The Dutchman arrived at Anfield in the summer of 2006, just after the Reds lifted the FA Cup, and has yet to win any silverware with the club. If the Reds endure another barren season, Kuyt will become the longest-serving Liverpool player in 40 years to have never won a trophy at the club. The Reds are not in Europe this term and Kuyt accepts their best chance of success may lie in the Carling Cup, ahead of Wednesday's trip to Stoke in the competition. "In all my time as a Liverpool player I have been close to winning trophies," he said. "There was the Champions League final, the semi-final and coming second in the Premier League. "We have been close but it is now time to get some silverware. "Not being involved in Europe is a major blow to the club so the Carling Cup is a great trophy to win because we're all desperate to win something. "Last season was such a disappointment, this one is all about improvement and we can achieve that by doing well in this competition. "The Carling Cup is being taken very seriously and hopefully we can use the bad taste we have in our mouth, because of our frustration in the league, in a positive way." Kuyt recognises that it will be difficult to get past Stoke at the Britannia Stadium, but insists Liverpool can compete physically with Tony Pulis' side. "We're not the only team that struggles there. It is because they are such a strong, physical team," said Kuyt. "There are a lot of long balls and second balls, and good throw-ins from which they score a lot of goals. "It makes it one of the most difficult games in the league, but we can be a strong, physical team as well. "If we create as many chances as we have been doing, we will be happy, but the only thing that has to change is the number of goals we score."
