Liverpool FC Forum

by **thegreenred** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 2:33 pm

Lando_Griffin wrote:
Ciggy wrote:Well I must admit I havent been his biggest fan since he arrived, thats been no secret and he isnt my favourite player I have to be honest.
But I just think he has become so valueable to us maybe the last 9 months and it hurts us when he doesnt play.
He holds the ball up really well, keeps posession for us, keeps the other teams defenders busy.
Tonight a perfect example when MH had a free kick around there penalty area 4 players stayed back and marked Crouch.

I know he lacks pace, I know he will never be a prolific goal scorer, and the long balls to him annoy the hell out of me.
But they are for a reason at the end of the day.
He must be a nightmare to play against defenders must hate playing against him, he delived some great balls to Garcia tonight pity their goalie kept every thing out otherwise Garcia would have got a hatrick.

I know Kuyt has come and he is a sort target man,but he isnt that tall, and Crouch is in form, so he cannot be dropped if he had played against SU on saturday we probably would have won.

I just feel he has become such an important member of our squad that he cannot be dropped, or rotated like Rafa chooses to favour because we miss the big lad when he's not around.

Good post Ciggy.

Crouch's value to the side has long been a moot point on here, with as many detractors as supporters.

I like the lad. He brings so much to our team - much of it unnoticed by those who dislike him.

I personally wouldn't say he was indespensable, as there are times when he is rendered virtually ineffective as an attacker by an equally lofty defender. (Benfica's Lucio, for example.)

What I would say is that he offers things no other player in England does, and only about 3 in the World do, and that can't be understated. We need him, and are generally a better team with him in it.

I still believe most people's negative opinions are formed as a reaction to his awkward appearance. These people (one of my mates, for a start), are simply too narrow-minded to realise that we have a powerful tool at our disposal, and in the right circumstances - a deadly weapon.

So to all you Crouch-bashers - you must all be short-a*ses, is all I can say!!!!!

amen

by **Kev Huyton 2006** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 3:18 pm

un droppable is ging a bit far.

When Kuyt and Bellamy take over the strikers positions permanently, crouch will be a bit part player.

Crouch does have a some weaknesses, one of them being he is not always first to through balls.

by **ivor_the_injun** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 4:08 pm

He's a very good player, and I'm glad that he's even turning the naysayers around on that front.

Put simply, when we give him a partner, or get numbers up from midfield up with him for him to work with, he's unarguably a class act. In these situations, even if he's not scoring he's contributing massively, as he's unbelievably good on the deck for someone that looks so awkward. His short passing game is excellent.

On the flipside, when we play him up top on his own with 30 yards between him and the midfield, he's easy to nullify.

In other words, I hope we see LFC play a lot more like they did in the opposition's half last night than we did at many points last season.

He's not undroppable - no-one at the club is anymore. You'll have to be some player to get ahead of him right now though. Injuries to Owen or otherwise, he's definitely among the best that England have.

by **jkop** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 4:28 pm

adamnbarrett wrote:I do think he holds the ball up really well, keeps posession for us, keeps the other teams defenders busy. He is also extremely good at bringing others into play and laying the ball off. Maybe he hasn't scored as many as people would have liked but he has assisted many. He is a player with a tremendos work rate and he covers alot of blades of grass on the pitch.

He does seem to link up with Garcia very well and I think he could do the same thing with bellamy. It's that little and large partnership up top. It's the intelligent runs of the little man and the awareness of the big man that makes it so effective.

I think he has become a very valuable player for us, his confidence has grown alot and we do not play the same without him. He adds something different to the team. I do agree that maybe things would have been different if he would have played against SU because he would have distracted their defence and allowed Bellamy/Fowler to find space but I still think the main player that would have changed that game was alonso.

Good post adambarret

i would have to agree with what you have posted. Crouchie does give us different options but its Rafa who has the say.

by **Bad Bob** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 5:05 pm

Espionage wrote:I am of the opinion that Bellamy/Crouch/Kuyt will play every game, with one of them getting subbed for the one that starts on the bench at around 60 minute mark. Rafa never used to play Crouch for 90, he would always sub him even if he was playing well.
So depending on who we are playing, they will be changed around. Rafa will want to keep all of them match fit, to increase competition and protection against injuries....

Not a bad shout there, mate, given Rafa's tendencies in the past with subbing like-for-like up front.

Crouch, while not undroppable by any stretch, is certainly a key weapon in the arsenal and will continue to be used extensively as a consequence. He has really matured as a goal-scorer (as opposed to just a target man) since December and seems to have the work rate and attitude needed to succeed at this level. I like how he seems to get his head down and work harder if he's not getting a game.

Speaking of headers--has he improved considerably on that front? I haven't had the pleasure of seeing either of his headed goals from recent matches so I ask those who have whether he seems to be attacking the ball better in the air?

by **woof woof !** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 5:12 pm

He's proved me and a lot of others wrong .

