Liverpool FC Forum

by **welsh wizzard** » Tue Nov 21, 2006 11:43 am

The thing with Bellamy he is playing well and working hard for the team but lacking on confidence in front of goal. I remember last season for blackburn he started the season playing well got injured, but he didn't score for a long time then when he got his first goal went on a goal streak, and ended up scoring around 15 goals for them. Thats all Craig needs is a goal and i think he will be off scoring for fun. Same happened with Crouch. I get the impression with us being a massive club the player puts more pressure on himself to score in front of goal, and they start snapping at shots etc. They become to a point where they are desperate to score i feel we have very good strikers now and the goals will come. The thing is with Bellamy what we have to remember he has scored goals in the premiership for Newcastle and Blackburn, so its just a matter of time. He will come good i believe that.

by **red37** » Tue Nov 21, 2006 1:44 pm

welsh wizzard wrote:The thing with Bellamy he is playing well and working hard for the team but lacking on confidence in front of goal. I remember last season for blackburn he started the season playing well got injured, but he didn't score for a long time then when he got his first goal went on a goal streak, and ended up scoring around 15 goals for them. Thats all Craig needs is a goal and i think he will be off scoring for fun. Same happened with Crouch. I get the impression with us being a massive club the player puts more pressure on himself to score in front of goal, and they start snapping at shots etc. They become to a point where they are desperate to score i feel we have very good strikers now and the goals will come. The thing is with Bellamy what we have to remember he has scored goals in the premiership for Newcastle and Blackburn, so its just a matter of time. He will come good i believe that.

Bellamy could well make use of some of the service he's getting, actually played in front of his starting position. as opposed to him always coming looking, and having his back to goal. The lad is made for 'running on to through balls' and making use of the channels with it. Not collecting the ball and weaving his way through a defence with it. Play him 'in' or thread it 'through' to him. dont expect miracles of the player - he wants to latch onto the thing while he's mobile.

by **Scottbot** » Tue Nov 21, 2006 2:29 pm

red37 wrote:The lad is made for 'running on to through balls' and making use of the channels with it. Not collecting the ball and weaving his way through a defence with it. Play him 'in' or thread it 'through' to him. dont expect miracles of the player - he wants to latch onto the thing while he's mobile.

And that's why Bellamy played ahead of Crouch against Boro at the weekend. Rafa often talks about the need for pace in his front men away from home when the opposition are (or should be) pushing on. I'm inclined to agree with him but it didn't really work against Boro because they packed the midfield, played deep and had no intention of pushing for the win. This also blunted the use of Gonzalez and Pennant who never really had much opportunity to exploit any space behind the fullbacks. I was also surprised (and dissapointed) not to see Crouch on the pitch sooner where his close control and ability to bring the midfield (Gerrard) into play could have been used to great effect.

I'd expect to see Kuyt and Crouch resume their partnership in the majority of home games for the rest of the season.

by **LittleHobo** » Tue Nov 21, 2006 2:42 pm

Bamaga man wrote:I'd agree with Crouch and Kuyt starting as the number one forward pairing, I feel sorry for Peter a bit (not just because he's ugly & skinny ), but because the guy was in pretty much in hot form for us a while back and it seemed as though Rafa rotated him out of form. To me its simple, if Crouch is on form its upto the next striker to step in (Bellamy) and fight for the place, not just be given it. He could use Bellamy as a sub and if he does enough after a few games from the bench then maybe it could warrant a start from Rafa.
Thats my opinion.

dont feel sorry for peter

his missus is fitter than yours (probaly) and he earns more in a month than you will in 5 years (probaly)

so yeah dont feel sorry for a man who has those benefits

by **EddieC** » Tue Nov 21, 2006 2:44 pm

s@int wrote:or that hes got a bit big for his boots

How much bigger can he get?

by **joko** » Tue Nov 21, 2006 3:25 pm

red37 wrote:
Bamaga man wrote:
We need to be careful in over labouring the point though. As effective (proven) as he is...it easily becomes 'old' hat for opposing defences and as a result his services can become negated through the simple judicious use of doubling up on him, or the usual-knocking him off balance in the jump

Mate thats part and parcel of being a striker and out of all the other fourty who play week in week out in the Prem, each opposing team will have their own idea on how to nulify their opposing strikers, thats nothing new.

The point im making is, where he does lose possession the space between him and any striker supporting him is so open/exposed and often 'read' in anticipation by the defence that you may as well from the off, give them the ball straightaway... Whether its Kuyt/Bellamy or Fowler as his partner. Crouch is there for one purpose alone:- feed through the supply to a finisher. He does weigh in with his fair share of goals regardless, it has to be said. But to get the best out of Peter Crouch, he needs someone running off his end-product, or latching onto balls from his knock-downs etc... Thats what i meant by saying it becomes 'familiar' territory when he ends up stuck in no-mans land up on his own- lack of pace is the major factor and he easily can become swamped. (the opposite can also happen, where he's come far too deep 'looking' for the ball - he's then too far from goal to have any real effect. Particularly where the full backs arent supporting play). Hence the use of Kuyt for example around his feet can avoid that same thing, providing the opposition with plenty more than the 'same old Crouch' to concern themselves with. Purely due to his lack of pace, he demands an industrious, sharp-witted team mate with which to bounce off. - thats what i was meaning to say mate.

i was thinking that corouch was only a target man -nothing more, when he arrived. but later on he shows he has the ability to keep the ball streams, to gel in the overall games, and to prevent oppontents from possessing the ball.

i also thought that he only's capable in finishing the ball never mind in an ugly way. all proven to be wrong. crouch keeps us proofing we are wrong, he seems to be a more complete player that we expected -let alone his goal per game rate.

by **Mannyk** » Tue Nov 21, 2006 4:23 pm

Dundalk wrote:Why isnt he playing from the start of every game, what has the guy to do?

Okay he is tall and lanky and he isnt everyones cup of tea but when he plays he scores GOALS which is what we have a real problem with at the moment.

He needs a good run in the team and let Kuyt amd Craig fight it out to partner him, he can do it for England and he can do it for us....

Give him a run, he is different and causes everyone trouble

Your thoughts please...

Yeah I agree he doesn't play enough.

Silly question where is Fowler?

by **alessandromagno** » Tue Nov 21, 2006 4:48 pm

Fowler deserves a run.

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