Liverpool & Peter Crouch - time to split?

Peter Crouch can't stop scoring but can't get into the team

Is there an unluckier player around than Peter Crouch? He scored again yesterday, for the second succesive game, and is likely to be on the bench come Tuesday against Chelsea.

Of all Benitez's signings that don't get a regular game eg Pennant, Benayoun, Voronin etc, Crouch is surely the most puzzling admission. Before he discovered his present system, Benitez was laughably at times playing Kuyt and Voronin together upfront, giving Livepool the most imobile and one-paced front line they'd had in years! Plus you can count the goals they've scored on the fingers of one hand! Crouch's scoring record is generally pretty good.

Whenever he plays, he generally gets goals. He might not be a thirty goal a season man, but he is easily capable of 20, with the same number of assists. Liverpool would clearly be in a better position, if they'd used Crouch more this season - just five more goals from 12 more starts could well have put us 10 more points better off. Not quite title challenging stuff, given Manchester Uniteds form, but we'd have been in the race post Christmas at least!

It now seems certain Peter Crouch will leave Liverpool this summer, as all the media briefings etc are pointing that way. If Crouch does go it will be a shame, and someone else's real gain. Unless we are spending another 20 million on a striker he's worth keeping - there's not many around in the Premiership who can get 20 a season.

Come on Rafa Benitez, see sense, keep Peter Crouch at Liverpool!!

Liverpool Crouch hints at Exit

Peter Crouch hints at Liverpool exit and doesn't expect to start against Arsenal

Peter Crouch gave the clearest hint yet that he is likely to leave Liverpool in the summer. Talking ahead of the Liverpool vs Arsenal Champions League tie, he admitted that the lack of football this season has led him to consider his future, despite their being an offer on the table from Liverpool.

Crouch said:"It's pretty clear I probably won't start," he said.

"Obviously if the manager plays one up front, he is more than likely to go with Fernando - and rightly so, he's been fantastic this season.

"Before when he was rotating at least I was getting a game here and there. But the manager's obviously stuck with a formation now that seems to be working, and credit to the players that have been playing in that system

"We have certainly been playing well and I think we have got a great chance of going through to the semi-finals now in Europe.

"But for me, I will just have to obviously keep working hard and try and change his mind."

Crouch revealed: "It can be disheartening, but you have to keep going.

"I am one of those players that will keep going, I keep working hard in training, and, if called upon then hopefully I'll do what I did at Arsenal.
"At a big club there is always that pressure. Even if you start every game, if you don't perform, you know you are going to be out.

"But maybe me more so, with the fact that I haven't played that much this season, so, when I do, I have to make sure that I do well and do the business to try and stay in."

We at Footy Focus are at a loss why Crouch has not played more this season. Persisting with the immobile and ineffective Kuyt and Voronin, when Torres was injured or rested beggared belief and cost Liverpool vital points. It would be madness to let Crouch go! He's a 20 goal a season man!!

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Liverpool's Crouch & Mascherano: Waiting for Rafa to go & stay

Crouch and Mascherano have differing reasons to dither on their contract
talks
Peter Crouch and Javier Mascherano are both taking an inordinate length
of time to sign new deals at Anfield. Speculation that Crouch may invoke
the new rules that allow players to buy themselves out of their contract
at a value much less than they are worth on the open market, has forced
Liverpool to open talks with him about renewing his contract. Meanwhile
Javier Mascherano despite all the positive noises to the contrary from
both sides has still not signed a long term deal with Liverpool. Could
it be both are waiting until the summer when hopefully Benitez's and
indeed Liverpool's future is settled?

Crouch will clearly be hoping the manager is moved on and he can stay
at Liverpool under a new regime. Despite his goals record for Liverpool,
his number of starts has dwindled to the point where its' clear Benitez
no longer considers him one of his senior players. Benitez going is no
guarantee he will stay but its the best he's got, and given Arsenal,
Chelsea and Manchester United are not likely to be interested in him,
biding his time at Liverpool is his best chance of staying at one of the
'big-four' clubs.

Mascherano meanwhile may well be hoping the opposite, that is that
Benitez stays. He clearly has a lot of respect for Benitez after he
rescued him from his Upton Park nightmare, and gave him a start in the
Champions League final. Mascherano will be hoping Benitez is given the
go-ahead to remain at Anfield whoever the eventual owners become. That
said if he opts to leave their will be no shortage of takers for one of
Liverpool's few world/international class performers.

Liverpool forced into Crouch talks

Villa circling as Liverpool forced into Crouch contract talks

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has opened talks with striker Peter Crouch about a new deal to stay at Anfield.

The Mirror is reporting Liverpool have opened contract talks with Crouch, as there is strong interest from Aston Villa. Benitez is at last set to turn to the England striker to save their season, and give him a prolonged run in the side. It looks like at last, someone from his coaching staff has made him see sense!

Gangly Crouch only has 16 months left on his £40,000-a-week deal at Anfield, and shrewd Villa boss Martin O'Neill is planning a £9million summer swoop for the gangly star. That can only mean one thing then - O'Neill isn't planning on being at Anfield next year!

