Ajax's fan view on Babel

[Jacko]

I was chatting with a long time Ajax fan this week (season ticket holder) and he was waxing lyrical about Babel saying he felt that he could be one of the very best players in the world over the next few years. He said he's a bit raw but with the right coaching he had all the assets and that they were gutted to lose him.

 

I asked him about the right position for him and he was adament it wasn't as a striker as whenever he played there for Ajax (usually if Huntelaar was dropped/injured) he looked s****.

 

I asked him about Huntelaar and he says it looks like he'll move in next year - possibly in Jan, he thought the price would be €30m (approx £21m) which I think is a little high. He thought he'd go to Chelsea. I asked what he thought of Huntelaar and he smiled saying he was a wonderful striker. I asked him about pace and said average, I asked about his 1st touch and he said average but the boy is just a natural finisher, left foot, right foot, headers.

 

Just thought I'd share this as I always like to talking with Europeans about their view on players. He's gonna take me to a game next time I'm over and he said there is huge respect between Ajax and Liverpool - he also thought Gerrard and Torres were great players.

[Cooger]

Posted this in the match thread, probably more relevant in here.

 

I really like Babel, thought he had a decent game mid week actually. However I think he looks far more effective on the right where he has the option to cut inside or get to the by line and put in a cross. Against Derby he looked really lively in this position and against Villa, even vs Everton last week. But to me on the left he's looked very predictable, he obviously doesn't want to cross with his left foot so he constantly looks to cut inside and shoot, looking very predictable and easy to nulify.

[Rimbeux]

Put in a three man line behind a striker with license to swap positions and move about and he'd come into his own. He needs to be involved and can get isolated out wide, with and experienced defender being able to shift him down blind alleys. With experienced operators like Yossi, Kewell, Gerrard etc to play off he'd come on very quickly imo, really needs to play in a fluid system.

[Clay Davis]

He said he's a bit raw

really hate that expression for some reason

 

he looks to me to be a bit naive and inexperienced - and a bit greedy. if he could take on a player or two then look for a good pass then its great, but he seems to take on a player or two, usually fail, but if succeeds tries to take on more or shoot.

 

looked ok so far, think he should get a few more games on the left.

[Swagger]

I asked him about the right position for him and he was adament it wasn't as a striker as whenever he played there for Ajax (usually if Huntelaar was dropped/injured) he looked s****.

 

Interesting that, especially since most people here (me included) feel that long term he'll be used more centrally.

[CarraLegend]

I asked him about the right position for him and he was adament it wasn't as a striker as whenever he played there for Ajax (usually if Huntelaar was dropped/injured) he looked s****.

 

To be fair though the role of a striker in that Ajax system is to basically just goal poach. He's never going to be that.

[So Cal Red]

Babel just needs to hone his talents to be more effective i.e. knowing when to shoot, when to pass, when to take on players, etc... the talent is obviously there though.

 

i think the end product will come if he is guided properly - which i believe he will/is.

[Hassony]

i would lie to see him on the right wing more (if gerrard soen't play there) he has mde few good crosses from the right and he always stays wide.

[growler]

agreed, would prefer him on the right, or with Torres up front.

[DecidedByPoll]

Footballing wise I think he's a bit clueless. All the raw material there including a willingness to put his shift in, but I don't think he'll turn into anything special. He simply doesn't have a good footballing brain.

[Jacko]

I forgot to mention his thoughts on Kuyt (bear in mind Ajax and Feyenoord's hatred of each other) - he thought he was a hard worker and nothing else.

[usualsuspect]

Footballing wise I think he's a bit clueless. All the raw material there including a willingness to put his shift in, but I don't think he'll turn into anything special. He simply doesn't have a good footballing brain.

 

your name says it all!

[johngibo YPC]

Just thought I'd share this as I always like to talking with Europeans about their view on players.

 

me too

they generally have a greater knowledge of what is happening in other European countries as well than English footy fans

I remember about 4 years ago asking a Dutch mate if he's heard of Kompany and he looked at me like i'd asked him if he had heard of Pele

[_00_deathscar]

me too

they generally have a greater knowledge of what is happening in other European countries as well than English footy fans

I remember about 4 years ago asking a Dutch mate if he's heard of Kompany and he looked at me like i'd asked him if he had heard of Pele

 

Had he heard of Pele though?

