That was last Wednesday. On Saturday Liverpool hosted Bolton Wanderers, who are an absolutely terrible side. In the first half we were all over them, but didn't quite have any incisiveness. Dirk Kuyt opened the scoring in the 23rd minute after the post. Bolton had a goal disallowed as their captain was obstructing Pepe Reina during a corner kick. Liverpool were lucky when Ricardo Gardener hilariously slipped in front of an open goal. Shortly after Fernando Torres was introduced as a substitute, he set up Steven Gerrard for a header, completing the scoring at 2-0. A good win that keeps us on pace with Chelsea in the league tables.
Subject to heavy criticism last year, Dirk Kuyt is a huge part behind Liverpool's successes this seasonLiverpool have been impressive in the league this season and this is down to the form of some key players. One such player is Dutch international Dirk Kuyt, who has been in imperious form this season. Some Liverpool fans will nod in agreement, others will hotly dispute this claim.
When Dirk Kuyt signed for us in 2006 we'd signed the Feyenoord captain - a beloved striker by the fans with one of the most impressive goal records in Dutch football. The early days of his Liverpool career were fantastic - he didn't score too many but he worked harder than anyone else on the pitch. He looked a quality player and scoring the final goal in Liverpool's Champions League Final loss to AC Milan in Athens.
After Liverpool had experienced the heartbreak of defeat in Europe's most prestigeous competition, Kuyt faced further heartbreak when his father lost his battle with cancer and past away. While the Dutchman claims it did not effect his football form - he was a truely abysmal player last season. With only 3 league goals to his name, Kuyt found himself struggling for a place in the first team. Unable to find the back of the net with consistency, Liverpool coach Rafa Benitez found a place for Dirk in the starting lineup. Kuyt was converted from a striker to a right-sided midfielder and Liverpool's form turned around. Kuyt found himself scoring important goals once more.
This season Dirk Kuyt has been pivotal for Liverpool. We simply would not be as successful as we are currently if he was out of the first team. To look at his impact on the team we have to see what Dirk Kuyt adds to our side. He is an attacking player who plays primarily on the right side of our midfield or as a striker - so let us first look at what is usually a good indicator of a quality wide-midfield player.
What we usually expect from wingers in England is for them to have great technical ability, for them to be able to run with the ball at fullbacks. Kuyt is a player known for his relatively poor technical ability. He is not blessed with great pace. It is usually quite rare for him to take on fullbacks head on. It is quite clear the Dutch attacker is not your typical wide player. What Dirk Kuyt offers to a side is very valuable and not every player can offer it. He is a rare gem of a player, despite his lack of technical ability.
So what talents does he bring to the table? He's got the striker instincts with fantastic off the ball movement. Even when he was in very poor form last season, you could still see his predatory striker instinct. He knows how to get the ball on target - which is the first step to scoring. He always takes up great attacking possitions and makes himself an attacking outlet. This season he's been contributing many goals and assists because of this. These predatory instincts highlight the big man's vesatility. We've been playing him mostly as a right winger (although in an atypical winger role). But he's also more than handy as a striker. Being able to play well in more than one position makes him a very valuable player.
Kuyt's industriousness has been key in Liverpool's title challengePerhaps his greatest value to a club like Liverpool is his tremendous workrate. He is an attacking player who never forgets his defensive duties. If he loses the ball, you can guarantee he will do everything he can to get it back. He will track back further than you can imagine and will happily march all the way up to the opposition's byline. The effort he puts in on the pitch is amazing and most fans appreciate any no-nonsense, hardworking player, who will consistently put himself on the line to grab the team a win.
Something that goes hand in hand with his workrate is his amazing stamina and physical ability. I think moving him out wide onto the right really showcases his physicality and stamina. He may not have great pace, but he has great endurance and is not likely to get bullied by defenders. Instead he is likely to attempt to bully the defenders and use his stamina to wear them down. I think this is a tremendous part of his game.
Furthermore, Kuyt is mentally very strong. You can see it in the way he plays. He really understands the game - he takes intelligent possitions on the pitch and he works well with players like Gerrard, Torres, and Babel when we counter attack. He was the captain of Feyenoord and he has leader qualities, he's never moaning about anything on the field and is always seen encouraging his teammates and that is something that is great to see from your players. And to come back from a tragic loss which learly effected him deeply, coming back from some truly terrible form and working hard to establish yourself in the first team at a club like Liverpool takes some real mental fortitude and if you don't believe that then I simply just don't know what to say to you.
So I think Dirk Kuyt is an unsung hero, really. He brings a lot to our side and despite his limitations is a very talented player. This season he's really proven that with the amount of assists he has racked up - and is currently our joint top scorer (sharing the title with our glorious captain Steven Gerrard MBE).
Keep posted, my friends, there will be more updates this week. The topics of discussion will be: Steven Gerrard and his 10 years at this football club, our fullback situation, and an in-depth analysis of what I think Liverpool's starting lineup should be.
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