Over rated

He may love the ball, but the ball doesn't love him!



Dirk Kuyt is not my favourite player by any stretch of the imagination.

He certainly works hard, gives his all and does a decent job on the right of Liverpool's midfield. But is that really what you want from a player who cost around £10 million?

Brought in to answer Liverpool's goal scoring problems, he has found himself having to fill the void on the wing due to the disappointing performances of Jermaine Pennant. Thats a £10 million mistake trying to hide the failures of a £7 million mistake.

And there has been Rafa moaning about not having enough money to spend....

What I do think about Kuyt is that for all his effort, his ability just lets him down to often for such an expensive purchase. He seems to be battling the ball just as much as the defender marking him in most matches.

Putting in a decent shift, covering lots of yards and closing people down is not what most football fans would define a wingers job as. It is hard to knock someone who gives so much to the team in commitment, but I just don't think this should be his main focus in games.

You can work hard in other ways. Work hard to make your run stay onside, work hard to provide a good cross, work hard to pass to feet. These things should be of most importance to an attacking player.

Personally I want a winger to make the opposition full back defend, get lots of crosses into the box and get into the box himself whenever possible. Defending should be second to all of this, especially in a team that uses two holding midfielders.

Despite popping up with some important Champions League goals, he doesn't contribute enough in the final third. With Ronaldo, Rooney and Tevez scoring and creating goals every week at Old Trafford, Liverpool struggle because they have to rely on Gerrard and Torres week in, week out. People like Kuyt should be stepping up to share the burden, next season there will probably be someone else brought in to do just that.