Babel and the last chance saloon.

[WhiskeyJar]

Rafa issues Babel warning

Reds boss talks tough with Dutch wide man

 

Rafa Benitez has warned Ryan Babel he is fighting for his Liverpool future following his failure to make an impression at Anfield.

 

The Dutch forward has shown only glimpses of his true talent following a big-money move from Ajax in 2007.

 

Benitez has shown patience with his £11.5million capture but now feels the 22-year-old is underperforming having had time to adapt to English football.

 

While admitting he will give the Amsterdam-born wide man further opportunities to impress, Benitez has issued a blunt message with regards what he expects this season.

 

"Ryan has to give something to us this time and he knows it," said Benitez.

 

"He will have opportunities to prove himself with so many games coming up, but it is important he has the right mentality.

 

"Maybe there were some problems adapting to a new style when he arrived as a young player.

 

"He knows what is going on here now and hopefully can perform better. He accepts he has to perform at a different level this year."

 

Sky Sports | Football News | Premier League | Liverpool | Rafa issues Babel warning

 

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This is it boys, if he doesnt start performing its adios to senior Babel.

[Red Banjo]

Babel, as far as im concerned, is a right footed forward.

 

He plays on the left wing, when selected, so i never expect to see the best of him. Granted players should be versatile but when he's continually played out of position - how can he play to his potential? Its like putting Carra on the right wing and slagging him off for being ineffective. Alot of fans slate his attitude, and rightly so, but there has to be the odd defence for Ryan's case. Yossi and Riera are the only players who should be selected on the left.

[The 5th Benitel]

Nice to see he spent the summer working on his game. When you see his lacklustre displays you wonder if he'd really rather be doing something else...

 

 

Liverpool FC footballer Ryan Babel collaborates with Sway | News | NME.COM

 

Liverpool FC footballer Ryan Babel collaborates with Sway

 

'He's a sick rapper' according to Sway

 

 

 

Sway has confirmed that Liverpool FC and Holland footballer Ryan Babel is to feature on his forthcoming album.

 

The grime artist confirmed that Babel raps on one track on the LP, which is provisionally called 'The Signature 2'.

 

"He's actually on the song with me and Neutrino," Sway told BBC Newsbeat. "Yeah, Ryan Babel's a good mate of mine. He's a nice guy, he's a sick rapper. The way he flips his flow is marvellous, man, so I wanted him to do a bit - half Dutch, half British - and he really pulled it off, man. I think it's a track that people are gonna like."

 

Sway added that he did not think Babel needed to ask permission to appear on the track from Liverpool FC manager Rafa Benitez.

 

"He's his own man, he wanted to do the track so we got together and made it happen," said Sway. "We linked up in New York as well. He's a nice guy and I have a lot of fun with him."

 

Other guests Sway confirmed to appear on the album, which is scheduled to be released in 2010, include Craig David and Tinchy Stryder, reports the BBC

[Adebisi]

Just wondering, has he ever had a game upfront with Torres. Would they even work together?

[WhiskeyJar]

Babel, as far as im concerned, is a right footed forward.

 

He plays on the left wing, when selected, so i never expect to see the best of him. Granted players should be versatile but when he's continually played out of position - how can he play to his potential? Its like putting Carra on the right wing and slagging him off for being ineffective. Alot of fans slate his attitude, and rightly so, but there has to be the odd defence for Ryan's case. Yossi and Riera are the only players who should be selected on the left.

 

But he doesnt even do the basics, in a sense he doenst have a leg to stand on. He cant hold the ball, get past his man, use his pace, intelligence and cannot cross. All the attributes that we saw in Johnson against Spurs and Stoke.

 

Thats why he is getting stick and the not the fact he is playing out of postion.

[jackofdk]

Please. Let's drop the myth of him being a striker right here and right now. He has been a left forward in Ajax's 4-3-3 growing up, which is quite similar to the role he plays for us in the 4-2-3-1.

 

And it's not like we haven't tried him upfront anyway, remember his gutless display against Pompey away last year? (He was awesome upfront for 20 minutes agains Chelsea away last year, though.)

[Guest LFD]

Babel, as far as im concerned, is a right footed forward.

