Liverpool FC Forum

[aCe']

I think Kuyt has improved somewhat from last season but to say there is a HUGE gulf in his form from last season to present is just 100% wrong!The reality is on this forum he became a scapegoat last year!People were constantly on his back whinging about him,saying he had a stinker when he did'nt.Match threads were "fuc'k sake Kuyt gave it way again" and all that,when players around him were playing worse and not getting mentioned!
So i reckon anyone saying Kuyt has vastly improved is just failing to admit to themselves they were wrong last year.
The fact is he was bought as a striker and put on the right........... and for some strange uncanny reason(only to be found on here) people took an instant dislike to the lad!

Anyway for me the obvious choice has to be Alonso.He was a shadow of his best last term and has came back this season and played better than ever.Absolutely vital to the team he has been.Consistent exceptional performances making the team tick.If Rafa sells this fella he needs his fecking head looked at!

Also Benayoun deserves a mention too.He's been great where ever he has been put.Has not complained about being in and out of the team.Anytime he comes on he gives 100% for the shirt,like a true pro should.Deffo our most important "squad" player by a mile.

mmm... hes never going to impress with his gameplay and still cant control a ball or put in a decent cross consistently... only difference is that in terms of contribution hes done much better this season than last... if only for that he'd be the most improved player in our side for this season... he's always going to be a poor player.. playing out of his skin he done ok this season so lets not push it here...

[Number 9]

I think Kuyt has improved somewhat from last season but to say there is a HUGE gulf in his form from last season to present is just 100% wrong!The reality is on this forum he became a scapegoat last year!People were constantly on his back whinging about him,saying he had a stinker when he did'nt.Match threads were "fuc'k sake Kuyt gave it way again" and all that,when players around him were playing worse and not getting mentioned!
So i reckon anyone saying Kuyt has vastly improved is just failing to admit to themselves they were wrong last year.
The fact is he was bought as a striker and put on the right........... and for some strange uncanny reason(only to be found on here) people took an instant dislike to the lad!

Anyway for me the obvious choice has to be Alonso.He was a shadow of his best last term and has came back this season and played better than ever.Absolutely vital to the team he has been.Consistent exceptional performances making the team tick.If Rafa sells this fella he needs his fecking head looked at!

Also Benayoun deserves a mention too.He's been great where ever he has been put.Has not complained about being in and out of the team.Anytime he comes on he gives 100% for the shirt,like a true pro should.Deffo our most important "squad" player by a mile.

mmm... hes never going to impress with his gameplay and still cant control a ball or put in a decent cross consistently... only difference is that in terms of contribution hes done much better this season than last... if only for that he'd be the most improved player in our side for this season... he's always going to be a poor player.. playing out of his skin he done ok this season so lets not push it here...

A player who has been our most improved but is still a poor player?
You typify the idiots that lambasted the fella time and time again last year when he sweated blood for the cause!
I am under no illusion that there are better options for the right wing out there in terms of getting up the line and delivering quality crosses into the box.
People seem to think that this would be an asset to our team..ie take Kuyt out and bring someone in that is better at that.

I tell ya now fella,Kuyt is a mediocre right winger,fair enough.But take him out of our team and the players around him will have a hell of a lot more work to do.The amount of times he gets into the middle and causes teams to loose the ball be it by making them panic or by winning the ball really is not appreciated on here.The times he challenges back..likewise!
Ok take him out and spend £20m on someone better at being a pure right winger,pacy on the ball,can beat a man and deliver.
You'll take a hell of a lot of energy and fight from our play as well though!

Deffo not the most improved player this term..NO WAY!
He done pretty much the same last year but some people have just began to appreciate it,failing to recognize their blindness from last season!
Anyway im glad he is now getting some of the respect and appreciation he deserves! 

