5 games, 6 different goalscorers

[DeeTheDog]

Is that Mr. Benetiz refers to when he talks about possibilites? If you think back, most of the goals we scored so far have been unique, Gerrard's freekick, Torres' lighteningrun and finish, Momo's drilled shot, Voronin great long range effort and his tidy finish after a great passing movement and last night's goals.

This surely makes the prospect of playing us a daunting one. Liverpool for the quadruple.

Err...I forgot Sami

[friedk]

good to see that all our strikers have got off the mark before September

[Pablo]

Yep great to see all our strikers off the mark. Benitez has said several times he wants four strikers scoring 10 goals rather than one scoring 40, therefore we are less reliant on one player, and its harder for the other team to know who to mark out of the game. I think this could be the first season where his plan actually comes into fruition. The only problem will be keeping all four happy, you could see in the interview with Crouch after the match that he is already getting frustrated. At present its working a treat though. Those players on the periphery were straining only the leash to impress last night and what a difference it made!

[ronanm]

good to see that all our strikers have got off the mark before September

Good indeed. Would love to get a "natural" poacher though. The number of chances Crouch and Kuyt had last night was incredible, particularly the former. Am not sure if any other striker could get into those positions that Crouch gets into, but he should have scored about 4 last night. Against a big team you get 1 chance and of all our strikers I'd give it to Voronin. I think Voronin and Torres/Babel and Torres should become our first choice 2.

[Shaggy]

Good indeed. Would love to get a "natural" poacher though. The number of chances Crouch and Kuyt had last night was incredible, particularly the former. Am not sure if any other striker could get into those positions that Crouch gets into, but he should have scored about 4 last night. Against a big team you get 1 chance and of all our strikers I'd give it to Veronin. I think Veronin and Torres/Babel and Torres should become our first choice 2.

Why do people pick Crouch out? Both he and Kuyt missed about five glaring chances each.

Some people talk as if they've seen a striker, somewhere, who scores every single chance that comes along. I feel Crouch has more of an excuse than Kuyt as he's had virtually zero match practice but it's not a problem - they both scored and the team won.

[ronanm]

Why do people pick Crouch out? Both he and Kuyt missed about five glaring chances each.

Some people talk as if they've seen a striker, somewhere, who scores every single chance that comes along. I feel Crouch has more of an excuse than Kuyt as he's had virtually zero match practice but it's not a problem - they both scored and the team won.

Did they miss 5 glaring chances each or are you picking on Kuyt ? For the record, I'd pick Crouch over Kuyt.

[Pablo]

I dont think Shaggy is trying to take sides he is just pointing out that all stikers miss chance. Even as good a stiker as Torres missed a few good chances against Sunderland too. The important thing about last night was that Crouch and Kuyt kept looking for more chances, they never let their heads go down. Was so pleased to see Kuyt get those two goals late on, he really really deserved them and it will do him the world of good.

[tomasjj]

Why do people pick Crouch out? Both he and Kuyt missed about five glaring chances each.

Some people talk as if they've seen a striker, somewhere, who scores every single chance that comes along. I feel Crouch has more of an excuse than Kuyt as he's had virtually zero match practice but it's not a problem - they both scored and the team won.

While I think it is unfair to pick just on Crouch for missed chances, his misses are quite shocking for an international striker. And it has nothing to do with match practice, as he did it a lot last season too when he was playing regularly.

I am no massive fan of Kuyt either, but if I had to pick one of those two to be at the end of a great pass/cross in the 89th minute in a 0-0 game, I'd pick Kuyt because I think Crouch wastes too many clear chances.

He did ok last night, against a crap team.

[Shaggy]

Did they miss 5 glaring chances each or are you picking on Kuyt ? For the record, I'd pick Crouch over Kuyt.

I dont think Shaggy is trying to take sides he is just pointing out that all stikers miss chance. Even as good a stiker as Torres missed a few good chances against Sunderland too. The important thing about last night was that Crouch and Kuyt kept looking for more chances, they never let their heads go down. Was so pleased to see Kuyt get those two goals late on, he really really deserved them and it will do him the world of good.

