Liverpool FC Forum

[redbeergoggles]

The Liverpool Echo
6th 1st 2010

Signings will need to be financed by selling those surplus to requirements and Molby, who played 292 times for the Reds between 1984 and 1995, believes it’s time Benitez off-loaded Ryan Babel.
he Dutchman has struggled to adapt to the demands of the Premier League since he was signed for £11million in the summer of 2007.

“Babel seems to not want to do what he has to, to get his head down and work hard, and to grab the opportunities he is given,” he said.

“He doesn’t seem interested in that, and he seems to want everything in life a little easy.”

Molby has urged supporters not to make any rash judgements on Alberto Aquilani.

The £20million Italian midfielder has endured a tough start to life on Merseyside with an ankle injury delaying his introduction to the side.

Molby says Aquilani will need time to come to terms with the pace of the English game and it could be next season before the Reds see the best of him.

“Being brutally honest, we are halfway through the season and his contribution has been zero,” Molby said.

“That is not all his fault, with the injury etc, but it is still a fact.

“I actually spoke to Rafa Benitez about him and said that, from my experience, if Aquilani is to make a big impact at the club, then it will probably be next season at the earliest.
“The Premier League is a totally different style of play to Serie A and you have to learn to look after yourself quickly.

“You have to face the Blackburns and the Sunderlands – with players like Lee Cattermole biting in – and you have to compete. If you don’t fancy it, you can get snowed under quickly.

“But if it comes down to talent, then Aquilani certainly has what it takes to be a success. He has ability, no question.”

One player who is flourishing at Anfield is Pepe Reina and Molby has paid tribute to the keeper’s form during a testing campaign.

“I said a few years ago that Reina has all the tools to become the greatest keeper in Liverpool’s history, and I stick by that, he has been fantastic,” said Molby.

“People say he doesn’t come and catch enough balls, but I think he is a truly exceptional keeper, and deserves to be mentioned up there with the best.”

Molby is also excited by the emergence of young Spaniard Daniel Pacheco, who has recently made the step up from the reserves to the first team squad.

“I like the kid because he has great ability,” added Molby.

“He has a great first touch, can spot a pass, and has fantastic set-piece delivery. If we talk about Steven Gerrard’s ability from set-pieces, well this kid is something special.

“My only worry about him is his lack of strength, he is very slight. That probably means he is unlikely to dominate games, but he certainly has the ability to be a match-winner for Liverpool.”


I always listen when Big Jan speaks ,he is one of which is gradually becoming an ever decreasing number of ex players who actually talk sense ,absolutely revere the man ...

I wish he could be our chief scout because I have no reservations concerning his ability to spot a talented player and if he says Aquilani has the ability to succeed in the Prem then I will believe him unreservedly (LEGEND )

[tubby]

Is right

[roberto green]

I always listen when Big Jan speaks ,he is one of which is gradually becoming an ever decreasing number of ex players who actually talk sense ,absolutely revere the man ...

Couldn't agree more, Molby and David fairclough are my 2 favourites.Both speak sense.

[redbeergoggles]

One of my top 3 players ever to play for The Reds ,the man was blessed with a god given ability ,I honestly think we will never see another player so totally at ease on the ball and so adept at picking a defence splitting pass with such consummate aplomb...   

[bigmick]

He was a great player, no doubt about it. His  views here I agree with as well. Reina is a great keeper, Babel needs to either get his head down or be sold, and Aquilani has contributed zero so far. Bang on the money.

[Sabre]

Unlike other ex players, I think the criticism he makes is fair, and I think he's right when he gives credit to the players too.

It seems that Molby agrees that Aquilani has ability, but he seems cautious about him getting us results, just as some members of this forum. His "next season in the earliest", is worrying. I undertand Aquilani needing games after a lon g injury, but I'd be dissapointed if we only get what we are expecting of him next season.

Aquilani is a big bet of Rafa, and I hope to receive the income of that bet from now on. Not next season.

Anyway, decent criticism there from Molby.

[roberto green]

I have had the pleasure of meeting Jan Molby before, when I was a kid roughly about 8/9 I was in Alder Hey with septic arthiritus in my hip and he was doing the rounds, he signed my pannini sticker book on my liverpool page and I had only 2 Liverpool players actually in it and one was him.I was to young to know it was a nice signature for keep sake so as soon as he had gone I ripped it out thinking he has scribbled over his face.I wouldn't mind the bluenoses on the ward got Everton gifts given to them.When my dad turned up he was in bulk when he found out what I had done.

[bunglemark2]

He eats too much though, the fat get....

[redbeergoggles]

Unlike other ex players, I think the criticism he makes is fair, and I think he's right when he gives credit to the players too.

It seems that Molby agrees that Aquilani has ability, but he seems cautious about him getting us results, just as some members of this forum. His "next season in the earliest", is worrying. I undertand Aquilani needing games after a lon g injury, but I'd be dissapointed if we only get what we are expecting of him next season.

Aquilani is a big bet of Rafa, and I hope to receive the income of that bet from now on. Not next season.

Anyway, decent criticism there from Molby.

