Liverpool FC Forum

[Greavesie]

I've just been watching our season review DVD and I must say Kuyt was absolutely key this season and if he has a season like this next time around then he will prove to be vital to any sort of challenge again. He chipped in with so many last goals its unbelievable

Anyone disputing how important he was to our title challenge is an idiot

[DrPepe]

I've just been watching our season review DVD and I must say Kuyt was absolutely key this season and if he has a season like this next time around then he will prove to be vital to any sort of challenge again. He chipped in with so many last goals its unbelievable

Anyone disputing how important he was to our title challenge is an idiot

when you watched the dvd, did you notice all our  attacking play breaking down when the ball arrived at kuyt?

[bigmick]

As usual plenty of over reactions on here, Kuyt just seems to stir such things up in people for some reason. People being called idiots and the like is unnecessary, as when push comes to shove there is quite a lot of consencus.

The main urban myth which is developing is that people don't realise/won't agree that/can't see that Kuyt has just had a good season. Of course he has, every time he has swung his foot, his knee, his erse, his elbow etc the ball has flown in off it. He was pivotal to us finishing so high in the league. He also got a number of "assists" which is peachy too.

Now I've long talked of "assist" stats being given far more importance than they should. Not because they make Dirk look better, but simply because they don't tell a story which is worth listening to. Two examples. The first one was Gerrards goal against Everton last season (can't remember which one, you'll have to work it out for me). Anyway, he shows for a square ball from Riera about 45 yards out. Riera pings it to him, and Gerrard advances 15 yards before burying it in the bottom corner. Assist? You might as well give the kit man an assist for pressing Gerrards shirt nicely in my view. It was a nice crisp pass, but it wasn't as "assist" IMHO. Now onto Kuyt and his "assist" againt Man Utd at Home. The goal is made by Masherano harrying Giggs in his own box and winning the ball. The ball squirts to Kuyt who has that "rabbit in the headlights" look, he squares it to Babel who kicks it into the ground which causes it to balloon into the net. Kuyt's "assist" because he touched the ball last before the goalscorer, but made by Masherano. Now I bring this up only to demonstrate that the "assist" numbers, regardless of who we are talking about aren't in my view to be taken too literally.

Anyway back to Kuyt. Everyone, even idiots presumeably whoever they are, can see that he had a great season last season because he scored so many goals. Everyone can see that if he does the same this season, he is undroppable and an integral part of the team. Where the disagreements and the insults start, is when we consider what might happen if Dirk reverts back to type in terms of his goalscoring. Now I know it may seem unlikely to some, but there have been long periods in his Liverpool career where he has looked about as likely to score in a red shirt as me. To me it seems quite legitimate to consider "what if that happens again"? Obviously he will still be running around a lot if that happens, he always does that, but will the other parts of his game still stand up to scrutiny should the "goal machine" develop a temporary malfunction? Some are of the opinion that under those circumstances Dirks game is less than what is required, I don't think it makes them idiots TBH.

Another place where most people agree is the fact that we draw too many games against defensive teams. If it really is the case as we think it is that Gerrard and Torres are actually very good, then why is it? If Alonso and Masherano are really as good as we think they are, and Kuyt is actually the best right midfielder in the Premiership, why can't we break teams down then? Are we just unlucky, or is it all Riera's fault? In my view, anybody who watches Liverpool play and isn't able to see that having Dirk in the team has an effect on our fluency and our fluidity may not be an idiot, but they aren't watching the same game as me that's for sure.

[Reg]

Bravo Mick, good post. Kuytie had a great season and showed that after a bad start a player can recover and earn his place.

[Penguins]

As usual plenty of over reactions on here, Kuyt just seems to stir such things up in people for some reason. People being called idiots and the like is unnecessary, as when push comes to shove there is quite a lot of consencus.

The main urban myth which is developing is that people don't realise/won't agree that/can't see that Kuyt has just had a good season. Of course he has, every time he has swung his foot, his knee, his erse, his elbow etc the ball has flown in off it. He was pivotal to us finishing so high in the league. He also got a number of "assists" which is peachy too.

