DIRK KUYT and the "Curse of the barren spell" (or why Liverpool can do better on the right)
Dirk Kuyt's supporters are always trying to convince everyone he deserves his place in the team because he's so 'hard-working', has 'endless stamina' and gives his all for the team. Well, that may be the case but as I will illustrate, Rafa Benitez's continued favouritism for the player has had - and is having - a negative impact on Liverpool FC's attacking effectiveness.
I have nothing against Dirk Kuyt - he has, at times, been a valuable player for Liverpool. However, I simply refuse to accept that of all the players in world football, he is the best the club can do on the right.
Here is why (and this is a point I've made regularly over the last 3 years): Every season, Kuyt has a tendency to go through one or more barren spells, where he contributes next to nothing to the team and becomes a passenger. And more often than not, Kuyt's barren spells coincide with Liverpool going on a bad/indifferent run of form.
Here are some examples:
Read more:
http://www.liverpool-kop.com/2009....t4muIDqSeason Months Run of Games Goals Assists
2006-07 Feb to May 17 4 1
2007-08 Oct to Feb 20 2 0
2007-08 Mar to May 13 1 3
2008-09 Aug to Sep 12 1 2
2008-09 Nov to Mar 21 2 1
2009-10 Sep to Nov 11 0 1
As you can see, every season since Kuyt arrived there have been long periods where he has contributed very little as an attacking force.
Take last season for example - even though he ended up with a decent goals/assists ratio, there was still a 4 month period where he started 21 games and only came up with 2 goals and 1 assist. Incidentally, that 4 month period was Liverpool's most ineffective of the season.
And how about this season? In his last 11 games, Kuyt has managed 1 measly assist and that's it. Is that good enough? Should we just accept that kind of return because he works hard? It's all well and good having a right midfielder who runs 30 miles every game, but where is the *consistent* end product?
For me, this is the key issue. Just imagine if we'd had a right-winger over the last few years who scored/created goals consistently, and did not regularly go through mammoth barren spells? A few extra goals/assists here and there would have been very valuable, would they not?
For the last 11 games, the plain fact is Kuyt has not been doing his job as an attacking player. A few more goals/assists here and there from one of Liverpool's most senior players may have turned draws into wins and defeats into draws.
Is this the best Liverpool can do on the right? Can we afford to persist with a player who regularly becomes a passenger for long stretches every season? What is a right midfielder's primary purpose? Surely it is to attack and score/create goals..or am I wrong about that?
Tracking back and defending is all well and good, but Kuyt is (or is suppose to be) an attacking player. That means a more consistent level of goals and assists is required. And it's not as if Kuyt doesn't get the chance to contribute - he starts almost every game (!) and has plenty of time to play himself into form.
Yes, every player goes through rough patches, but just look again at the table above: that is a concerning number of rough patches! And that table does not include Kuyt's many 5-8 game barren spells throughout the last 4 years.
Kuyt still has a part to play at Liverpool but proceeding with him as first choice right-midfielder is a mistake in my opinion.
A change is required. Yesterday, I suggested that Glen Johnson should be converted into a right winger, with Kuyt sharing the position and becoming more of a squad player. I stand by that.
Liverpool need:
1. A consistently effective right-midfielder
2. Who contributes goals and assists regularly throughout the season, and:
3. Does not routinely have barren spells with very little end product.
Dirk Kuyt is not the answer.
....but good non-the-ess.....
says alot about the strength of the team though doesnt it? and with Mash looking to be on his way to Barca, things look very bleak 
