If we had lost.....

[alunevans]

.........Rafa would have been panned for his team selection

Good to see Crouchy back playing. He is miles better than every striker at the club. He does pretty much everything better than anyone we have.

Masher was tremendous today. If Crouch hadn't have scored a hat trick he'd be my MOM. Superb display from him and I'm starting to get excited by him.

Pepe made a truly world class save.

Aurelio's show boating shortly after our goal was ace.

Really good stuff from us in the main.

But I'm singling out Masher and Crouchy for praise. I'd like to see more of both.

[Kopite_Colin]

We still need proven quality in up front and in wide areas. One swallow and all that.....

[Dhav]

.........Rafa would have been panned for his team selection

Good to see Crouchy back playing. He is miles better than every striker at the club. He does pretty much everything better than anyone we have.

Masher was tremendous today. If Crouch hadn't have scored a hat trick he'd be my MOM. Superb display from him and I'm starting to get excited by him.

Pepe made a truly world class save.

Aurelio's show boating shortly after our goal was ace.

Really good stuff from us in the main.

But I'm singling out Masher and Crouchy for praise. I'd like to see more of both.

Fair to single out those 2 but I'd like to praise Aurelio and Pennant for finally giving us that width we've been looking for.

As for Gonzo though

[Howard_lfc]

.........Rafa would have been panned for his team selection

Good to see Crouchy back playing. He is miles better than every striker at the club. He does pretty much everything better than anyone we have.

Masher was tremendous today. If Crouch hadn't have scored a hat trick he'd be my MOM. Superb display from him and I'm starting to get excited by him.

Pepe made a truly world class save.

Aurelio's show boating shortly after our goal was ace.

Really good stuff from us in the main.

But I'm singling out Masher and Crouchy for praise. I'd like to see more of both.

All good points Al.
Masher was superb - outshone Xabi.
I think that was the best performance Crouch has ever given us. On that form £7m looks an absolute steal - and who'd have thought that a few years back?

I'd also like to point to Aurelio's contribution today. I thought he was excellent - and his link up with Riise when he came on simply 'clicked'. IMO we must keep them two together for our strongest XI.

A word on Gonzo. Every time he get the ball - it looks like somebody shouts BOO! in his ear !!! I'm not doubting his effort - he simply needs to calm down. He's like a startled horse each time he gets the ball.

[alunevans]

We still need proven quality in up front and in wide areas. One swallow and all that.....

We do indeed. But Crouch isn't the one I'd sacrifice from our strikers. Not by a long chalk.

[Shaggy]

.........Rafa would have been panned for his team selection

Good to see Crouchy back playing. He is miles better than every striker at the club. He does pretty much everything better than anyone we have.

Masher was tremendous today. If Crouch hadn't have scored a hat trick he'd be my MOM. Superb display from him and I'm starting to get excited by him.

Pepe made a truly world class save.

Aurelio's show boating shortly after our goal was ace.

Really good stuff from us in the main.

But I'm singling out Masher and Crouchy for praise. I'd like to see more of both.

How people still see fit to criticise Crouch is both baffling and, frankly, laughable.

The perfect hat-trick today, a brilliant hat-trick, yet people will still criticise him. Crouch could score 40 a season and the haters would still stubbornly bury their heads in the sand.

He's our best finisher, he's our best at holding it up, he's our best link man, he's our top goalscorer. What more do people want? 9 goals in just 16 Premiership starts, and 17 in all competitions spells one thing out very clearly indeed - he is our best striker. End of story.

[alunevans]

All good points Al.
Masher was superb - outshone Xabi.
I think that was the best performance Crouch has ever given us. On that form £7m looks an absolute steal - and who'd have thought that a few years back?

I'd also like to point to Aurelio's contribution today. I thought he was excellent - and his link up with Riise when he came on simply 'clicked'. IMO we must keep them two together for our strongest XI.

A word on Gonzo. Every time he get the ball - it looks like somebody shouts BOO! in his ear !!! I'm not doubting his effort - he simply needs to calm down. He's like a startled horse each time he gets the ball.

Yep totally agree. Though I think the same is true of Pennant. He gets the ball and seems to panic. He had a bright start to the game I felt but it didn't last. He rarely seems composed. But worked well for the opening goal.

I wrote Aurelio off when he first joined. He looked woeful but now he looks great. Uses the ball so well.

I'm still pretty thrilled about Masher. He's like a less erratic version of Momo who can also pass. Having suffered abysmal central midfielders for years what a joy it is to know we have Gerrard, Alonso, Masher and Momo fighting for a place.

[alunevans]

How people still see fit to criticise Crouch is both baffling and, frankly, laughable.

