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by **66-1112520797** » Tue May 29, 2007 7:07 am

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Crouch backed to stay at Anfield

Crouch joined Liverpool from Southampton in July 2005
Liverpool striker Peter Crouch has been told by manager Rafael Benitez that he has a future at the club.
The 26-year-old has been linked with a move away from Anfield as Benitez rebuilds his team over the summer.

But Crouch said: "Benitez told me I'm part of his plans and that's good enough for me. I'll relax over the summer and come back hungry for more.

"At Liverpool there's going to be competition for places, especially as the manager likes to chop and change."

The tall striker joined Liverpool from Southampton for £7m in July 2005 and has scored 17 goals in 46 Premiership appearances.

Crouch came on as a substitute in the Champions League final against AC Milan and is currently training with the England squad ahead of their games with Brazil and Estonia.

The 26-year-old was competing with Dirk Kuyt, Craig Bellamy and Robbie Fowler for a starting berth at Liverpool last season.

Fowler has not been offered a new deal while Bellamy has been strongly linked with a move away from the club as Benitez rebuilds the Reds.

The Spanish coach is expected to spend heavily in the summer following the takeover of the club by American duo George Gillett and Tom Hicks.

"Benitez is going to bring top class players in so you always have to be on your toes," added Crouch.

In my opinion I think Crouch deserves to be here next season. Out of the four strikers we currently have, he has been the most effective for us upfront, and has chipped in with his fair share of goals, a very useful player to have in the squad. Lets hope Rafa can bring in the quality around him, for the other position upfront.

by **bunglemark2** » Tue May 29, 2007 8:34 am

A couple of decent goals this season, give him his due,......but does he strike the fear of God into an opposition defence ? I think not.....12M sounds like a good deal for him - i'd take it and use the cash to fund a "serious" striker

by **112-1077774096** » Tue May 29, 2007 8:38 am

wouldnt it be better to keep him as an option, he has proved this season he can be effective, and get rid of one of the overstocked midfield to fund a striker

by **mungi** » Tue May 29, 2007 8:46 am

good squad striker, got a few goals in champs league, scored some nice goals in the prem. bound to stay. he offers something different which is a good think

by **Redman in wales** » Tue May 29, 2007 8:57 am

bunglemark2 wrote:A couple of decent goals this season, give him his due,......but does he strike the fear of God into an opposition defence ?

in fact.... he does....

maybe not as much as Eto'o/Henry, but teams just don't know how to play against him:
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From BBC before the final:

'Meanwhile AC Milan forward Kaka says his team must pay close attention to Liverpool striker Peter Crouch during Wednesday's final.

Kaka's side are favourites to win in the Olympic Stadium in Athens but the 25-year-old Brazilian knows all about Crouch's aerial prowess.

"He's a dangerous player in the air, when the ball is in the area he's always an opportunist," said Kaka.

"We will have to pay attention to him if he plays."

- funnily enough, there was no mention of kuyt or bellamy.
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before the final our strikers record in europe were:

Crouch 8 starts, 8 goals
Kuyt 9 starts, 0 goals
Bellamy 8 starts 2 goals

and in all competitions:
Crouch 30 starts 18 goals
Kuyt 38 starts 14 goals
Bellamy 33 starts 9 goals

As a defender.... who would you rather not play against?

TBH - I would rather sell Bellamy for 6/8 mil than crouch for 10/12 mil

by **Rafa D** » Tue May 29, 2007 9:15 am

This type of thread seems to rear its head every year as the season comes to an end.

Would I want to lose Peter Crouch? No.

Not even for £15m? No.

I don't know why some of our fans don't seem to appreciate the talents of our 6ft 7" gangly giant but for me, he is a vital member of the Liverpool squad.

This season Peter has been at his most prolific in a Liverpool shirt scoring 18 goals in 30 starts for the club. He has not scored once when he has came on as a sub (in 19 appearances) and for me that dispels the often quoted line of "I'd keep him because he's a good option from the bench". With Peter's performances this year, he derserved to have started a lot more games for us. His performance against Arsenal was a joy to watch and I was made up for him. People often moan about him but for me, he is one of our most effective players on the field. Although he did not have a brilliant game against Chelsea at Anfield, to be it showed me how much we missed him the week before when we went with Craig and Kuyt up front at the Bridge. His ability to win the ball, keep it close and hold it up for people to join in the attack, gives us a lot more of a attacking threat than people give him credit for. I know his heading needs a LOT of working on but for me Peter has been one of the star performers this year, and if it was not for him being the victim of some bizzare rotation ideas at the start of the season when he was banging goals in for fun, then he could of been the player of the year for us.

by **club_Levis** » Tue May 29, 2007 10:00 am

Redman in wales wrote:"He's a dangerous player in the air, when the ball is in the area he's always an opportunist," said Kaka.

"We will have to pay attention to him if he plays."