[aCe']

Whatever man... no other team has a right winger whos better at tracking back and "pressuring" midfielders than he is at crossing and dribbling... id say the other teams are doing ok without one so no reason we wouldnt.... we play 2 holding midfielders ffs give me a break.. and alonso and gerrard and mascherano all work hard for the cause so i'd say we'll do pretty ok without him, not like we have a berbatov, a ronaldo (who surprisingly imo works very hard for his team now) and a Nani walking around the pitch.... oh wait they're still doing okay   .... as for him being a mediocre right winger... well atleast you got that part right...

[Number 9]

Whatever man... no other team has a right winger whos better at tracking back and "pressuring" midfielders than he is at crossing and dribbling... id say the other teams are doing ok without one so no reason we wouldnt.... we play 2 holding midfielders ffs give me a break.. and alonso and gerrard and mascherano all work hard for the cause so i'd say we'll do pretty ok without him, not like we have a berbatov, a ronaldo (who surprisingly imo works very hard for his team now) and a Nani walking around the pitch.... oh wait they're still doing okay   .... as for him being a mediocre right winger... well atleast you got that part right...

Crossing aint one of his strongpoints at all lad! Where did i say that?
We are not a team that really thrives on crosses anyway,so thats how it fits together.He cuts in more and plays passes bringing other players into play more than a right winger who is crossing to a fantastic header of the ball,when he is up the pitch.

Bring in a fantastic header of the ball that gets up and wins balls against big hard defenders a lot(like Shearer did) more often than we do and yeah maybe there would be a justification for dropping Kuyt and bringing in a "pure" right winger and crosser of the ball.We dont have that luxury..so as i said he fits!

Love the way you cant help mentioning UTD!!

[Bad Bob]

Whatever man... no other team has a right winger whos better at tracking back and "pressuring" midfielders than he is at crossing and dribbling... id say the other teams are doing ok without one so no reason we wouldnt.... we play 2 holding midfielders ffs give me a break.. and alonso and gerrard and mascherano all work hard for the cause so i'd say we'll do pretty ok without him, not like we have a berbatov, a ronaldo (who surprisingly imo works very hard for his team now) and a Nani walking around the pitch.... oh wait they're still doing okay   .... as for him being a mediocre right winger... well atleast you got that part right...

Curious about which wingers in the league besides Ronaldo have produced more than 11 goals and more than 8 assists in all comps this season?  I think people diminish Kuyt's end-product because he doesn't play silky football.  I'd love to know how he stacks up statistically to some of these pure wingers, though?

[Number 9]

Whatever man... no other team has a right winger whos better at tracking back and "pressuring" midfielders than he is at crossing and dribbling... id say the other teams are doing ok without one so no reason we wouldnt.... we play 2 holding midfielders ffs give me a break.. and alonso and gerrard and mascherano all work hard for the cause so i'd say we'll do pretty ok without him, not like we have a berbatov, a ronaldo (who surprisingly imo works very hard for his team now) and a Nani walking around the pitch.... oh wait they're still doing okay   .... as for him being a mediocre right winger... well atleast you got that part right...

Curious about which wingers in the league besides Ronaldo have produced more than 11 goals and more than 8 assists in all comps this season?  I think people diminish Kuyt's end-product because he doesn't play silky football.  I'd love to know how he stacks up statistically to some of these pure wingers, though?

Owzat will!

[Scottbot]

Is this for the season or the last 10 games?
Are people forgetting that Kuyt has been distinctly sh1t until the last few games, talk about short memories.

Most improved player for me is probably Skittles or Bennayoun.

MVP is Stevie by miles and miles in front of Nando.

Young player of the season is Insua.

"Distinctly sh!t"?  Err, okay mate.  Suffice to say, I disagree.  But, let's not get too caught up with Kuyt since he's such a lightning rod for heated discussion based on long-entrenched views.

I think a more interesting question is Skrtel because, for me, he would not be included in the ranks of the most improved.  Indeed, I would say that he's plateaued a bit or maybe even taken a tiny step backwards in the past couple of months.  He's turned in some ropey moments at the back and is still prone to ball watching in open play and on set pieces.  Most improved?  Not for me by a long chalk.

