Liverpool FC Forum

by **Reg** » Sun Aug 08, 2010 12:50 am

Roy Hodgson lines up £10m raid to bring Peter Crouch back to Anfield
8th August 2010

Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson wants to take Peter Crouch back to Anfield two years after he was shown the door by Rafa Benitez.

Hodgson has made solving Liverpool’s striker shortage his priority and is ready to test Harry Redknapp’s resolve to keep Crouch at Tottenham with a £10million offer.

Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher, who played with Crouch at Anfield, have sung his praises to their new manager and Hodgson believes the 6ft 7in England international would be able to either play alongside Fernando Torres or step in whenever the Spaniard is injured or needs a rest.

Despite Liverpool’s financial problems with the club currently up for sale, Hodgson will be given money for a new striker if Javier Mascherano rejoins Benitez, now in charge at Inter Milan, in a £20m deal or signs for Barcelona.

He is keen to continue bolstering the English contingent in his squad, having already signed Joe Cole from Chelsea on a Bosman.

Intriguingly, Crouch may be tempted by the opportunity to complete unfinished business at Anfield despite the lure of Champions League football at Spurs.

He helped Liverpool win the FA Cup and reach the Champions League final in three seasons at the club but was sold by Benitez to Portsmouth in 2008 to make way for Robbie Keane.
However, the success of Hodgson’s mission would still depend on the attitude of Tottenham boss Redknapp. He has managed Crouch at three clubs - Southampton, Portsmouth and Spurs - and would only sell if chairman Daniel Levy backs his plans to bring in other targets Ashley Young of Aston Villa, Sevilla’s Brazil striker Luis Fabiano, AC Milan’s Klaas Jan Huntelaar and Craig Bellamy of Manchester City.

Redknapp has so far been frustrated in the transfer market, with Levy waiting to see if Spurs beat Young Boys of Berne in a two-leg qualifying round later this month to reach the Champions League group stage.
Spurs want to reduce their squad but have not been able to so far shift players like David Bentley, Jermaine Jenas and Roman Pavlyuchenko, who are surplus to requirements.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport....y1Ftnt3
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I'm in 2 minds about this as whilst Crouchie is a 'nice lad', he's not the future.

by **zarababe** » Sun Aug 08, 2010 12:53 am

Oh please no...

please don't let it be true..

by **Dundalk** » Sun Aug 08, 2010 12:54 am

Yeah I'd have him back, a good player to have in the squad and is always good for a goal

by **aCe'** » Sun Aug 08, 2010 2:43 am

With the squad we have now, I'd rather we signed someone with good technique who could connect better with the players behind him...

Vucinic would be my pick for the role but he'd probably cost double the reported 10mill we're offering Crouch..

Crouch isnt a bad player and he would be an improvement on Ngog at all levels... Just not sure whether he's the 'type' of striker we should be looking to sign..

by **Reinas No.1 Fan** » Sun Aug 08, 2010 4:31 am

Please No, kiss that pretty footy we played on Thursday if he arrives. Two steps back IMO

by **Owzat** » Sun Aug 08, 2010 9:59 am

zarababe wrote:Oh please no... please don't let it be true..

I have this tune running through my head, 2unlimited I think :

"no no, no no no no, no no no no, no no no to crouchie"

Reinas No.1 Fan wrote:Please No, kiss that pretty footy we played on Thursday if he arrives. Two steps back IMO

Exactly - or more like two giant giraffe strides. Add to that he's another player the wrong side of 27 (as an upper age limit we'd prefer signings to be below) and turns 30 in January. I know plenty like to rave about what he "brings to a team" because there isn't much else to rave about, but he's an ordinary footballer who can look great on his day, given space he's the next Messi and he does have a tendancy to strike the ball sweetly. Problem is you have to wait some time and through missed chances to get those sweet strikes.

