Crouch and Torres Partnership

[Fox]

Anyone think it worked OK?

I think it could work, as long as we don't launch too many and Torres remembers Crouch is playing ;D

I thought a few times last night when Torres had the ball in the flanks he forgot Crouch might be i the box and failed to cross it.

Crouch played well in a hard game and deserves a few games with Nando up front for the rest of the season, especially as a trial for rest of CL.

As i have said in another post, I don't think we can beat in a one off game a team like UTD or maybe Chavs playing one up front, their defence is too good.

With Xabi not playing well surely dropping him for two up front and returning Stevie into the middle and Ryan back to LW would be an option

 

[Atlas]

[quote author=Fox link=topic=22418.msg538090#msg538090 date=1207742191]

With Xabi not playing well surely dropping him for two up front and returning Stevie into the middle and Ryan back to LW would be an option

[/quote]

That would be good, and maybe a proper winger instead of Kuyt

 

[manwithnoname]

I don't think it really worked as a partnership last night, Crouch was anonymous and his goal threat minimal.

 

[SaintGeorge67]

Crouch is shit and must leave.

And Babel as LW of a 4-4-2 is not a good idea either.

 

[Insignificance]

The bad thing is that it affects Stevies position. He needs to play that attacking mid role. Crouch was working hard yesterday, but it just turns to another class when Stevie runs riot there. And if he does it as a left midfielder we looses the balance and expose Aurelio on the left...

 

[ILD]

[quote author=Brendan link=topic=22418.msg538095#msg538095 date=1207742274]
I don't think it really worked as a partnership last night, Crouch was anonymous and his goal threat minimal.
[/quote]
Also Gerrard is forced out wide as a result which will make him less influential in games.

 

[leftpeg]

[quote author=Brendan link=topic=22418.msg538095#msg538095 date=1207742274]
I don't think it really worked as a partnership last night, Crouch was anonymous and his goal threat minimal.
[/quote]

Yip.

 

[foureyes]

[quote author=Brendan link=topic=22418.msg538095#msg538095 date=1207742274]
I don't think it really worked as a partnership last night, Crouch was anonymous and his goal threat minimal.
[/quote]

I agree entirely. Can we please just go back to good ol' 4-2-3-1- which was working quite nicely as it was.

 

[foureyes]

[quote author=ILD link=topic=22418.msg538103#msg538103 date=1207742398]
[quote author=Brendan link=topic=22418.msg538095#msg538095 date=1207742274]
I don't think it really worked as a partnership last night, Crouch was anonymous and his goal threat minimal.
[/quote]
Also Gerrard is forced out wide as a result which will make him less influential in games.
[/quote]

Especially when he is forced onto the left...

 

[LadyRed]

[quote author=Brendan link=topic=22418.msg538095#msg538095 date=1207742274]
I don't think it really worked as a partnership last night, Crouch was anonymous and his goal threat minimal.
[/quote]

Plus it seemed to force Torres out wide. I think there were times where they were making the same runs and going for the same balls, there was on incident in the first half where they literally ran into each other that comes to mind.

Didn't work. But, great time and place to experiment Rafa.

 

[RolandG]

I actually think that Babel will be perfect to partner Torres in a 4-4-2. It would leave us with the small problem of a genuine left winger with pace.

 

[Loch Ness Monster]

[quote author=Anita link=topic=22418.msg538118#msg538118 date=1207742537]
Didn't work. But, great time and place to experiment Rafa.
[/quote]

Cant believed he decided to do that in such a big game.
Once again, I dont understand him.
"Our captain and dynamo, put him out on the left. He had never played there before.
While we are at it, put Carra at right back.
And go for our tried and trusted partnership up front, Crouch and Torres, who have played about 300 minutes together all season."

I just dont get him.

But we won so who am I to question his selections?

 

[Insignificance]

I want to see the 4-2-3-1 also. But for this game it gave us an alternative which made us less predictable, and with babel looking a bit tired lately the way it worked out in the end was fantastic...

 

[Dreambeliever]

Not really no.

It did against Sunderland though.