Chelsea 2-0 Liverpool - Carling Cup

Chelsea won this Carling Cup quarter-final within five minutes around the hour mark. The latest Chelsea deflected goal to break Liverpool hearts was bounced in off Jamie Carraghers leg, and then Peter Crouch showed how long legs can help you fly through the air with an acrobatic albeit dangerous lunge on Mikel. It probably looked more dangerous than it was but he left the referee with no choice and it was a moment of madness that cost his side the game.
Before that Liverpool could justly claim to have shaded the opening hour. They played the better football and carved out the clearer openings. Lucas, Babel and Voronin were all standing out with their neat passing and inter-play.

In the second half Liverpool continued to look dangerous but Chelsea were getting into the game by the minute. Essien went close, with Itandje saving well, while Lampard sent a twenty-yarder into the crowd.

Four minutes before Lampards lucky deflection, Crouch failed to connect properly when Carvalho inadvertently put him one on one with Cech. Shortly after it was all over for Liverpool. Following the Lampard goal Crouch let the red mist descend and lunged needlessly at Mikel, who theatrically rolled around. He needn't have bothered as Crouch's challenge left the referee with no option and he was promptly off.

After that Liverpool had a mountain to climb and in reality Chelsea comfortably saw the game out to seal their place in the Carling Cup semi-final against Everton. Apart from two half chances for Voronin and El Zhar Liverpool predictably struggled to create anything. In the final minutes the show-ponies of Ballack and Shevchenko combined to seal the tie.

Rafael Benitez is certainly a brave man. He played the far weaker team, however upto the hour mark he could justifiably feel vindicated as his Liverpool team shaded the contest with some neat interplay in the last third. Lucas, Voronin, Carragher and Babel were the pick of the visitors but ultimately the game swung on a bit of fortune for Chelsea and a moment of madness from Crouch.

Goings on at Liverpool

Over at Liverpool there seems to be plenty going on at the moment. Crouch, Riise and Sissoko are the subject of yet more speculation that they are for the axe so Rafa the Gaffer can raise money for Garay and Mascherano. Seems to me at least one will go - my thought is that it is Crouch. He's probably the most expendable - get an injury to Mascherano and Sissokos back in, while Riise is always likely to get a go at full back.



I see Dirk Kuyt has been burgled - yet another one! Number five by all accounts - reckon those Porsches stand out a bit in Liverpool! Seriously though its an appalling state of affairs when players have to consider their personal security so much.

Meanwhile Rafa has dismissed rumours of a Bayern Munich move. I should think so too! He's got higher ambitions than them when/ if he leaves Liverpool. The German league is a poor relation to its English, and Spanish cousins so they have no chance of getting him if only for his own career ambitions.

England on the brink

Steve McLaren certainly has a few posers to think of before tomorrow night & it says much of Englands form that he has. His first big decision is who to have in goal. Scott Carson is seriously knocking on the door, not least because of the unconvincing form of Paul Robinson. Personally I think he should be big and brave and go for Carson. Robinson has never convinced at the best of times

In midfield he has even more pondering to do. Surely he has to pick one of Barry or Hargreaves. Barry should get the nod - he's looked outstanding in his last few games. Keeps it simple and holds England together very well while shielding the back four. Beckham and Gerrard are musts so that leaves on spot. Reports are coming in of a revolution in tactics for this game - more like have no left sided option so will play 4-1-3-2 with Lampard, Gerrard and Beckham the three. Either way he's got to have some caution and ensure a clean sheet.

Upfront should be more simple - there's not much to choose from! I cant see past Crouch and either a five man midfield with Cole or possibly Darren Bent. This for me is where England could come unstuck. They don't have many options if it goes pear-shaped in the hunt for goals and the longer we don't score the more nervous we'll become and the more confident the Croats will be.

Gut feel - we'll win with a bit to spare!!!

Crouch, Sissoko & Carson out, Garay in?

All the media reports seem to be pointing to these two on the way out. The usual pattern of unquoted reports are appearing in more than one source. They'll follow the usual trend of it being reported, denied, reported, 'oh maybe' etc until it becomes an open secret. Newcatle, Juventus and err Portsmouth are reportedly after Crouch with Eveton supposedly leading the chase for Sissoko.

One thing to note though is that it is not yet being mentioned on the Liverpool Echo website. They are widely known in Liverpool as being the voice of the club. If it goes on there you know its going to happen so its not cut & dried just yet. I think one or both will go in the summer but I would be surprised if both would be allow to go now unless Liverpool have a major deal lined up - not easy in the January window.

A more definite exit is Scott Carson for $8m with the funds being used to launch a bid for Racing Santander’s Argentinian defender Ezequiel Garay. Benitez is looking to bolster his backline and his happy with his goalkeeping cover of Itandje and Martin.

Crouch to Villa?

The 'Mirror is reporting Peter Crouch is to be the subject of a 10 million bid by Aston Villa in January. Seems a little strange to me given O'Neill already has another beanpole in John Carew. Looks like its more column filling speculation and I really cant see Rafa parting with him in January. He may have struggled to get in the side this year but theres plenty of time for him to come good & its often what happens.

Anything is possible next summer of course but I cant see it coming off in January. Now if he was to sell Kuyt or Voronin and use Babel as a forward I'd be really happy!