Benitez hails 'amazing' Kuyt

BENITEZ HAILS 'AMAZING' KUYT

Rafael Benitez hailed the 'amazing' energy of Dirk Kuyt after the forward marked his 100th game for the Reds with the winner against Standard Liege.

The Dutchman was on hand to fire home Ryan Babel's deep cross with just two minutes of extra-time remaining to secure a 1-0 win and book Liverpool's place in the lucrative Group Stage of the Champions League.
 
It was a strike that ended the Belgian champions' brave resistance and the Reds boss admitted he was relieved that his side's efforts were eventually rewarded.
 
"I was really pleased because Kuyt scored the winning goal," said Rafa.
 
"His effort is amazing every game. I'm also really pleased because Nabil played well again.
 
"We knew it could be difficult. From the first minute they played well and we knew they would play well on the counter attack so we had to work really hard until the end.
 
"For me the most positive thing is that we played a little bit better against a good team who are sharp and we scored at the end. That means that the team are working really hard."
 
Benitez felt the overriding factor behind his side's late winner was their ability in the wide areas and was pleased they kept going, despite suffering an evening full of frustration.
 
"The goal came from a good cross from Ryan Babel and Nabil also played well," he said. "You play with wingers because it gives you space for penetrating passes.
 
"It's important to have balance in defence but also in attack so that you have pace and quality in the wide areas, with Torres and Keane in the middle.
 
"We had confidence and we kept pushing. We knew from the first game they are really good and today they also played well. They were always a threat because you know you can concede from a free-kick or a corner but we were going forward well and controlling the game but we were missing the final pass to make the difference."
 
In an end to end first-half the Reds were twice grateful to Pepe Reina for producing two fantastic saves and while Benitez was delighted with his stopper's display he felt it was the team that deserved the accolades.
 
"Pepe was the key player in the first game but today it is not about just one player, it is about all of them," he said.
 
"You could see how hard they were working against a good team. When you play this kind of game you know the other team is training and playing thinking about just this game.
 
"We had the international break the other day and a lot of players weren't ready, so it was important to make sure we got through and to start working again with the group."
 
Benitez and co can now look forward to tomorrow's group stage draw safe in the knowledge they have once again boosted the Anfield coffers.
 
"To have the possibility to play for trophies is amazing and really important and also in terms of money," he added. "We know it is important. If you play at this level you will have more chances of winning trophies and money."
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I've highlighted something I really dont get. The thing is, we dont play with wingers, thats why we dont have space for penetrating passes. We only played with wingers (who are not even out-and-out wingers) the last 40 minuttes of the game or so. If Rafa knows this, why didnt he start with El Zhar or Babel on the pitch? And Pace in the wide areas? Did I miss something? He cant be talking about Kuyt and Yossi. Rafa baffles me at times... but we won, must remember that...

Kuyt isn't amazing, Rafa, don't bullshit us.

He may well have 'amazing levels of energy' but so has Michael Phelps and I wouldn't have him up front trying to make us the best football team in the country again.

Tothemax, completely agree with what you highlighted above.

Makes no sense that Rafa seems to be so in favour of wingers and then plays Kuyt and Benayoun there.

Kuyt tonight was poor. No getting away from it. He was poor on the right and then when he went just behind Torres he was still poor. However he did well to get the vital goal. But the overall performance wasn't good enough from him.

All Kuyt does is run and he does work his socks off for the team but doesn't have the final product. Did well for his goal and he seems to love scoring in this competition. Scores some vital goals. But hardly convincing tonight lad

He's come up with the goods when needed most. Who am I to complain?

He's come up with the goods when needed most. Who am I to complain?

He's a poor man's right sided midfielder. 

Just because Rafa appreciates grafters doesn't mean he is Marvo the Magician and can make a square peg fit in a round hole.

He's come up with the goods when needed most. Who am I to complain?

Babel came up with what we needed. Width and accurate crosses.

Besides that, Kuyt wont get 117 minuttes to score a goal or do something good every game. He deserves credit for the goal, no doubt about that, but he also deserves criticism for the 116 minuttes he played before the goal. Allthough you have to say, he is played out of position.

But my main point here was not wether Kuyt played well or not. It was more a question of why Rafa himself says that we need wingers with pace in the wide areas, and then plays Kuyt and Yossi on the right and left. No matter  what, those two are not pacy wingers.

He's a poor man's right sided midfielder. 

Just because Rafa appreciates grafters doesn't mean he is Marvo the Magician and can make a square peg fit in a round hole.

I agree with you, he isn't the best "midfielder" we've had, but he does make me smile when he goes all the way back near the 6-yard box to defend.

However, the situation doesn't differ just 'cause he doesn't run out of breath. Let El Zhar start next time, eh?

But my main point here was not wether Kuyt played well or not. It was more a question of why Rafa himself says that we need wingers with pace in the wide areas, and then plays Kuyt and Yossi on the right and left. No matter  what, those two are not pacy wingers.

Yeah, well he's doing something about it by (hopefully) buying Reira. He is what we need, even if he is Rafa's third choice winger. Like I said before, stick El Zhar on the right. If he's anything like what we saw today, we should be alright.

he is played out of position.

