Peter Crouch to Newcastle

[CharlieMansonsSquint]

What a load of bollocks.

Yes we need a consistent goalscorer, and Crouch certainly isn't that, but then neither are Kuyt and Bellamy.

**** sake, it makes me long for the days of Michael Owen. Now there was somebody who could finish his dinner.

Last season Crouch was great for us, yes he missed loads today but so has Kuyt recently and Crouch hasn't had a run of games like Kuyt. I tend to think that if we partnered Crouch with a David Villa type (just an example before anyone starts) I think we'd be laughing.

More than anything else I'm getting tired of us shipping out mediocre players only to have mediocre players replace them. Say what you want about the scum and the Chavs, and the amount of money they've spent on the Rooneys, Ronaldo's, Drogba's, etc but at least they've got attacking players who are consistent and exciting. We've got Gerrard and a bunch of second raters. The Dubai money can't come soon enough.

[CAD]

I didn't think his record was as bad as this. Obviously his poor ratio has been masked by a raft of goals against Jamaica, Andorra and Greece.

These stats only cover the PL. The 22% conversion rate for Southampton is what got him here. Since then (as per usual when a striker puts on the red shirt) it has been ****e. 7% would make any manager cry.

Look at the game today: 8-18 in shots! Losing games like that can NEVER be blamed on the manager. We did everything right with the wrong players...

[Fiddy]

I would maybe have allowed him a bad game despite feeling angry towards him except for one thing. When he realised he was being substituted he mouthed "For F*cks sake" which was caught on camera. If he doesn't know why he was being hauled off then he should watch the match again and listen to the commentators. Three times he had clear headers. Three times he put weak headers in, the second two straight at Friedel more or less. Why didn't he try something different - a bit of power, some height, or better still at the gaping net to Friedel's left?

To mouth off at being subbed when you are the main reason your team's losing isn't clever.

I noticed that, and it pissed me off. He also petulantly threw someone's jacket off his seat when he sat down. The guy whinges about not getting a chance in the team and when he does, he did absolutely nothing to show he was worth it, then throws a little paddy when he's deservedly subbed?!

[Jop]

Crouch is not a first choice striker and today AGAIN showed why, he misses too many chances period.
We are challenging Chelsea,Man ****e and Arsenal, would any of those clubs have him.....NO.
When people say he is not to blame i would disagree because he is a striker, he was given enough chances and because he did not take at least one never mind three we came away with nothing. He did not do his job unlike Brad Fridel, he was overworked but did his job and Blackburn took home the bacon.

I personally believe the guy since being selected by England has had his head up his ass (he can do that at 6'7" ), the attitude not just yesterday at his substitution but his comments recently in the press about the rotation policy, something i think rafa commented about, shows that change in attitude.

[shadow]

[QUOTE=AFII;211341]As I have said. It's up to Rafa. He will sell any player in the team if he has a better replacement lined up.




Manager 101

[Rowan]

This is just my interpretation of things so feel free to disagree.

The problem crouch has got is the way we are playing this season. Last year at times we had the tendancy to launch the ball up to crouch to either let him flick it on somewhere or alternatively to hold it up and wait for the midfield to show up (granted that may be a generalisation and a half). The simple fact is that most things went throught the middle and we were looking for crouch to use his natural game of holding up play and bringing in the players around him. This season Rafa has got his wingers and there is no longer the tendancy to play this way. Because of that Crouch looks out of sorts. When the ball goes in to him he is now invariably slowing down a quick counter attack and, imo losing the ball too much. He also is not quite as lethal as he could be when the ball comes in to the box from wide areas, as opposed to Robbie and Garcia.

So in short Crouch was the player we needed last year for the players we had and style of football we were playing. This year he is far less effective for the same reason. If Rafa wants to continue to play that way he needs to seriously consider whether Crouch is an effective use of capital, I would be tempted to say he isn't but I'm not sure if we could do better for less than 15mil. I would like to see robbie get more of a run to be honest.

[lfc4ever]

Crouchy criitcised by Rafa:

Rafa Demands More From Frontmen
Wed 27 Dec, 4:09 PM


Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has urged his strikers to start making the most of their chances when they look to get back in the top four against Tottenham on Saturday.

Peter Crouch was guilty of the most glaring misses against Blackburn at Ewood Park on Boxing Day before he was replaced by Dirk Kuyt, while Xabi Alonso and Craig Bellamy were also denied by Friedel.

Benitez said: ``We have to analyse why we didn't score and why we didn't create more chances in the second half. We must look to the next game against Tottenham and take our chances there.''

Meanwhile Benitez has insisted his controversial squad rotation system is no excuse for a striker who fails to make the most of his chances in front of goal.

Crouch was returning to the side having started on the bench for the win over Watford three days' earlier and seemed sluggish as he directed threeheaders straight into the arms of Friedel.

But he won no sympathy from Benitez, who added: ``If the other strikers are playing well and the team is winning at a top side, that (squad rotation) is something you need to know and manage.''

http://uk.sports.yahoo.com/27122006/4/rafa-demands-frontmen.html

[Meursault]

Last season Crouch was great for us, yes he missed loads today but so has Kuyt recently and Crouch hasn't had a run of games like Kuyt. I tend to think that if we partnered Crouch with a David Villa type (just an example before anyone starts) I think we'd be laughing.

We did, on Tuesday.

And yes, we laughed our way down to 5th place.

[CAD]

"Originally Posted by CharlieMansonsSquint
Last season Crouch was great for us"

Last season Crouch was ****ing bull**** as well. 7% conversion. You're normally a good poster, so I'll let you off easy

[AFII]

One thing is very hard to understand and that is that Rafa always say that Crouch is good in the air. He isn't that IMO.

He wins a lot of headers but a lot of them is very weak and without any clear direction.

[brightred]

Who cares about Crouch

With all our millions we can buy whoever we want.

Villa anyone?

Torres perhaps?

How about eto'o?

Leave poor Peter alone.

[AFII]

It looks like they will make a bid so it will be up to Rafa to decide if he want to keep him.

CROUCH'S ROED OUT OF ANFIELD

NEWCASTLE will offer Peter Crouch an escape route if his frustrating time at Liverpool continues.

United boss Roeder believes Crouch would be perfect with the pace of Obi Martins and Michael Owen.

But Roeder added: "I'm sure Rafael Benitez is very happy with him and I don't know if we'll even close to bringing him here."

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/footba...name_page.html

[Sydney Vicious]

"Originally Posted by CharlieMansonsSquint
Last season Crouch was great for us"

Last season Crouch was ****ing bull**** as well. 7% conversion. You're normally a good poster, so I'll let you off easy

[Sydney Vicious]

I noticed that, and it pissed me off. He also petulantly threw someone's jacket off his seat when he sat down. The guy whinges about not getting a chance in the team and when he does, he did absolutely nothing to show he was worth it, then throws a little paddy when he's deservedly subbed?!

He's ****ing useless. Lack of matches or not, that's no excuse for missing point-blank free headers with weak nods rather than thumping finishes.

Are we supposed to believe that only a run of games will give him back his neck muscles? :whatever: :whatever: :whatever:

[simey85]

crouchy is a good lad n all and has his uses but **** me he plays football every day and you cant go round missing the chances he does. he goes on sporadic runs of scoring but then wont score for a while we need some1 who is going to get a goal every other game and bury the half chances when he gets a sniff.
D Villa? (expensive)
Huntelaar?