Rafa: I think Kuyt is amazing

[Red Nick]

Originally Posted by G Richards Kuyt may prove to be even more effective with a pacy, overlapping fullback on the same flank. Dirk does his usual shift (adding a few more goals than we've had this season, mind), while the new fullback stretches that flank out a bit and gives the opposition much more to think about, since they know Dirk won't do them for pace. Could be the way forward.

I find it hard to actually believe that post came from you.

I think MLB has it about right in this thread-

The fact a player like Kuyt starts in our first 11 when he´d get nowhere near the bench for the other top 3 teams says it all for me

[Moschops II]

I've already droned on about this on another thread, but I think Kuyt could have more of a future at the club than many of us might expect/want.

We're going to be budget shopping as usual this summer and I'd be surprised if we spent significant amounts on both a right back AND a player for the right side of the front three.

[Paul]

Originally Posted by Moschops II I've already droned on about this on another thread, but I think Kuyt could have more of a future at the club than many of us might expect/want. We're going to be budget shopping as usual this summer and I'd be surprised if we spent significant amounts on both a right back AND a player for the right side of the front three.

Agreed. Signing attacking full backs makes sense on two levels: they're more affordable than forwards and they can also complement Kuyt and Babel who like to come inside.

[teedeepee]

Everyone has an opinion as to whether or not Kuyt is "good enough", but the real question should be "Is he good enough to do the job Rafa wants him to do?". The answer, in my opinion, has to be yes. Kuyt's goalscoring in Holland could have been the main reason Rafa bought him, but has anyone stopped to think that maybe he wasn't bought for his attacking qualities? Rafa has shown with Valencia, and now with the Reds, that his philosophy can be summed up as "We'll stop you scoring and maybe nick one ourselves." rather than "Doesn't matter how many goals you score, we'll always score more.".

To this end, surely Kuyt is almost the embodiment of this philosophy? His ability in the opponent's box is not good enough for him to be considered first or maybe even second choice striker, but his ability to support the striker (s) and track back to defend is as good as anything else I've seen in the Prem. And this is the crux of the issue. Do you replace Dirk with a flying winger who'll score maybe 15 goals a season with another 10 assists but give us fuck all defensively? Benitez has shown his colours by repeatedly picking Kuyt to play the role which he is currently performing so effectively.

So when people say "Kuyt's not good enough.", they should say what it is that he's not good enough for.

[Red Nick]

Originally Posted by Paul Agreed. Signing attacking full backs makes sense on two levels: they're more affordable than forwards and they can also complement Kuyt and Babel who like to come inside.

If anyone seriously thinks we can win the PL with Babel and Kuyt as our wide players then I suggest they start a band called Dillusional MInds.

They just dont have the technical abillity or control for the team to be able to play pass n move football it just breaks down time and time again. The only wide player at the club who has the abillity to play wide is Harry Kewell but he´s never on the pitch but we need players of his abillity to play those roles

[Paul]

Originally Posted by Red Nick If anyone seriously thinks we can win the PL with Babel and Kuyt as our wide players then I suggest they start a band called Dillusional MInds. They just dont have the technical abillity or control for the team to be able to play pass n move football it just breaks down time and time again. The only wide player at the club who has the abillity to play wide is Harry Kewell but he´s never on the pitch but we need players of his abillity to play those roles

Christ, mad dog barks again. Read my post(s), mate. I'm far from sold on either of those players. Nor did I say anything about winning the league. I just said that signing full backs makes sense because they're a cheaper way of adding width than signing forwards and they would complement players who cut inside. Unless we suddenly find a big pot of gold, money will be too tight to mention this summer, so all-singing and all-dancing forwards will be in short supply for us at the price we'll want to pay.

[Red Nick]

Originally Posted by Paul Christ, mad dog barks again. Read my post(s), mate. I'm far from sold on either of those players. Nor did I say anything about winning the league. I just said that signing full backs makes sense because they're a cheaper way of adding width than signing forwards and they would complement players who cut inside. Unless we suddenly find a big pot of gold, money will be too tight to mention this summer, so all-singing and all-dancing forwards will be in short supply for us at the price we'll want to pay.

That I fully appreciate and accept

Personally id spend all our money on one winger of real quality if we had that much available

[Brownie]

Kuyt should be back up, for me. We need to be using the bulk of our money to buy a wide attacking midfielder/forward who has pace, creativity and goals.

I'm not stupid enough to think that those type of players come cheap or are readily available, but that's definitely what we need.

[Thants]

Originally Posted by Red Nick The fact a player like Kuyt starts in our first 11 when he´d get nowhere near the bench for the other top 3 teams says it all for me

Ha HA based on what?
You'd rather have Eboue, Diaby, Fletcher, Park and Malouda I take it. A stupid throwaway comment, even by your standards. Dirk deserves a first team position.

[Unrighteous]

Anyone else reckon that Saviola could do a job on that right side and fill in for Torres when necessary?

Wouldn't be an expensive option, really. Rotate him with Kuyt... Could work a charm.

edit: He's diminutive but he's got bags of pace and ability. He definately knows where the goal is and will come inside the box looking for scraps often.

[Brownie]

Originally Posted by Unrighteous Anyone else reckon that Saviola could do a job on that right side and fill in for Torres when necessary? Wouldn't be an expensive option, really.

I don't think so. He'd be a good option as cover for Torres but I don't think he'd thrive in a wide position, personally.

[wiiksie]

Originally Posted by Thants Ha HA based on what? You rather have Eboue, Diaby, Fletcher, Park and Malouda I take it. A stupid throwaway comment, even by your standards. Dirk deserves a first team position.

He certainly does at the moment, but he hasn't deserved it all season. But then its the age old question: how does a player play himself back into form without playing...

Or something.

[Thants]

Originally Posted by weeksie He certainly does at the moment, but he hasn't deserved it all season. But then its the age old question: how does a player play himself back into form without playing... Or something.

True, he did go through a bad patch although if I watched my Dad die slowly of cancer before my eyes I'd probably wouldnt be at my best.

Not a dig at you.

[Rashid]

Originally Posted by teedeepee "We'll stop you scoring and maybe nick one ourselves." rather than "Doesn't matter how many goals you score, we'll always score more.".

That is the most sickening and disgusting footballing philosophy I have ever heard bandied about on here. Any Liverpool manager who thinks like that should be sacked immediately.

[Brownie]

It's not as black and white as saying either, 'we'll stop you from scoring and maybe nick on ourselves', or, 'we'll score more goals than you'.

It's really not that simple. I'd say we definitely lean towards the former, but not in a negative sense. To be a good team, you have to have a good defence first and foremost. There's no point in being a great attacking team if you leak goals, because that's just daft. You have to strike the right balance and I think we're not far away from doing that.

We can improve our ball retention a bit and also our mentality but it isn't a dramatic change we need, just a tweak.