He's played wide right for both club and country since Feburary. He should be used to that position by now. He's been playing there every game of the current season, that is his position for the club. If he can't play there then you have to blame Benitez, if can play there then you have to blame him for being sh*te.

Either way tonight's goal doesn't hide away that Dirk Kuyt is not good enough to play for Liverpool Football Club. He gives the ball away far too cheaply on a regular basis. We need more than what he offers.

but he does make me smile when he goes all the way back near the 6-yard box to defend.

That's probably the biggest fault with Kuyt. He runs back to the six yard box so when we win the ball back we lump it forward in the hope that Torres can do something on his own. He's got no right winger to lay it off to and by the time Kuyt gets up in support, the balls gone and he's off down the other end. He runs into positions where he can't affect the game in an attacking sense.

That's probably the biggest fault with Kuyt. He runs back to the six yard box so when we win the ball back we lump it forward in the hope that Torres can do something on his own. He's got no right winger to lay it off to and by the time Kuyt gets up in support, the balls gone and he's off down the other end. He runs into positions where he can't affect the game in an attacking sense.

Touché. I guess it's both a blessing and a curse. If I'm honest, and had to pick between the two, I'd have him attacking and not tracking back. God we need someone, fast.

Yeah, well he's doing something about it by (hopefully) buying Reira. He is what we need, even if he is Rafa's third choice winger.

3 years ago he bought Pennant for almost the same price (also his third choice back then), and how much have we seen of him? Tonight when everybody could predict that we would need width, Pennant was not even on the bench.

My problem with that quote is: We have wingers, not the best, but we have wingers. Our wingers have pace. Then Rafa plays two not-pacy, non-wingers and comes out after the game and says that you play with wingers to get space and its important to play with pacy wingers in the wide areas.

Cut down to the bone. He says one thing is important and does the exact opposite. WHY?

He may have been speaking to the yanks with that comment. We just about squeaked through in the qualifiers through playing sub par players on the wings... let me buy some real wingers and I'll show you what we can do.

Maybe?

He's had real wingers, Pennant, Gonzalez, Nunez. He just doesn't see a world class winger in my opinion, which is why we've seen Gerrard, Babel, Garcia, Cisse, Kuyt, Benayoun, Zenden, Aurelio, Riise, Krompkamp, Josemi, Finnan, Bellamy and god knows who else try and fill the positions.

IF and it's f***in big if at that, Benitez felt the real need for a really top class winger he'd of said "F**k off Keane, we need Downing more" or he wouldn't of bothered bringing in a new keeper, left back and young centre forward. He hasn't so as far as I'm concerned Benitez believes both Benayoun and Kuyt are good enough to play on the wing for this club. He's deluded if he thinks that but since Kuyt was our right winger for the back end of last year Benitez obviously believes we've got a gem of a right winger in Kuyt.

I wonder if Yossi had got the goal would Rafa be saying the same about him i doubt it?

Can't deny that Kuyt works hard on defense and all over, and that while they're not true wingers getting playing time, it definitely congests the game for the opposing team and is keeping them out of Pepe's goal.  Mido's goal was a fluke (Xabi passed it to him), and other than what should've been a goal at Standard (the one that crossed the line), the line-up tends to lead to low-scoring games where we grab that late winner when we sub on the real wingers and push forward.

Its true that Kuyt was poor tonight and it is also true that he is not a natural right winger. Dunlop what is not true is that you say he is not good enough for LFC despite the lad putting his hand up and digging in to a non natural position. How many "stars" have complained and ultimately after endless arguments with the manager have ended up leaving the club.

Yes Kuyt was poor he gave away possesion far too easily but then so did Gerrard, Benayoun, Babel and Torres are we to say know that they are not good enough for LFC not having a go at you mate but just someone that works and does the hard yards as Kuyt and in this case gets the goods for us deserves a bit more credit.

If he had played Pennant, who is the only credible winger on the side, we would have probably had crosses coming in much earlier. Not Torres having to go to the right wing to get the ball and try to come in.

Kuyt is a great guy - I think we can all see that - but I'm beggining to 'hate' him - as I honestly think he will cost us any chance of winning the league this season.

Okay - he pops up with the odd vital goal - so did Garcia - but we all agreed he was never going to be a player to consistantly win us games.

Kuyt and Garcia are very similar in the fact they are both headless chickens and lose the ball to much.

Get rid - or Rafa should get the sack!

Could this be RAFAS way of attracting attention to Kuyt and so boosting his value in the hope of selling him B4 the transfer window slams shut.

Could this be RAFAS way of attracting attention to Kuyt and so boosting his value in the hope of selling him B4 the transfer window slams shut.

Attracting attention - on these displays he wouldn't even go on a Bosman!

Sorry if someone has stated this already but its his 100th game, thats why Rafa said it. I know abit may be bullshit but if it were his 80th game or something like that, he wouldnt come out and say that.

Hold on a minute, why is everyone giving kuyt a hard time?

Yes I agree he doesm't play well on the right wing, but thats not his natural position. It's also not his fault he gets asked to play there.
Now for the last 45 mins he did play in his natural position, had a couple of long range shots at goal and popped up to scored the winner, which is more than what the other strikers did all night! I think he should be judged on those 45 mins than the other 85 mins where he was played out of position.

Come on give the guy a break. He scored some very important goals for us, especially in europe!