him.

[tubby]

Fingers crossed we will at least get the 11mil back when we do sell him.

[LegBarnes]

How many times has babel played as a striker for us ? I remember 2 times and both times he got on score sheet in fact he is 3 goals in 2 games as striker so why all the hate for him.

I know if i was him i be feeling down about getting played in wide left area then getting slatted by fans because he isn't playing well in an area he has clearly no idea how to control.

Please thinka bout it a little. ( the whole picture)!

You thin owen ?
Or Van nistelrooy ?
would do any better as a left winger ?

[taff]

At this stage in his career the left hand side wont do him any harm,  and it is a fact that players in todays game have to defend as well and Babel can go missing,  and that aint good in a team like Liverpool who rely on their work and game analysis.  I think Babel will come good if he meets rafa halfway

[LegBarnes]

At this stage in his career the left hand side wont do him any harm,  and it is a fact that players in todays game have to defend as well and Babel can go missing,  and that aint good in a team like Liverpool who rely on their work and game analysis.  I think Babel will come good if he meets rafa halfway

I don't think so babels press thingy where he said he is a striker for me says he really is down about getting played out of pos and I for one don't blame him.

I was a striker I had no love for being played any where else.

If I had a choice to play left wing for liverpool or striker for aston villa I chose villa every time and try to prove the manager at liverpool wrong.

No point in rafa playing babel in an area he has no love for not all players are model professions so are fussy and some lack confidence more so when things don't go well.

Can you say you wake up every morning happy more so if you went to work as a assistent manager and some one told you to go clean the sh.it holes with a tooth brush. 

I just think babel is in lose , lose when he plays left wing A. he cant play there and I Don't think he ever will and B. if he plays well rafa pick him there agian and agian and deep down he don't want to play there so what reason is there to play well ?

[taff]

Butin our system the wingers can morph into secondary strikers and Kuyt seems to have gotten the hang of this with his goal tally this season.  You are looking at out and out striker = competing against Keane and Torres and Babel is gonna lose that debate.

Last season he himself confessed to being tired and it could be he is being spared for the second half of the season.

Riera has performed better than expected

We are now in an interesting position where do we hold our nerve and hope that Torres and Keane start banging loads in or do we look at introducing Babel

[LegBarnes]

from what i seen of babel as a striker he got alot more going for him then keane tbh. 

[taff]

If we play to Babels strengths maybe.  But this is not about him but the team as a whole and Keane wins that vote.  Would you seriously like to see Babel now as support for Torres or as the main striker if Torres is injured or rested

[tubby]

Forget about where he plays. His basic play is sometimes so poor I wonder why he even plays. I dont think he will give the ball away any less or run into people any less if he plays up front. Kuyt still manages to play well out of position.

[LegBarnes]

If we play to Babels strengths maybe.  But this is not about him but the team as a whole and Keane wins that vote.  Would you seriously like to see Babel now as support for Torres or as the main striker if Torres is injured or rested

Of course I would What have we got to lose its not like keane is getting on score sheet week in week out and that raw pace would scare teams and leave space behind for gerrard.