Crouch has potential but from what I read they are asking for 8 mill. Sorry but he is not worth 8 mill, maybe 5 mill. Liverpool should save some of that money and buy Milito first. He is young, highly rated, central defender with great potential.
I think Suss said it before but I can't understand why Rafa is not going after JULIO BAPTISTA. Mind you, I can't believe that Arsenal are having a free and clear shot at him with NOBODY entering the bidding war. This guy is going to tear up premiership defenses when he arrives.
--- don't bet the farm. first of all, he's Brasileiro, and the record of South American players in EPL is average, at best. second of all, he's not that big, about Ronaldinho's size, actually. in the Confederations Cup he played as a sub in two matches, a total of 33 minutes. he started out a a midfielder, and Arsenal might think to play him there. Liverpool has a glut of midfielders.
According to you we should just forget about signing any players from South America because Veron failed in the Premiership Baptista's game is suited perfectly for the Premiership. He has loads of pace and skill and is very strong. He used to be a midfielder until Sevilla discovered what a great goalscorer he was. He has scored 50 goals over the last 2 seasons. I think he would have been a great fit, but it looks like he is off to Arsenal where he will excel.
Crouch could probably serve a specific role in the team, but I think the asking price is about twice as much as he is worth. Maybe Rafa sees him as the key to breaking down stubborn defenses away from home
Crouch is not worth that fee. In addition we have a host of strikers. Are we gonna play a 1-2-8 format Reina Carragher Pongolle Baros Cisse Kewell Garcia Morientes Figo Crouch Bench Le Tallec Mellor I know we had some horrific injuries in our striker dept but this is going overboard.
apparently you are not familiar, this little paragraph might help: "Baptista moved from Sao Paulo to Sevilla in the summer of 2003 for 2.75m euros. He played as a midfielder in Brazil but has stepped up into a striking role since his move to Spain. Baptista scored 20 goals for Sevilla in his first season in Spain (2003/2004), helping Sevilla to qualify for the UEFA Cup, and earned himself the nickname 'La Bestia' (The Beast) due to his uncompromising style of play. " http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/c/player/181415_JULIO_BAPTISTA.html
Kewell, Figo (unsigned) and Garcia aren't strikers. We have 3 true options, since Sinama and Mellor are badly injured... Baros, Cisse and Morientes. After last year's injuries and with the slew of games in the CL and Cups, we know that 3 is not enough. If we don't unveil Crouch tommorrow, maybe we're working on an Owen loan? With Robinho possibly going to Madird, perhaps he becomes available... ??? The longer it takes to sign Crouch, the more I believe someone else may be in the works...
I think you missed the joke. Your post suggested that the nickname "the beast" is justification for spending 10 million. Obviously, he's a very promising player, but a nickname only tells you so much.
--- "very cautious we should be" ( Yoda? ) about Sud Americanos. and it isnt only Veron, it's Crespo, who will be the X factor in Chelsea's plans, and Juan Pablo Angel, who isn't Argentine or Brasilian, but has been, IMO, a major disappointment of late, partly because of injury, truth be told. but at 9.5 million pounds, he needs to be more than a 1 goal in 4 games performer. compare Angel to Heskey, for ex. in 200 more minutes, Heskey scored 2 more goals last year, on a club that did about as well. Gareth Barry scored only one less goal than Angel. the game in Spain is mainly...oooops...the Spanish league does not have the kind of physical play that the English game does, in my narrow view, and while there are excellent defenders in Spain, it really is more a finesse game with no where near the overall quality of goaltending as in the EPL, top to bottom. i would ask you to name 4 better La Liga goalies than Dean Keily or Mark Schwartzer, who are not in the top 4 in the EPL, by most accounts, those being Cech, Friedel, and two among Lehmann or Sorensen or Martyn.
There are plenty of good goalkeepers in Spain (Casillas, Valdes, Reina, Canizares, Kameni, Doblas, etc), and I don't think its true that the EPL has better goaltenders. And this has nothing to do with whether or not South Americans can be sucessful in the EPL. I could go on with the debate, but this thread is about Peter Crouch...
--- the point had been made about the number of goals scored by Baptista... it's easier to score goals in La Liga. 47 more last year than in the EPL in the same number of games.
Actually Baptista is probably worth much more than 10 million pounds. I would value him closer to 20 to be honest. People that haven't seen him play will probably be suspicious, but those that have seen him tear Real Madrid to shreds know that he is a star already, this is not potential we are talking about. His best position is as a second striker close enough to score goals, but back enough to run at players. To give an accurate description of how he plays, think about Steven Gerrard buldozing his way forward with pace and strength when he goes on one of his marouding runs. Add technique to that mix and that is Baptista but in a strikers role. Someone said that he is as big as Ronaldinho. Since when does height have anything to do with ones strength? The man is built like a wall. The term beast doesn't come from nowhere. Wayne Rooney is probably a closer representation of what he brings, without the vision and passing ability, but with better technique and skill.
to get back on topic, I think Crouch is a good prospect for addition to our squad. We have Moro (a classy striker with touch and heading capabilities) and three pacy types in Baros, Cisse and FSP. Crouch is an awkward, large man who is almost as good with his feet as with his head. Imagine the problems a team intent on bunkering would face with a Crouch/Cisse front line. Do we lay back and invite LFC to ping ball off Crouch for Cisse/Garcia/or Gerrard to clean up or Crouch to bury; or do we push out and deal with Cisse running in alone against our keeper after breaking the trap. It would be a dilemna no doubt. I think that is what Rafa sees in Crouch.