Exactly. I'm not taking sides but the way people pounce on Crouch for missing a few chances really bugs me. When Torres misses easy chances it's "bless him, he's **** hot at everything apart from finishing, it'll come...". When Crouch misses a few it's "I know he scored but he should be be sold - too profligate".

Give me a ****ing break.

We've got four quality strikers who know where the back of the net is. Some people talk as if they expect four strikers of Torres' quality in the squad. Well that's just not possible.

Pablo is exactly right - despite missing chance after chance last night, Dirk and Crouchie kept on getting in there, weren't afraid of missing more opportunities and Kuyt, particularly, got his reward after 80 minutes of frustration. That's what you want from any striker - someone who'll find the space to get on the end of things. As the old cliché goes, you'd rather a striker who's missing chances than not ever looking like scoring.

And despite those missed chances, they both scored. What more do people want? Do they want our strikers to be bagging five each?

[Shaggy]

While I think it is unfair to pick just on Crouch for missed chances, his misses are quite shocking for an international striker. And it has nothing to do with match practice, as he did it a lot last season too when he was playing regularly.

I am no massive fan of Kuyt either, but if I had to pick one of those two to be at the end of a great pass/cross in the 89th minute in a 0-0 game, I'd pick Kuyt because I think Crouch wastes too many clear chances.

He did ok last night, against a crap team.

He also scores a lot of goals. What is yours and other people's problem?

A lot of these chances Crouch misses wouldn't even represent chances for most other strikers.

Torres wastes far, far too many clear chances (there is no clearer goalscoring opportunity than going one-on-one with a keeper, and FT has missed loads already) but I don't hear you or anybody else for that matter getting on his case. Frankly it's a ****ing joke.

[The Red Cardinal]

While I think it is unfair to pick just on Crouch for missed chances, his misses are quite shocking for an international striker. And it has nothing to do with match practice, as he did it a lot last season too when he was playing regularly.

I am no massive fan of Kuyt either, but if I had to pick one of those two to be at the end of a great pass/cross in the 89th minute in a 0-0 game, I'd pick Kuyt because I think Crouch wastes too many clear chances.

He did ok last night, against a crap team.

I think the important thing to realise about Crouch is that he's absolutely garbage at heading the ball especially at goal. I think people (commentators especially) just expect him to be great at heading because of his height when in reality it's probably the weakest part of his game...

[The_weatherman]

He also scores a lot of goals. What is yours and other people's problem?

A lot of these chances Crouch misses wouldn't even represent chances for most other strikers.

Torres wastes far, far too many clear chances (there is no clearer goalscoring opportunity than going one-on-one with a keeper, and FT has missed loads already) but I don't hear you or anybody else for that matter getting on his case. Frankly it's a ****ing joke.

To be fair, those chances are also chances that wouldn't represent chances for most other strikers, certainly none of the other strikers on our books, for example when he scorched past Macshane and Nosworthy But I'm still with you though (odd I know), we have four great strikers and I want to keep them all, I don't want to sell any of them and I want them rotated like Rafa does. As far as I'm concerned we are rosy in the striking department. It baffles me why must constantly pick on players, even those who weren't playing, like Xabi, there is thread here attacking Xabi and telling him to wathc Mascher and Momo Momo isn't even in competion for places with Xabi.

[dom9]

Liverpool for the quadruple.

Nothing like a couple of wins to get people ridiculously carried away.

[Shaggy]

To be fair, those chances are also chances that wouldn't represent chances for most other strikers, certainly none of the other strikers on our books, for example when he scorched past Macshane and Nosworthy But I'm still with you though (odd I know), we have four great strikers and I want to keep them all, I don't want to sell any of them and I want them rotated like Rafa does. As far as I'm concerned we are rosy in the striking department. It baffles me why must constantly pick on players, even those who weren't playing, like Xabi, there is thread here attacking Xabi and telling him to wathc Mascher and Momo Momo isn't even in competion for places with Xabi.

[DeeTheDog]

Nothing like a couple of wins to get people ridiculously carried away.

Why not? That's the joy of being a fan, you have highest ambitions. With teh strengths of some club squads, it is a distinct possibility that some team will do it.