Quick question for the Crouch doubters...

[Dhav]

I hear where you're coming from, but surely the stats prove that Crouch is THE most clinical of our strikers?

If he isnt clinical enough, does that mean the other 2 should be shipped out as well?

FAir enough mate, he may be our most clinical finisher, but for a team at the top level he is still not clinical enough. We need to be far more clinical and take more of the chances we create, and I encompass Crouch and Kuyt within that criticism. Personally I'd like Crouch to stay, but to be more as a squad player than our first choice striker. I want someone real top class for that role, like an Etoo, and I think that's the type of striker we need to win the league.

We all know Kuyt is Rafa's favourite, and let's also remember it is his first season at Anfield so let's not judge him too hastily. The guy deserves a second season, as he has shown flashes of how good he potentially can be.

Personally, I'd be happy to let Bellers go, if we bring in someone who has similar attributes to him (ie is quick) and is a real top class finisher.

[Joey Jones]

If we have to keep Kuyt AND Crouch, then I want us to halt the Voronin deal (no sentiment in business), bring in Villa / Eto'o AND Klose. 2 striekrs with pedigree who can score goals at the highest level.

Firstly I don't think we can halt the Voronin deal as he's already put pen to paper on a 4-year deal.

Secondly we'd be lucky to get any one of the three you mentioned let alone two of them.

[Kopite_Colin]

Has he? Or just signed a pre-contract? Did we actually sign him in JAn?

[CAD]

Never is a big word. But still. When we consider Sean Connery in "Never say Never again", I think it's fair to say that many of us wished that he had NEVER made that movie.

So never can apply. The player I have seen during the last two years will never be able to reach the level that I expect from a LFC striker. Sure; he played a screamer today but he will never be consistent. Now we have to endure the happy clappers with there "16 goals and counting" chants but it will pass. The fact remains that most of the time Crouch shows as much ability with a football, as Dick Cheney does with a rifle.

IF (and it's an IF the size of Elizabeth Taylors vagina post 98) Crouchie started to display the kind of efficiency we saw today consistenly, I would obviously have to re-evaluate. But I don't think that will happen. The odds of Taylor losing weight or Cheney becoming a good marksman are better I'm afraid.

[Joey Jones]

Has he? Or just signed a pre-contract? Did we actually sign him in JAn?

Because he would have been a free agent in the summer he was able to pre sign a contract in January (the same as McManaman did when he signed for Real) therefore he technically has signed a four year deal with us.

[Kaip]

That said, if we were offered £12m for him, I'd take it. Add it to the £8-10m we'd get for Bellamy and I'd buy a top drawer striker of the likes of Eto'o, Villa, Add add a few quid and get Klose too.

You wanted van nist last year and now you want eto/villa and klose........ can i have some of what your on fella

[DannyMan2006]

Well for starters if we sold Crouch now he'd fetch more than £7m so yes he was worth the money. He did a good job last season and has done ok this year too.

The fact he has trebled his league goals today with a hat trick today doesnt make me feel he's going to concistantly score goals. There is more to his game than goals, and in all honesty when he plays up top he is always the striker with the most chances, so that at least shows he actually gets in the box. IF Crouch could improve his heading he'd be great. But Ive been saying that for nigh on two years now and dont see him sorting it anytime soon.

Would I keep him if he banged in loads of goals? Of course I would, but I don't see it happening. Here's the thing:

Kuyt will stay. Voronin will be here.
Fowler will go.

They are the certaintys. Have any of our strikers been good enough this year? No.

Get rid of Bellamy for Villa and it all looks better. But what if Villa doesnt adapt, or gets injured? We then have a strikeforce of Kuyt, Crouch and Voronin. If you assume what most on here say that Voronin is rubbish, then that leaves Kuyt and Crouch. Are they good enough to give LFC the title?

Well, barring any remarkable Drogba like transformations no they are not. So do you really want to keep Crouch??????? Are you happy with a possible strikeforce of Crouch, Kuyt, Voronin and Villa (Morientes mark II?).

Those asking to keep Crouch explain your thoughts, please!

[Craig_H]

The fact he has trebled his league goals today

He had 6 league goals before today (from 14 starts), and he's made it 9 from 15.

How has he trebled it?

[Dhav]

Well for starters if we sold Crouch now he'd fetch more than £7m so yes he was worth the money. He did a good job last season and has done ok this year too.

