Kuyt scores more often than Crouch - FACT!

[fah-q]

Stats can prove or disprove pretty much anything if you portray them in the right way.

88.9% of all statistics are made up on the spot anyway.

[dww]

You can't match them because they don't play against the same opposition with the same team mates in the same position etc etc.

There are too many variables which don't match hence statistical analysis of such things is meaningless at best.

In cases like this the point is that using reasonable assumptions like that over a number of games the difficulty of opposition evens out and that the players play in similar enough positions you probably can say something. In this case it is most likely that the two players in question don't have that different a scoring record overall.

[Morph]

88.9% of all statistics are made up on the spot anyway.

I see what you did there

[Craig_H]

But you are comparing Apples and Oranges. Crouch plays as an out and out striker and Kuyt as a link man. You would hope that he'd have more goals.
The fair comparisons are Torres vs. Crouch and The Crow vs. Kuyt.

Nonsense.

They're all strikers, i'm not having this 'link man' tripe as a get out clause for being a pants goalscorer.

[Morph]

Question if we won the league and Kuyt had maybe 20-25 assists but only 5 or 6 goals and he played with torres more often than any of our other strikers, would he be vindicated?

[Craig_H]

Question if we won the league and Kuyt had maybe 20-25 assists but only 5 or 6 goals and he played with torres more often than any of our other strikers, would he be vindicated?

Will never happen, but maybe.

20-25 assists is dreaming though.

[Morph]

Will never happen, but maybe.

20-25 assists is dreaming though.

I know it is, but isn't that what he was billed as a 20-20 man, we know the 20 goals aint happening, maybe he'll chip in with more assists, give the position he seems to be playing.

Fwiw, Voronin has been more of a contributor than Kuyt, and he cost diddly squat

[tomasjj]

Nonsense.

They're all strikers, i'm not having this 'link man' tripe as a get out clause for being a pants goalscorer.

He has scored more than Crouch you know


Honestly, I hope Kuyt will come good, but I have severe doubts.
As for Crouch, he is a decent option to have, something different when we need it. If he is cool with being a lot on the bench, and we can acutally afford to keep him instead of cashing in 10 mill plus, why not.

But he has only 18 months left on his contract as well. Will be be up for another one? Maybe we should see if he improves his market value in the EC if England qualifies before cashing in? By that time we might also have money to buy a better striker. I hope.

[El Jefecito]

Nonsense.

They're all strikers, i'm not having this 'link man' tripe as a get out clause for being a pants goalscorer.

I give up. Ignoring reality as it doesn't suit your argument convinces me that this debate is pointless.

[Red Chilli]

Nonsense.

They're all strikers, i'm not having this 'link man' tripe as a get out clause for being a pants goalscorer.

So would you count Beardo as a pants goalscorer then?

[Craig_H]

So would you count Beardo as a pants goalscorer then?

No because he scored goals.

[Craig_H]

I give up. Ignoring reality as it doesn't suit your argument convinces me that this debate is pointless.

Give up all you like mate, if you have one half of your strikeforce as a 'linkman' and this apparently excuses him from not being able to score goals, you aint gonna be winning the title. Unless you have 3 midfielders making up the goals with 10-15 each. We dont have that.

[El Jefecito]

Give up all you like mate, if you have one half of your strikeforce as a 'linkman' and this apparently excuses him from not being able to score goals, you aint gonna be winning the title. Unless you have 3 midfielders making up the goals with 10-15 each. We dont have that.

Take it up w/Rafa not me. It's just the reality of the situation.

[bigfooty]

If Kuyt is our link-man can you explain how he played over 20 games with Bellamy last season? Are you trying to say Bellamy was our out and out target man striker? Or how Kuyt himself was picked up front on his own for games like Man Utd and Milan? Was he linking the play from our midfield to their goalie?

I never thought Crouch was bought to score goals, I thought he was purchased because he gave our team a different dimension to the likes of Nando, Cisse and Baros. Kuyt WAS bought to score goals as he came with the reputation of doing just that, along with creating for others. Yet Crouch has pretty much matched him in goal scoring terms since Kuyt came to the club and is better at creating for others. This despite getting significantly less time on the pitch.

We play better football when we have Crouch in the side and keep the ball on the deck because he's a better footballer than Kuyt. Pretty simple really.

[El Jefecito]

If Kuyt is our link-man can you explain how he played over 20 games with Bellamy last season? Are you trying to say Bellamy was our out and out target man striker? Or how Kuyt himself was picked up front on his own for games like Man Utd and Milan? Was he linking the play from our midfield to their goalie?

I never thought Crouch was bought to score goals, I thought he was purchased because he gave our team a different dimension to the likes of Nando, Cisse and Baros. Kuyt WAS bought to score goals as he came with the reputation of doing just that, along with creating for others. Yet Crouch has pretty much matched him in goal scoring terms since Kuyt came to the club and is better at creating for others. This despite getting significantly less time on the pitch.

We play better football when we have Crouch in the side and keep the ball on the deck because he's a better footballer than Kuyt. Pretty simple really.

Yes, I am saying Bellamy played on the shoulder, i.e. lead the line and Kuyt was the link man. Thought that was pretty self evident

You are right that Kuyt has occassionally led the line, the CL final being an example, but that is the exception rather than the rule.