Overrated LFC players

In my opinion Liverpool have a number of overrated players, which I believe is the difference between us and a world beating side.   I sometimes wonder if Rafa sees what I am seeing.

Dirk Kuyt.
Yes he works hard, but he's a forward (I think?).  He doesn't have pace, he can't beat a man, he can't score and his first touch is poor.

Pennant.
He's quick and he a few tricks in his locker, but very rarely gets a good cross in and has a very poor goal-scoring record

Riise.
I see a lot of people criticising Riise.  I think sometimes his goal-scoring record covers the fact that he is not a good defender.  He can beat a man, yet like Pennant very rarely produces a telling cross.

Sissoko.
Great work horse, but thats it.  No talent.

Voronin.
Not the same player we saw in the friendlies.  

Aurelio.
Now I was un-decided on this one as he was starting to look good last season before he got injured.  Yet I am still to see his great crossing ability.  We were told by Rafa that he was a better passer than Alonso.

Dirk Kuyt.
Yes he works hard, but he's a forward (I think?).  He doesn't have pace, he can't beat a man, he can't score and his first touch is poor.

Pennant.
He's quick and he a few tricks in his locker, but very rarely gets a good cross in and has a very poor goal-scoring record

Riise.
I see a lot of people criticising Riise.  I think sometimes his goal-scoring record covers the fact that he is not a good defender.  He can beat a man, yet like Pennant very rarely produces a telling cross.

Sissoko.
Great work horse, but thats it.  No talent.

Voronin.
Not the same player we saw in the friendlies. 

Aurelio.
Now I was un-decided on this one as he was starting to look good last season before he got injured.  Yet I am still to see his great crossing ability.  We were told by Rafa that he was a better passer than Alonso.

Sissoko has been rewarded with a new contract so Rafa certainly doesn't subscribe to your view on him.

I think you are being harsh on Aurelio and Sissoko clearly has ability in him as he was a very useful player for us not so long back.  I think he needs the right midfield set up and partner, and a splash of confidence.

As for Riise, his goalscoring expolits do mask his overall performance.  I think he is a decent squad player however he is no longer a) the best left back or b) the best left winger at the club.  Very useful as a sub to cover these positions though.

Pennant - doesn't score anywhere near enough.  When you compare him to the likes of Ronaldo then he clearly isn't in the same league.

As for Kuyt - I really don't know what his issue is to be honest and the jury is still out on him.

Sissoko has been rewarded with a new contract so Rafa certainly doesn't subscribe to your view on him.

I think you are being harsh on Aurelio and Sissoko clearly has ability in him as he was a very useful player for us not so long back.  I think he needs the right midfield set up and partner, and a splash of confidence.

As for Riise, his goalscoring expolits do mask his overall performance.  I think he is a decent squad player however he is no longer a) the best left back or b) the best left winger at the club.  Very useful as a sub to cover these positions though.

Pennant - doesn't score anywhere near enough.  When you compare him to the likes of Ronaldo then he clearly isn't in the same league.

As for Kuyt - I really don't know what his issue is to be honest and the jury is still out on him.

Agree with those comments except the Kuyt one, I havent really thought he was good enough from the start and I'm even sure of that now but how can the jury still be out on him? we've had him for almost 1 and a half season so IMO he should have proved himself by now, he has scored at a ok rate but he's just not good enough.......

I meant 'my jury'.

i think we have good players some how can adapt to playing in differnet systems or shape but what most liverpool fans seem to forget is that the problem with our beautiful club has been and always will the recruitment side of playing personnel, i keep saying it and will keep on saying this until we finally have to stop recruiting nearly 4 to 5 players every summer and then suddenly being shocked at the fact its not all gelling at once,

i just hope to god before the money does run out or investors get bored of backing this great club that we don't become a Leeds utd, spend every year get it wrong keep rebuilding and then  oh sh*t whats happening......... this 99% will not happen but is it me or is anyone seeing whats going on..... its the same old crap Evey year.....

we need about 2 0r 3 new players i here fans say,,, then we get themand we no way better of and thats the way i see the team at present.. TORRES for me great buy, benayoun is a good squad player but nothing more.

risse is a good squad player but nothing more  sissoko will be great but is at the moment to attitude to play with a sensible calm head on .

please can we not understand that if we want to become a better team and squad then we must identify the better pool of better players that are on the market  and go and get them its as simple as that. look at  man utd with ronaldo, giggs, as wide men i rest my case...........  can someone tell me why we didn't purchase the so called defender that Rafa had his mind on and why he ended up at bloody Barca   Milto the argentine centre half for only 12 mill ?  why we didn't get quarsma ,,,the list of supposed targets we miss out on is crazy and this is were liverpool always make mistakes on the players recruited in the summer markets.

I would hardly go as far as 'same old crap every year' when we have been to the European Cup Final twice and the FA Cup Final + a Carling Cup Final and a UEFA Super Cup in the last three.

Nonetheless, I don't think we bought as big as we were all expecting this summer.

