Showing posts with label Peter Crouch. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Peter Crouch. Show all posts

27.9.07

Crouch: He's doing magnificent!

Peter Crouch has paid tribute to strike-partner Fernando Torres for the way he has settled into life in England

Six goals before the end of September have ensured the Spaniard is already a firm favourite on the Kop. And Crouch revealed the new boy is adapting just as well off the pitch.

He said: "Fernando speaks a bit of English, though he's not confident enough to do interviews yet. But in the dressing room he's got a bit about him and it's always good to see a player trying to adapt and learn the language. He's a good lad. The Spanish lads are helping him settle in.

"He was magnificent at Reading. The thing about Fernando is that he's a top-class player but he works so hard for the team. You can see that. The manager obviously likes all the players to work hard and the strikers to track back - he does that extremely well, as well as his more obvious qualities.

The Liverpool striker certainly played well with Torres in the Reading game

"His goals were fantastically taken and it was a superb all-round performance.

"He's a strong lad and he proved that he can certainly cope with the physical side. He comes from a different way of playing - Spanish football is different to English football - but he's an extremely strong physical player. He has pace and attributes to help him cope with that. I'm sure he's going to be a force this year.

"I enjoy playing with a player with such blistering pace as Fernando. I'll hold the ball up and get in the box, he can run onto the loose balls and get in behind defences. I certainly think we complement each other. Fernando can win things in the air as well but the fact that he is pacy and reads the flicks helps him get in behind."

Liverpool are unbeaten in 10 games so far this season, a consistency which Crouch believes is now approaching that of Man United and Chelsea.

"We want to be as consistent as we can," he said. "Chelsea and Manchester United have proved how consistent you have to be to get anywhere near winning the league and we need to turn some of those draws into wins now.

"Ten unbeaten is a good start for us. It could have been even better but we need to get that winning mentality that the other two had last year and I believe we are getting that.

"We've certainly got strength in depth. The manager has a lot of players at his disposal. We are going to challenge on all fronts this year. I really believe that.

"The players the manager has brought in seem to have settled straight away and we've got off to a good start. Sometimes it can take a while to bed in but they've come in and are really firing. That's good for the squad and good for the team."

(Courtesy: www.liverpoolfc.tv)

10.9.07

Crouch or Heskey? Why not both!

Your eyes do not deceive you. Yes, you read right, i think England should play BOTH Heskey and Crouch. I've given credit to McClown in my previous post, for being bold, and as they say, fortune favors the bold, so again i make reference to this phrase. Can McClown be twice a fortunate man and make England play a bold and outrageous attack, and WIN?

Think i'm full of shite, and have played too much Championship Manager, don't you? Well, you may be 100% right, but think about this formation:

--------------------Robinson---------------------

Richards---Terry---Ferdinand---Cole

-----Gerrard----Hargreaves----Barry--

-----------------------Owen-------------------------

--------------Heskey------Crouch-------------

Defence:
The defence is nothing new. Robinson is only playing because there is no one better. Calamity James is prone to blunders in the big games.

Midfield:
I've opted for a 3 man midfield, anchored by the tireless Hargreaves. With him sitting in that, he is able to provide cover while Gerrard and Barry bomb forward. Furthermore, Gerrard and Barry are very comfortable drifting to wide positions and creating other angles of attack

Attack:
Some defenders say its impossible to play against Heskey as he is just so powerful. Other say that because of Crouch's gangly height and awesome skills, he's just as unplayable. So why not stick them both in front? Then let little Mickey Owen have a free role and let him roam wherever he pleases while the opposition defence gets battered to death by the combined power of Heskey and Crouch.

It is also possible to mix and match this strange looking attack. Owen can be moved up front to partner Crouch with Heskey dropped to the bench, while someone more accustomed to playing in the 'hole' like Joe Cole and Rooney can be given that role.

Ultimately though, i think its a pretty decent idea, but realisticly speaking, McClown should stick with the original team and tactics that won so comprehensively against Israel. Maybe if things go horribly wrong, then he can try out my idea. As they say, if it aint broke, don't fix it.