Liverpool FC Forum

[stmichael]

I'd start him against Boro tomorrow if it was me. With Torres out, we're devoid of pace. Babel would kill them on the counter attack. Riera's form has dipped and deserves a rest imo.

[redhayesy]

He is maybe a prime example of why Rafa is criticised for his transfer market dealings. £11.5m for a young player who hasn't improved much since first signed, has plenty of raw talent but lacking the ability to use turn that talent into something. He's now a player used as sub in a role out wide because of his pace, in itself a questionable tactic because his dribbling is hit and miss and his crossing is miss and miss. He can't keep possession so he is more or less useless as well as frustrating. I can see him going in the summer, Rafa should use him as a sub striker, give him a last chance to show himself in the last few months of the season, but I think he's more sub standard than sub striker or sub winger.

so if he's sub standard why fecking bring him on in the first place! that's my whole point mate, he is playing like he is sub standard- his attitude stinks, & what really p1ssed me off about his performance when he came on against madrid is he looked like he couldn't be bothered! {that what it looked like to me anyway)

it is very worrying if the only alternative we have when torres is injured is to play babel up front,people go on about his pace etc -well why the feck doesn't he use it then! if he has so called raw talent, then he is really lacking in the most important thing for me -attitude & commitment!

[Owzat]

so if he's sub standard why fecking bring him on in the first place! that's my whole point mate, he is playing like he is sub standard- his attitude stinks, & what really p1ssed me off about his performance when he came on against madrid is he looked like he couldn't be bothered! {that what it looked like to me anyway)

Rafa has limited himself to too few options. Pennant and Voronin are in exile, Keane was bought and sold, and Rafa hasn't fixed certain areas of the team and so resorts to Babel on the wing (and Benayoun)

We lack strength in the squad, we certainly lack depth.

[burjennio]

(I see you were talking the píss but anyway)

I was excited too the first matches. If you look at my posts you'll hardly find an insult to any player, even the most scape goats.

But Babel has one of the sins I can't forgive a player, he doesn't seem to care!! I can't criticise a player for not having quality if he works hard, that's something you have it or you haven't but often it's not your fault if you haven't.

With Babel I feel a bit frustrated because I think that if he had been caught earlier by the right man he could have been a very good footballer.

Sabre absolutely nails it on the head here, I try to give any player that pulls on that red shirt all the respect I can but Babel for me look like the new breed of footballer whos more interested in picking up a giant pay cheque than working to become a better player, which pi$$es me off so much more because of the natural talent he's been blessed with. I know alot of you slate Kuyt and Lucas but to me they dont have the gifts that he has but at least they try to give all they can when they're in the team.

[Sabre]

Yeah, BTW, I meant TAKING the píss, not talking píss which I suspect has another meaning (if it has). Sorry for that.

I've been very cautious to say he doesn't care. Not that I like players that when they don't play they're mad and are blatantly unhappy very soon, but I do like to see some reaction at some point, some quotes saying "I'm angry to be in the bench and suffering a lot, I just want the manager gives me a chance to speak on the pitch" or something like that.

Correct me if I'm wrong but we hadn't any of that in Babel (not sure on this so please do not doubt to prove me wrong)

[redhayesy]

i'm not on about options, lack of depth that isn't an excuse, we have got plenty of options mate. i'm on about babel- he has been given chance after chance to prove himself, show what he is made of etc. but for me he is playing like someone who won't try & take the the oppotunity to prove he loves LFC he doesn't play with pride or to know he is privaliged to wear the famous red shirt. over the years we may of had players who were say less of a "raw talent" than babel, but bl00dy well showed him up for their commitment & attitude when they were given a chance in the team whether it was as a sub or not!

that's not raffa limiting himself to too few options. as pennant & voronin are classic examples of players given a chance & not taken it, babel is now in this list cause they all lack the main thing attitude & commitment. that is not the fault of raffa it's down to the players themselves!!