Torres apart none of the other signings have truly impressed.  Since Rafa has arrived he has made all his best signings in the January transfer window anyway.

I want Berbatov or someone of his ilk and I want a truly creative winger in this January.  If the figures of £20 million are correct then Rafa needs to spend it.

Too right mate january is a good window for us, Agger and Mascherano in consequtive seasons. Lets hope he can add a striker and a left winger in the same class!

yes its all very well adding a few players in Jan transfer window, but don't you get the point we cant keep hoping to pinch players in the Jan window, its communication knowledge that we need a center half cant anyone tell me why we didn't get one plus its common again that kewell hasn't given liverpool any decent return of games so whats going to change. we can not take a risk on him although id love too, we need a winger that stays out wide and doesn't drift in and get in the way a bit like babel does, have not at all liked the look of babel, he will do well I'm sure but i don't think he has done much and when ever he gets the chance he does little to nothing,,,,

we have to get the point why do we have to keep on building its not done like that, look at arsenal they  built for awhile then won the league . when is that going to change with us........

it cant be that... same old crap of oh well we will get in a few players for the next\season time and again some time soon we must have the squad and the system done for at least a season before building all over again, cant anyone see what I'm saying.

Sam, you are making it out that Benitez has made disasterour mistakes in the transfer market.  Benitez had a budget and worked with that i do not know of a manager in any field that does not use their financial allowance to improve as at the highest level you never know if you're going to be there tomorrow.

Its obvious we need cover at the back, but lets be fair no one expected that we would have hyypia playing all this season so far.  We have been unlucky to have to consequetive injuries at the back.

I am sick of people comparing us to Arsenal please mate don't go there.  we are not arsenal nothing like them at all.  They have to entertain to put bums on seat to finance the stadium.  If arsene so good then how did he  manage to transform a team that went a whole season unbeaten to a team that only a conspiracy saved from finishing out side the top four.

Boot i have to say that i don't agree with all your choices, when Pennant and Crouch link up we play well, remember overrated players have to be rated,  a few people hardly rate sissoko after his poor performances. at the moment i'm hearing too much about "We didn't get three points because we needed the two spaniards" maybe torres could've taken Kuyt's chances, but Alonso.... that's a bit overrating him, he isn't as consistant as some other people.

The most over rated player of them all has got to be Shevchenko at the moment though he as scored recently but to name someone in Liverpool colours over rated its got to be Hyypia atm. Also Voronin was ever rated and personally after i head his goal tally for his country ( 40 games 5 goals) i didn't want him

Babel would be up there in my reckoning... needs to get his head and boots in gear...FAST.

Agree in some. Def not all.
What you say about Sissoko, JD, is true I think. He got the potential, but hes play could be a mess sometimes. Need to find confidence, as you say. Hes still unstable after the injury. If he gets back to where he was!

And for Riise...its right that hes kind of camouflaging a some times poor play with some stunning goals from time to time! I wouldnt be without those classics, but isnt he really supposed to be a defensive player....? He had some really big blunders during the kickouts of the Ch. League last season... He is definitely replaceable.

As for Kuyt, Im on the fence. He works so hard, and when he scores its been when we needed it the most. But its obvious this is not enough.. If it wasnt only with the chances... The way it is now, I cant see why Crouch is not starting more..

But for Pennant..! He was one of our most consistent players last season (after christmas) besides Carra. On that side he is the only one who gets the ball, and actually manages to deliver the ball up in front of the goal. The other is Benayoun, but when Ive seen him, he often goes more to the middle, where its more obstacles. Ive never looked at Pennant as a goalgetter. But as one who is part of creating the goals. He gets the ball, is able to stay on hes feet, and he delivers, time after time. As someone wrote, he works good with Peter Crouch. Crouchie is the one who will be in the box when Pennants ball comes. Crossing my fingers for the surgery not to set him too much back. Hoping for him in jan when its all gonna tighten up.

Agree in some. Def not all.
What you say about Sissoko, JD, is true I think. He got the potential, but hes play could be a mess sometimes. Need to find confidence, as you say. Hes still unstable after the injury. If he gets back to where he was!

And for Riise...its right that hes kind of camouflaging a some times poor play with some stunning goals from time to time! I wouldnt be without those classics, but isnt he really supposed to be a defensive player....? He had some really big blunders during the kickouts of the Ch. League last season... He is definitely replaceable.

As for Kuyt, Im on the fence. He works so hard, and when he scores its been when we needed it the most. But its obvious this is not enough.. If it wasnt only with the chances... The way it is now, I cant see why Crouch is not starting more..

But for Pennant..! He was one of our most consistent players last season (after christmas) besides Carra. On that side he is the only one who gets the ball, and actually manages to deliver the ball up in front of the goal. The other is Benayoun, but when Ive seen him, he often goes more to the middle, where its more obstacles. Ive never looked at Pennant as a goalgetter. But as one who is part of creating the goals. He gets the ball, is able to stay on hes feet, and he delivers, time after time. As someone wrote, he works good with Peter Crouch. Crouchie is the one who will be in the box when Pennants ball comes. Crossing my fingers for the surgery not to set him to much back. Hoping for him in jan when its all gonna tighten up.

