Many column inches and blogs on Liverpool were filled at the start of the season by discussion about the seeming lack of support that Fernando Torres had up front. Reds boss Roy Hodgson apparently agreed as he furiously sought to find cover for the Spanish striker on the last day of the transfer window, enquiring about players such as Carlton Cole and Mario Gomez. Certainly in most Reds fan’s eyes, there is still need for another striker to be added in January, and I would be inclined to agree with them, but the form of two players David Ngog and Ryan Babel has surprised many, perhaps even Roy Hodgson himself. The Reds boss praised the pair yesterday ahead of Liverpool’s game with Newcastle, along with midfielder Lucas:
“Questions about Lucas, David Ngog and Ryan Babel are based on judgements and decisions that were made before I arrived at the club and I find them very difficult to answer. They have all worked hard to get into the team. Lucas and David Ngog have succeeded and Ryan Babel got his first big chance on Monday and took it with both feet.”
Although it was only one match against a poor Aston Villa side last Monday, both Ngog and Babel showed their full capabilities. Villa’s centre back partnership Richard Dunne and James Collins were one of the best defensive duo’s last season, and although slightly less impregnable this campaign, any striker needs a great deal of ability to get the better of them. At the start of this campaign, many were arguing which of the two actually deserved a chance in place of an absent Torres, but now both have shown that they equally merit an opportunity to play alongside Torres on Saturday evening.
Although Torres has a great deal more talent and ability than either Babel or Ngog, it would be quite safe to say that out of the three, he is the lowest on confidence and the one who lacks form in front of goal. To say that out of the three strikers that Fernando’s confidence is lowest when you consider Ryan Babel’s three year spell at the club, is quite remarkable, and demonstrates the recent turn in fortune for the Dutchman. Hardly given any game time this season by Roy Hodgson, Babel took his chances with Torres absent against both Steaua Bucharest and Aston Villa.
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As Roy states, Ryan took his chance “with both feet” demonstrating a new found determination and desire in the last two matches which has seemingly been absent for a great deal of time. With a consistent first touch, a good work ethic which has seen him work hard for the team, and most importantly, he is using his pace to become a threat in behind justifying his own belief that he is more able playing as a striker than a winger. For Ryan, he must keep this form up and continue a consistent streak that allows him to put a string of performances together. For this reason I would like him to start instead of Ngog tomorrow.
This is no slight to the Frenchman though as the 21 year old has come on leaps and bounds this season. An increasingly good first touch is helping him to hold up the ball better making him increasingly able to bring others into play while also being a threat in behind. His partnership with Torres seems to work quite well because of the Frenchman’s abilites to drag defenders away for the Spaniard to find space in behind, and this is a reservation I have starting Babel instead of him. Babel and Torres both love running in behind defenders and could be too similar ins style for the partnership to work. Ngog does provide a different option and I wouldn’t mind him starting instead of the Dutchman if Roy feels that he provides a better foil for Fernando.
All in all though, it is a surprising turn around from the start of the season when the Reds were desperately looking for another striker, believing Ngog and Babel were not up to the task. Although it is still early days to suggest the pair will continue their good form from the Aston Villa match, it does gives Roy Hodgson a “good headache” for once prior to the Newcastle match tomorrow.
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Leave Torres on the bench, he needs to realise that his place is not guaranteed. Leave Ngog or Babel up front with Kuyt. Put Johnson rightwing and Kelly at rightback as Enrique and Gutierriesz will doubleteam Johnson at rightback as Kuyt will cut infield from his rightwing position. We also need Kelly in the team to give Liverpool more height to cope with Newcastle at setpieces.
torres on the bench?one good goal from babel and ngog so fernando torres on the bench…wha great…
You’d think that Babel has been playing all season the way that everybody’s talking about Hodgson’s excellent man management of him, not think that he’s been stuck with the reserves, even with the first team underperforming all year!
I agree that Torres and everybody else should have to fight for their places rather than just having it handed to them on a plate, but Kuyt would be the player making way for me…
i think we are reading too much into this..it was just one game, i’ll be convinced if they can score a few more goals on a consistent basis, provided they get a chance which i hope they do…
i agree 100 percent with torres on the bench, why not give babel and ngog one more chance, it won’t cause any harm, torres entering just after start of second half will terorise an already tired team and have more chances to score, he’ll be able to read the match and make his mind from whre and how he’ll score.
Babel needs a run in the team. He’s performed well in the last two games and I believe he can become a world class performer, let’s just hope it’s for us and not someone else if we sell him in January.
I’m not convinced though as Hodgson has come in with pre conceived ideas about the entire squad and I don’t believe Babel has any chance of staying.
Start Babel this afternoon and let’s see what he can do with a bit of confidence behind him. I think he can become the next Thierry Henry.
There’s really not much of a point in playing Babel in a game and then dumping him back on the bench the next week. He did exceptionally well against Villa and scored a goal. The goal has done him the world of good and has boosted his confidence so what he needs now is a run of games up front. He’s been lacking confidence for the last three years and the performances against Steaua and Villa will have made him more confident playing up front and we were able to see what he is capable of doing. Why don’t we just start him up front with Torres and see what he can instead of putting him back on the bench again.