Ryan Babel (LFC -> Hoffenheim. Now Fulham)

Babel biggest challenge is within his ears.

He has class, that last goal vs Marseille (OK with were 3-0 up) ...simply oozed class.

Rafa & co need to pump this boy with self-confidence... he is still a boy... but an expensive one and will grow to mature into a world class player (just hope it happens while he is still at LFC - because it will happen).

Yeah, agree with you there Don. The more I see of him the more he seems to be growing in confidence and quality. And the more confidence he gets the better he will become. I'm sure it will happen at our club. This season is going pretty well for him and he's gonna keep improving. Next season I reckon he could be a ghastly nightmare for all defenders.
His goal against Marseille had class written all over it.

Between his ears... sorry... he has a dodgy nose............. for goal.

Spot on Eddie, he is a young (innocent, compared to the likes of JP) lad... and will come good. I hope/expect.

i reaaly think he will come good, he has done very well in recent games, and given more playing time he will become a first team player very soon. hopefully upfront with nando
 

Watched the game on telly last night. After Babel scored ,great finish, he appeared to shake his head as if he was unhappy with something. Did anyone else see this? Had he feklt the wrath of Gerrard just prior to the goal for giving the ball away? Found it strange that he wasnt delighted to have scored

I feel he will be a top player for us more so through the middle so I hope he isnt feeling unsettled or unhappy at the club.

I understand that Babel is a young lad, tremendously spiritual (takes bible to the dressing room... well if it works for him, I don't have a problem with that) - but tremendously sensitive... which when you have the likes of Carra, Sammy and last night StevieG in the F**k 'em mood... isn't a good thing for your ears if you cock a move up.

Babel needs to mature a little, feel loved and needed by his colleagues and BY THE FANS IN THE STADIUM... and the rest will come, because the boy simply ooozes class - he promises so much, lets hope he delivers most of it in a Liverpool shirt eh.

Watched the game on telly last night. After Babel scored ,great finish, he appeared to shake his head as if he was unhappy with something. Did anyone else see this? Had he felt the wrath of Gerrard just prior to the goal for giving the ball away? Found it strange that he wasn't delighted to have scored

I feel he will be a top player for us more so through the middle so I hope he isn't feeling unsettled or unhappy at the club.

Yeah Brian, we commented on Babel's unhappiness at just scoring a goal, he looked like he'd just scored an own goal !!!

It was almost as though, 'Why has it taken me so long to score, in this game', and he looked really disappointed didn't he?

We said, for god's sake Ryan, you've just scored, look bloody happy about it  

Great that he did score and hopefully he will get a decent good run in the team, up front with Torres is where I want to see him !!!!

Does make you wonder though, if Gerrard or someone had a go at him, although I didn't see this.

Anyone notice against Besiktas he didn't look as amazed as everyone else when he backheeled the ball past their so-called goal keeper.

Anyone notice against Besiktas he didn't look as amazed as everyone else when he backheeled the ball past their so-called goal keeper.

We were a fair few up by then though weren't we?

I think it most to do with what msgerrard said, "It's about time we scored!".

 I didn't see anything suggesting that CARRA or Stevie had a go at him, pure speculation this...I didn't see anything wrong with it, what do you want him to do?..running to the corner flag and boxing it : : :

I think he sets high standards for himself and was annoyed that he hadn't scored after hitting the post and was thinking 'about f**ing time!!!' It could of been a hat trick for him last night as well. When you are playing a team well below you in terms of quality and it takes ages for the first goal to go in it can sometimes be a relief and instead of going wild you just think thank God that's gone in.

I think it most to do with what msgerrard said, "It's about time we scored!".

 I didn't see anything suggesting that CARRA or Stevie had a go at him, pure speculation this...I didn't see anything wrong with it, what do you want him to do?..running to the corner flag and boxing it : : :

no im not one for these ott celebrations but when a lad as young as him scores the opening goal after we had been banging the door down for 45 minutes you would think hed show at least a sign of relief he looked unhappy. Im not having a go at the lad in any shape or form im more concerned that hes happy here because he will be a player for us down the years of huge importance

Again id have to say it was just a mixture of relief and the high standards he sets himself.

Think he was just bit annoyed he had missed other chance (one that hit the post and one that he placed over) and it is very frustrating when you can't score in a match with alot of chances.