-

I disagree, infact his main weakness, after lack of pace, is in the air giving a lot of fouls now and then against opposition defenders. For +10 million LFC would have made profit and should cash in. Id keep Bellamy ahead of him.

by **lio** » Tue May 29, 2007 10:01 am

Rafa-Dodd wrote:... Would I want to lose Peter Crouch? No.
Not even for £15m? No.

I am on this side too.

But then I am steady here and not panic cos our crouchy had openly declared:
"He's (Benitez) told me I'm part of his plans and that's good enough for me," Crouch told Sky Sports News.

And may I also take a hint from rafa statement here, that should confirmed too ...

''A striker is not a priority," he said. "Kuyt and Crouch can score goals. Andrei Voronin is coming from Bayer Leverkusen. We need to improve in other areas. We have targets. I'm not sure about how many, exactly. It depends if we get big offers for other players here. It's not about one player scoring 20 goals. We need more players scoring 10 to 15 each season. What happens if you spend £40 million on one striker and he gets injured?"

'Hidden threat as Benitez plots change'
:buttrock

YNWA

by **barnesrush** » Tue May 29, 2007 10:29 am

great post rafa dodd. still underated by so many on here. pair him with a quick player who can finish and were laffing.

crouchies excellent finishing the last 3 seasons

by **LFC #1** » Tue May 29, 2007 10:38 am

Rafa-Dodd wrote:This type of thread seems to rear its head every year as the season comes to an end.

Would I want to lose Peter Crouch? No.

Not even for £15m? No.

I don't know why some of our fans don't seem to appreciate the talents of our 6ft 7" gangly giant but for me, he is a vital member of the Liverpool squad.

This season Peter has been at his most prolific in a Liverpool shirt scoring 18 goals in 30 starts for the club. He has not scored once when he has came on as a sub (in 19 appearances) and for me that dispels the often quoted line of "I'd keep him because he's a good option from the bench". With Peter's performances this year, he derserved to have started a lot more games for us. His performance against Arsenal was a joy to watch and I was made up for him. People often moan about him but for me, he is one of our most effective players on the field. Although he did not have a brilliant game against Chelsea at Anfield, to be it showed me how much we missed him the week before when we went with Craig and Kuyt up front at the Bridge. His ability to win the ball, keep it close and hold it up for people to join in the attack, gives us a lot more of a attacking threat than people give him credit for. I know his heading needs a LOT of working on but for me Peter has been one of the star performers this year, and if it was not for him being the victim of some bizzare rotation ideas at the start of the season when he was banging goals in for fun, then he could of been the player of the year for us.

Agree to an extent, he is an excellent option for us as he offers something different. A good squad player at worst and definitely capable of starting and doing a job in certain games.

15 mil tho? That represents an £8 million profit on a player who despite his obvious abilities is never worth that sort of money. That would be crazy money and I'd take it if it were offered. Not that any club would ever offer that.

Personally I hope he stays, unelss a ridiculous offer like £15m comes in. TBH I doubt anyone would offer much over £10m and I wouldn't sell him for that.

As for the striker situation next season I think Crouch and Kuyt will still be here and Rafa will bring in another striker. TBH that striker needs to be oen right out of the top drawer as Kuyt, Crouch and Voronin will hardly strike fear into top opposition. If it were up to me I'd bring in Tevez and another striker (take your pick from Eto'o, Villa, Anelka etc) and sell Bellamy and Kuyt.

by **Sabre** » Tue May 29, 2007 10:40 am

Not a surprise this thread.

I expected no other thing that him staying. Reina, Alonso, Rafa, always have time to praise Gerrard when they come to Spain and are asked for the team. Next, they praise Crouch, and how important he is in the positional game.

A bloody useful player, and happy he stays. He has earnt it in the pitch, nobody gave him anything for free.

by **club_Levis** » Tue May 29, 2007 10:44 am

barnesrush wrote:great post rafa dodd. still underated by so many on here. pair him with a quick player who can finish and were laffing.

crouchies excellent finishing the last 3 seasons

Quite true, good finish against Bolton/galatasary & ragged :censored:

. Squad player maybe but certainly cant lead the line of any EPL title chasing team.We deserve and can get better.

by **redtrader74** » Tue May 29, 2007 10:53 am

I like crouch as part of our sqaud my only gripe with him is that he not agressive enough, think of duncan ferguson or jan koller.
Also why the fuck has he not put an ounce of muscle on? You got nutritionalist, sports scientists and i thought they would have pumped him full of creatine, protein and had him down the gym. More power and an agressive attitude and he'd be awesome.

by **Rupi** » Tue May 29, 2007 10:55 am

I'm happy he's staying, he offers a different option! I admit his play is kinda strange, but could be effective! He seems ok with staying on the bench and enter as a sub.
For me it's ok, but we need a top striker!

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