Play Benayoun against West Ham

[pt101]

ahead of Kuyt? Against old club etc etc - bound to be well fired up.

 

Another 3 points please lads!

[alias75]

Think there will be changes for this one, Maybe Hyppia can be rested and Arbeloa plays at right back, maybe Lucas for Alonso if hes still not fit enough to play 2 games in 3 days, maybe Benayoun for Kuyt but thats about it for me.

[lawrie]

Think there will be changes for this one, Maybe Hyppia can be rested and Arbeloa plays at right back, maybe Lucas for Alonso if hes still not fit enough to play 2 games in 3 days, maybe Benayoun for Kuyt but thats about it for me.

 

Thats 4 changes, hope you're not one to criticise rotation

[MFletcher]

Why change something that is clearly working?

 

People whinge about rotation. Well, we've had a consistent front four (Gerrard, Babel, Torres, Kuyt) for a few games now and have got results. Why piss about and change things?

 

Some people are never happy.

[Silencio]

Why change something that is clearly working?

 

People whinge about rotation. Well, we've had a consistent front four (Gerrard, Babel, Torres, Kuyt) for a few games now and have got results. Why piss about and change things?

 

Some people are never happy.

 

Because we'd be better with Benayoun in the side.

[Chili Palmer]

Why change something that is clearly working?

 

People whinge about rotation. Well, we've had a consistent front four (Gerrard, Babel, Torres, Kuyt) for a few games now and have got results. Why piss about and change things?

 

Some people are never happy.

 

but then we would have nothing to complain about!!

 

know your football forums sonny...

[alias75]

My stance on the rotation is that i have no problem with it when your bringing in good players we do have a core of about 15-16 good players when its these being rotated i have no problem.

 

This week we have 3 games in a week so i think its right that some players like Hyppia are rested. Alonso is coming back from injury so maybe he'll struggle to play 3 games in a week too.

 

In this type of situation i think its right to freshen things up slightly and give other players a rest.

[MFletcher]

Because we'd be better with Benayoun in the side.

 

How do you know?

 

Kuyt is doing a very good job on the right.

[Rimbeux]

How do you know?

Kuyt is doing a very good job on the right.

 

Not convinced he is. He more lost than usual there, consistently two or three yards or more away from where he should be. That thing where a top player is supposed to have the first yard in their head, well our lad is a yard behind in his head, and then there's the lack of pace to catch up, the suspect first touch, shot avoidance, and the huge wind up needed to kick the bloody thing, no short backlift available here.

 

Running off the ball, decision making, touch, all suspect, and so much of our attacking has to go through there.

[Ste M]

Because we'd be better with Benayoun in the side.

 

Not with this system. He works nowhere near as hard as Kuyt, and comes inside far too often, which would clog play up.

[Rimbeux]

Not with this system. He works nowhere near as hard as Kuyt, and comes inside far too often, which would clog play up.

 

Disagree, Yossi works very hard, and coming inside (off the ball especially) is exactly the point of the position, to leave a gap for the fullback to run in to, and to get in an around the striker and not get picked up coming from wide. Should also be higher up the pitch than when played in a 4-4-2, Babel gave a great display of how to play it today, right up field looking at the space outside the fullback or between fullback and cntre half.

[MFletcher]

Except Benayoun cuts inside far too often. We're completely reliant on the full back to provide width then - and that's not going to happen all the time.

 

I'm perfectly happy for Kuyt to continue in the role. He has done nothing to suggest he should be dropped and performed admirably in the past few games.

 

People get consistency of selection, with the manager picking what he thinks is more-or-less his best side and people still whinge.

[DazzlaJ]

I'm perfectly happy for Kuyt to continue in the role. He has done nothing to suggest he should be dropped and performed admirably in the past few games.

 

His touch and crossing was appalling today

[MFletcher]

His touch and crossing was appalling today

 

He had one poor first touch. He also had an excellent one where he took a ball out of the air, stopped it on the ground and knocked it through Gardner's legs. He also had an excellent cross into the box that Gerrard mistimed his header on.

 

I see no reason for him to be dropped in favour of Benayoun.

[Guest GrandpaSimpson]

We've won against Boro, now Bolton, odds are against us getting 6 points from the next two games though.

 

The most wins we've put together back to back in the PL this season is 3 (Fulham, Newcastle, Bolton)

[Ben 23]

He had one poor first touch. He also had an excellent one where he took a ball out of the air, stopped it on the ground and knocked it through Gardner's legs.

 

I remember that one... He knocked it about 5 yards through Gardeners legs and ran round the other side of him but Gardner had the time to slowly turn around jog back around Kuyt and get to the ball first and clear it.

 

Sometimes I actually think that I can't believe anyone is that slow, it really is unreal...

Edited March 3, 2008 by Ben 23

[Rimbeux]

Except Benayoun cuts inside far too often. We're completely reliant on the full back to provide width then - and that's not going to happen all the time.

 

I'm perfectly happy for Kuyt to continue in the role. He has done nothing to suggest he should be dropped and performed admirably in the past few games.

 

People get consistency of selection, with the manager picking what he thinks is more-or-less his best side and people still whinge.

 

I dont give a flying who gets picked as long as it gives us best chance of winning in the league or CL, I think the 'winning side' notion is a nonsense cliche and any change that improves the outfit is more than justified.

 

Kuyt is struggling in the position, mainly due to not knowing where to be, his instinct is poor and his intellect doesn't make up for it. He cant keep up with the play of the others, and is often yards away from where he should be, yards behind where the other four players are in moves, he rarely if ever gets beyond the front man and doesn't get into anywhere enough positions to score (something evident whatever his starting position).

 

Granted he's never going to have the instinct and movement of Garcia, but we need something like to make the system work, to get more support to Torres and bring another threat from the position, and Yossi's off and on the ball ability is comfortably superior.

[Siang]

We've won against Boro, now Bolton, odds are against us getting 6 points from the next two games though.

 

The most wins we've put together back to back in the PL this season is 3 (Fulham, Newcastle, Bolton)

 

We will quadruple that figure this time round, Grandpa!!

 

Love,

 

Your Long Lost Grandson from Malaysia

[DazzlaJ]

We will quadruple that figure this time round, Grandpa!!

 

Love,

 

Your Long Lost Grandson from Malaysia

 

Mis In Kid?