 

He plays on the left wing, when selected, so i never expect to see the best of him. Granted players should be versatile but when he's continually played out of position - how can he play to his potential? Its like putting Carra on the right wing and slagging him off for being ineffective. Alot of fans slate his attitude, and rightly so, but there has to be the odd defence for Ryan's case. Yossi and Riera are the only players who should be selected on the left.

 

I totally agree.

 

I was very critical of Babel last season, because I didn't think he took his chances and showed much effort.

 

But in pre season, he looked trim, fit and really worked as hard as anyone... he also looked lively. But it is clear he's not a left sided player.

 

He's stated he wants to be central and that is going to be difficult with Torres and Gerrard. But he looks far more effective on the right, when used in this position as he can cross with his stronger foot when he crosses.

 

On the left he looked predictable - looking to cut inside and shoot or pass. Rarely does he look to cut outside his man and when he does he can rarely put in a good cross, as he's on his weaker foot.

 

On the right he has the attributes to offer what Johnson does - the combination of pace, power and skill. He can cross with his stronger foot when he goes outside and when he cuts inside it will be an option, not the only option.

 

I think the options outwide should be:

 

On the right - Kuyt and Babel.

 

On the left - Benayoun and Riera.

 

I feel sorry for Babel and I do put a large percentage of the blame on Benitez in this regard. Can't remeber which game it was in pre season, but he swapped flanks with Kuyt for two minutes and instantly beat his man and put in a superb cross for Voronin.

 

I'd love to see Johnson and Babel given a chance down the right hand side it could be liking watching two John Barnes on right wide out wide.

 

Well Johnson and Babel's intials together would be JB. ;)

 

At least this way we can really see if he's got what it takes, as I don't see how we can judge him on the left as it doesn't suit his game, his strengths and I think he's wasted in that position and for me, that's not his fault.

[Unrighteous]

Babel, as far as I'm concerned, is the biggest waste of natural talent on the planet.

[zigackly]

Babel, as far as im concerned, is a right footed forward.

 

He plays on the left wing, when selected, so i never expect to see the best of him. Granted players should be versatile but when he's continually played out of position - how can he play to his potential? Its like putting Carra on the right wing and slagging him off for being ineffective. Alot of fans slate his attitude, and rightly so, but there has to be the odd defence for Ryan's case. Yossi and Riera are the only players who should be selected on the left.

 

He doesn't play on the left wing, as we do not play with wingers. He plays as a left-sided forward. The idea of playing a right-footed player as a left-sided forward is that they should be able to come inside and pass or shoot with their right foot. He's not completely one-footed either and has shown he can get crosses in with his left foot on occasion when he does go wide.

 

You have contradicted yourself there by advocating Yossi Benayoun for the spot. Yossi is also right-footed.

 

This bollocks about Babel being right-footed seems to be just an excuse people use for him. Fact is he's just fucking lazy footed. I would have binned him in the summer personally. He will never make it with us because he can't be arsed to.

[Anubis]

Babel, as far as I'm concerned, is the biggest waste of natural talent on the planet.

 

The natural heir to Collymore's throne. Without the prickish personality I hasten to add.

[SpeedyG]

At work we call him the terminator, because our possession always terminates after he receives the ball.

[Red Banjo]

He doesn't play on the left wing, as we do not play with wingers. He plays as a left-sided forward. The idea of playing a right-footed player as a left-sided forward is that they should be able to come inside and pass or shoot with their right foot. He's not completely one-footed either and has shown he can get crosses in with his left foot on occasion when he does go wide.

 

You have contradicted yourself there by advocating Yossi Benayoun for the spot. Yossi is also right-footed.

 

This bollocks about Babel being right-footed seems to be just an excuse people use for him. Fact is he's just fucking lazy footed. I would have binned him in the summer personally. He will never make it with us because he can't be arsed to.

 

Yossi is adaptable, he can cut in and do what is expected from the position. Babel clearly isn't. I just cant see how Rafa could be so wrong about a player he has fiercely defended in the past - he MUST see something that we dont. The fact he continues to get picked for Holland suggests they see something we dont also. There is a player in there somewhere - i just fear we'll never see it in a Liverpool shirt

[Strontium]

Babel's only current value to the team, so far as I can see, is as an impact substitute in the last 20-25 minutes. And to be fair to him, he has made an impact off the bench a few times, running at tired defences when the game is stretched.

