Liverpool FC Forum

by **teamleader1** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 5:31 pm

IMO its way to early to make a judgement on crouch,
To be honest ive been pleasantly suprised by him and I believe he will go on to be a real asset for the team, its up to the manager to get the best out of him and Im sure rafa will do just that
I think his treatment playing for england was a fkn disgrace and its up to us to give him the kind of support we gave cissi in the blackburn game
I feel with our support and a bit of luck he will silence all the critics

by **Scottbot** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 5:38 pm

Crouch is an easy scapegoat but i think most people (at least those who have seen much football this season) have to admit the lad has done ok so far. No, he certainly isn't gonna score 20 goals a season (if hear this bandied about much more i think i'm gonna scream!), he isn't going to skin four defenders and score the spectacular goal but i still believe he will come good when the boss figures out how best to use him. My first choice paring would be Crouch-Cisse. Second choice would be Crouch-Pongo.

by **bigmick** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 5:42 pm

Whenever I make a negative judgement on a player and people say it's too early it frustrates the life out of me. 'It might be too early for you to make a judgement, but this is mine' is my normal response. I usually follow that with, 'would anybody care to say here and now that I'm wrong and the fella will be a success rather than criticising me for making an early call?' Invariably at this point it all goes quiet.
So I'm not going to do that here. I'm not going to say it's too early. I'm not going to say give the lad time, though I hope people do. If people are criticising Crouch already (and FWIW the excellent post which started the thread certainly wasn't critical of the big man) then the only reasonable rsponse if you rate him is to say so.

So here goes. I rate Crouch and think he's a very good player. I was happy when we were in for him and happier when we signed him. At his age and with his ability I think he represents value for money at 7 million quid. I think his start has been an average one in a misfiring team and formation but I think he will improve drastically. I think that by the end of the season there will be very few people who wouldn't say he was a good buy. I'm not saying give the bloke three seasons, I reckon we will see within a matter of weeks a dramatic improvement and all it needs is a goal and for that reason I hope he starts and scores tomorrow night. There, that's my neck on the block.

by **NiftyNeil** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 5:51 pm

It was said that he was bought for a more physical presence in away fixtures, so it does baffle me too why he did not start on saturday. The game was begging for him to come on early in the second half when Cisse was running riot down the right. Rafa's decisions baffled me on saturday - I only hope that he learns from this.

by **parchpea** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 7:04 pm

I was unhappy at the purchase of Crouch. I dont think hes good enough. For him to stand any chance of making an impression at Liverpool I felt he needed to get off to a flier. Get a few goals and win us over, give himself the beleif he can do it at this level. Afterall, hes been a reject at all the top clubs hes played for. This has not materialised and now hes slipping back to where hes drifted before, the bench. I think Crouch has lost his way already but in fairness he is out of his depth. A terrible buy.

by **andy_g** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 7:28 pm

crouch didn't play on saturday in the kind of game he was ostensibly bought for beacuse he was being rested - the lads had a lot of work in recent weeks and we have other strikers that need games. i don't see it as particularly reasonable to be getting on crouchies back too much (i know, i know, you'd need a feckin big ladder etc etc...) as the lack of scoring isn't just him. if all the other forwards and midfielders were banging in goals left, right and centre and crouch wasn't then maybe there'd be grounds for complaint. as it is he just seems to be joining garcia, morientes, kewell, traore and josemi on the long list of liverpool scapegoats. it has to be obvious that the problems in scoring or dominating teams lies with the whole team and not just any individual doesn't it?

by **KOPMATT** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 8:44 pm

Thanx Neil, i did find that reply quite funny. Just making my observation and ginving my opinion for what it's worth. I dearly hope I'm proved wrong! I would like to see Crouch & Cisse start tomorrow maybe a few more games and a goal may build his confidence?

matt

YNWA

by **Red squirrel** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 10:22 pm

I like Crouch but ive got to admit that im not totaly convinced yet. 7 Mil was definately too much for him but if he can start finding the net im sure we'll all love him. My main concern is his lack of pace. How can someone with 5ft legs run so slow? Surely one of his paces to anyone elses is a massive head start to say the least!!

by **76-1115222408** » Tue Oct 25, 2005 11:05 pm

Just home from the game and WTF!! Oh, boy I am so angry, I dont get to see the team as often as I used to, especially not at Anfield, so I get two games in a week (I live in London!) to go to, and they are both f.ucking sh.it.....FFS!!!

Well, I started this thread because of the irony I saw in the Crouch buy, playing better in europe than he does in the supposed games he was bought for!

Now the irony continues, as another 'away' game against a team YOU KNOW are up for a battle (an Ian Dowie team) and would hope that Crouch would be up for too, and he gets bullied and roughed up for 90mins!
This guy, has ability, that I dont deny, but the irony gets worse.

He is 6ft 7in and he isnt even good in the air. No, ok, he is good at flick ons etc; actually he is very good at that (when not bullied to get to it) but he doesnt ever look like scoring with his HEAD. How ironic, is that eh?
So if he is not that good in the air (in an attacking/goalthreat sense!) but is good on the deck, then surely we should have just kept Baros, or bought another striker, (maybe) for less money, but that was as good or better thn crouch on the floor, ok in the air, but could also shoot. Because Crouch simply doesnt shoot, even when he has the oppurtunity, as I think he knows himself his shots are c.rap and he would never score from outside the box.

I have really coming to the realisation, that Crouch is NOT going to score (not in anyway that will really benefit the team; ie over 15 goals) and is simply there to knock the ball on for the other striker or oncoming midfileders (formation depending).

Cisse, has to start again Saturday, and really I Think it is time, we play to HIS strengths instead of accomadating him into the system, on the right wing, or the right of a front three. He must play upfront. End of.

by **OneHotRed** » Tue Oct 25, 2005 11:10 pm

well said mate, i agree fully, morientes is cracking in the air, i think Mori and Cisse, but watch me get slated here :blues:

by **Doeboy** » Tue Oct 25, 2005 11:35 pm

Crouch - not of the required standard for LFC. In the same bracket as the likes of Babb, Dicks, Ruddock etc. Players who have done well at clubs lower down the league but are not
good enough for a team looking to challenge at the top of the table.

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Peter crouch - The irony

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