Liverpool FC Forum

[stmichael]

Firstly this is not a dig at Peter Crouch. I like the guy and so far I’d still say he’s had a reasonably decent start to his Liverpool career. Granted he needs to be more clinical in front of goal at times (with both head & foot) but he should not be the fulcrum of our attack, especially in a 4-5-1 formation. It would be ok if we had midfielders willing to run beyond him but that's just not happening at the moment

Where the concern lies, is that he is becoming an easy get out clause for the midfielders & defenders, particularly when were not playing well. Right now were not using him in the best way we can. He is becoming isolated by long balls into him and as a result the free flowing football we were starting to see under Rafa is quickly evaporating at the present time.

There was a suggestion from a mate of mine yesterday that increased longer balls have had a negative effect on our shorter passing too. Fatigue could obviously also be a major factor but since the turn of the year I personally have noticed a huge increase of misplaced passes and what I would determine sloppy play. Particularly from players who you would least expect it.

IMO Crouch was bought as a 2nd or 3rd choice striker. Just like his role for the national side he is an alternative and for certain games his role can be invaluable. For short times he can be a target man who can cause havoc against the best defenders but he’s much more than that. Given the right service his link up play is excellent and as long as we have runners coming off him, the majority of the time we will keep possession and be able to build an attack.

The long term answer obviously lies in the transfer market, but what about the short term? The remaining nine league games & hopefully 3 FA Cup ties. How about taking Peter out of the firing line for a couple of games and make the other players readjust their play. Make our players play it simple, try and force them to pass & move again. We know they can do it, they’ve shown it in the past.

[Trewyn]

For the short term, I say we fix the last few games to a cisse fowler combination with crouch as a supersub in case fowler gets tired.

Cisse will draw defensive attention away from fowler or fowler with his natural vision can anytime lay off the ball for cisse.

Nando was great, was the striker we are looking for currently... was was was sigh...

I know cisse isn't very popular now but let's sell him without any regrets, knowing that he has been played in his favoured position and given every chance in the world to try and shine.

by the way, in my eyes, fowler has scored 4 times already.

[Paul C]

I agree there St Mike, we have one of the best midfields in the country and were always launching long balls to Crouch which isn't helping matters, Crouch is a very good player but needs a decent strike partner which is why I don't understand why Rafa doesn't play him and Fowler together

[stmichael]

Tend to agree Paul. Whilst the squad has notably improved this season I'm of the thinking that since the turn of the year, our style of play has detiorated. Certainly the movement of the side is nothing like what it was when we went on that ten match winning run.

For me Crouch now plays at a consistant level, and whilst it's better than Heskey on a bad day, it's not on a par with Emile on a good day. He links up the play but the bottom line is that both are big softies that don't really use their height to their full advantage.

As things stand I'd be wary of us buying Kuyt coz I can see him getting pushed out to the wing to accomodate what is becoming a fixation with Moro or Crouch having to lead the line.

[welsh wizzard]

I agree there St Mike, we have one of the best midfields in the country and were always launching long balls to Crouch which isn't helping matters, Crouch is a very good player but needs a decent strike partner which is why I don't understand why Rafa doesn't play him and Fowler together

who's that then? ?

















                     Stevie Gerrard!!!!!!!!

[davo_LFC]

rafa probably realises that nando isnt the answer and he will most probably  confront that issue in the summer, so if we buy kuyt i think he would play him as a striker, rafa likes proper wingers but we just havent got any at the moment, maybe kewell is the only current one. Rafa is no soft touch, if nando isnt at it, he will be out the door...just look at pellegrino, great relationship with rafa at valencia but rafa knew he was sh.ite and got rid so i dont think he will hesistate to do so with nando.

[Ciggy]

One word HOOF what the bloody hell has happened to our pass and move game latelty?
We are very static terrible lack of pace through the whole entire squad.
Just hoof to Crouch's head, its even getting hoofed to his head from Reina now, duno why cause he is cr@p at headers.
Borin.

[gary106]

watchin the arsenal and benfica games ive realised someting and someone touched on it earlier in this thread, we're too slow to do anything.

i mean when 1 of the back four has the bal its not happening, few passes then a long ball (like it used to be with heskey). its not like our midfield are on the floor just for some reason we prefer it in the air. yes crouch is tall but its not like he is superb in the air either he's probably better on the ground in my opinon.  everyone just seems to stop and wait for something to happen and not make it happen themselves then they lose possesion after they try sumat fancy or whack it upfield to our ONE striker with NO support. what happened to passing it about and trying to create something ??

