Crouch

[mark1975]

Just reading his stats for this season in the CL, he seems to be used sparingly in the league and again has a poor goal return, but in the CL this season he has 6 goals in 6 games and overall in the Champions League he has 17 in 28, mirroring his international record I guess, strange player. Anyway, he regards the current Spurs squad as better than the Liverpool side that reached the CL Final in '07.



Peter Crouch believes the current Tottenham squad is better than Liverpool's UEFA Champions League runners-up in 2007.

Crouch has relished playing at European football's top table as he scored eight goals from nine Champions League starts in 2006/07 before coming off the bench as Liverpool were beaten 2-1 by AC Milan in the final.

The 29-year-old has returned to the competition this season with Tottenham and has scored six in six to make it 17 in his last 28 Champions League appearances for Liverpool and Spurs.

The England striker's latest strike sealed a 3-0 win over Werder Bremen on Wednesday and sealed Tottenham's passage into the knock-out stage with one group game to spare.

Spurs have high hopes for the round of 16 having beaten defending champions Inter Milan in their group, while the likes of Gareth Bale and Rafael van der Vaart have been in scintillating form.

And asked if he was in the best group of players he has ever been involved with, Crouch said: "I think it might be.

"We had some great individuals when I was at Liverpool and we managed to reach a Champions League final, which was fantastic. But as a group of players I don't think I've played with better really.
Young squad

"It's not just that; we have a young squad. We have so many international players waiting to get on and get a game and it's just a pleasure being part of it."

Crouch admitted some at White Hart Lane feared for the worst when they were drawn in the same group as the holders and perennial Champions League qualifiers Werder Bremen.

But Spurs have shown they are a force to be reckoned with, beating Inter, Werder and Dutch side FC Twente at home while coming back from 4-0 down with 10 men to lose 4-3 at Giuseppe Meazza.

"When the draw came up with Inter Milan it could have been a lot easier," Crouch said.

"But we've got such quality in our dressing room that we shouldn't be afraid of anyone. We've proved that, even this week. We beat Arsenal and won another Champions League game quite comfortably.

Exciting times

"I said right from the start when I came to this club, when I looked around the dressing room, and thinking how we've not achieved anything. I think it's only a matter of time.

"Last season finishing fourth was a great achievement but we can go one better and try to win something this year," he added.

"It's exciting stuff. We don't want to get too carried away but it's looking good. We all enjoy playing at White Hart Lane and under the lights in the Champions League.

"The players love it, the fans love it and the only way you cement that other than winning it is by finishing fourth. We have to make sure we are as consistent in the league as we are in the Champions League at the moment.

"It's a dream come true for someone like me to just get on the end of things. It's exciting times and hopefully we can go on and do well in Europe."

 

[Modo]

Arguably true

 

[gene hughes]

If Spurs get to the final I'll shit in my hand and shove it up my nostrils.

 

[Spionkop69]

Dittto gene

 

[Ryan]

British defences have worked him out over the years, which is why his domestic goal return is ordinary. He shines in the CL and for England cos he's much more of an unknown package to international defenders.

 

[Dreambeliever]

Crouch hasn't gotten a really good run in the league this year.

But you cannot knock his record over the lsat few years. Actually pretty much since he got his first goal for us he's always been there or there abouts.

I'll never forget the 2 times I've seen him live.

Winner against Utd in the cup and making difference coming of the bench against Sunderland, setting up Torres and scoring an overhead kick.

I'll always love Crouch and his international record is fantastic.

 

[manwithnoname]

Well, Dreamy, I've always disliked Lurch, as has Ryan (I think), but his domestic record is fucking pitiful.

Now I'm not sure it's as simple as Ryan thinks 'domestic defenders working him out' but the disparity is marked.

 

[KopPoNok]

This is hardly a surprise isn't it?

 

[King Binny]

When Crouch suffered that chronic early goal drought following his move from Redknapp’s Southampton to Liverpool in 2005, The Kop inspired him with the legendary chant ‘he’s big, he’s red, his feet stick out the bed, Peter Crouch’.

And he admits it now hurts to see Liverpool outside of the Champions League places.

Crouch said: “The Liverpool fans were absolutely brilliant. At a lot of clubs, the fans might have turned on me and got frustrated. The admiration I’ve got for Liverpool fans is that they know the game inside out.

“They could see I was maybe being unlucky and still working hard for the team. It was a really frustrating time for me and I’m my own biggest critic.

“I went on to score 40-odd goals for them and I owe it to those supporters. In those early stages it was so difficult and they stood by me.

“The old song ‘he’s big, he’s red...’ that came out really early on – I loved my time there, we won things and I got to hear that song quite a bit. Hopefully they will soon get back where they belong.

“At Tottenham we want to play in the Champions League at whoever’s expense, but I was disappointed for Liverpool because of the history of the club and everything, they deserve to play in the Champions League, year in, year out. I hope they do get upthere challenging for titles again.â€

 

[Buddha]

Good lad.

 

[dee]

I don't know what his official EPL assists look like but it is absolutely clear this season that Crouch has been instrumental in a fair few of their goals recently. He may not be scoring but without him they would have scored far less.