Brought to London from Nigeria as an 11 year old Victor Moses joined Crystal Palace after being spotted playing in South London park leagues.
Though quiet and far more unassuming than most of his contemporaries there was no doubting his natural talent and a number of decent goalscoring records in the junior ranks - 50 in one season as an under 14 - was further evidence of his ability.
So too his starring role in the 2005 Schools Cup final when he scored all the goals in a 5-0 win over a team from Grimsby in shirts as scarlet as their faces were left on the final whistle.
The Grimsby Evening Telegraph’s headline said it all: "Holy Moses - Wonder Player Parts Red Sea".
A first team debut with Palace came at 16 in November 2007 and after a brief hiatus he has remained a fixture in the Palace side.
Half a dozen goals in the current campaign his second full season and a string of rave reviews in each of the many scouting reports filed on him means the Eagles hold the hottest property in domestic football.
Eyed up by a clutch of Premiership and European clubs including Real Madrid the world and a bright future in the game is literally at the teenager’s feet.
Moses plays through the middle or wide on either flank. However, despite turning out mostly on the left over the past few months he is hugely effective in a central role including that of second striker.
Ryan Babel is a similar type of player though perhaps not the best measure as while the Dutchman has everything a top striker needs plus immense versatility he is seemingly nearing the end of his stay at Anfield.
By contrast Moses possibly because of trauma suffered back in his homeland where his parents were killed as a result of religious violence seems to have the drive to reach the top of his profession.
He will seemingly bust a gut to get there which along with his natural ability makes him a valuable asset and a sharp relief to Babel.
Neil Warnock is not Liverpool’s or indeed Rafa Benitez’s biggest fan after the denouement to the 2006-07 campaign but would not stand in the player’s way if he opted to continue his career on Merseyside.
He couldn’t in any case. Acute financial problems make a sale inevitable and club officials admit it is possibly imminent as agreements with more than one club are set to be sealed. The rest will be up to the player.
Liverpool have in the past missed out on young talent by allowing others to plunder deals which were more or less done as the person then in charge of negotiations dithered, switched off his mobile or fax. Most galling of all because he was receiving specialist coaching at Melwood.
The Reds are said to be amongst the keenest clubs negotiating with Simon Jordan.
Many deals mooted have been loan options with a permanent switch in the summer. However, this option is unlikely to smooth any wrinkles in negotiations unless there is a huge down payment which would at least settle Palace’s outstanding tax liabilities.
It could be the best for the player who would at least remain a regular part of one team’s first team picture rather than got lost in development ahead of being gradually unleashed on top flight backlines. Though he will not remain at Selhurst Park unless Moses goes back until June to Croydon having been bought by another club.
Though strong, full of pace, skilled and able to find the net he confounds experienced and hardened defenders through good technique. Almost certainly ready for a sterner test as he has been schooled in a manner hosts of promising youngsters from the nation’s top clubs have troden.
A player who would fit into any squad and not a bad shout for Liverpool in the short term given that there is a need for a strong and direct presence. Whether it is fair to that the burden of shadowing and replacing Fernando Torres when the Spaniard is out should rest on his shoulders like it has done on davis Ngog is another question.
Showing posts with label Ryan Babel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ryan Babel. Show all posts
Sunday, 17 January 2010
Thursday, 12 November 2009
More than just a fall guy
Received wisdom has it that minus Fernando Torres Liverpool are devoid of a goal threat. The other strikers on the books are deemed too poor - Andriy Voronin, too fragile and lacking in belief - Ryan Babel or simply unproved - David N’Gog.
Below that are a host of other youngsters still to show their worth at anything higher than reserve level. There is plenty of promise in the likes of Danny Pacheco, Nathan Eccleston and Krisztián Németh who is gaining experience and plaudits in Greece but as yet nothing more.
For Liverpool Voronin has been worth something in the region of his fee. Absolute zero. Something of a lumbering beast complete with a ponytail which can make him a figure of fun amongst his own fans let alone others. He often seems to believe the world is against him and is a man no longer happy in his surroundings. Someone simply going through the motions.
Many ask just how he can have performed with such apparent distinction for Hertha Berlin and be so well considered in Germany. The answer is somewhat straightforward. The Bundesliga is nowhere near being the best league in Europe. Below a certain level the standard on offer is quite poor certainly lacking the Premiership’s depth. It is behind Serie A plus a host of others and certainly La Liga. The most satisfying for those who like to see a consistently high technical grade of football.
Hertha were a team who held a specific brief under Lucien Favre relying largely on their resilience and ability to frustrate. A deep sitting counterattacking outfit for whom the broody Ukrainian exploited a huge benefit from due to drills on the training ground. He knew the places to run and how the ball would be played.
