Can Crouch head the ball

[Earl Hafler]

How is that a contradiction, Crouch usually always gets to the ball but because his heading is weak he cant direct the ball with pace inside the box, but he usually wins the header because of his height.

 

How can he be a good target if his heading is comical ?

 

You have no idea about football, just the ability to spit out stats like some muppet pez despenser.

[Guest Kaizer]

How can he be a good target if his heading is comical ?

 

You have no idea about football, just the ability to spit out stats like some muppet pez despenser.

 

Just because you can catch a ball that does not mean you dont throw like a girl does it?

Edited July 16, 2007 by Kaizer

[Maldini]

Just because you can catch a ball that does not mean you dont throw like a girl does it?

 

When the 149 seagulls follow the trawler, it's because they think 765 sardines will be thrown in to the sea, but what they don't know is last year there were only 127 seagulls, but 865 sardines, so clearly those seagulls were vastly superior.

[Guest Kaizer]

When the 149 seagulls follow the trawler, it's because they think 765 sardines will be thrown in to the sea, but what they don't know is last year there were only 127 seagulls, but 865 sardines, so clearly those seagulls were vastly superior.

 

Like I use to say, there will always be more sheeps than sheperds.

Edited July 16, 2007 by Kaizer

[stressederic]

I'm not entirely sure of the full logic that suggest taller people shou;d be great at heading. Surely he only means they should be better at winning the ball in the air. Being tall doesn't translate into having good heading technique etc, any more then being short makes you faster.

[Drexl]

Like I use to say, there will always be more sheeps than sheperds.

 

Sheeps?

[abc]

Luis Garcia is a far better (attacking) header of a ball than Crouchy will ever be - as evidenced in his fantastic goals against Anderlecht and Fulham. Great technique and timing is something that he has, despite standing a foot shorter than Crouchy. I'm a massive fan of Crouch but it seems to be the weakest area of his game, his heading of the ball aggressively (and timing his jump).

[Maldini]

He's great at flicks and cushioned headers to teammates but he stuggles to get power in his headers on goal and often mistimes his jumps. End of thread.

[oran]

He's great at flicks and cushioned headers to teammates but he stuggles to get power in his headers on goal and often mistimes his jumps. End of thread.

is he? i dont see it.

[Maldini]

is he? i dont see it.

You might want to watch more closely then

[hideNseek]

Good goal against Arsenal. More balls into him like that and he'll be unplayable. And yes he does do some very good cushioned headers to team mates and anyone saying he doesn't is a lying t***.

[Tones]

I'm not entirely sure of the full logic that suggest taller people shou;d be great at heading. Surely he only means they should be better at winning the ball in the air. Being tall doesn't translate into having good heading technique etc, any more then being short makes you faster.

 

A very good point eric.

[realtarragona]

He's much better now than he was when we signed him.

[CaptainXabi]

A very good point eric.

I disagree. It should lead to better heading skills because of boatloads of opportunities due to his height. If King Luis can head well with his 5 opportunities per year, Crouchy should manage with his 5 opportunities per half. Moreover, it's only natural for players to make use of their natural qualities (height, speed, strength, etc), which is why it's strange Crouch hasn't made use of his most obvious one. Still a good player and all though.

[MFletcher]

Due to his height and game awareness, Crouch is excellent at flick-ons and cushioning headers for teammates. Unfortunately, he rarely executes headers with both pace and accuracy whenever the opportunity arrives. Given his height and the fact that our wide players look for him whenever they're crossing, he should score more often. I can remember four instances last season, three in one game against Blackburn (Boxing Day) and once when we were 3-0 up at home (against who escapes me - we were at home though) and he had four excellent chances in or around the six yard box and he either powered it straight at the goalkeeper or aimed it towards the corner but it didn't have sufficient power to beat him.

 

He should score more with his head, but he is a much better player than when we bought him and I'd be very disappointed to see him move on. If he can start heading the ball with pace and accuracy then he would be completely unplayable because no defender is able to mark him given his height.

 

As it stands though, he is capable header of the ball but he should do much better. He scores nowhere near the amount he should with his head.

[San Diego Red]

Crouch can header, it's just a matter of doing it consistently. Look at his goal vs a*** at Anfield.

[Guest Portly]

Graham Taylor made the point that Crouchy's problem with heading is actually because of his height. He can't get his weight behind the ball as a shorter player would do, so his headers lack power. I think there's something in that.

[McBain]

He's great at flicks and cushioned headers to teammates but he stuggles to get power in his headers on goal and often mistimes his jumps. End of thread.

 

Basically it

 

Adding the best wingers in the world wont help him until he learns how to time his headers.

[Guest Kaizer]

Graham Taylor made the point that Crouchy's problem with heading is actually because of his height. He can't get his weight behind the ball as a shorter player would do, so his headers lack power. I think there's something in that.

 

Another problem is the floated s**** crosses that usually gets delivered from our right, without pace on the crosses its always difficult to get pace on the ball from a header as well.

[fyds]

Another problem is the floated s**** crosses that usually gets delivered from our right, without pace on the crosses its always difficult to get pace on the ball from a header as well.

That is a sensible point. Taylor's and Eric's points are also valid.

[Poolfrog]

Due to his height and game awareness, Crouch is excellent at flick-ons and cushioning headers for teammates. Unfortunately, he rarely executes headers with both pace and accuracy whenever the opportunity arrives. Given his height and the fact that our wide players look for him whenever they're crossing, he should score more often. I can remember four instances last season, three in one game against Blackburn (Boxing Day) and once when we were 3-0 up at home (against who escapes me - we were at home though) and he had four excellent chances in or around the six yard box and he either powered it straight at the goalkeeper or aimed it towards the corner but it didn't have sufficient power to beat him.

 

He should score more with his head, but he is a much better player than when we bought him and I'd be very disappointed to see him move on. If he can start heading the ball with pace and accuracy then he would be completely unplayable because no defender is able to mark him given his height.

 

As it stands though, he is capable header of the ball but he should do much better. He scores nowhere near the amount he should with his head.

That's possibly a valid point, but everyone seems to forget that the season immediately before he signed for us he scored 7 goals with his head - more than any other premiership player - and he can't do much more than score more headers than anyone else can he?

[WillG]

Like I use to say, there will always be more sheeps than sheperds.

 

BEST . PROVERB . EVER !!!

[Dog]

His main problem is that he always seems to climb all over the opposition conceding a free kick. It is bloody annoying.

For a bloke as tall as him, it really is unnecessary, especially as he has the beating of most of them anyway.

He also seems to find it difficult to do the direct play, always holding play up and looking to bring someone else in, i.e. not selfish enough when it counts.

[realtarragona]

A lot of times it's harsh on him though. Plus if you're a lot taller than most players it's hard not to occasionally. Especially if they're backing into you.

[fabfive]

It might help is crosses were sent in with pace and at a height for Crouch to attack.

 

To often the cross comes in where Crouch either stands still with defenders surrounding him cushioning the header goalward or bending down to get his head on the ball.

 

Garcia could leap and attack balls that Crouch stands still for. There's the difference. Crouch has powered some headers when the ball is 8 foot in the air and he can attack it. But if we keep sending in 8 foot high crosses, our other strikers may not get to them. So the ball is sent in lower.

Edited July 18, 2007 by fabfive