 

[LadyRed]

[quote author=Loch Ness Monster link=topic=22418.msg538138#msg538138 date=1207742753]
[quote author=Anita link=topic=22418.msg538118#msg538118 date=1207742537]
Didn't work. But, great time and place to experiment Rafa.
[/quote]

Cant believed he decided to do that in such a big game.
Once again, I dont understand him.
"Our captain and dynamo, put him out on the left. He had never played there before.
While we are at it, put Carra at right back.
And go for our tried and trusted partnership up front, Crouch and Torres, who have played about 300 minutes together all season."

I just dont get him.

But we won so who am I to question his selections?
[/quote]

I would like to take this opportunity to invite you to the 'rotation thread', my friend. You'll be very welcome there, you'll love it.

*leads Nessy out*

http://sixcrazyminutes.com/forums/index.php?topic=22309.0

 

[RolandG]

[quote author=Dreambeliever link=topic=22418.msg538144#msg538144 date=1207742804]
Not really no.

It did against Sunderland though.
[/quote]

Same result? ;D

 

[foureyes]

4-2-3-1 with Babel on the right and a tasty new left winger please.

 

[Squiggles]

Crouch had little impact last night so it's difficult to determine whether or not such a partnership would be fruitful. The game was played at such a high pace that he couldn't get himself into effective positions at the right times but it's best not to be too critical - one bit of magic aside that defence kept Torres quiet for 180 minutes and if you can do that you can easily nullify the threat of Peter Crouch.

We'll need better to win the title but it's the remaining two 'strikers' that should be sold.

 

[Dreambeliever]

[quote author=Loch Ness Monster link=topic=22418.msg538138#msg538138 date=1207742753]
[quote author=Anita link=topic=22418.msg538118#msg538118 date=1207742537]
Didn't work. But, great time and place to experiment Rafa.
[/quote]

Cant believed he decided to do that in such a big game.
Once again, I dont understand him.
"Our captain and dynamo, put him out on the left. He had never played there before.
While we are at it, put Carra at right back.
And go for our tried and trusted partnership up front, Crouch and Torres, who have played about 300 minutes together all season."

I just dont get him.

But we won so who am I to question his selections?
[/quote]

Easy.

Crouch tore them a new one on SAturday.

He wanted to occupy their back line.

So he had to sacrifice someone.

Babel. And Gerrard is better on the left that Kuyt.

We are poor on set pieces so Hyppia must play, Skrtel is quick so we needed him and you can't drop Carra.

It made perfect sense even if it was a gamble.

 

[Loch Ness Monster]

[quote author=Dreambeliever link=topic=22418.msg538153#msg538153 date=1207743096]
It made perfect sense even if it was a gamble.
[/quote]

Perfect sense? Hahaha.
Pat, just wait for Brendan's reply.

This is one reason why people have doubts about his future at our club.
Finds a formation/system, fits players in snugly, then bang.
Change it all.
If he had not got lucky with the penalty, and we had lost, it would have been made a massive issue.
Dont get me started though, Anita has already kicked me out once.

 

[foureyes]

[quote author=Dreambeliever link=topic=22418.msg538153#msg538153 date=1207743096]
[quote author=Loch Ness Monster link=topic=22418.msg538138#msg538138 date=1207742753]
[quote author=Anita link=topic=22418.msg538118#msg538118 date=1207742537]
Didn't work. But, great time and place to experiment Rafa.
[/quote]

Cant believed he decided to do that in such a big game.
Once again, I dont understand him.
"Our captain and dynamo, put him out on the left. He had never played there before.
While we are at it, put Carra at right back.
And go for our tried and trusted partnership up front, Crouch and Torres, who have played about 300 minutes together all season."

I just dont get him.

But we won so who am I to question his selections?
[/quote]

Easy.

Crouch tore them a new one on SAturday. He sure as shit didn't last night.

He wanted to occupy their back line. See above

So he had to sacrifice someone. No he didn't. Just keep at as 4-2-3-1. It works, we know it does. Why experiment on such a crucial night?

