Peter Crouch – an overused commodity at Tottenham?
Criticising Peter Crouch is fast becoming a favourite past time amongst Tottenham followers, although it still falls short of the loathing many appear to reserve for Jermaine Jenas. Critics of Tottenham’s play argue that whilst the long ball tactic that was once used in conjunction with a variety of methods to break down the opposition, it is slowly coming to permeate Tottenham’s attacking play, turning the side into a long ball team. However, is this a) Peter Crouch’s fault, and b)not simply a case of Tottenham adapting to life without (dare I say it again) Aaron Lennon?
Despite grumblings amongst the Spurs faithful that Crouch is not good enough for a team with Champions League aspirations, it could be argued that other than a lack of goals, the big man does a job for Spurs. Crouch’s hold up play is generally good, whilst his height is always going to be a threat to even the best opposition defenders, as seen against Manchester United where he dominated Rio Ferdinand for Defoe’s goal, or a few weeks ago where he gave Aston Villa’s Dunne and Collins a torrid time. Crouch is blasted for lacking a deftness of touch in front of goal, and for being weak in the air despite his frame. However, the period in which Modric and Kranjcar played on the ‘wings’ hurt Crouch’s game, as he was starved of good delivery from wide areas as Modric and Kranjcar move inside at every opportunity. This was quickly identified by Harry Redknapp in fairness, and since Bentley came in, arguably Crouch has been more effective, and the team has benefitted. Crouch is not going to score a hatful of goals every season, but his assists and approach play often lead to goals for others, namely Jermaine Defoe, who does not look half as good without Crouch alongside him winning the headers he [Defoe] can run on to. Classic examples include the aforementioned goal against Manchester United, Crouch’s assist in Tottenham’s second goal against Manchester City at home, or the low diving header Crouch flicked towards Defoe for Tottenham’s goal against Birmingham at St. Andrew’s. Two of these goals came from ‘long balls’ and they were affective against top sides. Having this sort of variety is important, as you cannot pass your way through every team you meet.
Crouch is no Berbatov, and whilst it is true that Tottenham may need more class upfront if they are to reach the promised land of the Champions League, Crouch has played well this season, and has done his job admirably. The problem occurring at the moment for Spurs is the difficulty they have in getting behind teams. With Lennon, even when at White Hart Lane where teams tend to sit deep, Spurs can get behind teams to create chances. However, with Bentley, Modric and Kranjcar, Tottenham are more predictable, and more likely to go through the middle of the park. Arguably, this has lead to Spurs resorting to the long ball, as teams find it easier to frustrate Tottenham attacks by packing out the midfield. When team double up on Lennon, as seen at Villa Park earlier in the season, it creates more space for the right-back, and leaves more room in midfield. Thus, although Spurs groan at the long ball to Crouch, often it is the last option available to the team.
Crouch will no-doubt be criticised by fans for many matches to come, as will Jermaine Jenas (if he ever emerges from the bench again). However, whilst the long ball tactics may be a source of frustration, certain players appear to be escaping criticism. Jenas, Bentley, and Crouch for example, often receive their fair-share of naysayers. But Modric and Kranjcar are the players at Spurs who are supposed to ‘unlock the door’ so to speak. Kranjcar has been inconsistent so far at Tottenham, ranging from very good, to poor from game to game, whilst Modric has had countless average performances since he returned to the starting 11 from his leg-break, and yet receives the plaudits as our best player. If fans are frustrated at the ‘long ball’ game, perhaps it is time that the likes of Luka Modric, Kranjcar and perhaps Eidur Gudjohnsen, did what they were bought to do, and found the key to unlock the door…
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U R THE FIRST AND POSSIBLY THE LAST
PERSON IVE HEARD (have the brass GAhonez)TO DARE….MENTION BERBA AND BETTY CROUCH IN THE SAME FOOTBALLING PASSAGE. CROUCH IS A TAX deductable expense for harry,Accounted for by Dan.
Although id agree the (croat boys)have nt exactly had me wetting my
pants…they r proper footballers. Bently jenas and crouch are outsiders as far as real quality , technique and success are
concerned(Scouse)bench)conceeded.
Once we drop them off…how quickly will
they disopate.
COYFS
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There is a mis conception here Crouch is not resposable for long balls the players at the back are and we gave the ball away ten times with long and bad passes back to Bolton.Hitting the ball to Crouch and expecting him to drop the ball on Defoes boot is not is fault and when Lennon plays it gives Crouch and Spurs more options and he can play along the deck if our Midfield and back four don’t get isolated with long balls missing out everybody and then its two versus four. this Would ease if Uk SPORT Stopped teams from using high Tempo energy like the Goalkeeper Paddy Kenny did if i can see it then surley others can look at the sines of Ephedrine and you will also like me see it
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I wouldn’t criticise Crouch as he tries hard. However, his hold up play is not particularly good as he is quite easily pushed off the ball and struggles to control a ball too close to his feet.
