[quote author=LeTallecWiz link=topic=38959.msg1058503#msg1058503 date=1266918783]
[quote author=Vlads Quiff link=topic=38959.msg1058406#msg1058406 date=1266886380]
[quote author=LeTallecWiz link=topic=38959.msg1058143#msg1058143 date=1266863013]
Mark - one of your favorite players of 'yestayear' was Crouch, who got 19 games in a row to get a goal. Players who struggle to show quality week in, week out (Insua, Dirk, Lucas, Yossi) have had far longer runs in the team. Babel never really had that - and to be honest, bar his 1st season, he's not given Rafa much reason to do that. I will say that I think with a different manager, we would have had a player. NOW, this may never happen and then we can say a) Vlad/Mark/etc were right b) babel got in his own way or c) Bad rappers are bad footy players. I hope he goes to a team with a manager who can build his confidence and game, and obviously, I hope that's not in England.
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Big, big difference there Wiz, despite Crouch not scoring in that period, almost everyone could see he was still worth his place for what he was contributing, while showing the effort and desire. Now try saying that about Ryan Babel and keeping a straight face.
We are quite tolerant and do put up with players with less talent as long as they work hard and are seen to be trying.
regards
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Do you remember his first year? How can a player how 'doesn't try or work hard' score 10+ goals in his first year in England?
Now despite the fact he's proven his worth to his team, Kuyt couldn't buy a premier league goal for how long? over a year? And yet he started every game ... So he worked hard and was trying - that's more important than contributing goals etc?
Fact is, I don't believe Babel has done enough SINCE his first year to warrant much playing time. And I think the fact he couldn't get more playing time has had a poor effect on him - instead of sucking it up etc, he sulked and didn't give a shit. He screwed up far more than Rafa did (and I used to feel the other way around) but that doesn't mean he should be faulted for not given an even bigger chance during his first year where he was a contributor to our 1st team.
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It would appear that your argument has been reduced to 'Rafa should have given him an even bigger chance in his first year'. Which let's face it, is pretty lame.
For starters, his first year here was his most productive, which would suggest that Rafa was doing something right with him. In fact, he's one of the few young players I think Rafa has done things the right way with. He gave him just enough playing time (usually towards the end of games when opponents were tired) to get a feel for the league and build his confidence without overwhelming him. He was given the perfect platform to build upon.
Following that first season, Babel's strengths and limitations were much more widely known, which meant he had to work that little bit harder to succeed. His unwillingness to apply himself and inability to round off the edges to his game have exposed him for what he is - an athlete with incredibly limited footballing abilities. You could view it as wasted potential, but I'm not convinced that Babel has it in him to be the world-beater that some believe he could be. He doesn't have the brain or the heart for it.
Whichever way you want to look at it though, it was Benitez who gave Babel the opportunity, and Babel who squandered it, not the other way around.
