Crouch to M'Boro in Jan!!!!

[ineednewfootwear]

Crouch won't even be on the bench in 40 games for us this season IMO. So the question is more if he would rather play 20-25 games for us than 40-45 for an average side like Newcastle, Juventus or Man C?

In his dreams! :whatever:

I'm not having a dig at you, I actually read this somewhere else. Just think it's completely daft. More chance he goes on loan to 'boro in January than to Juve ... ever!

[Gazzla]

Why the **** would we loan Crouch?

[dww]

In his dreams! :whatever:

I'm not having a dig at you, I actually read this somewhere else. Just think it's completely daft. More chance he goes on loan to 'boro in January than to Juve ... ever!

Why so you think it is so unlikely? Juve looked terrible when I saw them this season (TV only naturally). Crouch would improve them greatly and Ranieri is apparently a fan.

[ineednewfootwear]

Because he can't head the ball. Juve currently have 4 strikers on their books so unless the great improvement is to replace Boumsong at the back, I don't see it happening.

Vincenzo Iaquinta
Alessandro Del Piero
David Trézéguet
Raffaele Palladino (U-21 International)

[dww]

Because he can't head the ball. Juve currently have 4 strikers on their books so unless the great improvement is to replace Boumsong at the back, I don't see it happening.

Vincenzo Iaquinta
Alessandro Del Piero
David Trézéguet
Raffaele Palladino (U-21 International)

I think he would be good in Italy with a bit more room. Del Piero looked past it to me when I saw him and if neither Iaquinta or Palladino can displace him I think that the manager must lack confidence in them to be honest. I guess we will see, maybe I caught old Alessandro on a bad day.

[Joe King]

If Crouch was generally a more aggressive player: in the air, challenging 50/50; there's absolutely no doubt he would have started with Torres this season up top. Crouch does win his fair share of the balls in the air but at times he seems a wee bit weak. Defenders like Ferdinand and Terry just bully him when we play against them. Thats why very rarely Rafa will play him against those teams. His lack of pace doesn't help as well, Kuyt is no cheetah but at least he hunts defenders and chases loose balls.

Crouch has the ability of being one of the best targetmen in the world however his physical side lets him down. He has game intelligence, we have seen him scores some cracking goals for us but he needs to be a bit like what Drogba gives up front for the Chavs (without the diving) and what Heskey gave to England in the last two games.

[Shaggy]

In his dreams! :whatever:

I'm not having a dig at you, I actually read this somewhere else. Just think it's completely daft. More chance he goes on loan to 'boro in January than to Juve ... ever!

Nah.

Crouch is very highly-rated in Italy. They're not preoccupied with height or frame over there. I think Juventus' interest in him was genuine.

Spionkop is a good bloke and a good poster, and has no doubt passed this on in good faith, but I think it's complete hogwash. We wouldn't loan him out, for a start, and he's far too good for Middlesbrough FFS.

[AFII]

If Crouch was generally a more aggressive player: in the air, challenging 50/50; there's absolutely no doubt he would have started with Torres this season up top. Crouch does win his fair share of the balls in the air but at times he seems a wee bit weak. Defenders like Ferdinand and Terry just bully him when we play against them. Thats why very rarely Rafa will play him against those teams. His lack of pace doesn't help as well, Kuyt is no cheetah but at least he hunts defenders and chases loose balls.

Crouch has the ability of being one of the best targetmen in the world however his physical side lets him down. He has game intelligence, we have seen him scores some cracking goals for us but he needs to be a bit like what Drogba gives up front for the Chavs (without the diving) and what Heskey gave to England in the last two games.

and Rafa now builds the team around pace and quick passes. That just doesn't fit in on Crouch.

Crouch was important last season when we played in another way and didn't had Torres or Mascherano. Now we play higher up the pitch. Last season we used Crouch as a target man so we could move up our midfield. We played to his strenghts. We don't do that anymore.

[Joe King]

and Rafa now builds the team around pace and quick passes. That just doesn't fit in on Crouch.

Crouch was important last season when we played in another way and didn't had Torres or Mascherano. Now we play higher up the pitch. Last season we used Crouch as a target man so we could move up our midfield. We played to his strenghts. We don't do that anymore.

Yep. Rafa has gone back to how his Valencia side used to play and won the title. Hard work, pressing teams, attacking, fast paced football. This isn't the style that Crouch likes. He likes 40/50 yards balls on his head so he can knock them down to someone else. Now we have Torres, we have a man who can not only run behind defences but can also be a decent header when the ball is in wide positions.

[Shaggy]

Hard work, pressing teams, attacking, fast paced football. This isn't the style that Crouch likes. He likes 40/50 yards balls on his head so he can knock them down to someone else

I think this is a fallacy.

