Kuyt HAS to be first choice...

[juniormember]

On the right hand side.
Henderson might be a good player (have no idea to be honest) but he was hardly a part of any of our great play in the first half and stayed pretty much annonymous in the second. He's only young and it was his debut so I'm not about to lay into him or anything, but as it stands I think Kuyt is way better in that position he occupied today.
The difference he made after coming on, although the team as a whole remained shite, was immense.
More urgency, assurance, aggression, and a threat around the box.

Kuyt HAS to start on the right against Arsenal.

 

[iseered]

Little doubt about any of that.

 

[mark1975]

He belongs on the bench, appaz.

 

[juniormember]

[quote author=mark1975 link=topic=46441.msg1379491#msg1379491 date=1313253060]
He belongs on the bench, appaz.
[/quote]

According to which knobhead Mark?

 

[spider-Neil]

You don't judge a player, any player, after one game. Also kuyt didn't exactly pull up trees when he came on. I'm going to resist making Henderson my new favourite player but I think the kid has something about him and as he gets stronger he will dominant games more.

 

[Fabio]

Henderson should be CM. Kuyt should only play on the right when we play 4-3-3. The 4-4-2 today wouldn't have helped him

 

[spider-Neil]

Johnson returning will help Henderson as he will run beyond him and give him options something flannigan refused to do.

 

[Fabio]

Henderson could not have wanted to play RW any less today. He spend more time in the centre circle. Flannal was exposed continually with no way out

 

[anfield8]

[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=46441.msg1379496#msg1379496 date=1313253522]
You don't judge a player, any player, after one game. Also kuyt didn't exactly pull up trees when he came on. I'm going to resist making Henderson my new favourite player but I think the kid has something about him and as he gets stronger he will dominant games more.
[/quote]

Yeah I also don't think kuyt done anything when he came on, kept the ball well a couple of times but nothing great really. Henderson played it very simple and wasn't involved much and I actually think we are very short still of quality on the wings.

 

[Fabio]

[quote author=anfield8 link=topic=46441.msg1379516#msg1379516 date=1313254166]


Yeah I also don't think kuyt done anything when he came on, kept the ball well a couple of times but nothing great really. Henderson played it very simple and wasn't involved much and I actually think we are very short still of quality on the wings.
[/quote]


Completely agree.

He ran about against tired legs

 

[juniormember]

So are some of you guys saying that Kuyt should remain dropped and Henderson start instead of him against Arsenal?

 

[redsar]

At least, he would have scored a penalty in the 1st half.

 

[Fabio]

Fuck no

4-3-3 every day of the week. Suarez and downing supporting Carroll. Ming/aqua behind them, Adam and lucas behind that. Kuyt comes on for carroll

 

[spider-Neil]

Bottom line is over the course of a season Henderson will create more chances for he front men, if kuyt wants in let him force his way past Carroll. That said, I do think he will start v arsenal.

 

[Portly]

Dirk is a player with a big heart but little skill. Trouble is, there are plenty of big-hearted players playing for pub teams.

I won't feel we are making progress unless Dirk spends most of his time on the bench.

 

[ILD]

Neil, why should Dirk have to force his way back in, but new guy Henderson doesn't have to earn his place? Ridiculous.

 

[spider-Neil]

I guess Henderson has to force his way past kuyt as kuyt has been a fixture on the right, I just feel over the course of a SEASON (and when I anaylse players that how I judge them) Henderson will create more chances than kuyt. Maybe kenny feels the same, after he did start him ahead of kuyt. Kuyt should be used as a striker (that's where he excels not as a make shift wide midfielder).

 

[Jürgen4PM]

I guess it depends what formation we play against the Gooners, if we go 4-4-2 or 4-3-3 then he's on the bench for me.

 

[juniormember]

[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=46441.msg1379580#msg1379580 date=1313258786]
I guess Henderson has to force his way past kuyt as kuyt has been a fixture on the right, I just feel over the course of a SEASON (and when I anaylse players that how I judge them) Henderson will create more chances than kuyt. Maybe kenny feels the same, after he did start him ahead of kuyt. Kuyt should be used as a striker (that's where he excels not as a make shift wide midfielder).
[/quote]

Depends on what you mean by 'create'. Are you talking about assists?
In which case he'd have to get quite a lot of them (as he doesn't score many) to match Dirk's goals plus assist total.

Premier League:
Henderson scored 3 and made 4 assists last season.
Kuyt scored 13 and got 7 assists last season.

Would you still prefer Henderson over the course of this season?

I'm not Dirk's biggest fan. I think we can find better for the right (if still we had the cash) and consider him to be a very good backup striker (and backup for the right as well of course).
But the fact is he's the absolute best option we have right now in that position (unless Gerrard's fit) and for us to really make it this season (and by that I mean top 4 at the very least), I say 'to fuck with potential' and just use the best players we have.
Dirk needs to start against Arsenal if Henderson's the only other option for the right.

 

[Oncy]

If Dirk had been playing today we would have won 2-1.
I think its shit that Henderson was picked in front of him today.
In fact now that ive had time to digest it and think about it and stop seething i think today was a fucking bollocks from start to finish.
I dont care to discuss these points as i am simply putting this forward as my honest and humble opinion and not as fact, if you disagree then fine.
Here goes.
Kelly should have played.
Spearing should have played ahead of Adam.
Kuyt should have played ahead of Henderson.
Meireles should have played.
Suarez should have rested. He played the copa america final less than 3 weeks ago and hasnt had any break to mention. He also hasnt played any pre-season games.
Maxi should have started ahead of Downing.
Aquilani should have been on the bench, our best player from pre-season.

We played with new players who have done nothing to earn their place in the starting line up (how do we get hunger in our players when you have to do fuck all, or have a few decent games at a shit club to walk into our team) and looked like a team of strangers at times, they also didnt have any direction when they were struggling.
Its a mess of a result thanks to a mess of a team.
If the team had been (as near as dammit) the team that walloped half a dozen teams at the tail end of last season we would have murdered that team. Who incidentally signed 10 players in summer but only put two into their starting line up....why? Because changing everything at once doesnt work.
There are other things that have pissed me off, but i cant really be arsed.
Im just a bit livid.

 

[cobrastatus]

I don't even like Kuyt and have been calling for him to get displaced for years, and even I can say that it's fucking retarded to start Henderson over Kuyt. Kuyt does just fine until his midseason slump, Henderson is young and unproven and should be made to displace Kuyt, not just handed the job cause he cost 16m pounds. WTF?

 

[RolandG]

I said pretty much the same in the "post match thoughts" thread. Henderson isn't quite ready yet.

I'm not buying Kenny's excuse that the lads were nervous. The game should have been beyond Sunderland by half time. We were dominant. Kenny made a mistake picking Henderson and Flannagan to start ahead of Kuyt and Kelly. Simple as

 

[monsieurdantes]

[quote author=Fabio link=topic=46441.msg1379506#msg1379506 date=1313254049]
Henderson could not have wanted to play RW any less today. He spend more time in the centre circle. Flannal was exposed continually with no way out
[/quote]

I don't think we have a right winger anymore, we gave up that role in order to have both carroll and suarez playing. Otherwise a 442 with two wingers will see lucas raped on an almost weekly basis. So I'm not surprised henderson spent his time in the centre circle because that is his position now. We only have one winger and that's downing. If kuyt starts it has to be in place of downing or up front. Henderson is still a bitch though and he'll get dropped as soon as gerrard is fit.