From www.joescouse.blogspot.com
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The new look Liverpool team has been nothing short of exhilarating. One goal conceded in five games tells its own story about how good we have been defensively, but it is the Liverpool attack which has been the main talking point.
Luis Suarez has become an instant favourite on The Kop after scoring on his debut and hitting the woodwork twice in his first start. We are still waiting to see Andy Carroll, but 11 in 16 for Newcastle and a £35m price tag point to a very valuable addition to our attack. Gerrard is getting back to his best and Meireles is starting to look world class.
Waiting in the wings is Joe Cole, who has been a big disappointment so far this season. There is a feeling, though, that Steve Clarke can get the best out of him and Cole at his very best would be difficult to dislodge from our first eleven.
David Ngog and Danny Pacheco also deserve a mention. They have both been in outstanding form for Liverpool Reserves, who are enjoying an unbeaten run that stretches back to October. They are both very young and will be hungry for a chance to show Kenny what they can do.
And then there is Dirk Kuyt, who polarises opinion amongst fans. People generally fall into two camps when it comes to him: those who love his graft, and those who despair at his lack of craft.
Kuyt has been a great servant to the club and his work rate is outstanding. However, his first touch often leads to the second touch being a header or a tackle, he has been criticised for his lack of creativity and a goal return of 1 in 4 is not great for an attacking player.
Kuyt has been deployed as a centre forward of late and he has been outstanding. Against Stoke he played with his back to goal, held the ball up really well and was involved in everything going forward. When Suarez came on, it was Kuyt who set him up for his debut goal. The following chalkboard shows just how involved Kuyt was against Stoke, with 24 successful passes spread all around the Stoke City half of the field:
As good as he has been, Andy Carroll offers us more in terms of height, heading ability, shooting ability and his control. Carroll plays in the exact position where Kuyt has been playing and this may mean that Kuyt loses his place despite his good form.
Looking at the other three players in our front four, Suarez loves to pick the ball up from deep and so will most likely play on the left of the attack, Gerrard loves making bursting runs down the right hand side of midfield and Meireles is at his best when played centrally behind the striker. Kenny’s Liverpool team are incredibly fluid, so these general positions will change often during the course of a game, and all three have the football brain to interchange successfully.
When we play 4-2-3-1, Aurelio plays important role as the holding midfielder, supporting Lucas and covering for Johnson at left back when he gets forward. This means that, if Carroll is a certain starter (and I think he is), there is no room for Kuyt up front:
There is one possible way that Kuyt can keep his place in a full strength team, and that is playing Gerrard in central midfield alongside Lucas. Kuyt would fit into this system well as an attacking inside right:
The problem with this system is that it does not get the best out of Gerrard. The last time Gerrard played this central midfield role was against Fulham and he did not have a particularly good game, drifting out of position and leaving Poulsen exposed in the centre.
My conclusion is that a front four of Gerrard, Meireles, Suarez and Carroll will work best regardless of the formation and having two midfielders or a third defender behind these four gives us stability.This means that, sad as it is to say, Dirk Kuyt loses his place in our first eleven.
Very good post. I have to agree with you. To get the best out of Gerrard, Kuyt drops to the bench. Harsh on him but a front four of Carroll, Suarez, Meireles and Gerrard is exciting!
I agree that Dirk would see alot of pine once carroll comes in and is playing well, either that or he works on his defencive game and plays alongside Lucas because he is a work horse. Maybe that’s why KK was toying with the idea of Ngog & Jankovic to see how a big guy would play upfront with suarez. No matter to me as long as maxi doesn’t get to play. YNWA
lucas and aurelio is a weak midfield in your first formation..i do however agree kuyt will be the fall guy once everyine is fit
Bajan scouza u muppet. kuyt must be given away, i’d be to embarassed to exept money for him. He is without doubt the most inept, utalentless player to ever pull on the famous RED shirt. He can not control the ball, and as for being a ‘work horse’, bon’t make me laugh, i’ve seen more movement and work from the Shankly statue. His touch is a disgrace for a professional footballer. Maxi is getting used to the prem now along with the magical Meireles, more good things are going to come from these two.
