READING the Lpool/Inter match report in the ECHO on Wednesday morning, my eye was drawn to a headline suggesting how struggling striker Dirk Kuyt had been inspired to victory by some very special words from his talismanic skipper.
What was this jaw-dropping monologue that urged the Dutchman to once more step into the breach?
Quoting Dirk, he said: “Italian teams are very good in defence and Inter did really well, even with ten men.
“But we remained patient and worked really hard together and in the end we scored two goals, so we are really happy with that.
“It was funny because just before I scored I said to Steven that maybe we ought to keep the ball and keep the clean sheet.
“But he said to me we needed to have another go and he was right because the goal came and 2-0 is a great result.”
So there you have it.
This grand speech consisted of Gerrard telling his frontman that a nil-nil draw at home, with a trip to the San Siro to come, was not good enough.
Oh, and how it would be good if Liverpool scored a goal.
Now come on, if this doesn't show up why Dirk is struggling in front of goal at the moment, nothing else will.
Maybe I'm being a bit harsh and something was lost in his pig-din English during the interview, but his words alarmed me to say the least.
There's something just too worryingly conservative about that synopsis. Had the Dutchman forgot that a game lasts 90 minutes?
Did he really think the Kop would be satisfied to watch us cynically passing the ball between our centre backs for the last ten minutes of the game?
There's not even fantasy league points for clean sheets as the Champions League doesn't count.
It's only valid in the FA Cup.
Still, it seemed Dirk heeded Steven's rousing sermon and responded accordingly just a few minutes later.
Maybe the two should have a chat at a similar point in games every 90 minutes.
That's two in two games for our centre forward now.
Comments (2)
Hey Luke,
Great blog. I agree that Stevie's comments were hardly Churchillian.
But putting aside grand speeches from the skipper, isn't it worrying that a centre forward is thinking of keeping a clean sheet?
Strikers should live and breathe goals.
Kuyt's only concern should be seeing the net bulge, and let his team-mates worry about keeping it tight at the back.
I appreciate the Dutchman's work ethic, but fear he will never be a true goal machine with thinking like that.
The best strikers; Dalglish, Dixie Dean, Bret Angell, were selfish, predatory and single-minded.
Posted by Tord Da Red | February 22, 2008 9:33 AM
Posted on February 22, 2008 09:33
Remember Dirk's first game, that cameo 25 minutes against West Ham?
Shots everywhere, really dynamic...
Where's it all gone Dirk?
Posted by Paul Harrington | February 25, 2008 10:34 PM
Posted on February 25, 2008 22:34