Liverpool FC Forum

[Sabre]

It could be tried, but my guess (minoritary it seems) is that we won't see that often.

Several good strikers have been given stick by the fans under Rafa. Morientes didn't exactly triumph among the fans, and Kuyt, who maybe doesn't receive as much as stick but he also does, isn't very popular among the forum members neither. In the continent playing 2 strikers is not a common thing but a luxury that only big teams afford naturally, so IMHO Rafa will have always a couple of strikers and one of them will have to work quite a lot outside the box. Morientes had to do this and so is doing Kuyt.

Torres and Babel (I'm still knowing Babel, I'm more slow than other members to be sure about players so I'm not that sure), won't do this job as well as the mentioned players IMHO, and I suspect we won't see that configuration, not at least often.

[bigmick]

No I think I'm with Sabre on this one. Once Torres comes back and the attack gets back some pace and sparkle, then the need for Babel up there is negated somewhat. I do think he would have been well worth a go while Torres has been injured, particularly given the somewhat vexing decision to not play Crouch (which is hopefully now consigned to the "not very good ideas" bin). Though he would no doubt have conceded possession cheaply on occasions, and I have a hunch he may come down with "offsideitis" against well drilled defenses, we could certainly have used somebody who could beat me over a hundred yards during these last few weeks.

The one combo which quite plainly doesn't work as far as I'm concerned is the Kuyt/Voronin axis. Hopefully though we won't have to endure that one again, and now until Torres returns we will see Crouch with one of the other two. Fortunately, once the Spaniard comes back into the team he is good enough to make whoever is charged with the task of being his partner look quite good.

Purely as a guess, Torres and Babel while having things going for it as a partnership (with extreme pace being the most obvious attribute in its favour) wouldn't be a goer for me at this stage. Given their nature to play on the shoulder all of the time, they may be a bit samey, and we might find ourselves conceding possession cheaply and early too often as people try and "hollywood" them in from distance. There's also much in the theory behind having one striker who you would rather defend high against, and one you'd rather not leave space in behind to.

As I always say it's all about balance, and if everyone was fit I would have thought that on current form/ability, Torres and Crouch would provide just about the best option. As we're talking Rafa here you might as well get into the Babel plus Kuyt/Voronin being your second choice/rotational option.

[Owzat]

Torres and Benayoun. Maybe Benayoun's hat-trick was helped by poor keeping and the generally poor Besiktas display, but even had it been against decent opponents he was IN THE RIGHT PLACE to score. He showed composure, finished all comfortably and even set some up - something we'd want is someone to feed Torres. I'd try it today, play Benayoun up front alongside whoever. If it doesn't work we can bring on a striker and take him off, or shuffle his position. It has to be worth it, Kuyt, Voronin or Crouch could score a hat-trick against Fulham and it wouldn't prove much since most have proved culpable when it matters.

Give Yossi a chance, he's taken plenty more than most

Top Scorers 2007/8

7 Torres
5 BENAYOUN, Gerrard, Kuyt
4 Voronin
3 Babel, Crouch
2 Alonso
1 El Zhar, Hyypia, Sissoko

Pick your best to goalscorers up front and it's Torres plus BENAYOUN, Kuyt or Gerrard. I'm guessing most on here wouldn't pick Kuyt at the moment and not sure it would be best use of Gerrard.

[Yessicajax]

Owzat Babel didnt play every match. Maybe if he plays more he also score more.(im sure he does)

[Owzat]

Owzat Babel didnt play every match. Maybe if he plays more he also score more.(im sure he does)

Not the way Rafa has used him. He's played quite a few games and his record for Ajax wasn't great, £11.5m was a bit much for him in my view and he isn't one of those players I'd definitely want to pay over the odds to make sure I had. Maybe Rafa has finally decided Kuyt isn't up to it, Babel gets more chances up front and I'll end up agreeing he is the answer.

We'll see..................

[hello_red]

I think Babel is an Agger type player, if we didnt have all the injuries we have had recently he would have been introduced more gradually I would wager. He looks a good support striker very much in the Dutch mold.