Skrtel started the season on fire and was playing out of his skin prior to the injury but since he came back I've not been nearly as impressed. Based on performances this season Big Sami has outplayed his centre-half rivals in my opinion.

As for Skrtel being our most improved? If he'd stayed fit and maintained the form of the first two months he'd be in with a shout.

looking at the whole season, Kuyt has had a better season than Skrtrel.

[Reg]

"One Luca Levia..... theres only one Lucas Levia..........."

You guys cant see the wood for the trees.

[Alex G.]

arbeloa

[Rafa D]

Kuyt is Boss.

He's my favourite player right now.

[Scottbot]

The most popular shouts seem to be Alonso and Benny and i'd go along with both of those although I would perhaps class Alonso as a 'comeback' player in that he has returned (and slightly surpassed) the form he showed his first 18 months at the club, he hasn't necessarily improved as a player, rather he has reverted to the player we knew he was. It's hard to choose between the two but I will have to go with Alonso because he's been our 2nd best player all season and I really can't recall his form dropping the entire year, he's played good, very good or bloody excellent in virtually every game.

[Gerrard30391]

I´m gonna buck the trend and say the greatest improvement has been Lucas Levia.

Before christmas I cringed when he came on, he was lightweight, didnt dominate his zone and seemed to lack tactical strength. In the last few weeks - just as Yossi haas come good - so has Lucas. H´s stood in for Stevie G during some very big games and he´s been much improved - even dependable. Stevie needs an understudy, Lucas came with strong credentials and is now starting to live upto them. I have hope that he will continue to develop next season into a regular fits XI player along the likes of Masher/kuyt. I will be ok if Lucas plays for the rest of the season - and thats a massive turnaround in my head!

Whata  difference a haircut makes.

What have you been taking? You might wanna stay of i what ever it is.

[Reg]

You follow the sheep mate, I dont mind...............

[Madmax]

Has to be xabi for me.. Been really brill this year and has shown what we could have missed had we kicked him out.. top man love the fella..

[gato_busta]

I'd have to say Benny for his attitude. Alonso and Kuyt have been brilliant but I dont really see THEM playing better as much as I see the whole team playing better (having better understanding).

Alonso's first season was brilliant but he never really made a good partnership with Gerrard. He'd always played his best when Gerrard was not in the team (Alonso and Gerrard did both have a good partnership with Hamann). When Sissoko came in he kind of filled the gap left by Hamann but the lack of a quality striker still hindered the team (which basically led to Gerrard being played out of possition). It was not until Mascherano and Torres arrived on the team that everything finally clicked into place. Torres is the quality striker Benitez needed, someone who can play as a solo striker(miles ahead of Cisse, Bellamy, Morientes, Crouch and Baros), leaving enough space in the middle for Gerrard, Mascherano and Alonso to play together. Alonso and Mascherano make a great partnership in the middle which lets Gerrard free to work with Torres for arguably the best partnership in the team.

Now going on to the wings, I think Riera is one of the reasons Kuyt seems better. Since Benitez arrived, the left side of midfield had been our weakness. For some strange reason Benitez put all of his faith on Kewell getting better (for four friggin years). He finally offloaded him and brought in Riera who balanced the team and took much pressure off Kuyt and our right side. I still see the same Kuyt, a guy who never gives up and gives his all for the team on every single game.

Now, Benayoun had his share of good games since he arrived but he has been brilliant for the latter part of the season (where he has been given more chances). I think Benny has really developed a semi-Kuyt-like attitude where he keeps pushing forward and fighting for every ball. The best example of this is his first goal against Arsenal, he could've been seriously injured there...

Benitez has finally got the team working the way he wants. There's still room for improvement but the understanding between the players has been fantastic, we don't seem like a one man team anymore.