Liverpool FC Forum

“His philosophy is simple – try your hardest in training and then your chance will come. But sometimes I wonder how long I can sustain it.

“Many players can play lots of bad matches and still keep their credits – I can't.

1 assist in 18.5 hours of football. Is that what makes a player undroppable at Liverpool?

Actually, yes, and the facts prove this. Dirk Kuyt is, for all intents and purposes, undroppable. And what have Liverpool gained this season as a result of Rafa Benitez's favouritism? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.

I'm sorry to belabour this point but favouritism is on the things that I despise the most in football. Players should be in the team on merit; if their performance level drops significantly, it should be time to give someone else a chance.

Kuyt has a history of barren spells for Liverpool, and despite going through yet another one of those periods right now (1112 minutes and counting), Benitez seemingly refuses to entertain the possibility of dropping the player.

I have nothing against Kuyt - he has been effective at times for Liverpool, and last season - bar a couple of inevitable barren periods - he contributed some important goals and assists. It is Benitez picks the team, and he is the one who constantly gives the Dutchman pitch-time, irrespective of his form.

The situation is exacerbated by the fact that there is no one really challenging Kuyt for his position. Ryan Babel will never be given a run of games on the right (or anywhere for that matter!); Yossi Benayoun rarely plays on the right; Gerrard's days of playing on the right are seemingly over; Glen Johnson could play there but Benitez will probably never take that option.

It's a sad state of affairs when 6 seasons into a manager's reign the only consistent option on the the right side of midfield is a converted striker.

How many more hours of football are going to be wasted before Benitez drops Kuyt and gives someone else a chance?

In my view, Kuyt should be given a rest for the next 10 games. Use him as a sub/cover for Torres and give Babel an unbroken run of games on the right; this means letting him start and finish at least 10 games in a row.

Consider this: Babel has never started and finished more than two games in a row at Liverpool. Two games! That is unacceptable and clearly illustrates Benitez's lack of faith in the player.

After spending 11.5m of the club's money on Babel, doesn't Benitez have a duty to the club and the fans to at least see if he can deliver in a run of games?! If Babel is never given the chance, we'll never know.

If after 10 games he still can't deliver the goods, then at least we'll know that Babel is never going to cut it at Liverpool.

Whatever happens, one thing is for sure: Liverpool cannot go on next season with Dirk Kuyt as the first-choice right midfielder.