Against Lyon he had a gilt edged opportunity to grab an early and what could have proved a crucial lead. He accelerated away from Jeremy Toulalan to reach Javier Mascherano’s throughball. It was the type of chance he snaffled with Berlin but his shot lacked not just confidence but conviction making the block far easier than it could have been.
Babel cannot be considered any sort of replacement for Torres. His strengths lie in the support role but in that and other areas his ability only flickers at times. It’s fair to point out - as others have done - his Liverpool career is summed up by his appearance from the bench away to Lyon. A thunderbolt from 25 yards followed a intuitive step away to make room with virtually 11 men behind the ball. A few minutes later rather than swing a free-kick into the box he arced it out for a throw-in.
N’Gog can at times look like Bambi skinny legs pumping and feet untidy but has shown a certain amount off composure in front of goal.
Putting his controversial winning of the penalty against Birmingham to one side during that same game in order to get into the area he skipped past challenges travelling somewhere in the region of 30 yards to put himself in the perfect position for a pull back. In addition to taking his goal well he sought to lay on chances which is certainly an area of his game not opened to much scrutiny.
Maybe those who offer opinion on the game should simply watch and question what they think they know.
Quite clearly able to perform in the top flight not to mention Europe where he has often looked equally well equipped he is too good to be considered anything other than a bona fide member of the first team.
Liverpool’s bench has come under great scrutiny this term and along with those youth team products who have gained a seat recently there is so often a clamour to see N’Gog lumped into the list of weaknesses available as replacements. Based on nothing more than his age, some poor control, a sometimes awkward style as the arms flail out and £1.5 million fee. One which should seem paltry and highlight what a fine piece of business his recruitment has been.
Keeping scrutiny on a theme of substitution, which is where N'Gog's immediate Anfield future lies, though he lacks the impact Babel can but so often rarely provides the young Frenchman’s ability to attune to the rhythm of a game - no matter when he is introduced - bodes well for the future.
Below that are a host of other youngsters still to show their worth at anything higher than reserve level. There is plenty of promise in the likes of Danny Pacheco, Nathan Eccleston and Krisztián Németh who is gaining experience and plaudits in Greece but as yet nothing more.
For Liverpool Voronin has been worth something in the region of his fee. Absolute zero. Something of a lumbering beast complete with a ponytail which can make him a figure of fun amongst his own fans let alone others. He often seems to believe the world is against him and is a man no longer happy in his surroundings. Someone simply going through the motions.
Many ask just how he can have performed with such apparent distinction for Hertha Berlin and be so well considered in Germany. The answer is somewhat straightforward. The Bundesliga is nowhere near being the best league in Europe. Below a certain level the standard on offer is quite poor certainly lacking the Premiership’s depth. It is behind Serie A plus a host of others and certainly La Liga. The most satisfying for those who like to see a consistently high technical grade of football.
Hertha were a team who held a specific brief under Lucien Favre relying largely on their resilience and ability to frustrate. A deep sitting counterattacking outfit for whom the broody Ukrainian exploited a huge benefit from due to drills on the training ground. He knew the places to run and how the ball would be played.
Against Lyon he had a gilt edged opportunity to grab an early and what could have proved a crucial lead. He accelerated away from Jeremy Toulalan to reach Javier Mascherano’s throughball. It was the type of chance he snaffled with Berlin but his shot lacked not just confidence but conviction making the block far easier than it could have been.
Babel cannot be considered any sort of replacement for Torres. His strengths lie in the support role but in that and other areas his ability only flickers at times. It’s fair to point out - as others have done - his Liverpool career is summed up by his appearance from the bench away to Lyon. A thunderbolt from 25 yards followed a intuitive step away to make room with virtually 11 men behind the ball. A few minutes later rather than swing a free-kick into the box he arced it out for a throw-in.
N’Gog can at times look like Bambi skinny legs pumping and feet untidy but has shown a certain amount off composure in front of goal.
Putting his controversial winning of the penalty against Birmingham to one side during that same game in order to get into the area he skipped past challenges travelling somewhere in the region of 30 yards to put himself in the perfect position for a pull back. In addition to taking his goal well he sought to lay on chances which is certainly an area of his game not opened to much scrutiny.
Maybe those who offer opinion on the game should simply watch and question what they think they know.
Quite clearly able to perform in the top flight not to mention Europe where he has often looked equally well equipped he is too good to be considered anything other than a bona fide member of the first team.