[SpeedyG]

Babel's only current value to the team, so far as I can see, is as an impact substitute in the last 20-25 minutes. And to be fair to him, he has made an impact off the bench a few times, running at tired defences when the game is stretched.

 

Yep, that's the sad thing, it's what he did well when he arrived, alas since he's been here he's not built on that.

 

I wouldn't mind the fact that he doesn't produce, I'd give him the time in the hope that the penny finally drops, but he gives the ball away so much and we come under so much pressure because of it, that he's actually a drag on the team.

[Unrighteous]

The natural heir to Collymore's throne. Without the prickish personality I hasten to add.

 

Yup... except Collymore scored more often.

[Red Nick]

The natural heir to Collymore's throne. Without the prickish personality I hasten to add.

 

The difference is Collymore coudl actually play football very well and could have been as good as Ronaldo if he wanted to be. Collymore's problem were more off pitch in that he couldnt make friends and form personal relationships however if he had the same talent and was a Tennis player he probably would have been a world beater because he wouldnt have to be part of a team.

 

Comparing Babel to Collymore is very unfair on Collymore.

 

Id just like to see one performance from Babel approaching anything like Collymore did for us.

[Victor Ganges]

"The way he flips his flow?"

 

 

 

Speak English Boy!!!

[Anubis]

The difference is Collymore coudl actually play football very well and could have been as good as Ronaldo if he wanted to be. Collymore's problem were more off pitch in that he couldnt make friends and form personal relationships however if he had the same talent and was a Tennis player he probably would have been a world beater because he wouldnt have to be part of a team.

 

Comparing Babel to Collymore is very unfair on Collymore.

 

Id just like to see one performance from Babel approaching anything like Collymore did for us.

 

 

I was comparing the wasted talent. I wasn't suggesting Babel was as talented as Collymore.

[Red House]

I totally agree.

 

I was very critical of Babel last season, because I didn't think he took his chances and showed much effort.

 

But in pre season, he looked trim, fit and really worked as hard as anyone... he also looked lively. But it is clear he's not a left sided player.

 

He's stated he wants to be central and that is going to be difficult with Torres and Gerrard. But he looks far more effective on the right, when used in this position as he can cross with his stronger foot when he crosses.

 

On the left he looked predictable - looking to cut inside and shoot or pass. Rarely does he look to cut outside his man and when he does he can rarely put in a good cross, as he's on his weaker foot.

 

On the right he has the attributes to offer what Johnson does - the combination of pace, power and skill. He can cross with his stronger foot when he goes outside and when he cuts inside it will be an option, not the only option.

 

I think the options outwide should be:

 

On the right - Kuyt and Babel.

 

On the left - Benayoun and Riera.

 

I feel sorry for Babel and I do put a large percentage of the blame on Benitez in this regard. Can't remeber which game it was in pre season, but he swapped flanks with Kuyt for two minutes and instantly beat his man and put in a superb cross for Voronin.

 

I'd love to see Johnson and Babel given a chance down the right hand side it could be liking watching two John Barnes on right wide out wide.

 

Well Johnson and Babel's intials together would be JB. ;)

 

At least this way we can really see if he's got what it takes, as I don't see how we can judge him on the left as it doesn't suit his game, his strengths and I think he's wasted in that position and for me, that's not his fault.

 

Completely disagree. He has, it's true, very rarely been deployed on the right, but when he has, and I remember one game in particular against Porto in the CL, where he did the same damn thing of constantly cutting inside, except this time it was even worse as he found on himself on his left.

 

It's his style of dribbling, a drop of shoulder to one side and then cutting on the weaker side of the defender, not a tactical constraint. Play Yossi on the right-wing and it will be the same, he will still cut on his inside more often than he's gonna go round his defender coz' he's a right-footer playing on the right-wing. Even Riera does cut inside quite ofter on his left-wing despite being left-footed. And, let's be honest, being played on the "wrong" side has never stop good players from putting in good crosses, Young and Robben being good examples. The fact is Babel is just a little shit at crossing a ball, end of. For the cross in pre-season, there was the assist against Standard Liege in extra-time from the left, but both of these are it must be said absolute rarities, which is why they are memorable.

