Quick question for the Crouch doubters...

[Abro100]

You have to keep crouch he will give you alot more other options than any other striker, there is about 3 other strikers in europe like him.
His goal record is good whatever anyone says, and yes he does miss chances in some matches but so does every striker.
People go on about us getting wingers and getting the ball in the box, well i cant see bellamy or fowler doing much with it, maybe kuyt but not as effectyive as crouch, i know he misses alot of headers but he has scored the most for us.
He is good at holding the ball up and bringing other people into play, and is a great release of pressure for when ou are defending against teams, he hasnt had many leage starts this season which i though was a shame but he has played good everytime he has, i remeber people with owen used to say, 'At least he is getting the chances, if he wasnt then we'd worry', its a mystery how different peoples attitudes can be for 2 players.
People may argue he isnt clinical enough, but isnt he our most clinical?
Being honest there is alot of strikers at the top level who arnt clinical enough, the difference is they have a player who is, week in week out and we dont.
Our main problem is our strikers doing too much work outside the box and dropping deep because the wingers are not good enough, we will be alot different when they are.

[nbryan1764]

I just looked up his minutes per goal in the league this season I think it works out a a goal every 141 minutes which you have to say isnt bad for somebody who people are debating whether he is clinical or not

[DannyMan2006]

You have to keep crouch he will give you alot more other options than any other striker, there is about 3 other strikers in europe like him.
His goal record is good whatever anyone says, and yes he does miss chances in some matches but so does every striker.
People go on about us getting wingers and getting the ball in the box, well i cant see bellamy or fowler doing much with it, maybe kuyt but not as effectyive as crouch, i know he misses alot of headers but he has scored the most for us.
He is good at holding the ball up and bringing other people into play, and is a great release of pressure for when ou are defending against teams, he hasnt had many leage starts this season which i though was a shame but he has played good everytime he has, i remeber people with owen used to say, 'At least he is getting the chances, if he wasnt then we'd worry', its a mystery how different peoples attitudes can be for 2 players.
People may argue he isnt clinical enough, but isnt he our most clinical?
Being honest there is alot of strikers at the top level who arnt clinical enough, the difference is they have a player who is, week in week out and we dont.Our main problem is our strikers doing too much work outside the box and dropping deep because the wingers are not good enough, we will be alot different when they are.

Fair point mate. If Kuyt and Voronin are here next season would you add Crouch and one other to that list then? I still need some convincing it must be said.

[Dhav]

You could argue that Crouch isnt though.

Indeed. I can see why you say that. What I like about Crouch is with his control, touch and height, he is excellent at holding up the ball and bringing others into play. I like him a lot and think he is extremely capable. I just think if we are going to be playing him as our spearhead up front like today, he will have to improve his finishing markedly. Great header today, but if we bought him to get on the end of crosses, he needs to improve this aspect to his game significantly. Ignoring his goals today, he still made some poor decisions, and he does this often. I can think of one shot where he should have passed, another ambitious one he took when he would have been better off leaving it for Gerrard. In the opposite fixture against Arsenal earlier at 0-0 he had a goal disallowed because he was offside when he should have left it for the onrushing player who was on-side (Riise?). That probably cost us that game.

I'm not completely panning the player, I'm not saying we should get rid either, I like him and want him to say, but more as a squad option unless he improves a lot. I just think some of the praise heaped on him today is over the top.

In answer to nbryan's question above - if we are calling Rooney a striker and comparing him to Crouch, I would say Rooney is not a world class striker.

[Craig_H]

I just looked up his minutes per goal in the league this season I think it works out a a goal every 141 minutes which you have to say isnt bad for somebody who people are debating whether he is clinical or not

It's fecking immense. About equal to his 16 in 24 actually, about 2 goals every 3 games.