The fact he has trebled his league goals today with a hat trick today doesnt make me feel he's going to concistantly score goals. There is more to his game than goals, and in all honesty when he plays up top he is always the striker with the most chances, so that at least shows he actually gets in the box. IF Crouch could improve his heading he'd be great. But Ive been saying that for nigh on two years now and dont see him sorting it anytime soon.

Would I keep him if he banged in loads of goals? Of course I would, but I don't see it happening. Here's the thing:

Kuyt will stay. Voronin will be here.
Fowler will go.

They are the certaintys. Have any of our strikers been good enough this year? No.

Get rid of Bellamy for Villa and it all looks better. But what if Villa doesnt adapt, or gets injured? We then have a strikeforce of Kuyt, Crouch and Voronin. If you assume what most on here say that Voronin is rubbish, then that leaves Kuyt and Crouch. Are they good enough to give LFC the title?

Well, barring any remarkable Drogba like transformations no they are not. So do you really want to keep Crouch??????? Are you happy with a possible strikeforce of Crouch, Kuyt, Voronin and Villa (Morientes mark II?).

Those asking to keep Crouch explain your thoughts, please!

I agree with pretty much all of that. Personally I think Crouch is a great option to have but no more. Despite what a lot of people have said today on here, in the context of a top class title-winning side Crouch is only a squad player at best, and he has not convinced me otherwise this season, in spite of his performance today.

[DannyMan2006]

He had 6 league goals before today (from 14 starts), and he's made it 9 from 15.

How has he trebled it?

I know, bad maths! what I meant was a third of his goals have come in one game. He could have set 7 goals up today but a strike ratio of 6 in 15 (starts) wouldnt look great. As mentioned elsewher goals to minutes ratio of all our strikers would be interesting.

Could you now answer the question I asked please? Or are you unsure?

On another issue, do you rate Fowler? I bet he has a good goals to starts ratio.

[DannyMan2006]

I agree with pretty much all of that. Personally I think Crouch is a great option to have but no more. Despite what a lot of people have said today on here, in the context of a top class title-winning side Crouch is only a squad player at best, and he has not convinced me otherwise this season, in spite of his performance today.

That is my thoughts. Guess alot depends on how much cash we have, and how much we can get for Crouch in a sale.

[Dhav]

That is my thoughts. Guess alot depends on how much cash we have, and how much we can get for Crouch in a sale.

Remember the Blackburn game on Boxing Day? Top strikers do not miss chances like that, in spite of what Red_Al says. Except for may be Shevchenko in the CL Final.

[DannyMan2006]

Remember the Blackburn game on Boxing Day? Top strikers do not miss chances like that, in spite of what Red_Al says. Except for may be Shevchenko in the CL Final.

I do. A player that takes chances gives the rest of the team belief that they will find a way to win. When strikers miss chances on a regular basis, the team starts to think - here we go again........ No matter how much drivel they come out with in interviews that they ll find the net and that the goals will come.

Gerrard said Diouf, Cheyrou and Ciise would come good in interviews but then slated them in the book saying he realised straight away they weren't upto scratch. It effects the teams morale, no question.

[Red_Polo]

I know, bad maths! what I meant was a third of his goals have come in one game. He could have set 7 goals up today but a strike ratio of 6 in 15 (starts) wouldnt look great. As mentioned elsewher goals to minutes ratio of all our strikers would be interesting.

Could you now answer the question I asked please? Or are you unsure?

On another issue, do you rate Fowler? I bet he has a good goals to starts ratio.

If you're going to take off goals that Crouch has scored, at least take off the game as well. Jaysus. Anyway, IF IF IF, who cares? He did score those goals. It's not like his goalscoring record this season in the league was poor before today!

Sometimes Crouchy can be too much of a blunt implement for me, but when he's in the mood he can be such a handful. At the very least I think he makes an excellent backup striker.

[Craig_H]

I know, bad maths! what I meant was a third of his goals have come in one game. He could have set 7 goals up today but a strike ratio of 6 in 15 (starts) wouldnt look great. As mentioned elsewher goals to minutes ratio of all our strikers would be interesting.

Could you now answer the question I asked please? Or are you unsure?

On another issue, do you rate Fowler? I bet he has a good goals to starts ratio.

6 in 15 is slightly shy of 1 in 2.

1 in 2 is widely considered excellent.

As for the question, no i'm not unsure. Crouch is our most prolific goalscorer, he keeps possession better than our other strikers, he links the play brilliantly and he's a great team player.

Fowler is finished sadly.