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Three players who Liverpool MUST kick out
Sportingo's Sean Maloney admits some of the players he wanted condemned to the scrapheap have earned a reprieve. But there are still a trio of misfits at Anfield who he insists must go.
by Sean Maloney on 12 March 2008
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So I was wrong about Dirk Kuyt. I had hastily written him off some months back and I think he has proved me wrong in triplicate!
As a lifelong Liverpool fan and a season-ticket holder for many years I am, I think, allowed to make such a mistake. Sorry Dirk and all hail to the Dutchman; his energy and determination have made me reconsider.
However, I have still to change my mind on the following three dunces, whohave yet to prove to me that they are anywhere near the quality of player who should be wearing a Reds shirt.
Harry Kewell: The Aussie last played for us in that absurdly poor performance against Barnsley. Since then, we have won six on the trot. Coincidence? Not likely. Harry will surely be on his way in the summer - and good riddance! The fact he has started 100-plus games for us is simply shocking. He has performed admirably on maybe five occasions in four-and-a-half years. Enough is enough!
Charles Itandje: There are some who think the flak he has received is somehow disproportionate to his shortcomings. They are wrong - in my opinion he is the worst keeper we have had at the club for a long time. He is simply not good enough to be second choice; even third choice would be a stretch.
Andrei Voronin: Flattered to deceive when he first arrived and I was originally very happy with his efforts. But it is seeming more and more like he just isn’t good enough to play for the side. A Carling Cup player at most, he would be best offloaded and I think Rafa Benitez has realised this also. The Ukrainian would find his career stagnating at Anfield and it would be better for all concerned if he was sold. He can do a job for a mid-table Premier League side but isn’t really of a good-enough standard to warrant a decent spell at the club. Hard-working for sure but lacks the class needed to make the grade.
When I previously wrote on this subject after a particularly painful defeat, I had some names that I have decided I may have been hasty about (its great being fickle). These included Jermaine Pennant (getting better), John Arne Riise (getting a lot better) and Fabiano Aurelio (much better, also).
Come on you Reds!
Comments (62)
by Frank on March 12, 2008
I agree with this selection and it makes a nice change from the previous anti-Liverpool pieces. Cheers Sean for restoring my faith in Sportingo
by A Breen on March 12, 2008
Add Riise to the mix too Sean.
by Alan Barclay on March 12, 2008
Was it Kuyt's astonishing 5 goals from open play this season that made you change your mind about him or his sublime technical skills allied to blistering pace? Or are you just another one of these people who don't understand workhorses aren't enough at the highest level. You need talent also - ala Mascherano's work and class versus Sissoko's work and no class. The more games Kuyt plays for Liverpool the more everyone else laughs at us fighting with Everton for 4th - and that we wonder why when Kuyt is on our side. Kuyt is Sissoko, we need a Mascherano.
by magnum opus on March 12, 2008
Nice to see somebody change their mind about Dirk! And, admit it...
by dixie lee on March 12, 2008
Riise ,Kuyt ,Voronin are the Deadwood!
by Sam on March 12, 2008
What Planet is Sean on. Kuyt's need to be added to the list. Can't Score, No Pace, No Skill, In the same bracket as Sissoko how could not pass a ball five yards.
by M Bain on March 12, 2008
Rafa is a great manager. He may have bought some rubbish players like: Itandje, Voronin and Josemi but he has bought great players like Torres, Mascherano, Reina and Agger. I think you should back off trying to get Rafa out and get the stupid Yanks out
by Mokes Liverpool fan on March 12, 2008
Kuyt is useless! Thanks for trying though. David Villa to replace him
by Jack Burns on March 12, 2008
Lads, Kewell has had tremendous bad luck, the guy has stuck it out at Liverpool, and if any one else had his badluck of injuries we too would feel it!! He is high quality, that is why Barca, Man Utd, Real, Arsenal wanted to buy him for £40mill.. Give him another chance!!
by I R on March 12, 2008
i dont think you can really say players like voronin and pennant are deadwood, to be deadwood you have to have to be given a chance, and show nothing. dont get me wrong, i think voronin is a pretty shite (pennant i still have hope for), but i have a horrible feeling that we'll offload them both to a villa or a blackburn, and after 3 months of weekly premiership action, they could both turn out to be very good players indeed. at liverpool, theres simply no fight to break into the first team, the players can just sit on their arses knowing full well no matter how awful they are when they play, they'll get another chance, probably within a fortnight. kuyt however, has been flogged to death, he's not a striker because he cant shoot, he's not a winger because he cant pick a cross, or control the ball out wide for that matter. a lot of people may rate pennant about as highly as jason lee, but i'd sooner play pennant with a broken leg than see that sweaty faced waste of space don the liverpool jersey again. i keep hoping one day i'll turn the telly on and see that kuyt is on the bench, but that day never comes. if pennant cant get a run in the side against someone who underachieves so regularly, then i can only guess that he doesnt even show up to training
by mike 91 on March 12, 2008
Dirk Kuyt is rubbish!! We should get rid of him now while other clubs will have him. I would like to see Rafa keep the same formation from now on but play sum1 other than Kuyt on the right hand side. Sum1 who can cross the ball!!!!!!!!!