[Dhav]

[QUOTE=nbryan1764;364910]

I agree with what you say about them getting goals from others but as far as Crouch is concerned, you cannot use that against him! The fact is he is as clinical as anyone they have upfront, if not more clinical, and it is around him that we need to raise their game. I just watched the game again on Sky+ and Andy Gray said after his headed goal that if he could do that more regularly then he would be moving to the next level. That is his failing at the moment I believe and not his finishing. All strikers miss chances, its when they stop getting chances you have a problem. For once I agree with Mr Gray. I think Crouch, with a bit more improvement, could well move to that next level.

Agreed, but this is the problem though isn't it? He is not at that level yet unless he does regularly what he did today.

For a big man, his heading is actually extremely poor. Even poor headers of the ball like Henry have scored powerful headers that Crouch has not looked capable of scoring, until today that is. Like I say, if he replicates today on a regular basis, then he will be deadly, and would be worthy of playing regularly for a title chasing side.

[anfieldanfield]

This is my fav Crouch stat...

He went 19 games without a goal.

He has since scored 29 in 68 games for Liverpool football club. Impressive.

[nbryan1764]

Indeed. I can see why you say that. What I like about Crouch is with his control, touch and height, he is excellent at holding up the ball and bringing others into play. I like him a lot and think he is extremely capable. I just think if we are going to be playing him as our spearhead up front like today, he will have to improve his finishing markedly. Great header today, but if we bought him to get on the end of crosses, he needs to improve this aspect to his game significantly. Ignoring his goals today, he still made some poor decisions, and he does this often. I can think of one shot where he should have passed, another ambitious one he took when he would have been better off leaving it for Gerrard. In the opposite fixture against Arsenal earlier at 0-0 he had a goal disallowed because he was offside when he should have left it for the onrushing player who was on-side (Riise?). That probably cost us that game.

I'm not completely panning the player, I'm not saying we should get rid either, I like him and want him to say, but more as a squad option unless he improves a lot. I just think some of the praise heaped on him today is over the top.

In answer to nbryan's question above - if we are calling Rooney a striker and comparing him to Crouch, I would say Rooney is not a world class striker.

I never asked if he was World Class I asked if he was a top striker as per your comment. In my view there is a difference. The phrase world class is bandied about to easily and there are few true world class players. You don't need to be a world class striker to score goals. So I will ask again, is Rooney a top striker?

[Dhav]

You could and i would.

I can see why you'd say that but I would respectfully disagree. Rooney is more a second striker, Crouch is more the focal point of the attack. Which is where the difference lies iMO.

[nbryan1764]

[QUOTE=Dhavlos;364919]

Agreed, but this is the problem though isn't it? He is not at that level yet unless he does regularly what he did today.

For a big man, his heading is actually extremely poor. Even poor headers of the ball like Henry have scored powerful headers that Crouch has not looked capable of scoring, until today that is. Like I say, if he replicates today on a regular basis, then he will be deadly, and would be worthy of playing regularly for a title chasing side.

I disagree on one point, "For a big man, his heading is actually extremely poor", I think his heading is poor for any size man!!!

[Dhav]

I never asked if he was World Class I asked if he was a top striker as per your comment. In my view there is a difference. The phrase world class is bandied about to easily and there are few true world class players. You don't need to be a world class striker to score goals. So I will ask again, is Rooney a top striker?

A top striker no, a top player possibly.

[Dhav]

[QUOTE=nbryan1764;364925]

I disagree on one point, "For a big man, his heading is actually extremely poor", I think his heading is poor for any size man!!!

Harsh but fair.

[nbryan1764]

This is my fav Crouch stat...

He went 19 games without a goal.

He has since scored 29 in 68 games for Liverpool football club. Impressive.

took you a while to spread your doom around. What did you think of it today?

[Craig_H]

I can see why you'd say that but I would respectfully disagree. Rooney is more a second striker, Crouch is more the focal point of the attack. Which is where the difference lies iMO.

I do agree that Crouch is different to Rooney.

But i also think they're both different to an out and out striker, eg a Van Nistelrooy type 'finisher'.

[anfieldanfield]

took you a while to spread your doom around. What did you think of it today?

Spread my doom ?

I love Crouch mate, always have.

I think 29 in 68 games is absolutely superb.