I don't know for a fact what he "likes" but I'd bet any money he'd prefer a ball to feet, actually passed TO him, rather than a 40-50 yard punt aimed in his general direction. He's certainly better when getting the ball to feet.

He should still have a role to play. He brings the best out of Pennant and when we're playing with at least one genuine winger, then he's the best option for getting on the end of crosses. And not just in the air either - witness his first goal against Arsenal last season: great piece of movement, a dart towards the near post and a great finish.

[Joe King]

I think this is a fallacy.

I don't know for a fact what he "likes" but I'd bet any money he'd prefer a ball to feet, actually passed TO him, rather than a 40-50 yard punt aimed in his general direction. He's certainly better when getting the ball to feet.

He should still have a role to play. He brings the best out of Pennant and when we're playing with at least one genuine winger, then he's the best option for getting on the end of crosses. And not just in the air either - witness his first goal against Arsenal last season: great piece of movement, a dart towards the near post and a great finish.

Torres and Voronin are much better when it comes to game intelligence and strikers instinct.

Bringing the best out of Pennant? Pennant has been one of the gems this season and back end of last with or without Crouch.

Crouch may like the ball to his feet but he is god-awfully slow, he can do the tricks and bring others into the game but being a striker is about following that up with getting the box, causing a nuisance, trying to make movement to aid others. Crouch for me is too static.

[Craig_H]

As much as i like crouch for what he offers the team, i am getting a bit pissed off with his attitude at the moment. he is never ever going to play for a bigger team than Liverpool and he has to accept that there are better players than him at the club. he knows that he is in rafa's plans and he knows that he will get games so he should just man the **** up, bite the bullet (and his lip) and be a team player rather than a whining manwhore

Crouch basically scores whenever he starts. He has a right to feel like he should be in the team.

Being a team player is great and i dont think anyone could call Crouch selfish. But when you only get 7 Premiership minutes out of a possible 360, and you have Crouch's goalscoring record, i think you have a right to feel miffed.

[redblood]

I doubt that he want to stay if he only plays 20-25 games in all competitions. If you look at his situation and how many times he has played so far this season then that is more or less the number of games he will play.

That means that he will benched or left out in around 30-35 games. I doubt that he will be happy with that.

He has played in one game in the PL and left out in the other three. Voronin and Kuyt is also a better option to have on the bench. Crouch isn't any good coming off the bench.

So either he plays or he won't even be on the bench. Not exactly a good situation when you consider that he competes with Torres for the striker position.

Well you don't know what's going to happen injuries suspensions as well the games he'll put in for anyway I think he could easily get 30+ games in all comps and that won't be that far off the rest of them.
So to play 30+ games for a side that will challenge all fronts or to play 40-45 for a side who will be mid table at best.
I hope his ambition is to be a winner not a mid table nobody otherwise he shouldn't be at the club.
He will play most of the CL games, Carling Cup and FA cup games as well a selection of EPL games.
TBH thinking about it further Rafa probably decided to keep him because he was already moving on 2 strikers and didn't know for sure how the new lads would settle so he hedged his bets an kept Crouchy.
He may well move him on next summer but I think if Crouchy is the type of guy I think he is he will stay and fight rather than give up on possibily one of the best seasons we have had for about 20 years.

[redblood]

If Crouch was generally a more aggressive player: in the air, challenging 50/50; there's absolutely no doubt he would have started with Torres this season up top. Crouch does win his fair share of the balls in the air but at times he seems a wee bit weak. Defenders like Ferdinand and Terry just bully him when we play against them. Thats why very rarely Rafa will play him against those teams. His lack of pace doesn't help as well, Kuyt is no cheetah but at least he hunts defenders and chases loose balls.

Crouch has the ability of being one of the best targetmen in the world however his physical side lets him down. He has game intelligence, we have seen him scores some cracking goals for us but he needs to be a bit like what Drogba gives up front for the Chavs (without the diving) and what Heskey gave to England in the last two games.

Some good points mate but I don't believe he's weak at all and he's not afraid to stick his head were it hurts we've seen that on numerous occassions after he broke his nose he had no problem first game back he was putting his head where it hurts again.
I think what a lot of people are missing Rafa wants him as an option for possibilities he gives us something different to any of our other strikers right now plus he scores his fair share.
I'm happy to have him in the squad for those different options plus like I've said in my post above I think Rafa took a chance to keep him just in case Voronin or Torres or indeed Kuyt didn't work out.

[JPK]

Crouch basically scores whenever he starts. He has a right to feel like he should be in the team.

Being a team player is great and i dont think anyone could call Crouch selfish. But when you only get 7 Premiership minutes out of a possible 360, and you have Crouch's goalscoring record, i think you have a right to feel miffed.

Hardly now.If he did he would be in the team.Even heskey is keeping him out of the English team