Let's move FORWARD, if we're going to go back then at least pick a player who is young and better than Crouch. While some alway inevitably point to his international record, I will get in the point that half his goals are in friendlies and the rest against rubbish sides, much like his goals for us

FRIENDLIES (11)

1 v Mexico - FIVE 2nd round exits in a row at the World Cup
2 v Egypt - haven't qualified for the World Cup since 1990
1 v Austria - haven't qualified for a major tournament since 1998 (except as co-hosts which isn't qualifying per se)
2 v Greece (W4-0)
3 v Jamaica (W6-0) - only World Cup appearance was 1998
1 v Hungary - haven't qualified for a major tournament since 1986
1 v Uruguay - had to cheat to get to the semis

COMPETITIVE (10)

2 v Belarus - no major tournament appearances
1 v Andorra - no major tournament appearances
1 v Ukraine
1 v Croatia
1 v Estonia - no major tournament appearances
1 v Macedonia - no major tournament appearances
2 v Andorra - no major tournament appearances
1 v Trinidad/Tobago (WC finals) - only World Cup appearance in 2006

He certainly is handy for sticking goals past rubbish sides, with the odd exception, and especially in friendlies.

by **only me** » Sun Aug 08, 2010 11:00 am

I wish! The best player to play in Liverpool Ever!

by **kawaton** » Sun Aug 08, 2010 11:41 am

Owzat wrote:
zarababe wrote:Oh please no... please don't let it be true..

I have this tune running through my head, 2unlimited I think :

"no no, no no no no, no no no no, no no no to crouchie"

Reinas No.1 Fan wrote:Please No, kiss that pretty footy we played on Thursday if he arrives. Two steps back IMO

Exactly - or more like two giant giraffe strides. Add to that he's another player the wrong side of 27 (as an upper age limit we'd prefer signings to be below) and turns 30 in January. I know plenty like to rave about what he "brings to a team" because there isn't much else to rave about, but he's an ordinary footballer who can look great on his day, given space he's the next Messi and he does have a tendancy to strike the ball sweetly. Problem is you have to wait some time and through missed chances to get those sweet strikes.

Let's move FORWARD, if we're going to go back then at least pick a player who is young and better than Crouch. While some alway inevitably point to his international record, I will get in the point that half his goals are in friendlies and the rest against rubbish sides, much like his goals for us

FRIENDLIES (11)

1 v Mexico - FIVE 2nd round exits in a row at the World Cup
2 v Egypt - haven't qualified for the World Cup since 1990
1 v Austria - haven't qualified for a major tournament since 1998 (except as co-hosts which isn't qualifying per se)
2 v Greece (W4-0)
3 v Jamaica (W6-0) - only World Cup appearance was 1998
1 v Hungary - haven't qualified for a major tournament since 1986
1 v Uruguay - had to cheat to get to the semis

COMPETITIVE (10)

2 v Belarus - no major tournament appearances
1 v Andorra - no major tournament appearances
1 v Ukraine
1 v Croatia
1 v Estonia - no major tournament appearances
1 v Macedonia - no major tournament appearances
2 v Andorra - no major tournament appearances
1 v Trinidad/Tobago (WC finals) - only World Cup appearance in 2006

He certainly is handy for sticking goals past rubbish sides, with the odd exception, and especially in friendlies.

Haven't we struggled to break down :censored:

sides in recent years?

by **bunglemark2** » Sun Aug 08, 2010 12:58 pm

FFS, he left 'cos he wouldn't sit on the bench and play second fiddle to Torres. Unless Hodgson is going to buck the trend followed by EVERY international setup and play 4-4-2 instead of another formation, there is NO place on the team for Crouch. Ergo, he won't come back...

by **PabloMedina28** » Sun Aug 08, 2010 2:08 pm

Pleaase no if we want an english striker id rather get Connor Wickham

by **mart** » Sun Aug 08, 2010 2:40 pm

I hope not.

by **Greavesie** » Sun Aug 08, 2010 4:37 pm

not a bad player to have in the squad but £10m?! I dont think so

by **rocky29** » Sun Aug 08, 2010 4:58 pm

crouch is only good as an impact sub when things aernt going right. dont get me wrong i like the guy just reminds me of kuyt abit clumsy and not a clinical finisher. wouldnt real madrid swap mash for benzema?

by **Dundalk** » Sun Aug 08, 2010 5:12 pm

by **tubby** » Sun Aug 08, 2010 6:26 pm

He didn't want to play 2nd fiddle to Torres before so why would he be happy to do it again? Surely there are better options out there than Peter Crouch?

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