I believe with what you have been said but kuyt have the right to play at defence midfield i think he can impress well at this position
I believe with what you have been said but kuyt have the right to play at defence midfield because of his ability i think he can impress well at this position
No no no kuyt is awesome I love him king kenny will surely fit him in the starting 11 why is aurelio playing dm and all Ur formations have no width besides the last one maybe we could play 3 strikers
I like them all, but do agree, But at last we’d have a good sub to bring on and mix it, like old days instead of david fairclough we’d have kurt. we need to kill teams of, easy saying it but doing it. whats happened to wilson,
The team needs to be improved! Kuyt at nearly 31 years old will have to make way for the better, younger, more mobile, quicker and greatly talented Andy Carroll. kuyt is not a midfielder (either wide or in the middle) and is at an age where he needs to be playing and still has some value on the open market.
Remember This team still lack real pace in key areas which needs to be addressed in the summer. With the alleged arrival of Sylvian Maveraux and the possible arrival of Ashley Young, Charlie Adam and one or 2 others. Plus the emergence of Jonjo Shelvey in midfield. Add the abundance of youth talent we have on offer (Conor Cody, Danny Pacheco and Suso to name a few). I really don’t see Kuyts future at Liverpool!
The bench is actually the best he could hope for.
Paul, do you really watch LFC play before calling others Muppets? You sound like a numpty who waits for goals & highlights and thus only idolise goal scorers. Kuyt’s age may be doing him injustice but he’s always pulled the red shirt with a lions heart. Avoid highlights son,watch the games & if you do,then learn more about TEAMS!
with any luck this talentless cart horse will be replaced!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bring him on from time to time to duracell bunny himself to death when were 1 or 2 up. I hate watching him play football he slows the play down and his touch and passing are generally sh@t. Himself and Lucas are great kiss assess for any new manager always in the press kissing woy or Kennys rear
I really like the idea of Kuyt playing defensive midfielder! I think he would have been a better DM than striker if he was developed to when he was younger. But i think we should keep Kuyt at right wing and play 4-2-1-3 like this.
Reina
Kelly-Carra-Agger-Johnson
Gerrard-Lucas
Meireles
Kuyt-Carrol-Suarez
I think we will play a 433/4231
Reina
Kelly carra agger johnson
Lucas
Gerrard meireles
Kuyt carroll suarez
I would drop Kuyt now poor first touch rarely passes to his own man breaks down several of our attacks with a complete lack of vision shoots from anywhere for no reason and cant finish for a toffee. Plus side works hard and can take a pen, 2 things that I can do. Maybe I should play.
To settle the debate I will chip in by saying that our new owners are going to build a squad of players that are capable of successful rotation. Hopefully there will be a role for everyone.
An alternative with what we have:
REINA
KELLY-CARRA-AGGER-JOHNSON
LUCAS-GERRARD-MEIRELES
KUYT-CARROLL-SUAREZ
i expect us to sell him at summer but for this season he is definitely a starter for me..please consider this..these are our wingers:Kuyt,Maxi,Jovanovic,Joe Cole..all of them are bad,except for Kuyt who is average..ok he’s contributed a lot to the team,but the team is a football club and we want to play football not pay tributes,otherwise Dalglish would still play!!!this guy,Sylvain Marveaux,is 24 years old and i’ve read that he is talented for his age..but i dont expect him to be the last signing for us come summer..the squad definitely needs an overhaul for next season,but till summer,i’d play Kuyt ahead of anyone at right wing.
Reina
Kelly Carragher Agger Johnson
Lucas
Kuyt Gerrard Meireles Suarez
Carroll
but come summer,sell all the crap players we’ve had so far like Maxi,Ngog,Konchesky,Joe Cole,Jovanovic,Poulsen,Kyrgiakos,Insua,Aquilani,El Zhar,Degen and (yeah i’ve said it) Kuyt and lets start the rebuilding proccess!!players like Ashley Young,Fabio Coentrao,Ezequiel Lavezzi,Bojan for starters and some more for the bench!!
Reina
Johnson Carragher Agger Coentrao
Lucas
Gerrard Meireles
Lavezzi Carroll Suarez
Lets buy young and top players and lets build a title winning squad!!enough about mediocrity..summer is the greatest chance for NESV to show their will and determination to take this club 5 levels up(1st place!!)..YNWA..KING KENNY TO STAY!!
l love the kk formation of 3-5-2 that mean the opponent will not score b4 us and it’s confident to reina and the attack most especially the present of daniel agger we draw wigen match because of his absent his a composer and confident defender.kuty mr duracell forget age how old is scholes and gigs of man utd and they both make the day for ‘sir’.kuty can play defenceive roll maybe kk give him roll of lucas yes because lucas actually up his game but he is not having good decision in term of distribution he ways show where the pass is go by push toward the player.pls kk give aurelio chance at the left not johnson look at the across against wigen that set meireles goal.look at the set up formation of carrol + * reina carr agger kelly sktel aurelio kuty gerrard suarez meireles carrol johnson is not good in defence because he give room to opponent wingers to lunch across look what happen against nzobia strive backward to give chance to oposion to decide but his good upfront.maxi need more train like j cole to have the ability to score so sub johnson in for meireles and suarez upfront to asist carrol and lucas for gerrard to rest and kuty upfront or lucas for kuty direct but kk should do without england favour by removing the rough person because england player.thanks never walk alone 4ever.
