Dirk Kuyt wants the striker’s position in Oranje

Dirk Kuyt’s goal last Saturday for Liverpool against Bolton was more than just a goal.
Kuyt has scored in the last three months in all possible manners. The balls hit the net, kicked with left, right…from crosses, dribbles… From inside and outside of the box. “A header was the only one missing. I told our physio right before the game against Bolton and wham…I score the 1-0 with my head.”
Seven goals for the Reds. He realizes he’s important in the team that covets the title after an 18 year drought. TV analists like Wim Kieft and BBC’s Alan Hansen said this weekend that Kuyt has settled more in the game in the EPL. More in control in the box. And the Liverpool fans voted the Dutchman the best player of the month October.
The big question is, will it be enough to secure Kuyt a spot in the center position against Sweden, now Hunter is injured.
Against Norway, Kuyt got the job, with his rival Robin van Persie on the right flank.
Van Marwijk did say this weekend, that Van Persie is still a candidate for the number 9, as is Ryan Babel.
Statistically, Van Persie and Kuyt have done equally well. Babel is a modest follower. Van Persie scores best at club level, he scored 7 times for Arsenal. Kuyt also scored 7 for Liverpool but needed more games to do so. Van Persie did score against Russia, earlier in the season, for Oranje and both Kuyt and Van Persie have an equal number of assists.
And we all know how lethal Van Persie can be and that he prepares goals as well. Interesting to see with Kuyt, though, is that whenever Benitez uses him as a central striker he services his teammates (twice) and he scores (twice again).
“Those stats tell me that I can still make the switch from winger to striker in the EPL,” Kuyt laughs.
“I moved to the right last season at Anfield, and many people now think that that’s my position. I was glad with the chance against Norway to demonstrate my striker performance. But, let me set this straight: I will play wherever the coach needs me. But still, it felt good to show my value as central striker. We’ll see what happens against Sweden. I’m fit, eager and full of confidence.”
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Comments


Honestly I’d like to see Kuyt and Van Persie playing as strikers together – why not give it a try for a friendly game?
Posted from
Canada




“Why not” indeed. Good call, Caleb. Thats if Van Mar plays those guys. I’d rather see a new, younger (or at least less experienced set up. Zuiverloon, Schaars, Emanuelson,Elia, Braafheid,et al. Might learn something. I can’t think that a friendly in mid-November means much for RVP, Seijder, VDV, Vn Bommel, De Jong, et al. …Anyone know if the game is being shown in the US on Gol or FSC?,
Posted from
United States




vMarwijk just told the press that Vorm will play at least 45 minutes tomorrow
start;
Timmer
Heitinga
Ooijer
Mathijsen
vBronckhorst
vBommel
deZeeuw
vdVaart
Sneijder
Babel
Kuijt
Posted from
Netherlands




Do I see 2 Strikers in that formation?!




I see zero strikers, but whatever, its a nov. friendly.
Posted from
United States




off topic, but apprently the mistery of why robben is the man of glass has been solved, and the best part is, we are told, that he will be healthy from now on….i’ll believe that when i see it.
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=593884&sec=europe&cc=5901
Posted from
Canada




@Igor: And I am now going to support Feyenoord as well
I’ll believe it when I see it too
Robben is just a waste of time




Agree with Igor and Finn, I’ll believe it when I see it.
I remember a little while ago the Madrid staff said they found the answer to Robben’s fragility (his spine or way of walking or something like that), but they still haven’t fixed the problem. I seriously doubt that only changing his diet is going to fix his fragility as well. Maybe bubble tape… a lot of bubble tape?




@Andrew – I can’t say for FSC, but it’s not on Gol. Here’s a good website for soccer games on tv in North America:
http://www.livesoccertv.com/fixtures.php




I saw that goal (Dirk’s header). It was a great goal. He is certainly an excellent central striker.
Posted from
Indonesia




Good i would like see kuyt as central striker(ha ha portugal 06WC)]
definitly he will prove he is waste as a central striker.i think sweden will help him to prove especially issacson.
what this bert is doing
where is schaars,zuiverloon,donk,mendes da silva? he should have called these guys over the regulars.
if we play with current diffenders against arjentina or brazil without VDS the final score will be 5-2 definitly we will score coz of znijder,roban or vanpersie but we will concede 5
Posted from
India




Check out http://eredivisie.theoffside.com for a story on PSV’s Lazovic making an utter fool of himself. The twat!




Agree with Caleb, why not try Kuyt next to Persie?




@Jan – you’ll never get anyone to your other blog if you keep handing out the wrong address!
http://netherlands.theoffside.com/




Caleb, thanks for a website…there used to be a site called “soccertv.com”, but it was sold awhile ago and changed formats. I’ve been looking for something like this ever since
re Robben: it has come to the the seeing is believing…but I don’t recall Robben being injured all the time when he was at PSV? Didn’t he play fairly regularly at Chelsea, too? Maybe its just the all soccer/all the time schedule that his body can’t handle…whatever it is, hope he gets it sorted out; the guy has been fragile, but there is no denying his talent
Posted from
United States




@all
Roban is a matchwinning talent we have seen that all the times remm all important matches he played crucial roll in all that games.he is no 1 weapon of orange in all aspects above so called znijder.but very sad that he is very selfish and arrogant(same with wesley)
some facts and equations
1RVN=5huntlar
1Huntlar=100 kuyt
Posted from
India




First of all, Sneijder is in no way as arrogant or selfish as Robben. Robben is actually one of the few on the Dutch team right now I would say has that quality (which is a surprise, because normally we are plagued by this). And Sneijder is probably the most crucial player on the team right now, followed by Van Persie and Van Der Vaart.
Having seen Van Persie run at both the striker’s position and on the right flank, I think he’s more effective at right than center. I think putting Kuyt in center is a good idea, because he will run around like a rabid dog, putting pressure on the defense. This will give Van Persie some space to work with, in which case he is deadly.
As for the two striker system, I have always preferred a 4-4-2 system with a striker and shadowstriker. However, a shadowstriker requires someone with the ingenuity and technical abilities of Bergkamp. I could see Van Persie filling this role quite well. I think the 4-2-3-1 system with 3 attacking midfielders makes the best use of our qualities overall. If our defense was a bit more reliable, we could play a 3-2-3-2, which would allow us to use our attacking players to the fullest, but yeah, unless another Jaap Stam pops out somewhere, I don’t see this happening.
Posted from
Netherlands




@jeroen
without roban we couldnt penetrate RussiaEU08.finally with socalled znijder and RVP we sucked(but Znijder played his maximum)
Including Dirk into team itself is a sin
Posted from
India




Tiju, what are your feelings on Dirk Kuyt??
Posted from
United States




Tiju, what are your feelings on Dirk Kuyt?
Posted from
United States




haha




Kuyt is one of the most underrated players in football. I can never understand why people talk about van der vaart as if he were a star whereas kuyt always struggles for recognition. I’ve never seen van der vaart do anything worthwhile in the wc or euro competition–he is not physical at all and EXTREMELY OVERRATED. People heap praise on Robben and the guy NEVER plays–he’s worthless! Kuyt? He runs around like a tiger and is as sturdy as a mountain goat–and he is now learning to finish, which was his big problem until this year. He’s been the best player on the best PL team the last month, or close to it. He, van Persie, snijder and maybe the overrated van de vaart have the potential to play well together, with babel as a sub.




King Richard, let me guess your a Liverpoop fan…
Posted from
Canada


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