I think its fair to say all the squad has performed good and bad over time, they have all had ordinary games and some better than other, KEWELL, in my eyes once he gets to goal scoring mode, and think about it, he has managed to NOT be injured for over 6 months now, play him, let him score and get that LEFT foot back! http://www.56.com/u56/v_ODA0MjE4OQ.html http ://www.gofish.com/player.gfp?gfid=30-1025867
by yum on March 12, 2008
Think Voronin's more talented than some give him credit for. It's hard to make a case for him, as he has been poor. If he were in the side now, that is playing well i think people would be fairly impressed with him. He's got a bit of pace, is technically better than Kuyt. I won't cry if he leaves however. The must -go players for me are. Riise - He's really gone as far for Liverpool as he can. So technically bad it's untrue and embarrassing to watch. Aurelio - Quality player, but he'll only be fit for half a season, which just ain't good enough. Crouch - Good on his day, too slow and weak to worry even the lower League teams.
by Mokes on March 12, 2008
Pennant can cross the ball but also got no pace and skill what so ever! Liverpool will never win the league with these sort of players. Just a shame that all our wide players(besides Babel) are shite!!!
Oh and of course Hary Kewell. He's already gone in my mind so that's why i didn't include him. What a waste of talent.
Kewell, is rated as one of the best left attackers in the world, just bad luck and bad supporters behind him, he feels totally left out, cause US supporters write him off, come on lets get behind him!! He's quality!!
by Olafur Thorarensen on March 12, 2008
please put Riise on that list too please, and then we'll agree 100%
by Ian on March 12, 2008
Kuyt's rubbish, sure he works hard, but he simply doesn't score enough. Kuyt, Voronin, Crouch, Kewell, Pennant, Benayoun, Riise all need replacing. Sure they have good parts to their games, but overall they don't make a big enough impact on a game, as in enabling us to win.
by mokes pool for life on March 12, 2008
I fully agree with you Ian! All them wide players needs replacing.
on March 12, 2008 on March 12, 2008
OUT = (Itandge, Kewell, Veronin, Pennant, Crouch), Possible Kuyt too, good commitment but too slow and does not score enough for me. Benayoun is not top quality, squad player at best - prefer less players but higher quality. Carson, not because he is not good enough - good money in and we can have older keeper costing less as cover. Could raise 38M IN = (Keeper for cover 5M or some good freebee, world class right and left wingers 30M, One out and out striker in Torres bracket 25M and 1 striker/playmaker that drops off a little 10M. All outfiled players have to have pace and be proven quality, wingers should be under 26 yrs. There is a very good core bunch of players Reina, Carragher, Finnan, Aggar, Mascherano, Alonso, Gerrard, Torres and hopefully a return to form Riise. Hypia is also worth keeping for cover and leadership. Good potential in Skrtel, Lucas and Babel Babble to cover two poisitions as he developes, cover for left wing and up front. Net Investment = 27M - 30M, this is required to compete with Manu U and Chelsea as both will invest more then us again in the summer.
by Nicko on March 12, 2008
Charles Itandje: There are some who think the flak he has received is somehow disproportionate to his shortcomings. They are wrong - in my opinion he is the worst keeper we have had at the club for a long time. He is simply not good enough to be second choice; even third choice would be a stretch. -------------------------------------------- -------------------------- So people want another Reina who will be happy warming the bence he performed badly because he is not constantly played. Consistency is the key
by KL - on March 12, 2008
riise, crouch, pennant and kuyt.
by Dave Carr on March 12, 2008
Come on, what's with all the negativity? We just beat supposedly the best team in Europe 3-0 over two legs and never looked in any danger. What happened to YNWA? We win as a club, we lose as a club. Sportingo is getting like a football phone in. I was on my way home after watching the 8-0 destruction of Besiktas and people were moaning about Kuyt then. We'd just won 8-0 for feck's sake. Let's show some unity or we'll continue to make the headlines for the wrong reasons. YNWA
by Bryan Witcher on March 12, 2008
Itandje has done nothing wrong. He has played very few games and when he has played he has done quite well. He looks a bit lacking in sharpness, but you probably would to if you only played a game every 2 months.
by Niala Baboolal on March 12, 2008
I don't think Kewell should go....he's a good player...just give him some time.... I honestly think we should look into Ryan Babel's latest performances....He's the one who should have question marks over his career.
by Al M on March 12, 2008
I agree about kewell, he is deadwood. The sooner he goes the better. I also think Voronin is out of his league. It would be good if we could make a move for Henry as he is out of favour at Barca and is also a quality player.