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Peter Crouch general discussion thread - Portsmouth confirm personal terms agreed
Posted:
Sat Feb 02, 2008 9:40 pmby bigmick
...to give the bloke a few games. There have been many heated debates about the manager this season, his selection policy, rotation, his man-management, his transfer policy etc etc, but is there anybody, anywhere, who doesn't think that if you swapped the number of appearances which Dirk Kuyt has made this season with the number of appearances that Peter Crouch has made, we wouldn't be in a better position?
I know our stats man Owzat doesn't rate the big fella. Many have said he isn't the long term answer and that we need somebody much better to partner Torres, and they may all have a point. But surely to God, and I don't have any coaching badges but I ask you, FFS it is as plain as the nose on your face anybody can see he is our second best striker? I would even go as far as saying anybody who can't see that hasn't in my humble opinion got a clue.
Now I'm no behavioural phsycologist, but from watching the body language I even think I would go as far as saying Crouch and Torres are mates and like playing together. Their reaction when one or the other scores a goal and the way they talk to each other during a game indicates that this is the case. You could tell today when Crouch scored his goal out of nothing really, and then set up Torres for the Spaniards goal. You could see it in the way Torres was on his bike BEFORE Crouch won the header, anticipating the flick on. It's what strike partnerships are all about, anticipation and understanding.
FFS, PLEASE PLAY OUR TWO BEST STRIKERS IN THE SAME TEAM TOGETHER FROM NOW ON!!!!!!!!!!!! You never know, if we've got two blokes up front who can score a goal rather than just one, we might even win a few more games. It's time.
Posted:
Sat Feb 02, 2008 9:44 pmby dawson99
amen brother.
im not the biggest crouch fan by far... but i will eat humble pie and admit, the man needs to play
Posted:
Sat Feb 02, 2008 9:58 pmby RUSHIE#9
I haven't seen the match for meself yet, but listening to Aldo on the radio before it sounded like Crouchie and Torres had a very good understanding. The mere fact that they both scored should be enough to justify to Rafa what the fans have been saying for months now, Crouch and Torres all the way. 
I still believe that Rafa can deliver the title if he just makes a few common sense judgements.
Always play your strongest 11 (in the current case that includes Torres & Crouch with no Kuyt in sight please).
Cut down on that damned rotation, fine if he wants to change the odd player in each game but not 3,4 or 5 changes a game.
More quality and less quantity when it comes to transfers. Some small changes in these areas may be all that is needed to help a title challenge materialise.
The fact that Rafa has gone with what is our current strongest front line today should prove a pointer in the right direction. We may not have been perfect all over the park but at least when we've created chances they've been put away.
(Sorry if this got a bit off topic).
Posted:
Sat Feb 02, 2008 10:01 pmby Igor Zidane
bigmick wrote:...to give the bloke a few games. There have been many heated debates about the manager this season, his selection policy, rotation, his man-management, his transfer policy etc etc, but is there anybody, anywhere, who doesn't think that if you swapped the number of appearances which Dirk Kuyt has made this season with the number of appearances that Peter Crouch has made, we wouldn't be in a better position?
I know our stats man Owzat doesn't rate the big fella. Many have said he isn't the long term answer and that we need somebody much better to partner Torres, and they may all have a point. But surely to God, and I don't have any coaching badges but I ask you, FFS it is as plain as the nose on your face anybody can see he is our second best striker? I would even go as far as saying anybody who can't see that hasn't in my humble opinion got a clue.
Now I'm no behavioural phsycologist, but from watching the body language I even think I would go as far as saying Crouch and Torres are mates and like playing together. Their reaction when one or the other scores a goal and the way they talk to each other during a game indicates that this is the case. You could tell today when Crouch scored his goal out of nothing really, and then set up Torres for the Spaniards goal. You could see it in the way Torres was on his bike BEFORE Crouch won the header, anticipating the flick on. It's what strike partnerships are all about, anticipation and understanding.
FFS, PLEASE PLAY OUR TWO BEST STRIKERS IN THE SAME TEAM TOGETHER FROM NOW ON!!!!!!!!!!!! You never know, if we've got two blokes up front who can score a goal rather than just one, we might even win a few more games. It's time.
Agreed on that one mick.
Posted:
Sat Feb 02, 2008 10:04 pmby Emerald Red
Kuyt or Voronin will more than likely start the next game and you all f*cking know it! 
Posted:
Sat Feb 02, 2008 10:05 pmby Ciggy
Emerald Red wrote:Kuyt or Voronin will more than likely start the next game and you all f*cking know it!
Posted:
Sat Feb 02, 2008 10:07 pmby account deleted by request
Emerald Red wrote:Kuyt or Voronin will more than likely start the next game and you all f*cking know it!
Posted:
Sat Feb 02, 2008 10:16 pmby bigmick
Somebody said earlier that the constant playing of Kuyt has probably alienated more fans from Rafa than anything else and I agree with that. Some people like myself have lots of other problems witht he way that Rafa does things, but this issue above all others has IMHO made more "in Rafa we trust"ers shake their heads than any other.
Funnily enough I've supported rafa in his fall out with Crouch. Managers do fall out with players from time to time and in those circumstances, the player has to go. Ferguson has done it many times over the years, Jaap Stam and Van Horseface spring to mind. When it happens, you sell up and move on. The bit that gets me though is not that the fallout happened, it's that we didn't sell up we just fecked up by continuing to play Kuyt. What is the point of that? Then every time Crouch plays he either scores or looks like he might score. It's time for the end of the silliness. Reina always plays in goal, Gerrard and Masherano always play in the centre, Carragher always plays, it's time to add Torres/Crouch into the always play list.
Posted:
Sat Feb 02, 2008 10:18 pmby The Manhattan Project
Kuyt just isn't cutting it.
If we can sell him and Voronin in the Summer, we should.
Crouch and Torres should play up front.
A new striker is required.
Posted:
Sat Feb 02, 2008 10:54 pmby lakes10
Rafa will not play him more than 3 game on the trot.
Posted:
Sat Feb 02, 2008 10:59 pmby Kash_Mountain
Agree with you Bigmick. Hopefully Rafa won't rotate to much and give Crouchy at least a 6 or 7 game run and go from there.
Posted:
Sat Feb 02, 2008 11:31 pmby god_bless_john_houlding
I'm a fan of Crouch, always have been because I think he'll cause havoc for the opposition, he gives us another option and is always likely to chip in with a goal or two. I've always said though, that Crouch isn't going to get you 30 goals a season and that's why we've bought Torres, but there's no point only playing 1 forward who can score, because if he doesn't then we as a club don't more often than not. Fortunately that hasn't been the case this year, pulling us out of the sh!t on a regular basis with goals from midfield. It's obvious mind you that Crouch must start from now on, just to give us the opportunity of not having to rely solely on Gerrard and Torres.
Crouch--Liverpool and England's SAVIOUR
Posted:
Sat Feb 02, 2008 11:39 pmby Ciggy
Rafa was under extreme presure tonight to win and I really thought he would bring Babel on, but no Kuyt come on and I want kuyt to do well but kuyt came on and played like an auxilary nurse god help the lad, god help him.
Posted:
Sun Feb 03, 2008 12:10 amby Redman in wales
Crouch has scored 4 in 5 games
Kuyt hasn't scored in 10.....
there really is no comparison
But he loves Crouch and he goes balistic when he doesnt play he says Rafa should apply for a waiters job in a hotel in Benidorm