Quick Question

[bigfooty]

Rafa has also been known to be ruthless regarding under performing players,ask Baros,Cisse,Morientes,Nunez,Bellamy etc......
This should be enough to spur the squad players onto bettere performances.
Crouch,Riise,Kuyt,Pennant should know that every performance is important to impress the manager/armchair managers in a transfer window.

As for throwing in youngsters,they may have folded to a team that was infront twice in the game.rafa played a blinder today with his line up.

WE WON 5-2 today!!!!!!!

Crouch was scoring for fun in the Champions League last season but Rafa consistently dropped him for matches like the two Barca legs, Chelsea away and the final itself - favouring Kuyt and / or Bellamy who combined to score comfortably fewer goals in Europe than Crouch.

Here's something else to ponder. Crouch's last 4 games have been 1-1 Luton (he scored), 5-0 Luton (he didn't score but setup one of the goals), 2-2 Villa (he scored) and 5-2 today (scoring again). So 3 goals in his last 4 games, a decent record for any striker you would say, especially considering the team has been playing below par. But can you honestly sit here and be 100% confident that Rafa will pick Crouch for the West Ham game?

[Johnny]

How did he play a blinder?

We won the the game 5-2,is that not enough for you?

[Johnny]

johnny mate rafa did not play a blinder today mate. i dont even know where to start tbh but yes at least we one.

5-2

[Johnny]

Crouch was scoring for fun in the Champions League last season but Rafa consistently dropped him for matches like the two Barca legs, Chelsea away and the final itself - favouring Kuyt and / or Bellamy who combined to score comfortably fewer goals in Europe than Crouch.

Here's something else to ponder. Crouch's last 4 games have been 1-1 Luton (he scored), 5-0 Luton (he didn't score but setup one of the goals), 2-2 Villa (he scored) and 5-2 today (scoring again). So 3 goals in his last 4 games, a decent record for any striker you would say, especially considering the team has been playing below par. But can you honestly sit here and be 100% confident that Rafa will pick Crouch for the West Ham game?

Read all my posts mate,I`m also starting to doubt Rafa.i`m also a great Crouch fan but today rafa changed the team to win 5-2 after a difficult first half.that`s all.

[Red_Al_77]

We won the the game 5-2,is that not enough for you?

You said he played a blinder. Was it just a throw away comment? Is that way you haven't answered the question?

[bigfooty]

Read all my posts mate,I`m also starting to doubt Rafa.i`m also a great Crouch fan but today rafa changed the team to win 5-2 after a difficult first half.that`s all.

I'm not sure he did. Yossi was playing off Crouch from quite early on, I can't remember when but it was definitely before or around mid-way in the first half. Babel hardly got a chance as a striker and was stuck out on the left wing again, having the odd good moment but generally looking like another Cisse.

[Neil Young]

Crouch was scoring for fun in the Champions League last season but Rafa consistently dropped him for matches like the two Barca legs, Chelsea away and the final itself - favouring Kuyt and / or Bellamy who combined to score comfortably fewer goals in Europe than Crouch.

Here's something else to ponder. Crouch's last 4 games have been 1-1 Luton (he scored), 5-0 Luton (he didn't score but setup one of the goals), 2-2 Villa (he scored) and 5-2 today (scoring again). So 3 goals in his last 4 games, a decent record for any striker you would say, especially considering the team has been playing below par. But can you honestly sit here and be 100% confident that Rafa will pick Crouch for the West Ham game?

I don't know about Rafa but I certainly wouldn't play Crouch after his performance today.

[Biff]

I know our home form is cack but to play ONE striker upfront against a team of PART-TIMERS has me wondering the the f**k Rafa's playing at.

By all means be cautious if we're playing the Manc's, Chav's or Arse but part-timers...??!??

[bigfooty]

I don't know about Rafa but I certainly wouldn't play Crouch after his performance today.

Yes, because a scoring record of 3 goals in 4 games is reason to drop a striker.

Let's pick Deadly Dirk instead!

[pezzzer]

5-2

awesome oponents

[pezzzer]

Yes, because a scoring record of 3 goals in 4 games is reason to drop a striker.

Let's pick Deadly Dirk instead!

dirk








very much not

[Red_Al_77]

It's ok though because we won, Rafa played a blinder, and the players are playing badly to get Rafa the sack.

[kop-al-74]

It's ok though because we won, Rafa played a blinder, and the players are playing badly to get Rafa the sack.

Thats the bit i like best.

[Neil Young]

Yes, because a scoring record of 3 goals in 4 games is reason to drop a striker.

Let's pick Deadly Dirk instead!

I thought Crouch played poorly - he wasn't the only one of course - and that Kuyt played better.

Of course you can go by goals alone if you want; it's one way to measure a performance of course.

[kop-al-74]

I thought Crouch played poorly - he wasn't the only one of course - and that Kuyt played better.

Of course you can go by goals alone if you want; it's one way to measure a performance of course.

Kuyt touched the ball once in the 10 mins he was on the pitch.I thought crouch showed a few nice touches.And ofcourse, he scored.

The header kuyt missed was shocking.