Crouchie's off then...

[thesilverfoxlfc]

Torres is better than Crouch at everything that Crouch has as his strenghts.

Very true


Crouch is good at bringing other players in to play admitting but Torres is just better as a whole option

[peekay]

You do realize that 99% of the time that is what he is supposed to do. It's called holding up the ball and it's done so that the midfield can join the attack.

I think Rafa is trying to evolve our attacking style mate. Crouch is brilliant at bringing others into play but in the process makes our attacking style a bit predictable and over time, other teams can snuff that out.

Look at the great attacking teams, they pass the ball into space and you have the attackers screaming into the space getting to the ball before the other teams close them down. This requires players players with

pace : as you need to get to the ball before the defenders. Crouch does not have this. Sami Hyppia will get to the ball before Crouch.

technique : As you must have the ability to get to the ball immediately make a decision and play a good pass into space again. Ill grant you Crouch has this but without pace technique is pointless.

Also another problem is that Crouch has also evolved as a striker. He is now more of a goalscorer than a provider. He is a great outlet when we are under pressure. But he needs that bit of unpredictability. Look at henry, we never know if he is gonna hold the ball for other midfielders to come through or is he gonna rip the defenders by himself. you never know.

[fred_plasticine]

I think Rafa is trying to evolve our attacking style mate. Crouch is brilliant at bringing others into play but in the process makes our attacking style a bit predictable and over time, other teams can snuff that out.

Look at the great attacking teams, they pass the ball into space and you have the attackers screaming into the space getting to the ball before the other teams close them down. This requires players players with

pace : as you need to get to the ball before the defenders. Crouch does not have this. Sami Hyppia will get to the ball before Crouch.

technique : As you must have the ability to get to the ball immediately make a decision and play a good pass into space again. Ill grant you Crouch has this but without pace technique is pointless.

Also another problem is that Crouch has also evolved as a striker. He is now more of a goalscorer than a provider. He is a great outlet when we are under pressure. But he needs that bit of unpredictability. Look at henry, we never know if he is gonna hold the ball for other midfielders to come through or is he gonna rip the defenders by himself. you never know.

to be a great goalscorer you don't necessarily have to be pacey if you tend to end up in the right positions at the right time. eg, rvn.
like it's been said before, the arrival of torres just revealed crouchy's shortcomings. it's sad for him but player's of torres class are the only way forward whereas the crouch type unfortunately means stagnation.

[peekay]

I agree Fred, but RVN may not be extremely pacy, but he is far more mobile than Crouchy, If that makes any sense. His movement and instinctive reactions are second to none.

[fred_plasticine]

I agree Fred, but RVN may not be extremely pacy, but he is far more mobile than Crouchy, If that makes any sense. His movement and instinctive reactions are second to none.

it does make perfect sense, yeah.

[El Jefecito]

I think Rafa is trying to evolve our attacking style mate. Crouch is brilliant at bringing others into play but in the process makes our attacking style a bit predictable and over time, other teams can snuff that out.
Look at the great attacking teams, they pass the ball into space and you have the attackers screaming into the space getting to the ball before the other teams close them down. This requires players players with

pace : as you need to get to the ball before the defenders. Crouch does not have this. Sami Hyppia will get to the ball before Crouch.

technique : As you must have the ability to get to the ball immediately make a decision and play a good pass into space again. Ill grant you Crouch has this but without pace technique is pointless.

Also another problem is that Crouch has also evolved as a striker. He is now more of a goalscorer than a provider. He is a great outlet when we are under pressure. But he needs that bit of unpredictability. Look at henry, we never know if he is gonna hold the ball for other midfielders to come through or is he gonna rip the defenders by himself. you never know.

It's funny you should say that, as I came to the same conclusion myself. We are far more fluid and pacy in attack and that renders Crouch irrelevant.

I think he has got wind of this, maybe by struggling in training with the new tactics, and he knows that he won't succeed. He won't be here next year

[peekay]

It's funny you should say that, as I came to the same conclusion myself. We are far more fluid and pacy in attack and that renders Crouch irrelevant.

I think he has got wind of this, maybe by struggling in training with the new tactics, and he knows that he won't succeed. He won't be here next year

I think we are in for a few more bumps as the team is learning a new way of play, just like the zonal marking furore in the 2004-2005 season. But after that