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A Partnership the Reds should look to continue with?

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Although there were excellent performances all across the pitch for Liverpool against Bolton on Saturday, one of the most significant aspects of the 3-1 was the partnership between Luis Suarez and Dirk Kuyt.

It is noticeable that when the pair play together, there is a greater deal of fluency to Liverpool’s passing game. This is certainly no coincidence and the Suarez/Kuyt partnership has definitely taken a shorter time to prosper than the one between Carroll and Suarez.

This is by no means a criticism of Andy Carroll though, rather than an appraisal of the link up play between Suarez and Kuyt. Sometimes it just happens in partnerships that they just click straight away, and it was evident on Saturday that the telepathy between the Uruguayan and the Dutch forward had continued from the end of last season when they played together.

So how come the pair have hit it off so quickly? The obvious starting point would be both their common language and playing style. What common playing style you ask? Not necessarily in regards to flair but in regards to work rate. Both chase down the opposition without the ball and work tremendously hard to retrieve possession.

In addition both have played for a large section of their career in Dutch football. As well as communicating well in the same language, the style of football in Holland is conducive to a quick, interchange of short passes. Although Kuyt doesn’t always have a great first touch, he still has the ability to drop off and come deep to hold up the ball and then offload possession to someone like Suarez. Dutch football is clearly very similar to how Kenny Dalglish wants Liverpool to play, in keeping with a pass and move philosophy.

So it is clear that both on and off the ball, the Suarez and Kuyt partnership is on the same wavelength. It is instinctive in the way they both play the game, and so the striking up of such a partnership is almost seamless and instant.

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10 comments

  • bboy says:

    couldnt agree more

  • Dave says:

    Dirk Kuyt is ok but he is no more a striker than he is a winger. People just ain’t giving Carroll a chance simply because Suarez is doing well.

    What people need to realise is that they are two totally different players. Carroll is the muscle and the height and Suarez is the flair and finesse. You cannot compare the two but people do, and they think that because Suarez is running here there and everywhere then Carroll should too. If that’s what you expect from Carroll then you don’t understand what type of player he is and you’re slating him for the wrong reasons.

    I agree that Carroll has stuttered a little but he is by no means as bad as what people have been saying. Unfortuately, because of his fee he is easy to slate. The press find it easy and many unknowledgeable supporters simply jump on the bandwagon.

    He’s only 22 and has great potential. If people thought he would be a superstar striker overnight then they are quite clearly delusional. People need to get behind him and support him.

    As for Kuyt, he is better off the bench once we have a lead – when we’re trying to score he’s a bit too predictable. We need another quality striker and another wideman like Adam Johnson.

    • Jack says:

      @Dave: Stop harping on the excuse that Andy Carroll is only 22 years old. If Pele, Maradonna, Messi, Ronaldo, just to name four, were still learning the ropes at the age of 22, they would never be deemed great players. Andy Carroll, for all he is worth, is ultra slow, blatantly lazy, technically deprived, excessively overrated and has a rotten work rate. At 22, if one does not show how great a player one can become, it’s unlikely that the player concerned will ever truly become a great footballer.

  • Denis Ikechukwu says:

    I think Dave is wright.we need to get a winger,like Adam Johnson.

  • Towson Tom says:

    Its not just Kuyt that Suarez has brought the best out of Meireles and Maxi(eight goals since Suarez arrived with not that much game time) are both on his wavelength, but both could go for the right offer? Andy will make his mark in due course but for now Suarez, Kuyt, Meireles AND Maxi would be in my starting line up

  • Mu says:

    Carrol should be left on the bench and brought on when we 2,3 up for the moment till he finds his form.
    He should also stop falling down for everything like a baby and his body to outmuscle defenders
    Would like him to start against stoke though,that game will be a real indication of how far we’ve come since we never seem to win at the brittania

  • Emmyzy48 says:

    Good defence of carrol,but if all he has is just muscle and height,he should play elsewhere nt liv’pool. Tell urself d truth he’s too slow,stiff n ineffective.

  • Emmyzy48 says:

    Good defence of carrol,but if all he has is just muscle and height,he should play elsewhere nt liv’pool. Tell urself d truth he’s too slow,stiff n ineffective. However u re right we need another quality wideman young could ve been dat guy,but…..

  • David says:

    I personally think it depends on what team we play. I think it is great that we have 3 strikers who are all world class and who are all good at different things. I don’t see why people are slating players, it is pointless. King Kenny will play who he feels will cause the most damage to the opposition. Sometimes he may just play one of them as a lone striker in some games, sometimes I am sure he will play all 3

  • May be Carroll can join the Academy for a while for all benefit nothing is impossible .Carroll is an elemental player they must know , where and how to use him it’s just the begining YNWA

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