The thing about Molby's observations Sabre is he has no reservations about Aquilani's undoubted quality ,he just cant see this season bringing it to fruition as quickly as the fans would like mate ,saying that though my own personal opinion is one of promise and I expect Aquilani to become a quality addition to our squad and I expect that in his next few games 

[Spinner]

How do people know Bable doesn't work hard enough....Or wants the easy road?

Is not being good enough ever an excuse? Or is it that every player that doesn't make it just didnt try hard enough?

[Owzat]

His "next season in the earliest", is worrying. I undertand Aquilani needing games after a lon g injury, but I'd be dissapointed if we only get what we are expecting of him next season.

Aquilani is a big bet of Rafa, and I hope to receive the income of that bet from now on. Not next season.

Anyway, decent criticism there from Molby.

Not really, what I think he means is we may not get to see the very best of Aquilani until next season, not that he can't or won't contribute to this season. Considering he a) came here injured and b) came to a different country, he will need the six months or so to settle that most do, except most don't start off having been injured and are likely to be have a sticker on their b*sides saying "handle with care"

As for Babel, I think he's spot on. Babel seems to think Liverpool paid £11.5m and that's all his hard work done, all he has to do is play. The man idiot uses the media too much to say words instead of actions, although Rafa does seem over-reluctant to give him a try despite us being poor. Does in part boil down to what I've said before, we've used the likes of Carra, Reina, Kuyt, Torres, Gerrard, Benayoun etc as much as possible, not given others much of a chance and blame a couple of scapegoats (Lucas and Kuyt) and slate those who haven't been playing, even though the superstars beyond just Torres and Gerrard don't get criticised much. When did Gerrard last have a match-winning performance? Does Torres get slated for only scoring twice in his last eight appearances? No, people are way too busy jerking off over him/them and talking about broken records like broken records.

You wouldn't think we lose with Gerrard in the side, yet we've lost 56 games under Rafa with him in the side compared to 16 without. We've lost 17 out of 104 games that Torres has played in a Liverpool shirt, they aren't incapable of having a bad game. If Kuyt or even Keane had gone a game without scoring they'd be slated and fingers pointed at their scoring record, with Torres the only similarity in terms of reaction is pointing at his scoring record.

Babel has played 106 times in a Liverpool shirt, only 17 times has he played 90+ minutes and a further 28 times between 60 and 89 minutes. He's played exactly HALF his games for Liverpool in cameo appearances up to 30 minutes, done quite well to score 11 times at a goal every 87 minutes with an average time of 18 minutes on the pitch in those 53 cameo appearances, especially given he is stuck out on the wing most of the time.

If anyone ever wanted a clear demonstration of how Rafa's use of subs is poor in most every respect, look at Babel as a sub. How can he make an impact if he's consistently given less than 30 minutes and on average just 18 minutes as a sub? His overall average time on the pitch is 45 minutes, I'm not making excuses for his poor performances within the time on the pitch, but if Torres got only 18 minutes half the time then he'd be lucky to score seven goals in those cameo appearances (worked out from him appearing for 18 mins in 52 of his appearances at his current mins/goal rate)

[JohnBull]

Another load of statistical bollox.
It doesn't matter if the lad's on the pitch for 18 seconds - I don't expect to see Liverpool players get tackled and then sit on the grass with their arms in the air wanting the wrath of God to come down on the lad running down the pitch with the ball.
We do not need any Grandstanders, any Prima Donnas, any players who feel sorry for themselves on 40 grand a week. We are in desperate need of players who want to be part of a team and who will support every other member of that side. FFS you see Torres tackling in every part of the pitch and every ball lost is a personal insult to the lad. Even Marathon Man Kuyt gets up quicker than Babel
Raffa should have bit BCs hand off for £9m and if Babel does turn out to be the next Ronaldo then so be it. It's too late to happen here.

[bunglemark2]

Another load of statistical bollox.
It doesn't matter if the lad's on the pitch for 18 seconds - I don't expect to see Liverpool players get tackled and then sit on the grass with their arms in the air wanting the wrath of God to come down on the lad running down the pitch with the ball.
We do not need any Grandstanders, any Prima Donnas, any players who feel sorry for themselves on 40 grand a week. We are in desperate need of players who want to be part of a team and who will support every other member of that side. FFS you see Torres tackling in every part of the pitch and every ball lost is a personal insult to the lad. Even Marathon Man Kuyt gets up quicker than Babel
Raffa should have bit BCs hand off for £9m and if Babel does turn out to be the next Ronaldo then so be it. It's too late to happen here.

Well said....statistics like that previous post are not only dull, but prove nothing....

[Sir Roger]

He was a great player, no doubt about it. His  views here I agree with as well. Reina is a great keeper, Babel needs to either get his head down or be sold, and Aquilani has contributed zero so far. Bang on the money.

Molby is only saying what youve already said.
Maybe you should become a pundit? Or our chief scout?

[tommycockles]

How do people know Bable doesn't work hard enough....Or wants the easy road?

Is not being good enough ever an excuse? Or is it that every player that doesn't make it just didnt try hard enough?

if you watch him play, and he's sat on the ground after being tackled rather than chasing to win the ball back- he's lazy and doesn't deserver the money we pay him.

If he at least tried his hardest all the time then i'm sure he'd gain a lot more respect.