Liverpool’s bench has come under great scrutiny this term and along with those youth team products who have gained a seat recently there is so often a clamour to see N’Gog lumped into the list of weaknesses available as replacements. Based on nothing more than his age, some poor control, a sometimes awkward style as the arms flail out and £1.5 million fee. One which should seem paltry and highlight what a fine piece of business his recruitment has been.
Keeping scrutiny on a theme of substitution, which is where N'Gog's immediate Anfield future lies, though he lacks the impact Babel can but so often rarely provides the young Frenchman’s ability to attune to the rhythm of a game - no matter when he is introduced - bodes well for the future.
Sunday, 6 September 2009
Babbling on
“The difference between players is not always the quality but their mentality.”
Rafael Benítez
Ryan Babel is just one in a long line of players stretching back many years to have discussed his frustrations about having a limited amount of time on the field. Sometimes it will be the first step towards the exit door.
More often than not it will spur a player on to work harder and give the manager a problem. It’s something the young Dutchman has done for over a year at a rough count. At one stage how the forward reacted would have told Rafa Benitez and the Liverpool fans much about his future at Anfield.
There is little problem with players moaning about the chances they receive. During the 1970s and 1980s plus much of the century’s last decade The Reds’ second string was full of professionals doing much the same thing to Roy Evans, Chris Lawler and subsequently Phil Thompson then Sammy Lee. They too were as often as not internationals desperate for an opportunity to arise but at least got a regular game no matter what the level. That isn’t something afforded to the current first team squad unless they are coming back from injury and even then rehabilitation can be carried out at Melwood with a return made in the first team rather than second string.
Though he failed to get anything above junior honours for England David Fairclough was one of those players who could walk in to most top flight teams yet at Anfield, for the most part, had to be content with the Central League. In eight seasons he made just over 150 senior outings but introductions from the bench contributed 62 appearances to that number. He featured as a non-playing substitute on 74 further occasions.
That Fairclough didn’t start so often was in part due to the quality ahead of him. He had to break through the pairing of Kevin Keegan and John Toshack then had not only Kenny Dalglish but Ian Rush to contend with nearer to the time he left Anfield. David Johnson also blocked his path for a spell.
Amongst his first notable contributions to Liverpool was pepping things up towards the end of the 1975-76 season as Queens Park Rangers threatened to pip Liverpool to the title. If The Reds had missed out there would have been no subsequent European Cup campaign and while the trophy may not have been headed towards Shepherds Bush some other club would certainly have tasted glory in Rome. It would also have meant that one of David’s most memorable games - against St Etienne at the quarter-final stage would never have taken place.
That same fixture has probably haunted David as to some extent it cemented his reputation as an impact player or a wildcard who would shake up the pattern of a troublesome game. He so often delivered just that and found vital goals. It earned him the nickname “Supersub” which was a tag he probably resented with the same passion displayed while turning out for Liverpool.
Part of the reason for that was that it obscured his ability and became all the wider public knew about him. Yet he was a fine player in his own right.
He would have got more opportunity in the modern game but with the exception of European competitions only one substitute was allowed throughout his career which not only gave the manager a decision to make over the type of player he wanted in the number 12 shirt - a forward wasn’t always preferred - but also lent itself to more frugal use of the replacement as tactical changes were a huge gamble and a hope that everyone else would come through unscathed.
Fairclough had exceptional pace, no small amount of skill but was also wildly unpredictable which scared defenders. Even his teammates had no idea what the striker would do in any given situation. He also had a tendency to drift in and out of matches.
Like his predecessor Ryan Babel scored an exceptional goal in the last eight of a European Cup match which helped see Liverpool through even if it was not the critical goal. Some of the actual similarities in the build up are striking such as ball out of a pressured defence chased down field and won even when the defender looked favourite to win the sprint having had a yard or so start.
Unfortunately something else is also clearly evident. When his amazing ability fails to reap a reward and this has summed up much of his contribution in the past few months his head and confidence drops.
In the former case literally as he fails to look around for options and just hammers forward. With the exception of his winning goal against Manchester United last term - which wasn’t his cleanest strike - so little has come off dueing the last 12 months. He will look devastating during a move than a second later yields the ball.
In so many ways Babel is also bedevilled by his versatility - so often a most skilful player’s worst enemy.
Though able to turn out on the left wing and he often did so during his first season it is not his favoured nor best position. His boots rarely brushed the whitewash and his tendency to come inside robbed Liverpool of the width he should have provided and saw him run straight into traffic gathered around the penalty area. Not only that the weapon of a cross into the middle was also lost unless someone overlapped. Full-backs would be hesitant to do so in case they were caught up field.