I agree with Paul C, would eventually replace Kuyt with a real winger in the summer *Turan/Sanchez/Young* and move Kuyt to the bench as backup to Carroll. Would like a LB so we can move Johnson back to RB and Kelly to CB. Kelly/Wilson *hopefully* for the future.
Kuyt has been a good soldier for the club for a long time. Show some loyalty to those who are loyal to Liverpool. I hope he can retire as a Red as he chooses. If he wants to go home to play some more and not backup like Hyppia then thats no problem. Knocking loyal players makes us all look bad. I say “Oh Durka Durka” when he messes up too but I never doubt his heart. You take the good with the bad with any player. Still starts for the Dutch. Check Wesley Sneijder on his opinion on Dirk. Didnt he push hard to get him last summer? I trust the opinion of the treble winner more than worry warts.
@Zandreas & @Paul are basically saying the same thing (same players & similar formation). I do however agree with them. It looks like a potent line up. Very attacking and solid in the middle of the park.
sell Maxi,Ngog,Konchesky,Joe Cole, Jovanovic, Poulsen, Kyrgiakos, Insua, Aquilani,El Zhar,Degen, Aurelio n get about 45 million n plus cash by club. Buy Turan, A. Young, Alexis Sanchez (Sylvain Marveaux – free)(4 winger) n have kuyt. . Left Defence taiwo (free) backup stepan warnock. right defence kelly n johnson. get metsaker or G chahil or shawcros in centerback pairing with ager. middle – buy C.adam n mvilla or matuidi. so we have 5 great midfield with S.Gerrad, meirales n lucas. backup striker we can use Alexis Sanchez or A. Young. Next season we have many game n with this player we can rotate n use many tactical n team still strong.
Kuyt only looks like an average player when he’s played on the right wing. He’s a striker not a winger and against stoke, when he was played centrally he was one of our best players.
That being said, he’s 31 and once Carroll is fit I think it’s time for him to become an important substitute, rather than a starter.
Kuyt really is a tough player to decide what to do with. If we solely look at his skill set, he leaves much to be desired. While not a bad player, he has never been the solution to our problems. He lacks the pace to be effective where he has been deployed. He isn’t a threat. And that is what we need. Players who torment defenders. Players who provide that cutting edge. Kuyt doesn’t offer that, or at least very rarely offers that.
His heart and determination is what makes it tough to pass judgement on him though. If every player in our team had Kuyt’s drive we’d certainly be higher up the table. But not every player has that, and those that don’t usually make up for it with a better skill set.
Ultimately, for me Kuyt is like a girlfriend that you’ve had for years. She is a great girl with a heart of gold, but ultimately you feel you can do better. You want the smokin hot babe who is freak, and about 8 years younger. She may not put 110% into the relationship all the time, but what she does she does daaammnnnn well. Stuff that makes other guys go “Damn, I wish the girl was mine!” Meanwhile, Kuyt will go on to be loved by his next club for his loyalty and work rate while Liverpool will inherit the bombshell who looks great and does great things, but will lose motivation the moment things get shaky or leave when the next sugar daddy comes knocking.
Thanks for all the comments. I have set up a poll on my blog: Would you pick Kuyt in your first choice 11?
Visit http://www.joescouse.blogspot.com to vote
I’d like to see Dirk still playing when Carroll is fit. Thought about this, both variations of a 4-3-3:
A 4-1-2-3
Reina
Kelly – Carra – Agger – Johnson
Lucas
Gerrard – Meireles
Kuyt – Carroll – Suárez
or a 4-2-1-3
Reina
Kelly – Carra – Agger – Johnson
Lucas – Meireles*
Gerrard
Kuyt – Carroll – Suárez
*they’re more defensive than Gerrard so that’s why I thought a more ‘up front’ Stevie would be better and with Raul’s development I think he can do Alonso’s job ;))
Gi ;)