One minute actually - he's not world class and the above is a confused jumble. Suggesting that Crouch is "everywhere" is silly - he may cover a lot of ground, but he does it slowly. He's awful at pressuring defenders because he has no quickness once so ever.
The phrase is "what so ever". He'd become an instant superstar if Chelski bought him though wouldn't he?
how many more goals does he have to score at the international level before you admit your Chelsea bias. Highlight below to reveal secret information... he did score against FYR Macedonia...hee hee hee
Peter Crouch is not "world class" and in fact the whole motivation for this thread is daft precisely because seeking to pigeonhole players in these naff "categories" is just too "Internet" for me. That said, the quoted sentence is total nonsense. One of Crouch's best qualities is his ability to get in amongst defenders in a way that they universally loathe. He's a very clever user of space and movement.
I think he's a situational player you put in at the 80 minute mark when you're desperate for a goal and send everyone forward with a barrage of crosses into the box.
Belem, i think with Owen and Rooney fit, you are quite correct, Crouch will go back to his pre world cup role of 80th minute impact player, unless Mac puts him in ahead of Owen or Rooney, ie, so unlikely it is not even worth considering. I am also sure that if Kuyt can finds his Eriedivisie form at LFC, Crouch will be swifty relegated to second choice striker, and off the bench impact player. Nicephoras, i agree with you over Crouchs inablitlity to press defenders. He is so awkward and geeky that the instant he goes near one, they get given the foul. Also he has no sort of acceleration, which further limits his game. World Class? My Arse! (Having said that, can we agree on something. No matter how rubbish Crouch plays, if he can get to 30 goals in 30 internationals, or roughly a goal a game for a long period of time, then will people just call him world class, even though we know he ain't)
That has absolutely nothing to do with what I said. He's bad at closing down defenders. You're talking about "getting among them". The two aren't the same thing.
That's arguable, but in any case the value of "closing down defenders" in the strictly limited sense your applying is so minor as to be pointless in a discussion about whether or not a player is any good. Paul Dickov "closes down defenders", he's still shit. Crouch occupies defenders - both on and off the ball, both marked and unmarked. Like I said, he's not world class, whatever that even means and he's not someone anyone would consider a permanent Plan A at either club or international level, but let's at least remain sensible when it comes to the yardsticks we seek to beat him with.
I was responding to another post. I never said it was important. I also don't think as highly of Crouch's ability to take up space, but that's a different issue.
"once so ever"? in what alternate universe? You are correct on the comma. Well, the time you have something negative to say about a current Chelski player will be the first time.
Crouch could well end up being England's all-time leading goalscorer although he doesn't have a massive amount of ability. I am starting to become a fan of Crouch's but if he scored all of his chances then he would have scored a load more and its annoying that he doesn't even jump for balls - yes hes tall but it would be a lot better if he jumped for balls instead of scrambling over other players to get to the ball and even small centrebacks can jump to beat him to some headers. He did score a good goal though and I want him to continue scoring but I think he has the potential to be so much better but he just isn't doing it.
I don't think Sir Bobby needs to worry yet. It is true that Crouch is not a clinical finisher like Fowler, Owen, Van Nistelrooy or Ronaldo and needs to become stronger but I have to credit Crouch with improving his game a lot over the last 18 months or so. Crouch has now scored as many England goals as Rooney and only one less than Lampard and all in the last 6 months!
**Sigh** Always two forwards or one, please Mr McClaren can we had three forwards up front? It has to be tried somewhere surely. Even with Owen as a wide forward or Rooney as a man in the hole and Crouch still up front scoring. Anything to break up the prediticable attack, especially againest the Latins or the Continental soccer and their less organised defence. Please can we? Please. Hang loose guys
Totally agree.... Rafa (Benitez) should make him beef-up!! if he was as stong, big & brave as Jan Koller he would EASILY be world class.
nah, peter crouch, poor excuse for a footballer, i cringe everytime i see him he'll score against nomarks but that's it liverpool and england are happy playing long ball
There's none I've seen, but then I stay out of the Chelsea boards. Perhaps you didn't like Kezman, or Gallas, or Duff; oh, they're all gone! I don't know what "world class" is, but Crouch has, in his ungainly way, scored 10 goals in his last 11 England games. He didn't start many of those. The games included pre-World Cup friendlies, World Cup games, a post World Cup friendly, and two Euro 2008 qualifiers. Now, regardless of opponent, practically a goal a game is exceptional at any level. Over that same period neither Rooney, Owen (granted injured for most of the period), Henry, Shevchenko, nor Ronaldinho have scored as many. So, judging simply by results, he's done quite well. Let's wait until the end of the Euro 2008 tournament and then re-visit this question.
your original point was that Crouch would be relegated to the bench when Owen comes back from injury. if Crouch is scoring nearly a goal a game in the interim, Maclaren would be daft to put Owen in front of him. a strike rate of .8 gpg is unprecedented, and if Crouch continues to score at that rate, assuming that he plays in the remaining Euro '08 qualifiers prior to Owen's return, he'll be a starter. i doesn't matter if he's geeky and awkward, whether he has pace or can head the ball or if he misses chances. (everyone misses chances) what matters is whether he scores meaningful goals. as it stands, he does.