His fleetness of foot, physique not to mention his ability to beat players and score goals as a result of his preparatory work has been compared to a player of more recent times - Thierry Henry - since his teens. However, the former Arsenal man was a winger converted into a forward. Not vice-versa and that switch from centre to flank would not seem likely to be productive in this case. Arsene Wenger built not so much a team around Henry as one designed to service his needs and which allowed him to roam across the line even though he was a central striker.
That eventually proved a downfall which the Gunners are still attempting to redress.
Rafael Benitez will not indulge any player to that extent. At on stage that didn’t necessarily mean there was no future for Ryan as long as he became part of a team ethic and did well within it by listening to the manager and what is expected of him then carrying those instructions out.
In addition to issues of self-belief and ensuring he doesn’t lose his focus there are tactical matters he needs to address. These will improve as a matter of course but can be honed with work on the training field which will transfer itself on the pitch.
At his fastest and most potent there are few better in the role he would hope to fill as a second striker.
Running across the field as well as causing trouble with his speed along the ground when going straight ahead would make Babel a huge danger for any backline but without any overwhelming performances on the pitch the presence of others who can will carry out a specified task mitigates against that sort of role right now. Sometimes a move needs to be varied. That can be with a pass forwards, sideways or even behind as long as there is a change which doesn’t lose any impetus.
Ryan has the potential to be a similar player to a Thierry Henry but for that to be turned into reality requires some belief. The manager and fans have shown overshelming patience but with little reward in return. and believe in him.
The player himself needed to show the same virtue as well as persistence but in his half-baked plan to ensure he doesn't miss the World Cup of a loan with Ajax come January demonstrates he simply is not willing to match the example of a man signed during the same summer Yossi Benayoun.
Israel's captain may have more experience and seniority within the game but has found it equally difficult to cement a place in the first team for much of his time at Anfield.
However, at every given opportunity Benayoun makes the most of his chances and attempts to make himself as indispensable as possible to the manager's plans. The approach has paid off with not only a new contract but every chance of a starting place rather than some time warming teh bench or looking on from the directors' box.
After initially being dropped for Holland's round of fixtures this week Babel, recalled due to an injury suffered by Ibrahim Afellay, spoke to journalists and complained about not getting the playing time he was promised during the summer plus being dropped after a poor opening day outing against Tottenham.
Has performances that Sunday afternoon and many so far in a Liverpool shirt would not have earned a starting place at any level of football let alone the top flight. Stating he has been merely going through the motions would be a compliment.
Yet for some reason Ryan feels entitled to obtain a return to Amsterdam yet retain his Premiership kudos and no doubt the wage which comes with it.
His plea suggests he has already decided he is not likely or willing to put in five months hard work and will merely wait to see if an exit can be engineered.
Rafael Benítez
Ryan Babel is just one in a long line of players stretching back many years to have discussed his frustrations about having a limited amount of time on the field. Sometimes it will be the first step towards the exit door.
More often than not it will spur a player on to work harder and give the manager a problem. It’s something the young Dutchman has done for over a year at a rough count. At one stage how the forward reacted would have told Rafa Benitez and the Liverpool fans much about his future at Anfield.
There is little problem with players moaning about the chances they receive. During the 1970s and 1980s plus much of the century’s last decade The Reds’ second string was full of professionals doing much the same thing to Roy Evans, Chris Lawler and subsequently Phil Thompson then Sammy Lee. They too were as often as not internationals desperate for an opportunity to arise but at least got a regular game no matter what the level. That isn’t something afforded to the current first team squad unless they are coming back from injury and even then rehabilitation can be carried out at Melwood with a return made in the first team rather than second string.
Though he failed to get anything above junior honours for England David Fairclough was one of those players who could walk in to most top flight teams yet at Anfield, for the most part, had to be content with the Central League. In eight seasons he made just over 150 senior outings but introductions from the bench contributed 62 appearances to that number. He featured as a non-playing substitute on 74 further occasions.
That Fairclough didn’t start so often was in part due to the quality ahead of him. He had to break through the pairing of Kevin Keegan and John Toshack then had not only Kenny Dalglish but Ian Rush to contend with nearer to the time he left Anfield. David Johnson also blocked his path for a spell.
Amongst his first notable contributions to Liverpool was pepping things up towards the end of the 1975-76 season as Queens Park Rangers threatened to pip Liverpool to the title. If The Reds had missed out there would have been no subsequent European Cup campaign and while the trophy may not have been headed towards Shepherds Bush some other club would certainly have tasted glory in Rome. It would also have meant that one of David’s most memorable games - against St Etienne at the quarter-final stage would never have taken place.
That same fixture has probably haunted David as to some extent it cemented his reputation as an impact player or a wildcard who would shake up the pattern of a troublesome game. He so often delivered just that and found vital goals. It earned him the nickname “Supersub” which was a tag he probably resented with the same passion displayed while turning out for Liverpool.
