Crouchie

[Matt]

I was surprised/pleased/concerned when I heard Crouch named in the team yesterday. It seemed like Rafa sacrificed his tried and tested system to bring in a player who's hardly featured all season.

He played well but will he keep his place? Torres seemed to play quite wide yesterday, could he do a job out there while Crouch plays up top?

I'm just wondering whether it was purely tactical because Wenger would no doubt have prepared to face a 4-2-3-1 but we were chasing shadows until Sami scored. I don't know whether it was our unfamiliar formation or if it was just because Arsenal were too good. Are we back to 4-4-2 for the rest of the season?

[Nic83]

Nah, back to 4231 now me thinks

[Shaggy]

At one point in the 2nd half last night, Torres came right out to the left hand side with Gerrard off Crouch. WTF? Luckily it only remained that way for about 2 minutes.

I think Crouch was picked last night for fairly obvious reasons - i.e. Arsenal can't handle him. Also the surprise factor, but mainly the fact that Crouch has always done so well against the Gooners.

He wasn't quite so effective last night and he'd be back on the bench against Chelsea, for me.

That said, there is a very strong case for keeping Babel on the bench until the last 20 minutes or so to run at tiring legs.

[Tee]

At one point in the 2nd half last night, Torres came right out to the left hand side with Gerrard off Crouch. WTF? Luckily it only remained that way for about 2 minutes.

I think Crouch was picked last night for fairly obvious reasons - i.e. Arsenal can't handle him. Also the surprise factor, but mainly the fact that Crouch has always done so well against the Gooners.

He wasn't quite so effective last night and he'd be back on the bench against Chelsea, for me.

That said, there is a very strong case for keeping Babel on the bench until the last 20 minutes or so to run at tiring legs.

Torres did look dangerous cutting in from the left IMO.

Crouchie will surely sign that new deal - Rafa has demonstrated that he trusts him in the biggest games and I think Crouch understands he has an important role to play for us.

[DeeTheDog]

No, I thought the experiment didn't work and gave Arsenal the control of the first 25 minutes. It left us overly exposed and Arsenal were able to pass through us. Gerrard's effect was negated, Torres too wide and Masch turned in his least effective performance for months. The 4-2-2-1-1 or 4-2-3-1 gets the best of our current crop of players and unfortunately it doesn't accommodate both Torres and Crouch.

[Kenneth]

Torres did look dangerous cutting in from the left IMO.
Crouchie will surely sign that new deal - Rafa has demonstrated that he trusts him in the biggest games and I think Crouch understands he has an important role to play for us.

He certainly did.

[Colemere]

Did Crouch Wave at the fans before clapping as he went off?

[Rich]

No, I thought the experiment didn't work and gave Arsenal the control of the first 25 minutes. It left us overly exposed and Arsenal were able to pass through us. Gerrard's effect was negated, Torres too wide and Masch turned in his least effective performance for months. The 4-2-2-1-1 or 4-2-3-1 gets the best of our current crop of players and unfortunately it doesn't accommodate both Torres and Crouch.

Is the correct answer

[Assassin]

IMO Crouchie was played to keep Gallas busy instead of him covering up for Senderos. Then we targeted the weak link Senderos and exposed him for what you is......substandard!

[bobbyfallon]

deleted

[Shaggy]

Prick.

[Assassin]

was like playing with ten men. useless ****er crouch

Prick.

Seconded

[bobbyfallon]

fair enough lads you think hes a good player i dont. he is not good enough for lfc. the sooner he goes the sooner we can replace him with someone decent. so therefore i hope he does not sign another contract and moves on. what did he do last night??

[JPK]

He did his job and set up a goal so he was hardly useless. You can see why Rafa backs Kuyt though. The guy can move and is versatile and would die for the shirt.
Crouch is very limited in where he can play and the Torres/Gerrard partnership is not the same when he plays.

[Shaggy]

fair enough lads you think hes a good player i dont. he is not good enough for lfc. the sooner he goes the sooner we can replace him with someone decent. so therefore i hope he does not sign another contract and moves on. what did he do last night??

Yeah. Who else thinks he’s a good player? Know-nothings like Rafa Benitez, Sven Goran Eriksson, and that particularly clueless fool who's achieved nothing in the game, Fabio Capello – who keeps picking him for England despite Crouch hardly playing any football.

Take the hint FFS.

He’s not a world beater but he’s good enough to be a squad player at Liverpool FC. He’s proved that time and time again. Everyone knows your ludicrously short-sighted stance on him ("he's not fast and he's dead tall, he must be ****!!!!!!111") as you pollute every thread on the man with the same inane insults – why bother posting the same ****e in every thread?