Henry's head

[einar]

http://www.afc4life.co.uk/2007/01/21/this-is-why-i-love-football-w-player-ratings/

It is interesting to compare the body language to Crouch.
( See picture in thread )

[enema of the state]

He did not put any power behind that.

The thing was he was moving fast forward when he connected with the ball.

if you look again on motd he was virtually stationary and moved backwards to set himself for that header.

it was all about the pace on the cross

most of crouches free headers come from "floated" crosses because they are usually delivered from in front of the fullback and hence haver to go over his head. When the winger - or overlapping fullback on this goal - gets beyond the defence - he can strike a ball on a lower trajectory and therefore with more pace to get the ball to drop into the same point in space for the header.

if people remeber that goal crouch scored for southampton agains us, oakley had skinned our left back and had no 21st man" to beat so could fizz the cross in.

I think there are 2 main factors at play:
1. teams defend deep v lfc so we dont get beyond the FB that often.
2. are wide midfielders are the weakest point of the side.

i think both of these factors are bigger than crouch's power heading but i agree it leaves much to edesired. he still scores a lot of headed goals though.

[Red Chilli]

Can't see the point in slagging off Crouch because he's not as good as Henry. Is there any striker in the world who is as good as Henry? I've yet to see him play if there is.

It's like saying, why can't Garcia play like Ronaldinho, he must be ****.

:whatever:

[Dhav]

Can't see the point in slagging off Crouch because he's not as good as Henry. Is there any striker in the world who is as good as Henry? I've yet to see him play if there is.

It's like saying, why can't Garcia play like Ronaldinho, he must be ****.

:whatever:

The point is to compare their heading ability, not their general technical ability. The point is Henry is a poor header of the ball, yet today he did it better than I've ever seen Crouch do it. And it's not so much a comparison, the real issue is why is Crouch so poor at it, and why is seemingly nothing being done to correct it.

[Red Chilli]

the real issue is why is Crouch so poor at it, and why is seemingly nothing being done to correct it.

1) Graham "Turnip head" Taylor had a theory about why crouch is so poor at heading. It was linked to the fact that Crouch is so tall. As a young player he dwarfed all the defenders and goalkeepers he came up against hence he never had to leap to get the ball, he simply had to jump a little. So he never learned how to leap for a ball or how to time his leap. I don't buy the nonsense about "neck muscles". That's irrelevant to me, a good header relies on great timing.
2) It's up to Rafa and his coaches to do something about it.

[einar]

I think you are right. It´s all about timing and how you use your whole body in the air. He could have a point about Crouch as a kid. It is the same for handball players. They have to jump in the air and then throw the ball at the goal. The ones who grow up being taller then all the others often never really learn that.

[Red_Polo]

Maybe he should forget ever heading the ball and just throw himself at each one with an acrobatic overhead kick.

I love Crouchy but he really is absolutely atrocious at heading the ball

[disco]

LOLOL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAtwi0_91WY

[Shaggy]

LOLOL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAtwi0_91WY