Now I've long talked of "assist" stats being given far more importance than they should. Not because they make Dirk look better, but simply because they don't tell a story which is worth listening to. Two examples. The first one was Gerrards goal against Everton last season (can't remember which one, you'll have to work it out for me). Anyway, he shows for a square ball from Riera about 45 yards out. Riera pings it to him, and Gerrard advances 15 yards before burying it in the bottom corner. Assist? You might as well give the kit man an assist for pressing Gerrards shirt nicely in my view. It was a nice crisp pass, but it wasn't as "assist" IMHO. Now onto Kuyt and his "assist" againt Man Utd at Home. The goal is made by Masherano harrying Giggs in his own box and winning the ball. The ball squirts to Kuyt who has that "rabbit in the headlights" look, he squares it to Babel who kicks it into the ground which causes it to balloon into the net. Kuyt's "assist" because he touched the ball last before the goalscorer, but made by Masherano. Now I bring this up only to demonstrate that the "assist" numbers, regardless of who we are talking about aren't in my view to be taken too literally.

Anyway back to Kuyt. Everyone, even idiots presumeably whoever they are, can see that he had a great season last season because he scored so many goals. Everyone can see that if he does the same this season, he is undroppable and an integral part of the team. Where the disagreements and the insults start, is when we consider what might happen if Dirk reverts back to type in terms of his goalscoring. Now I know it may seem unlikely to some, but there have been long periods in his Liverpool career where he has looked about as likely to score in a red shirt as me. To me it seems quite legitimate to consider "what if that happens again"? Obviously he will still be running around a lot if that happens, he always does that, but will the other parts of his game still stand up to scrutiny should the "goal machine" develop a temporary malfunction? Some are of the opinion that under those circumstances Dirks game is less than what is required, I don't think it makes them idiots TBH.

Another place where most people agree is the fact that we draw too many games against defensive teams. If it really is the case as we think it is that Gerrard and Torres are actually very good, then why is it? If Alonso and Masherano are really as good as we think they are, and Kuyt is actually the best right midfielder in the Premiership, why can't we break teams down then? Are we just unlucky, or is it all Riera's fault? In my view, anybody who watches Liverpool play and isn't able to see that having Dirk in the team has an effect on our fluency and our fluidity may not be an idiot, but they aren't watching the same game as me that's for sure.

Very good post. The problem is the last sentence.
Many just plain refuse to see that fact that the play often totally stops when Kuyt recieves the ball. Gets the ball and then stops and passes it back. Never seen him go at the defense, make a creative play and put someone through.
As a offensive right winger, in my view, you must be able to do
more than wait in the box and pick up rebounds while others create the chances.

[aCe']

Good post Mick... put it all together in one little piece...

[GYBS]

[DrPepe]

strange how people can watch the same game and notice completely different things

i can completely understand kuyt-a-phobics focussing on his poor first touch when it occurs - that's fair enough. But to me when several posters say they have "never" seen him beat a man or that he plays "95%" of passes backwards or sidewards, then that totally negates most of their argument

FFS what do you watch at a game? maybe only the poster boys fernie and stevie?    (by the way, i see them have plenty of poor touches and ballooned hollywoods  )

[GYBS]

most of the thread and comments are laughable - its mainly down to people still being anti kuyt and refusing to budge from that stance despite the guy being one of our players of the season - oh well lucky for us our manager knows something different .

[RobinHood6969]

most of the thread and comments are laughable - its mainly down to people still being anti kuyt and refusing to budge from that stance despite the guy being one of our players of the season - oh well lucky for us our manager knows something different .

thats cos most of them notice those eye catching runs.. not the team play and effort which kuyt puts in.. kuyt is 99.99% starter for me

[GYBS]

Yeah but WHICH "footballer"?

Name one that would have produced what dirk did for us???

No point arguing with such a ridiculous claim anyway, as if there was a countless number of players at RM in the Premiership who backed up said "claim". peewee's obviously got a hate on for Kuyt who is one of our MVPs. I wouldn't sweat it, peewee certainly isn't in the running for MVF

I am sure if peewee were replaced, his replacement would have made a worthwhile contribution compared to peewee's running tally of zero, nil, nada, zilch

listen you little pr!ck, we never had any issues until your sick joke about my mother flashing her vagina, you started this yet seem intent on continuing as though you are the innocent party.

A real man would have just said "yeah, my comment was out of order, sorry" but obvioulsy we are dealing with a little gobsh!te.

if you made that comment to my face I would stab you in the fecking eye.

Now I suggest you let this drop, you started it, you can finish it by shutting the feck up with your petty comments and admit that your 'joke was in bad taste'.

it seems you have a little thing for me at the moment, even mentioning me in your pathetic thread about ronaldo, sorry to dissapoint you but I am straight so all your flirting will get you nowhere.

maybe I should litter the forum with jokes about your mother flashing her vagina. but then again i have a little class.

stick to your stats, its the only thing you have a knack for as the rest of your posts and jokes are to be frank, 'sh!t'

pot kettle black