Babel. And Gerrard is better on the left that Kuyt. Gerrard was woeful on the left and more importantly I'd rather have an average Kuyt on the left and keep Stevie in the middle than what we had for the first 30mins last night.

We are poor on set pieces so Hyppia must play, Skrtel is quick so we needed him and you can't drop Carra.

It made perfect sense even if it was a gamble.
[/quote]

There are some arguments for Rafa doing what he did last night but it made far from perfect sense.

 

[Dreambeliever]

[quote author=RolandG link=topic=22418.msg538147#msg538147 date=1207742889]
[quote author=Dreambeliever link=topic=22418.msg538144#msg538144 date=1207742804]
Not really no.

It did against Sunderland though.
[/quote]

Same result? ;D
[/quote]

Yep, Crouch came on and scored one and set up Torres with a flick on.

 

[Dreambeliever]

[quote author=Loch Ness Monster link=topic=22418.msg538164#msg538164 date=1207743380]
[quote author=Dreambeliever link=topic=22418.msg538153#msg538153 date=1207743096]
It made perfect sense even if it was a gamble.
[/quote]

Perfect sense? Hahaha.
Pat, just wait for Brendan's reply.

This is one reason why people have doubts about his future at our club.
Finds a formation/system, fits players in snugly, then bang.
Change it all.
If he had not got lucky with the penalty, and we had lost, it would have been made a massive issue.
Dont get me started though, Anita has already kicked me out once.
[/quote]

Ha ha. The 1st game last week they were on top. Saturday with Crouch we were on top.

And again yesterday. I wouldn't have tinkered but I can see why he did.

It also meant their full backs couldn;t bomb on as much.

 

[LadyRed]

[quote author=Loch Ness Monster link=topic=22418.msg538164#msg538164 date=1207743380]
Dont get me started though, Anita has already kicked me out once.
[/quote]

I didn't kick you out, I just thought you'd enjoy speaking to Gerry on that thread, but it's okay DB's spreading the madness here too.

 

[Dreambeliever]

[quote author=Anita link=topic=22418.msg538223#msg538223 date=1207746328]
[quote author=Loch Ness Monster link=topic=22418.msg538164#msg538164 date=1207743380]
Dont get me started though, Anita has already kicked me out once.
[/quote]

I didn't kick you out, I just thought you'd enjoy speaking to Gerry on that thread, but it's okay DB's spreading the madness here too.
[/quote]

I spread the madness everywhere. Its my job.

 

[LadyRed]

Haha, blind optimism is probably more apt.

 

[Dreambeliever]

[quote author=Anita link=topic=22418.msg538230#msg538230 date=1207746434]
Haha, blind optimism is probably more apt.
[/quote]

Nope I just believe in Rafa. He is driven and doesn't no the meaning of the word defeat.

He will get us there.

 

[cochyn]

Putting crouch on from the start was odd and did not make any sense and did not work, but i do also think that babel needed to be dropped for a game to the bench just to keep him sort of on his toes his impact was immense later in the game where there are tired legs.

I did sort of wonder afterwards, was the idea to bring babel on late and idea to occupy the arsenal team so that they could not make use of Walcott, he has been brought on late in almost all games recently, other than his one awesome run i think he was a fairly quiet, he did not get much of the ball, because the arse where preoccupied with babel.

that's a bit fuzzy logic i know but it is the sense i got from it all

 

[Ossi]

I was quite surprised that wenger didn´t order arsenal to attack more often on our left flank. Gerrard didn´t exactly own that flank...He was in his usual advanced position when Walcott made that run.

4-4-2 is impossible with the wingers we have at the moment.

 

[RolandG]

[quote author=Anita link=topic=22418.msg538223#msg538223 date=1207746328]
[quote author=Loch Ness Monster link=topic=22418.msg538164#msg538164 date=1207743380]
Dont get me started though, Anita has already kicked me out once.
[/quote]

I didn't kick you out, I just thought you'd enjoy speaking to Gerry on that thread, but it's okay DB's spreading the madness here too.
[/quote]

The band of 4 and growing! We're onto something Anita.