[Bootle Buck]

The problem with Liverpool is our young signings never seem to be quite ready. Where as Arsenal and Utd to some degree seem sign young players and then give them the chance to shine. There are probably 4 or 5 Arsenal players who are younger than Babel who already have lots of first team experience. You can't gain experience by sitting on the bench playing in the Reserves. Babel already has several years of first team experience with Ajax and is an established International player.

Edited October 29, 2007 by Bootle Buck

[Stevie H]

The problem with Liverpool is our young signings never seem to be quite ready. Where as Arsenal and Utd to some degree seem sign young then give them the chance to shine. There are probably 4 or 5 Arsenal players who are younger than Babel who already have lots of first team experience. You can't gain experience by sitting on the bench playing in the Reserves. Babel already has several years of first team experience with Ajax and is an established International player.

ferguson and wenger are both notoriously protective of their young players and ease them in over a couple of seasons?

[Bootle Buck]

ferguson and wenger are both notoriously protective of their young players and ease them in over a couple of seasons?

 

Fair enough but the likes of Fabregas, Clichy, Eboue all seemed to get a fair bit of playing time even when they were very young. Arsenal have basically a completely different team since they won the league last. How many youngsters have forced there way into Liverpool's first team on a regular basis since then. Even SAF has played Nani and Anderson this season despite having a squad loaded with talent. Lucas was Barzilian Footballer of the Year and is a full international and he hasn't figured very much this season.

[Coyler]

.

Edited October 29, 2007 by Coyler

[CarraLegend]

Fair enough but the likes of Fabregas, Clichy, Eboue all seemed to get a fair bit of playing time even when they were very young. Arsenal have basically a completely different team since they won the league last. How many youngsters have forced there way into Liverpool's first team on a regular basis since then. Even SAF has played Nani and Anderson this season despite having a squad loaded with talent. Lucas was Barzilian Footballer of the Year and is a full international and he hasn't figured very much this season.

 

And we've played Agger a lot, Sissoko a lot, Babel is getting games, even Reina was probably a risk at his age. "SAF" is a c***.

[johngibo YPC]

Had he heard of Pele though?

 

Only Abedi!

[matty]

Footballing wise I think he's a bit clueless. All the raw material there including a willingness to put his shift in, but I don't think he'll turn into anything special. He simply doesn't have a good footballing brain.

 

Good grief. How you can get that from what we've seen so far is bizarre.

[DecidedByPoll]

Good grief. How you can get that from what we've seen so far is bizarre.

 

You can tell if someone is going to be a good player from 4/5 games. You can see how they control the ball, how they move with it, how they pass it, their body shape and the quality of their runs. I've seen Babel enough when he's played this season to see that he's lacking in a number of those areas.

 

He's strong, fast and when there's space behind a player he can get past him. He's got a hell of a shot on him and when he plays purely on instinct he does well, such as that lovely run down the wing against Besitkas, but when he has to work out what to do and use a footballing brain he struggles. More than that he just doesn't know what to do at times. Just like Cisse and Heskey before him it feels at times as if they are great athletes still learning how to play football and how to pass and move, when at 20 it should be natural.

 

I know that people say there's a settling in period in the premiership and some fairly illustrious names have needed it, but Henry, Pires etc etc all showed that they had footballing awareness and genuine skill, but they couldn't express it in the pace, tempo and aggression of the premiership. Babel doesn't have a fantastic level of skill or technical ability; certainly nothing like Rosicky, Hleb, Cole, Ronaldo, Nani, Arteta, Malouda etc.

 

I'm not one who blindly criticizes players and you won't find me having a go at the latest scape goat. However, I simply don't believe Babel will turn into 'one of the greats', I don't even think he'll be a valuable regular for Liverpool.

[mally]

f***in hell, he was the new john barnes two months ago

[CaptainXabi]

He just needs to be allowed to play. He'll figure out his role if he gets the games.

[DecidedByPoll]

f***in hell, he was the new john barnes two months ago

 

not to me he wasn't.