Liverpool FC Forum

[JC_81]

I am beginning to think that the answer is no, Crouch cannot play as a lone striker.  It was evident yesterday, and in fact in previous games also that we are far too static in the final third.  This is partly because our wingers are actually not natural wingers, and partly because our centre forward has got absolutely no pace or movement off the ball.

Crouch has been playing well, don't get me wrong, and I think he will be a good signing, but playing up on his own especially in home games is not good enough.  His hold up play is good, he takes the ball down well and has a good touch.  I don't mind playing Crouch up front on his own in tough away games where a draw may be acceptable, but at home and against the lesser teams we need someone with pace alongside him.

Playing Crouch on his own allows us to lump it into the box more often, but the ball over the top is not playable with Crouch, we can't play through balls and turn the opposition defence.  Compare him with Baros who played as a lone striker for us for much of last season.  For all Baros' flaws as a player, he was very useful as a lone striker.  He has excellent movement, was hard to mark and you could play the ball over the top for him. 

My point is that a lone striker has to be more mobile than Crouch is.  We are going to continue to struggle to score in games until Crouch plays alonside someone with pace.  I am not sure Cisse is the answer, but surely he has to be used at least until January when he will probably be replaced.

[tubby]

This cannot be answerd until we have a competant wingers playing. Risse is fine on the left but its on the right we need someone. Rafa has already metioned this and said that we wont see the best of Crouch until we have a good winger which will be Jan.

[The_Rock]

This cannot be answerd until we have a competant wingers playing. Risse is fine on the left but its on the right we need someone. Rafa has already metioned this and said that we wont see the best of Crouch until we have a good winger which will be Jan.

Actually if u think crouch will score loads of goals if he had decent service from the wing.....then i have to disagree with u.


Crouch was never a great goal-scorer. He is not mobile enough. Does not have the pace to get on the end of the crosses if he is marked tightly. He does not even jump well.

He has to have someone to play off him..... He can't do it alone up there.

[Houllier=LFC]

If we gonna persist with Crouch in 4-5-1, then we gotta make sure we throw more support in attack.
Carragher and Hypia behind, our left and right backs should run up to support, and others should be moving to create spaces.
Only Gerrard and Garcia are doing runs constantly.

[SouthCoastShankly]

The thing that confused me is that Crouch has never played the lone striker role, so why did rafa buy him if that was his intention all along. Lone strikers tend to be the complete package - headers, volleys, resonable pace & more than often some sort of creativity.

Crouch needs someone to play off him, not a midfielder but a striker, someone with instinct - Cisse for example!

Maybe Morientes will be more successful in the lone striker role but i'm not convinced by a long way

[greenred]

Have to agree that Crouch doesnt seem to fit into lone striker role.A smaller,nippier guy feeding off his knockdowns would suit him a lot more(think Koller and Baros or Quinn and Robbie Keane).He just doesnt have the all round game for the tactics Liverpool are playing right now.

[Tony S]

still not convinced by the beanpole.. Ok so he has a nice touch, and can hold it up.. but he still cant hit the back of the net.

He is slow as fu* and if anything our style of play has sufferd as the rest of the team see the hoofed ball up top as a solution when we could be knocking it arund the way we can.

As a squad player he is a valuable member, but as our main hit man??Cummon Rafa u know full well this guy is not gonna bring home the EPL, CL or anythingelse - we need a threat in the last 3rd and crouch is not that threat.

Even Mellor is more of an out and out threat than crouch.

I am all for giving players a chance to shine, but somethimes u have to recognise the limitations of a player.

tony S

[HacksawJimDuggin]

He needs a partner playing upfront with him. Stevie G tries when he can to get up there but that sees him pulled out of his best position in the middle of the park. I still can't help but think Cisse would be the ideal partner for Crouch but that does not appear to be a view shared by Rafa. It is evident that we need a wide player on the right but i think we have to look at the striking options. Cisse deserves a chance now. He had a great pre-season but his confidence will be shot now after spending the last month on the bench!

[Tony S]

hacksaw Jim - i agree totally- Cisse nees to be playing week in week out to show what he is really about- dont understand why rafa is persiting with him on the right or as a sub who comes on for 10 minutes...

As much as i hate to say this i think he will be sold in January or the summer

[Ace Ventura]

If the right offer comes in i think its pretty certain that Cisse will go in January.
I think we should be playing 2 strikers, i agree with most that Crouch on his own isn't working, its not his fault he isn't getting either the support or the service and the system clearly isn't working with the players we have.
I wouldnt mind if he starts Pongolle with Crouch, i think they could link pretty well...both are clever with a decent touch, and i think Pongolle has a better all round game than Cisse.
For our next game i would play this team.
                        Reina
Finnan       Carragher  Hyypia     Warnock

Gerrard      Alonso    Sissoko      Garcia

                 Crouch    Pongolle
I know people will probably say dont take Gerrard out of the centre but we are really strong in that area and have no other decent options on the right.
I think that team would bring goals and points until we can get to January and Rafa can hopefully bring the players in he needs.

[red37]

Have to agree that Crouch doesnt seem to fit into lone striker role.A smaller,nippier guy feeding off his knockdowns would suit him a lot more(think Koller and Baros or Quinn and Robbie Keane).He just doesnt have the all round game for the tactics Liverpool are playing right now.

andrew johnson 

[Homebooby]

he's great in the air, strong and can hold the ball up. Dribbling from what I have seen is  a 50/50 thing. Most of his skills lie in setting off someone else on their way or nodding in a cross. He needs the service one way or the other, but he needs one or 2 players to link up with. He isn't sole striker material in my opinion.

I had my doubts about him before the season started, but I really am admiring his grit and determination at the moment.

[Mikz]

Not convinced at all,anything ive seen from him so far i would expect from any premier league striker. He doesnt throw his weight about or whatever weight he has. He looks brittle as if a good tackle would break him in half. Looks slow ,awkward and when he runs hes like big elsie but of course looks can be decieving . I hope they are. 

[hobbes]

Crouch cannot play alone as striker, neither Ciise nor Ponggole and  Garcia. Even while Owen was around he never suited in the 4-5-1 formation.

Liverpool doesn't have anyone with such quality to play alone as forward.

[hobbes]

We need to resort to 4-4-2 or 2-5-2 or 4-3-3.