Any views on Babel?

For me.  Babel is an unpolished diamond (Sorry for the Cliche).

You can see he has pace, some trickery and has a mean shot.  However I think he is playing in the wrong position.  I think he should play up front, so he can play off the shoulder of the last defender and occasionally drop off and collect the ball.

Any views on Babel?

For me hes not overrated. Cause I didnt have any particular hope or expectations to him in the first place when he came... Just thought it was cool that we got him.. heh.. Now we havent seen him that much, I think, and he needs to get warm in the Liverpoolshirt before we hang him. Sometimes we get a glimpse of what he can do and is capable of. Rafa should figure out where it would be best to play him, up front or in the middle or what. I like Babel, and Id say lets give him time. But agree in what you say, Donrafael, he could hurry up!

"We didn't get three points because we needed the two spaniards" maybe torres could've taken Kuyt's chances, but Alonso.... that's a bit overrating him, he isn't as consistant as some other people.

In the last few months Alonso has not been playing to his best standards infact the best of alonso was over year ago.  But he still very effective and is a quality player.  One of the problems we have had of late especially when we play sissoko is that we by-pass him virtually every time.  Against Blackburn I can't remember him getting 10 passes from team mates when we were in posession even though he was finding a lot of space for himself.  He is an average passer and its not just about his confidence but I feel his colleagues have totally lost confidence in him.  Alonso on the other hand, even in his poor spell is there in the middle of the pitch and finding space and looking for the pinultimate pass to open the defences.  At the moment we are not using our central midfield enough, we are resorting to 40 yd back passes, far too much.

As for Alonso's quality in the middle, I can remember john motson once saying in commentary 'its as if giving the ball is a crime'.  At his best he is one of the most successful passes in the game and more so he finds a lot of time in the middle and is always there for the pass.  

never mind overrated Riise shouldn't be even rated!

Kuyt is becoming the the target now because he isnt scoring but the fact is he does so much running around off the ball that when he does get a chance hes too f**ked to take it

Momo is not over rated he just needs to improve his passing and he is still young

Cant believe somebody mentioned Hyppia in a thread entitled over rated. Granted his best days are behind him but over rated i dont think so

Babel has huge potential and as ive said several times now we will see how good he is if we play him through the middle

well put boot!

  Babel is an unpolished diamond (Sorry for the Cliche).

I think Babbel has a lot of good components to his game its just a time of when he can combine them into a good package, i agree that he is long term future is in the middle as a striker or playing just off.  I think with the return of Kewell we should use this time to play him up front.

 I think, and he needs to get warm in the Liverpoolshirt before we hang him.

Heheh.. Blah.. Thats how I would say it in norwegian!

For me part of the problem sits with the rotation policy.

Many of the players highlighted in the list have not had an opportunity to find form through matches.

I agree that  Risse should no longer be a first choice and would be best suited as a squad player.

It is unfair to have a dig at Sami as he was never expected to play this volume of games and yes he has made some uncharacteristic errors but ne is never 'over-rated'.

The new players (Voronin and Babel) should not be judged until they have had a fair run in.They have both shown glimpses of how good they can be and should be judged at the end of the season.

The one issue I do agree on is that Pennant is poor.Rafe should seriously review his position within the team.I would look at off-lodaing him in the summer and find better quality right winger who can deliver a ball and guarantee goals.

Sissoko has been rewarded with a new contract so Rafa certainly doesn't subscribe to your view on him.

I think you are being harsh on Aurelio and Sissoko clearly has ability in him as he was a very useful player for us not so long back.  I think he needs the right midfield set up and partner, and a splash of confidence.

As for Riise, his goalscoring expolits do mask his overall performance.  I think he is a decent squad player however he is no longer a) the best left back or b) the best left winger at the club.  Very useful as a sub to cover these positions though.

Pennant - doesn't score anywhere near enough.  When you compare him to the likes of Ronaldo then he clearly isn't in the same league.

As for Kuyt - I really don't know what his issue is to be honest and the jury is still out on him.

last season, the few times he played, Sissoko was outstanding. Pennant was a stand-out classic at the Champions league finals last season. Bottom-line these players have moments when they are quite amazing and a lot of other times, they're good team players, and then also times when they're not just getting it. Riise has paid his dues too.

What we really need to understand is the simple fact that these players are also human being predisposed to the wears and tears associated with aging. It then behooves the manager and his coaching crew to know these things and also make arrangement for substitutes and replacements.

I do not think Pennant, Sissoko & Riise are overrated Liverpool players.

I dont see how you can say sami is overrated, he has been a magnificent player for Liverpool over the years, and deserves credit for it . He doesnt deserve to be abused, he cant go on for ever and wouldnt be playing so many games if Aggar hadnt got injured, Sami is a Legand