The perfect hat-trick today, a brilliant hat-trick, yet people will still criticise him. Crouch could score 40 a season and the haters would still stubbornly bury their heads in the sand.

He's our best finisher, he's our best at holding it up, he's our best link man, he's our top goalscorer. What more do people want? 9 goals in just 16 Premiership starts, and 17 in all competitions spells one thing out very clearly indeed - he is our best striker. End of story.

Hear hear!!!!!

[Kopite_Colin]

He's our best finisher, he's our best at holding it up, he's our best link man, he's our top goalscorer. What more do people want? 9 goals in just 16 Premiership starts, and 17 in all competitions spells one thing out very clearly indeed - he is our best striker. End of story.

He's scored the most goals of our strikers this season, but that's not to say he's the best finisher. He's certainly not a natural finisher. He WAS superb today, but that doesn't make up for the misses which have cost us big points this season. However, I am prepared to change my stance on him. He was worth £7m - something I've previously disputed. But if we were to get good money for him and Bellamy I'd still let them go to be replaced by top, top quality. He's done what's been asked of him, so all credit to the lad.

[Red_Al_77]

He's scored the most goals of our strikers this season, but that's not to say he's the best finisher. He's certainly not a natural finisher. He WAS superb today, but that doesn't make up for the misses which have cost us big points this season. However, I am prepared to change my stance on him. He was worth £7m - something I've previously disputed. But if we were to get good money for him and Bellamy I'd still let them go to be replaced by top, top quality. He's done what's been asked of him, so all credit to the lad.

So the bottom line is you'd still get shot of him. Colin I personally think you are bonkers but each to his own opinion. Crouch has scored 16 goals so to say he has cost us big points when his goals have also got us big victories is a weak argument. My bottom line for Crouch is 16 goals...a lot more than Kuyt or Bellamy who have played more than him.

[Kopite_Colin]

Al, He still doesn't convince me totally. Of all of our strikers RIGHT NOW I agree Crouch is the best in terms of output (which is how I measure a striker), but I think there's so much more to come from Kuyt.

So going forward I still think we need 2 more top, top quality forwards. If we hadn't have got Voronin, I'd say keep Crouch as 3rd / 4th Striker, with Kuyt and get 2 more in - but we have already got Voronin (apparently). Unless Rafa is going to surpise us and have 5 1st team squad strikers. We need players who can score in tight games,a nd create something out of nothing. Crouch has done this business in spells this season, but has had some awful misses too (e.g. BBUrn when we were on a real roll) which have cost us. We need a real sniffer type - 1 chance, bang! 1 goal. Crouch isn't that player (and I'm not convinced Kuyt is yet).

So we need to up the standard considerably.

[Red_Al_77]

Can't argue with that.

[Morph]

Al, He still doesn't convince me totally. Of all of our strikers RIGHT NOW I agree Crouch is the best in terms of output (which is how I measure a striker), but I think there's so much more to come from Kuyt.

So going forward I still think we need 2 more top, top quality forwards. If we hadn't have got Voronin, I'd say keep Crouch as 3rd / 4th Striker, with Kuyt and get 2 more in - but we have already got Voronin (apparently). Unless Rafa is going to surpise us and have 5 1st team squad strikers. We need players who can score in tight games,a nd create something out of nothing. Crouch has done this business in spells this season, but has had some awful misses too (e.g. BBUrn when we were on a real roll) which have cost us. We need a real sniffer type - 1 chance, bang! 1 goal. Crouch isn't that player (and I'm not convinced Kuyt is yet).

So we need to up the standard considerably.

Simple for me, Bellamy out top class forward in, and keep hold of Crouch, Kuyt, Voronin

[Marky]

How people still see fit to criticise Crouch is both baffling and, frankly, laughable.

The perfect hat-trick today, a brilliant hat-trick, yet people will still criticise him. Crouch could score 40 a season and the haters would still stubbornly bury their heads in the sand.

He's our best finisher, he's our best at holding it up, he's our best link man, he's our top goalscorer. What more do people want? 9 goals in just 16 Premiership starts, and 17 in all competitions spells one thing out very clearly indeed - he is our best striker. End of story.

Nail on head shaggy
He's been brilliant this season has Crouch.

[Kopite_Colin]

Morph, that striking line-up still doesn't look strong enough in terms of top quality to me you see.

Let's say we get Villa in. So we have Villa, Kuyt, Crouch & Voronin. What happens if Villa gets a bad injury? Then we're effectively left in the state we're in up front this season - no consistent proven Prem goalscorer.

That's why I hate to say it, but i think there's only room for Crouch or Kuyt if the Voronin deal is definitely going through. We need 2 out and out goalscorers in case of injuries.