Babel has never really lived up to the expectations of most of the fans but, personally, despite the lack of a first touch etc, I’d sooner Babel to Kuyt and think it reflects on Benitez’s limitations, as a manager, as much as Babel’s as a player, that we haven’t seen better from him. Pace isn’t everything but it unsettles defenders and this can sometimes be enough to alter the course of a game.
In the Holland friendly Babel appeared to be quite a handful for Johnson and it is interesting that the Dutch should consider playing him when, to most of us, he appears to lack the sort of cultured style one expects from Dutch players. I just wonder if there’s a whole different Ryan Babel that we haven’t seen playing for LFC. Benitez seems happy to persevere with him despite all of his short comings and those include his off field antics, as well.
To be honest, I wouldn’t want rid of Babel unless a new manager took a look at him and decided that he wasn’t right and, at the moment, it’s difficult to see just when any new manger might arrive. As things stand at present, I’d sooner we sold Kuyt. I like the player (kuyt) but he is getting on and offers very little edge in his favoured position. Perhaps he should move to right back and swap with Johnson. If Kuyt’s tenacity were targeted into defence we might be better off.