Pointless getting frustrated with him if he aint doing out on the wing because well he aint a winger and Rafa probably knows this by now.

[skatesy]

I think that Rafa should try Babel with Torres more often. I would pick Babel ahead of Kuyt at the rate Kuyt has been going.

[Toffeehater]

dutch players have alway had the history of succeeding in the premier league , look at ruud ban nisterooy , bergkamp , van pu$$y ... those are just the few and babel has the ability to become one of them , in all fairness , he is not a winger and is still getting used to the premier league's pace , kuyt was exceptional for us in the first season but this season he is not his best , i would also agree that rafa shoul try to put torres and babel together and that should shake any defence with the pace of the both of them and with babel's trickery and torres clinical finishing , we could have a great partnership

[stmichael]

Babel clearly isn't a left winger, Rafa must see that. The only reason he's getting played there is because we honestly have no one else there when Kewell isn't fit (so basically all the time).

We haven't see Babel and Torres up front so far I believe, but if and when we do I agree it will be very interesting.

Exactly.

He's right-footed so he isn't a left anything, back, midfielder winger or behind at Watford Gap services.

I'll go back to Zidane. What was his natural position ? F#ck knows. Did any of his managers mind or the fans of teams that he played for? No. It doesn't matter. Same goes for Ronaldinho. Same goes for Maradona.

A lot of the World's best players don't have positions because positions were designed for 11 fellas who had been down the pit all week and for whom a kickabout was a bit of exercise for them to sweat off all the grime and last night's skinful of ale.

Ten years down the line and people are still arguing over Steven Gerrard's best position so f#ck knows how we're supposed to work out Babel's , even IF he has got one, in a matter of a couple of months. I don't really understand this necessity to label him. All that matters is that he's a talented player. If Rafa can't fit him in the side, he'll move him on, simple as that.

[Big Niall]

For that huge transfer I'd want to have a position for him and a job for him to do and know that he will deliver.

[grady]

theres something about arbeloa that worries me.

he reminds me of garcia...but not garcia who scores stunning goals.

he reminds me of a garcia who tries something foolish in the wrong side of the pitch.

when was the last time you saw his throw in reach anybody, yet somehow he takes the throws....whats that all about.

[Emerald Red]

Rafa knows what position Babel plays in. He knows he's not a winger. I just think Rafa is being a bit shrewed. How much for a promising young striker these days? More than 11 million, I'm sure. Maybe Rafa saved a few and bought him under the guise of a winger? Even though he's been playing out wide, I'm certain Rafa isn't playing him on the pitch to cross balls into the box, that's for sure. Every time, he seems to get into really advanced positions and want to belt the ball at goal. Even Babel has said that his ideal position is a striker from the age of 11. Personally, I'd love to see Babel and Torres up front. That would be a scary prospect for any defense in the league. But not yet. Not until he's bedded in, which is what I think Rafa is doing.

[imouthep]

[Not until he's bedded in, which is what I think Rafa is doing.]

I agree I think babel definately needs time IMHO babel is a bit of a rough diamond just a little bit of polish and we'll get a gem. All the basics are there good first touch,excellent shot power and so much strength. For the moment i do agree that crouch torres is the best for us but I have this nagging feeling Babel will come good for us in a big way and that 11 million won't seem like such a waste.

[nesta]

What i like about Babel is his very powerfull accurate long shots. We have seen it atleast once a match and they often hit the target, but unfourtanly also saved.

[mantony2552]

Don't see why Torres and Babel can't play together just because they have similar styles. Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Babel play a withdrawn striker role for holland u-21s during the summer, playing just behind Maceo Rigters. One thing that you will get from Babel is plenty of assists, which would only benefit Torres. IMO they could become the new Henry/Bergkamp combo. One thing is for definite, Babel is not a winger, he has looked far more effectivea and interested when he has played up front. If Crouch were to leave in January I'd not bother bringing in another striker to replace him, I'd use my funds to buy a top class out & out winger (e.g. Quaresma). I guess we won't truly know if they could be an effective partnership until they get a run of games together, but with Rafa's rotation policy I fear this will probably never happen.

This is my first post so please go easy