Further, his eventual pass is usually sideways and he frequently misses the opportunity to feed an on-rushing midfielder or full back who he could send through.
His heading of the ball is rarely useful as he gets no power on it so the ball is only in the general direction of a team-mate and takes a while to reach him.
Unfair to compare him to Martin Chivers but his hold up and head-passing was on a different planet. Any reasonable centre forward does both much better than Crouch.
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Both Crouch and Defoe are in need of a world class partner to do all the clever stuff but given what we have, I would go for Crouch and Pavalyuchenco with Defoe coming on in the last 20 minutes.
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I don’t think it is that he is ‘overused’, but more of the fact that he has become our only option.
He gives the opposition defenders a torrid time but that is expected, he is 6ft. 7″ FFS!
All the opposition do is defend the knock down and then have 10 players behind the ball. This is why teams we struggle against usually pack the midfield and have one striker. Crouch is a good player, I just wish we utilise other players or options.
Why is it that Bale is the only one who can drive in the oppositions penalty area. Kranjcar and Bentley we know are not fast or quick players, but they both have quick feet and deft touches. They both can shimmy or give themselves an opening to get their way into the penalty area and create but all we do is hoof the ball upto Crouch and play the knock down. We need to keep the ball more, show urgency on the ball and be quicker with our passes and even our throw-ins. It drives me nuts that every throw-in requires a defender or someone else to come and take it. It then drives me further nuts that no one moves, they just stand there.
There are simple things we can do that would make us even more dangerous:
1. We need to press more if not all the time, Palacios cannot be the only person to press the opposition.
2. Quick passes as we move forward.
3. Know our next move and not shrug your shoulders or raise your arms as if you have no idea what to do with the ball – JERMAINE JENAS.
4. Teach the strikers about the offside rule and not rely on it. Actually just explain it to JERMAIN DEFOE as he doesn’t seem to have a grasp of the concept.
5. Show urgency with throw-ins.
Five easy concepts, not hard at all I don’t think.
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Hooray!!At last -a sensible,analytical,intelligent article about Peter Crouch.How can long balls be his fault?Anyone who watched him play for Liverpool (and looks at the compilation on YouTube) knows that he is a very skilled player with his feet – if you play the ball to him.For info as well, he scored the most goals with his head in the Premier League last year.Unfortunately,he needs a good crowd to build his confidence.Liverpool fans grew to love him -perhaps you need to give him support?But it seems to me that certain players each week ( Defoe and Modric to name but two) seem to get away with lazy performances each week without comment.how is it that Crouch scores consistently 2 points more in newspaper match reports each week than on your fansites.Start valuing him and he will pay you back tenfold
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Since when is a forward successful in merely occupying the attentions of an opposing center half? And all the attempts to analyze how Spurs have been playing, as though it is a chess game, are fruitless in the face of the facts. Crouch is a striker. His job is to score goals. He is not doing his job.
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At last some sense. I despair of some of the inane rubbish that has been written about Crouch recently and particularly the one eyed views expressed. it is plain to any intelligent football fan that the problem lies with the midfield. They sit too deep, don’t link up with the forwards properly ( as Lennon does), don’t play balls into space and don’t move forward onto balls as do midfields in the top 4. That’s why the defence resort to the long ball ( and Crouch has to keep winning balls – which he invariably does) Can you also explain why Defoe does very little except hang around the goal area, Modric has been totally ineffectual, and yet both escape any criticism? Crouch who will run twice as far as them, is always back defending the goal, scored a good number of goals last year both with his head and his feet is then pilloried by seemingly unintelligent fans.Perhaps the fact that you seem to favour ephemeral butteflies like Defoe, Kranjar and Modric who drift in and out of games, explains why Spurs never quite meet the dream. Bolton showed us how a hardworking team of players who are prepared to work for each other,( like Crouch) will come through. Spurs looked lethatrgic on saturday – don’t blame that on a hardworking committed professional like Peter Crouch. It takes intelligence to play him well – and understand how to make the most of him. The worst results this year have been the two games where crouch didn’t play. Spurs don’t deserve him if this is how you get behind your players.Just imagine if you were a Villa fan and had to watch Heskey every week! There is no comparison
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Crouch gives his all, but that is not enough to be the first choice to lead the line. He has great heart–his performance, along with that of Hargreaves, when Rooney was sent off against Portugal was magnificent– but that is not enough. He remains a great strategic option to vary the play but is essentially one dimensional and that is why we have the recent prolification of the long ball tactics. We need someone more akin to the Drogba style—you know Bent was not all that bad!!
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Yid since 82, I’d just quickly like to apologise for mentioning Berbatov in this article.
If we are all for/against Crouch, are we all agreed we need to sign a new forward in the summer?
Who do we need chaps?
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