If he's fit but not in the starting 11 he should at least be on the bench . Has proved to be a valuable weapon and does far more than just get to high balls . On top of all that he a really nice fella .

ps . Also think that when he does play, Rafa has got to insist that the second striker plays within 2-3 yards of Crouchino , i've noticed time and time again how he wins a ball punted over to him but there's no one except the opposition to pick up the nod down .In training Rafa should tie Crouch and the second striker together with a 10 foot piece of rope and make them practice playing as a pair . Sounds daft ? believe me it's been done , and it works .

by **Graeme Noble** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 5:41 pm

I don't like Crouch. He is not a good header of the ball, however he does hold up the ball nicely and can create some good chances.
Undroppable? Rubbish, personally I think Bellamy and Kuyt will be our main strikeforce this season with Crouch coming off the bench.

'Dirk Kuyt = White Emile Heskey'
People who think that need their head examined. Emile Heskey is pish, Dirk Kuyt has class.

Just remember Ronaldinhio, Adriano, Rooney and Trezeguet, all in my opinion played :censored:

in the world cup, doesn't mean they are Emile Heskey players.

by **MaccaLFC** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 5:59 pm

Eh, Emile was a superstar in his first season here.

by **onizukaeikichi** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 6:11 pm

i agree, if he had played against SU we could have won. In his current form, he's scoring goals for both england and us almost regularly, imo he's undispensable for the team now. i just hope that rafa plays him with bellamy/fowler instead of him alone upfront though

by **dawson99** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 6:15 pm

no players should be undroppable. especially strikers where different types are needed for different games. Crouch has been class but sometmies we would be betetr off with kuyt and bellamy or fowler and someone instead

by **JC_81** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 7:53 pm

Definitely our best player last night Crouch. Made the ball stick and chased lost causes all night, deserved his goal. Should have played last Saturday, its exactly the type of game we need him in.

I wouldn't say he's undroppable, but certainly I'd start him in every away match in the premiership barring injury. At home we'll carve out chances for the likes of Bellamy, Kuyt and Fowler without the need for a target man, and those players are probably all better finishers than the big man. But away from home he's the focal point of our attack and in my view essential in order to let our midfielders get into the game - that was our problem at the weekend - the ball wouldn't stick up top and the midfield couldn't get out. He'll also start most of the big games this season I think, Benitez seems to trust him when the chips are down.

by **66-1120597113** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 8:06 pm

Graeme Noble wrote:I don't like Crouch. He is not a good header of the ball, however he does hold up the ball nicely and can create some good chances.
Undroppable? Rubbish, personally I think Bellamy and Kuyt will be our main strikeforce this season with Crouch coming off the bench.

'Dirk Kuyt = White Emile Heskey'
People who think that need their head examined. Emile Heskey is pish, Dirk Kuyt has class.

Just remember Ronaldinhio, Adriano, Rooney and Trezeguet, all in my opinion played in the world cup, doesn't mean they are Emile Heskey players.

I disagree ! I like Crouch a lot..ok granted he aint exactly the strongest header of the ball,he still scores headers though but maybe not as many as he should.His heading is improving,its obvious they have been working on it a lot in training and it will get better!

A lot of people are ignorant of his best attributes and to the fact that he was never bought to be a goal machine!
His overall style and play basically beg for a clinical finisher alongside him(something we have lacked in the past while).

This is where i feel Kuyt will come in...Crouch can win the ball in the box,hold it up well or head it down for a good striker to finish!This he done last night on many occasios only for Garcia to miss or force a save.

I think and hope that Raffa will give Crouch and Kuyt time to gel as i feel that they are the 2 that can form the best partnership!
As for Bellamy,yes hes a good player but i think with his best attribute being pace that he should be brought on later maybe when he can exploit tiresome defences more and create chances!

by **gsker1** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 2:52 am

Yeah Peter Crouch has come on in leaps and bounds, he is one of Englands main strikers at the moment. I still believe he needs to put a bit more muscle on him though.

by **stmichael** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 2:12 pm

On Crouch, I'd just like to say how good it is to see him not sulking away and fading into the background with the arrival of Kuyt and Bellamy. Heskey was much maligned too in his Anfield days, despite having a storming first season, he too often buckled under the slightest pressure, both on the pitch and when his place was remotely under threat.

Crouch on the other hand has been in terrific form, despite England experiencing a poor World Cup and his place in the Liverpool team now under threat.

He may well be more of a squad player, but his worth is noticed massively when he's not available to the team. People criticise both him and Luis, yet in the first 45 minutes against Haifa, they looked the best partnership available, in terms of understanding and effectiveness.

So hats off to Crouch (and Luis). This is the kind of squad, options and mentality we've craved for, and Kuyt is yet to kick a ball for us!

by **ivor_the_injun** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 7:49 pm

Completely hypothetically, as quite rightly the club wouldn't even contemplate selling him, but I wonder what Crouch would be worth in the transfer market right now?

A f*ckload more than £7m, that's for sure.

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