 

And, if you want to put the blame on Benitez, you might as well blame all of Koeman, Ten Cate, Van Basten, Van Marwijk etc... for playing him the exact same way, and it will just start to sound a bit ridiculous.

[Guest LFD]

He doesn't play on the left wing, as we do not play with wingers. He plays as a left-sided forward. The idea of playing a right-footed player as a left-sided forward is that they should be able to come inside and pass or shoot with their right foot. He's not completely one-footed either and has shown he can get crosses in with his left foot on occasion when he does go wide.

 

You have contradicted yourself there by advocating Yossi Benayoun for the spot. Yossi is also right-footed.

 

This bollocks about Babel being right-footed seems to be just an excuse people use for him. Fact is he's just fucking lazy footed. I would have binned him in the summer personally. He will never make it with us because he can't be arsed to.

 

That's pedantic and I'm not sure is right.

 

At Ajax he played as a left sided forward in a 4-3-3. Here he has to do far more defensive work and has to track back far more than most forwards, so I've say he's a left sided wide player.

 

Some players can play in a number of positions - Benayoun is like this, as he's clever and skillfull. But players are all different.

 

Babel is all about pace, power and directness. He's not a guile player and I think most players that have been effective playing on the left in this league when they are right footed, are skillful players who like to make quick one / two's, such as Pires and Benayoun.

 

Babel isn't a skillful player. He has some skill, but he's more direct and should simply get the ball and run at players, as Johnson did the other night and Barnes would. This way when he does create a yard to put in a cross, he can do it on his strong foot.

 

Some players can play out of position, some can't... for me Babel isn't clever enough or doesn't have the attributes to do so effective.

 

I think you have to put him in the best position where he can be a threat and for me that's on the right.

[Red Nick]

LFD calling Zigactly pedantic, you just couldnt make it up

 

Classic of the day

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

For me, and I've been saying this for about 96.34% of the time he has been at the club, just isn't a left sided player. He should play through the middle or from the right. The problem is that we've got Kuyt on the right and the balance that he brings, and we've got some blonde guy with this unknown Scouse fella through the middle.

[Guest LFD]

For me, and I've been saying this for about 96.34% of the time he has been at the club, just isn't a left sided player. He should play through the middle or from the right. The problem is that we've got Kuyt on the right and the balance that he brings, and we've got some blonde guy with this unknown Scouse fella through the middle.

 

Babel can be a world beater though and as much as I like Kuyt, he doesn't have the attributes to be one... bloody effective - yes, but no world beater.

 

Kuyt is clearly number one choice on the right. But I don't see why Babel can't be back up to Kuyt on the right and Yossi and Riera compete on the left.

 

A subtle change that could be really effective.

[Guest LFD]

And, if you want to put the blame on Benitez, you might as well blame all of Koeman, Ten Cate, Van Basten, Van Marwijk etc... for playing him the exact same way, and it will just start to sound a bit ridiculous.

 

Well I disagree with all of them if they only play Babel on the left.

 

I am not saying right footed players can't be effective on the left. I am saying Babel doesn't look half as threatening, in my opinion on the left as he has in the few appearances on the right.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

Babel can be a world beater though and as much as I like Kuyt, he doesn't have the attributes to be one... bloody effective - yes, but no world beater.

 

Kuyt is clearly number one choice on the right. But I don't see why Babel can't be back up to Kuyt on the right and Yossi and Riera compete on the left.

 

A subtle change that could be really effective.

 

I think Kuyt has proven to be one of the best right sided players in Europe, outside of the two obvious world-class players in Ronaldo and Messi. Outside of this club, only three people scored more goals than Kuyt in the league last season. He contributes amazingly to the team, and he isn't even a right winger.

 

I really want to agree that Babel can be a world beater, I've been conning myself of that for 12 months. I just don't see it happening at our club. I would agree that Babel should be Kuyt's back up, though. I think he should get more playing time there.