I also think he is having a hard time with pretty much never getting 90 minutes. Remember he has gone form being a regular first teamer to being a sub every single game. I know he is young but when he has been more impressive than the majority of the team and still doesnt get to start many games that must get to you. He has set himself a target of 10 prem goals this season and he set that when he was on 3 goals and since he said that he has hardly been given a chance to reach his target.

Just think how you would feel being a striker but being playerd on the left wing every game and watching from the bench as players like Voronin and Kuyt miss chance after chance that you could have scored. He needs an arm around his shoulder and someone to give him support and keep him going.

 That is a big part of what Thierry Henry did for the youngsters at Arsenal which is why alot of them have the confidence to try things and he still does it now at Barcelona, i remember reading that in one barca match Bojan wanted to start a match and ended up being on the bench for the game and Henry told him not to worry and that he would get his chance then when Henry scored in the match he dedicated his goal to Bojan.

Little things like this have a big impact for players and i think Babel is the kind of player who would benefit from things like this. He just needs someone to help him kind of settle in more and keep him confident and keep him going.

Gerrard did a celebration as a rocking the baby and then pointed towards someone. Probably a friend dunno??

Gerrard did a celebration as a rocking the baby and then pointed towards someone. Probably a friend dunno??

Pointing at Joey .

Babels goal celebration (or lack of) didn't make him look too happy did it. I think it's down to what a few people have said though - a bit of frustration. Probably because it took us so long to get the first goal. And I wouldn't be too surprised if he prefers to run on to a ball and have a shot at goal, rather than running down the wing and putting crosses in..... This is what he had to say after the game anyway:

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N158437080116-1036.htm

Ryan Babel praised the performance of Steven Gerrard after the talismanic midfielder hit a hat-trick to inspire Liverpool to an emphatic FA Cup victory over Luton Town. 
The Dutch starlet admits nothing the skipper does can surprise him anymore after he hit the second treble of his Reds career to take his tally to 15 goals for the season.
 
"It's almost normal that Stevie gives a performance like that," he told Liverpoolfc.tv.
 
"He took his goals very well and it is obvious that he is a really important player for us."
 
While Gerrard stole the headlines with his second-half display, it was Babel who got the most important goal of the game when he broke the deadlock with a clinical finish in first-half stoppage time.
 
The 21-year-old was pleased to net what was his seventh goal of the season and admitted that the Reds were always likely to go on and score more once they had got the opening goal of the contest.
 
"It could have been more but in the end we are happy to have scored five goals," said Babel.
 
"It was really important for us to score the first goal and open up the match. We should have scored it much earlier but to get it on the stroke of half-time was a boost for us.
 
"We got the second goal early in the second-half and after that it was easier for us to play our football."
 
Babel was also keen to pay tribute to skipper for the night, Jamie Carragher, who produced another typically sound display at the heart of the Reds' defence on what was his 500th appearance for the club.
 
"He's a great player with a lot of experience," he said. "It doesn't matter what kind of game it is, he always gives 100 per cent.
 
"It is a great achievement for him. He is always there encouraging the team and giving tactical advice and there is no doubt he is a major figure at Liverpool."
 
The victory brings a welcome end to a run of four consecutive draws for Benitez's men and Babel believes they will now go into next week's clash with Aston villa full of confidence.
 
"The game with Villa will be a different level but we will be ready," he said.
 
"It's good that we now have a whole week to recover and prepare. It won't be an easy game but after this win against Luton, it should give us a lot of confidence going into the match."
 

Babel needs to mature a little, feel loved and needed by his colleagues and BY THE FANS IN THE STADIUM... and the rest will come, because the boy simply ooozes class - he promises so much, lets hope he delivers most of it in a Liverpool shirt eh.

Why emphasize the FANS ?  I don't hear the crowd get onto his back, and I certainly encourage him and applaud him.

Babel through the middle is going to be an extremely valuable asset to Rafa next season, I expect him to be a key man for next term.

I think next season is  when we will see.

Torres---Babel. = Perfection.

As much as this player is looking dodgy off the pitch, he surely ain't looking dodgy on the pitch

Haha

He ain't the bestest looking, but he has a fittttttt body!! I have 3 opinions on Babel
1) Lush body
2) Great player
3) Scores brilliant goals.

This is the new guy replacing Will Smith on the fresh prince of bel air isnt it ??

Seems like a laid back kind of player. Can't wait for him to get his chance upfront for a consistent run of games.