[bigmick]

that's not raffa limiting himself to too few options. as pennant & voronin are classic examples of players given a chance & not taken it, babel is now in this list cause they all lack the main thing attitude & commitment. that is not the fault of raffa it's down to the players themselves!!

It's probably right to say the fact they haven't got the right attitude and commitment is not the fault of rafa. Some would say a top man manger might encourage such things (not that many of Fergusons players for instance don't look committed) but I take your point.

That said, if they haven't go the right attitude it might have been an idea not to sign them in the first place. Don't know who that's down to, it's just a thought.

[redhayesy]

that's the point mate, the clubs they were signed from probably don't have the same standards as LFC. so the attitude they showed prior sining for us was shown in abondance, they might of shown in training they had the right attitude etc,were praised to the hill by their managers etc then once the player realises thet the fans will only accept 100 + pre cent commitment & attitude either as a sub fringe player etc that they then show what they are made of, many players have been bought in the past on the back of good display's in tornamonts etc & then in the long run proved to out of their depth- for me babel is another example of that.

[7_Kewell]

personally i think Babel is one of the worst players i've seen in a red shirt for YEARS. We might as well have had 10 men against Real, because he did nothing. At one stage Alonso passed the ball to Babel and it hit his shins and went out of play.    Seriously, i'd expect this from a 16 year old youth player thrown in as a last resort, not an international player who cost us over 11 million.

As far as I’m concerned Babel takes over from Diouf as being one of the worst signings in the clubs recent history*.

*I’ve excluded Keane from this because I don’t hold him to blame for his failed transfer.

[NANNY RED]

i'm not on about options, lack of depth that isn't an excuse, we have got plenty of options mate. i'm on about babel- he has been given chance after chance to prove himself, show what he is made of etc. but for me he is playing like someone who won't try & take the the oppotunity to prove he loves LFC he doesn't play with pride or to know he is privaliged to wear the famous red shirt. over the years we may of had players who were say less of a "raw talent" than babel, but bl00dy well showed him up for their commitment & attitude when they were given a chance in the team whether it was as a sub or not!

that's not raffa limiting himself to too few options. as pennant & voronin are classic examples of players given a chance & not taken it, babel is now in this list cause they all lack the main thing attitude & commitment. that is not the fault of raffa it's down to the players themselves!!

Spot on an thats why he is a no no for me. We might aswell be playing with ten men his input  is zero,

[tubby]

Well there are only a few months to go till the end of the season so hopefully he can be of some use, at least to show other teams he is not completley . I know it must be hard to motivate himself if you are always on the bench but he really does look like he doesn't have a care in the world at times.

[NANNY RED]

Well there are only a few months to go till the end of the season so hopefully he can be of some use, at least to show other teams he is not completley . I know it must be hard to motivate himself if you are always on the bench but he really does look like he doesn't have a care in the world at times.

Do you know what Bav the lads most probley got more talent in his big toe than Kuyt has in his whole body, Thats the difference right there Kuyt plays with his heart an lungs an gives a s.hit, Babel is a sh.ithouse, You only have to look at yossi ive slated him loads not one of my favorite players , but the lads been given a chance an hes grabbed it, an i for one am made up for him, Long mayt it continue, hes putting Babel to shame at the mo.

[Reg]

I think we've narrowed it down well - big lad, potential to be a good player but doesnt have the desire to become a threat. A classic white elephant. Lets get rid and save the salary.

[Salty Sock]

It seems decided, Babel is an undesirable money shark... sign the petition now guys?

[Toffeehater]

Why would he bother to show up if he knows even if he puts in a good performance rafa will drop him for the next game ,his first season was exactly like that , put in a performance and he was dropped . When has rafa consistently played a youngster in the team under 23? I think our youngest player is skrtel in the starting 11 , whereas the mancs is the da silva brothers , arsenal field a whole team of youngsters .

Babel is a player with talent , he's strong in the air , got loads of pace , his touch has been slightly better thsis season but his crossing needs to be worked on . All i'm saying is give him a decent run out in the team and we will see whether he can cut it or not , if not loan him and lucas out to where they can get first team football which will help their development