Liverpool FC Forum

[Leonmc0708]

I seem to remeber certain people on here questioning the persitence of a certain manager in playing a certain player who didnt score a goal despite have a penalty on route to 13 games into the season.

The irony of the fact that these same people now demand he is in the side is immeasureable.

[Penguins]

Lots have happened since then. Both for Crouch and the team. Once he got going the goals have come in at a regular basis and with the confidence Crouch often gets into scoring positions and pose a threat when he is on.

Kuyt neither gets into scoring positions nor get anything on target.

When there are those 2 choices it's obvious for everyone except Rafa to see who will score the most.
Crouch was top goalscorer last season despite playing a heck of a lot less than Kuyt and still for no reason this season he is getting the cold shoulder by Rafa no matter how pisspoor Kuyt is.

But saying it is Rafa's fault Kuyt isn't scoring or missing chance is a big stretch for me. it's quite simple, Kuyt just isn't a good enough player. Low on skill, finishing ability, poor header, not very creative, poor pace, everything a good striker must have.
The workrate he has is much more suited for midfielders and not for strikers.
I'll will get really frustrated if Rafa dumps Crouch without giving him a chance and stubbornly refuses to sell Kuyt at least during the summer.

[dawson99]

if kuyt never gets into scoring positions how come people keep moaning about all his finishing? hes there to feck it up... just needs to hit the target

[oakton]

it's not only he scoring ability that pisses people off, it's his decision making and ball control that is going downhill, his form is pathetic at the moment.

[NANNY RED]

Put you money on Kuyt starting tomorrow. Im gonna have a bet on him scoring the first goal . Last season we were all raving about Kuyt and his work rate foe the team. This season the lads on a bit of a downer and weve all started to slate him.I admit myself included sometimes.Rafa will keep on selecting him until the goals come then the rotation will come with him .Remember Crouch how many games with out a goal did Rafa drop him No

Article in tonights Echo



I'll keep faith with Dirk Kuyt, vows Rafa Benitez Nov 5 2007




Liverpool Echo


LIVERPOOL boss Rafael Benitez is backing misfiring striker Dirk Kuyt to come good despite the Holland international being woefully out of form.

Kuyt could easily have had a second half hat-trick in Saturday's goalless draw at Blackburn and his current malaise was summed up two minutes from time when he blazed over from six yards with just goalkeeper Brad Friedel to beat.

The 27-year-old scored 14 times after his £9million transfer from Feyenoord in August last year but has struggled this season.

And although his work rate remains among the best in the Premier League, his touch appears to have deserted him.

He has three goals in 13 matches this campaign but two of those were penalties in the derby victory and the Dutchman is struggling.

However, with record signing Fernando Torres expected to be out for at least another couple of weeks and Peter Crouch out of favour, the manager has little option but to persist with Kuyt.

"When you miss chances and you have two or three, it means you are there. If you are not there, you cannot miss the chance," said Benitez after watching his side waste numerous opportunities at Ewood Park.

"I will not criticise Kuyt because he plays a lot of games and over 90 minutes his work rate is fantastic.

"He is creating chances. When you have a player who can create three or four chances for himself, normally sometimes he will score so I think I must be pleased and positive with Kuyt.

"We need to profit from the work he is doing up front and it will be easier for him to score if his team-mates can score the first goal."

Unfortunately his team-mates were in no better form when it came to beating Friedel, who denied Steven Gerrard twice and Ryan Babel before Crouch saw a header cleared off the line by David Bentley.

And to be fair to Kuyt, until Crouch's 72nd minute arrival, he spent much of the match isolated up front as Benitez's tactic of playing Gerrard in a supporting role did not come off.

The draw - Liverpool's fifth in seven matches since they briefly went top with a 6-0 win over Derby in September -dropped the Anfield side to seventh.

However, they are only six points behind leaders Arsenal and have a game in hand on many of their rivals.

"I said at the start of the season this one would be more difficult for everyone and you can see it is not easy to win games in a row," he added.

"With one game in hand, we can keep the team close to the top of the table. We have Daniel Agger, Xabi Alonso, Fernando Torres coming back and I think we will be stronger in the next few months."

[ribenaboy]

I can't believe Rafa played Kuyt to play up front by himself on saturday, he's not quick enough to beat defenders himself, only torres is good enough to play lone striker

[hello_red]

Ive said it before and ill say it again, hes a quality player who will come good but as someone said before he needs a strike partner. Kuyt and Torres upfront is my prefered partnership. Kuyt with the constant movement and closing down, Torres with the serious threat. Kuyt will drag defenders away which will create space for other strikers. Crouch is not mobile enough for that role and I think Crouch and Torres would not work. There is constant movement with Kuyt and Torres. You are expecting Kuyt to perform miracles with a mis firing team behind him.

Give me a break! Some people need to watch the game and not catch the highlights.... or get a clue!

[Penguins]

I'm sorry, but I think it is you who need to open up his eyes.

Kuyt has 0 goals in the PL!!!

And NO, pentalties doesn't count. And we have played almost a 3rd of the season. Kuyt a terrific striker?
Which games have you been watching this season?
Where does he excel as a striker?
I must say I am impressed he still got those "but he works very hard which I love" supporters left.
A great striker should be bagging the goals no matter what the circumstances are, if played alone, deep etc.
That makes them Liverpool class.

[LFC2007]

Kuyt has 0 goals in the PL!!!

And NO, pentalties doesn't count.

[Ciggy]

I must say I am impressed he still got those "but he works very hard which I love" supporters left.

Same things where said about Carragher.

Not that much technical ability but worked his @rse off for the team.

[Toffeehater]

yea i agree with ciggy but even though i like kuyt , he should be scoring more , carra is a defender so that doesn't really count .. But kuyt can't take all the blame , he is playing most of his times as a supportive striker and rmb last season he was our top scorer in the pl when he was playing on par with bellamy and crouch ...

[hello_red]

I'm sorry, but I think it is you who need to open up his eyes.

Kuyt has 0 goals in the PL!!!

And NO, pentalties doesn't count. And we have played almost a 3rd of the season. Kuyt a terrific striker?
Which games have you been watching this season?
Where does he excel as a striker?
I must say I am impressed he still got those "but he works very hard which I love" supporters left.
A great striker should be bagging the goals no matter what the circumstances are, if played alone, deep etc.
That makes them Liverpool class.

[Ciggy]

You also have to ask yourself why Bellamy and Morientes didnt score many goals for us either, they have no problem scoring goals for other teams do they?

Ok maybe the prem was to quick for Morientes but a striker is a striker after all.

Its the way we set up a slight tweak to the team I am positive all 4 of our forwards would get plenty of goals.

[Penguins]

You can't compare Carragher with Kuyt.

A defender can become world class by being a great hard worker and superb determination.

A striker will get nowhere with those attributes as it is not needed. If Carragher was to play as a striker then the comparison would be relevant.

And c'mon, penalties that not even he was the cause for can be taken by anyone and not specifically the strikers role.
It can make a defender look like a goal machine just cause he is the teams penalty taker. Doesn't mean he is cause he can take a penalty!

[Toffeehater]

KUYT is a bigger joke than traore and cisse

and u must be the biggest joke to have said that , think with ur brains instead of just shooting out with ur fecking a$s , why don't u go and jerk off to ciise pic then eh?