[zarababe]

The team look tired.. we've played too many games, 50 matches and been on TV live for 37 matches (apparently) .. its too many and anyone will suffer. Benitez is already hot on solutions. we've improved already this year beyond what anyone could have hoped.. lets see what they do on Wednesday.. but the summer will be interesting.

[stmichael]

I can't be bothered checking back for a quote but didn't Rafa cite away games against the better sides as one of the main scenarios that he had in mind when he bought Crouch? He probably said "Peter can give us...possibilities, for sure" or somesuch.

He's not helping himself much at the moment, but he is being made to look worse by some of the balls being played to him when we get desperate. We're always having to chase games away from home because we generally aren't capable of scoring first. Even when we do, we don't get chance to settle and control the pace of the game.

Henry just rubbed our noses in it yesterday. Two clear chances, two shots, two goals. What wouldn't we give?

If we end up buying Owen in the summer, I hope he can keep fit and keep scoring, but I'm not going to enjoy watching Gerrard knock 50 yard balls over the top for him to run on to any more than I enjoy watching everybody belting 'em up to Crouch for the last 10 minutes of a match. I'm sure one of the reasons Rafa wasn't heartbroken to see him go in the first place was because he doesn't fit in to his preferred style of play.

[metalhead]

Firstly this is not a dig at Peter Crouch. I like the guy and so far I’d still say he’s had a reasonably decent start to his Liverpool career. Granted he needs to be more clinical in front of goal at times (with both head & foot) but he should not be the fulcrum of our attack, especially in a 4-5-1 formation. It would be ok if we had midfielders willing to run beyond him but that's just not happening at the moment

Where the concern lies, is that he is becoming an easy get out clause for the midfielders & defenders, particularly when were not playing well. Right now were not using him in the best way we can. He is becoming isolated by long balls into him and as a result the free flowing football we were starting to see under Rafa is quickly evaporating at the present time.

There was a suggestion from a mate of mine yesterday that increased longer balls have had a negative effect on our shorter passing too. Fatigue could obviously also be a major factor but since the turn of the year I personally have noticed a huge increase of misplaced passes and what I would determine sloppy play. Particularly from players who you would least expect it.

IMO Crouch was bought as a 2nd or 3rd choice striker. Just like his role for the national side he is an alternative and for certain games his role can be invaluable. For short times he can be a target man who can cause havoc against the best defenders but he’s much more than that. Given the right service his link up play is excellent and as long as we have runners coming off him, the majority of the time we will keep possession and be able to build an attack.

The long term answer obviously lies in the transfer market, but what about the short term? The remaining nine league games & hopefully 3 FA Cup ties. How about taking Peter out of the firing line for a couple of games and make the other players readjust their play. Make our players play it simple, try and force them to pass & move again. We know they can do it, they’ve shown it in the past.

just like to ask a question St. Michael, didn't benitez used long balls in december that made crouch score 6 goals in the same month?

I just think the players are getting tired. but i have to agree with you that we need play more short passes.

[65-1140560321]

Fowler and Cisse, should play for the remaining games up fornt 4-4-2. all of them. Crouch and Moro on the bench.

Cisse to see if he has what it takes to stay. Fowler to earn a new contract.

signed

jim bob

[el_stinger]

Cggy said it all in one word - Boring!

The long ball has died, and you'll never win a premiership by playing like that. Did we win the CL by playing like that? No. I think Rafa is still learning the game, and this season, he used the team to play the old english style, so that Rafa can put a different spin on it next season. Im hoping anyway.

[dawson99]

one of our main problems i think is what has been said and that is that crouch is not a 1st choice striker. the prssure on the lad is unbelievable. it doesnt help that morientez has been absolutely awful for us but crouch seems to be buckling under the pressure and we cant always leave it to gerrard to solve every problem. what we need is noe of our strikers to score some goals consistently so crouch can just play his normal game.

Its not gonna come from mori tho and fowler isnt quite there yet so i agree its up to cisse. the thing is tho that lately he cant even get on the bench and when he does play he used as a winger which is not his prefferred position. now i know no one likes cisse but we got him til the summer at least so we have to use him, there just isnt any other way

[GerrardisKing]

I would like to see cisse play in his proper position for a good number of games,think he needs a fair crack at this striker lark.
Would agree that we are becoming to reliant on long balls to crouch,when I`ve seen liverpool at there best its been when they`ve played high tempo short passing,it may be down to tiredness the way we are playing.If we are gonna persist in playing this way we need to feed off crouch`s knock ons better and get support up to him quicker.