Part of the reason for that was that it obscured his ability and became all the wider public knew about him. Yet he was a fine player in his own right.
He would have got more opportunity in the modern game but with the exception of European competitions only one substitute was allowed throughout his career which not only gave the manager a decision to make over the type of player he wanted in the number 12 shirt - a forward wasn’t always preferred - but also lent itself to more frugal use of the replacement as tactical changes were a huge gamble and a hope that everyone else would come through unscathed.
Fairclough had exceptional pace, no small amount of skill but was also wildly unpredictable which scared defenders. Even his teammates had no idea what the striker would do in any given situation. He also had a tendency to drift in and out of matches.
Like his predecessor Ryan Babel scored an exceptional goal in the last eight of a European Cup match which helped see Liverpool through even if it was not the critical goal. Some of the actual similarities in the build up are striking such as ball out of a pressured defence chased down field and won even when the defender looked favourite to win the sprint having had a yard or so start.
Unfortunately something else is also clearly evident. When his amazing ability fails to reap a reward and this has summed up much of his contribution in the past few months his head and confidence drops.
In the former case literally as he fails to look around for options and just hammers forward. With the exception of his winning goal against Manchester United last term - which wasn’t his cleanest strike - so little has come off dueing the last 12 months. He will look devastating during a move than a second later yields the ball.
In so many ways Babel is also bedevilled by his versatility - so often a most skilful player’s worst enemy.
Though able to turn out on the left wing and he often did so during his first season it is not his favoured nor best position. His boots rarely brushed the whitewash and his tendency to come inside robbed Liverpool of the width he should have provided and saw him run straight into traffic gathered around the penalty area. Not only that the weapon of a cross into the middle was also lost unless someone overlapped. Full-backs would be hesitant to do so in case they were caught up field.
His fleetness of foot, physique not to mention his ability to beat players and score goals as a result of his preparatory work has been compared to a player of more recent times - Thierry Henry - since his teens. However, the former Arsenal man was a winger converted into a forward. Not vice-versa and that switch from centre to flank would not seem likely to be productive in this case. Arsene Wenger built not so much a team around Henry as one designed to service his needs and which allowed him to roam across the line even though he was a central striker.
That eventually proved a downfall which the Gunners are still attempting to redress.
Rafael Benitez will not indulge any player to that extent. At on stage that didn’t necessarily mean there was no future for Ryan as long as he became part of a team ethic and did well within it by listening to the manager and what is expected of him then carrying those instructions out.
In addition to issues of self-belief and ensuring he doesn’t lose his focus there are tactical matters he needs to address. These will improve as a matter of course but can be honed with work on the training field which will transfer itself on the pitch.
At his fastest and most potent there are few better in the role he would hope to fill as a second striker.
Running across the field as well as causing trouble with his speed along the ground when going straight ahead would make Babel a huge danger for any backline but without any overwhelming performances on the pitch the presence of others who can will carry out a specified task mitigates against that sort of role right now. Sometimes a move needs to be varied. That can be with a pass forwards, sideways or even behind as long as there is a change which doesn’t lose any impetus.
Ryan has the potential to be a similar player to a Thierry Henry but for that to be turned into reality requires some belief. The manager and fans have shown overshelming patience but with little reward in return. and believe in him.
The player himself needed to show the same virtue as well as persistence but in his half-baked plan to ensure he doesn't miss the World Cup of a loan with Ajax come January demonstrates he simply is not willing to match the example of a man signed during the same summer Yossi Benayoun.
Israel's captain may have more experience and seniority within the game but has found it equally difficult to cement a place in the first team for much of his time at Anfield.
However, at every given opportunity Benayoun makes the most of his chances and attempts to make himself as indispensable as possible to the manager's plans. The approach has paid off with not only a new contract but every chance of a starting place rather than some time warming teh bench or looking on from the directors' box.
After initially being dropped for Holland's round of fixtures this week Babel, recalled due to an injury suffered by Ibrahim Afellay, spoke to journalists and complained about not getting the playing time he was promised during the summer plus being dropped after a poor opening day outing against Tottenham.
Has performances that Sunday afternoon and many so far in a Liverpool shirt would not have earned a starting place at any level of football let alone the top flight. Stating he has been merely going through the motions would be a compliment.
Yet for some reason Ryan feels entitled to obtain a return to Amsterdam yet retain his Premiership kudos and no doubt the wage which comes with it.
His plea suggests he has already decided he is not likely or willing to put in five months hard work and will merely wait to see if an exit can be engineered.
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