Source: Liverpool_Echo
DOMINIC KING: Trying times for those Liverpool FC stars who give their best
ONE thing about football that never ceases to amaze is the fact the players who try the hardest tend to receive the most criticism.[LNB]Nobody is questioning a supporters' right to put forward a point of view but it seems a little strange that the men who never hide, never stop running and never settle for second best become figures of scorn.[LNB]Lucas is a good example of that. He could score the winning goal at Old Trafford next Sunday and precede it with the strike that puts Liverpool through to the last eight of the Europa League but it still wouldn't be enough for him to win a popularity contest.[LNB]Clearly the Brazilian has his shortcomings as a player but one aspect in which he does not lack is desire; cast your mind back to the FA Cup defeat against Reading and remember that he was the one trying to salvage a penalty shootout in extra-time.[LNB]Yet when Lucas failed to keep his header down in the dying seconds, having made one last desperate run into the area, he found himself subjected to a multitude of brickbats and cries of 'you're not good enough!'.[LNB]Whisper it quietly but something similar is starting to happen to Dirk Kuyt.[LNB]This has been a difficult campaign for the Dutchman and his form has fluctuated, particularly in recent weeks.[LNB]His touch has been poor, most things he has tried have failed to come off - like that pass at Wigan on Monday night, which Emmerson Boyce gleefully accepted and led to Hugo Rodallega's goal - and his contribution in the final third has been minimal.[LNB]Some have become increasingly bewildered how he has retained his place in the starting line-up, speculating that he is only in the first XI due to the fact he is one of Rafa Benitez's 'favourites'.[LNB]To think that is to do Kuyt a huge disservice and is also insulting to his manager; Benitez doesn't 'do' favouritism, he picks the side he feels will be best served to getting results for Liverpool and it should not surprise that Kuyt figures on that list.[LNB]He might not have the technical abilities of some of his more skilful compatriots - for example, you would never see him score the kind of glorious goal Bayern Munich's Arjen Robben fizzed into Fiorentina's net on Tuesday night - nor does he have great pace.[LNB]But Kuyt's attributes are just as important; he is a model professional, has worked tirelessly to get the very best out of his limited ability and the way he runs and harries to lift the Reds is to be admired.
