Robbie Fowler

[kop205]

I don't think anyone, even Robbie, was arguing too much when he left in the summer so in many ways this is entirely hindsight. It certainly isn't having a go at Rafa because he made the decision probably all of us would have made at the time. It is more a casual musing on something that came to me.

 

Fowler scored 12 times in 35 appearances for us in his second spell.

Crouch this season has scored 4 in 13.

Kuyt has scored 8 in 20.

 

(Apparently - all those stats are from wiki).

 

Funny how things work out really. Given Crouch and Kuyt's lack of major impact this season, would we be dong any worse if we'd kept Robbie as back-up (effectively what Crouch and even Kuyt to an extent have been this year) and sold one of the others for 10 - 12m (which we could probably have easily got), putting that money towards another top class signing?

 

I know Fowler is injured now so might have played even less than those two. I'm certainly not saying bring him back again or even that it was wrong to let him go as nobody has a crystal ball on how things work out.

 

It is more just to highlight the lack of impact that Crouch and Kuyt have had, two people who you would have hoped would both be turning in performances that demand they pay alongside Torres yet in reality are doing no better than someone who was only ever back up.

 

Just a thought.

Edited January 6, 2008 by kop205

[smicer07]

Considering he's not even doing it at Cardiff, I think we made the right decision.

[Rimbeux]

Dont think he should have come back in the first place myself, but when you've got nowt but wages to play with, needs must I suppose.

[kop205]

Considering he's not even doing it at Cardiff, I think we made the right decision.

 

6 in 16 apparently.

 

I agree it was the right decision to let him go as things stood at the time, which is all that really matters I suppose.

 

Like I said, it was just a general wondering about the fact that Kuyt and Crouch have hardly contributed more than he would have done and that if it had been one of them going we'd at least have got some money.

[_00_deathscar]

How many of those 12 goals came in the Carling Cup out of interest?

 

Just checked: 2 of 12, 2 from 3.

Edited January 6, 2008 by _00_deathscar

[kop205]

How many of those 12 goals came in the Carling Cup out of interest?

 

Just checked: 2 of 12, 2 from 3.

 

Was just about to reply that I could only remember 1, against Reading!

 

He got a few league goals at the end of his first season back, including the first or only goal 4 or 5 times if I remember.

 

With the exception of the goals against Everton, probably not too many of Crouch and Kuyt's have been really crucial this year either though.

[Frosty Jack]

he could be the final piece of the jigsaw

[RafaShanks]

Robbie might be in the twilight in his career but the sad fact is that he still pisses on our current strikers excluding El Nino.

[Hightown Phil]

Am I the only one who thinks he's playing up front for Arsenal and cunningly changed his skin colour?

[Guest Snorky]

Am I the only one who thinks he's playing up front for Arsenal and cunningly changed his skin colour?

 

No you are not, he is the new Robbie and is going to be a cracking striker.

[Sion]

No you are not, he is the new Robbie and is going to be a cracking striker.

 

Going to do amazingly well for 5 years before bad luck and bad decisions take it's toll and he doesn't become one of the all time greats like he had the talent to do so?

 

Eduardo is a very good player, but comparisons to Fowler are a little premature.

[Hightown Phil]

Just that nonchalant little pass into the net reminded me of Fowler.

[jon_hall]

When he scores a hatrick versus Arsenal in four and a half minutes, oh...

[Nebbers]

Since joining city, Robbie has discovered the way of the pie.

[New York Red]

Robbie might be in the twilight in his career but the sad fact is that he still pisses on our current strikers excluding El Nino.

 

Is incorrect.

[kop205]

Is incorrect.

 

Probably, but is it so far from the truth?

 

That was kind of my point in this thread really - that there is scant reason to believe that a 32 year old striker, about whom nobody batted an eyelid footballing-wise when he left the club, would be contributing just as much as either Crouch or Kuyt. It isn't about wanting Fowler back, it is about setting in context how disappointing Crouch and especially Kuyt have been this season.

 

Crouch in fairness has had limited opportunity, and fair play to him for being in the right place today, though he rarely threatened other than that.

 

Kuyt just looks way out of hid depth.

[Hassony]

Probably, but is it so far from the truth?

very far

Pepe would be a better option upfront than Fowler

[kop205]

very far

Pepe would be a better option upfront than Fowler

 

Seriously though, other than workrate what does Kuyt contribue that Fowler wouldn't?

 

And again, that isn't meant as a compliment to Robbie because we all know he isn't good enough to play for us anymore.

[Hassony]

Seriously though, other than workrate what does Kuyt contribue that Fowler wouldn't?

 

And again, that isn't meant as a compliment to Robbie because we all know he isn't good enough to play for us anymore.

 

his work rate is gooe enough reason, he is a better link up player, runs the channels much better, and a better penalty taker

even fowlers finishing has been rubbish for the past 5 seasons

[kop205]

his work rate is gooe enough reason, he is a better link up player, runs the channels much better, and a better penalty taker

even fowlers finishing has been rubbish for the past 5 seasons

 

I don't agree that he runs the channels better because most of his movement is in areas where he is no threat to anybody. For me, Fowler's movement in and around the box is still far more intelligent than Kuyt's. Maybe that is down to the managers orders, but I can can only go on what I see.

 

I don't agree that he is a better link up player because his touch so poor. When does he play anyone else in?

 

Which leaves Kuyt taking a better penalty, which I agree with but is clutching at straws.

 

However rubbish Fowler's finishing has been for the last 5 years, he has still managed to average pretty much a goal every 3 games in that time.

 

And like I said, I agree that Fowler isn't good enough for us and we need far better. If Kuyt was that player then there wouldn't even be this debate in my mind about him and Fowler.

[Stevie H]

he could be the final piece of the jigsaw

a particularly ceremonial jigsaw. during his final days with us and now with cardiff, robbie resembles one of the washed up ex-pros who waddle about on that sky 'masters' 5-a-side crap.

[Boca]

Whatever about Fowler I think Bellamy would have contributed more than any of our strikers, apart from Torres.

[stressederic]

Robbie could barely run during his last few months with us. He scored goals last season, but in the Premiership they were all from the penalty spot, because he was struggling to get on the end of moves.

 

Great player, but some of our fans should really let it go now.

[Hassony]

Whatever about Fowler I think Bellamy would have contributed more than any of our strikers, apart from Torres.

he has been doing great at west ham hasn't he

 

and we needed to sell him to be able to buy Torres

[MFletcher]

Whatever about Fowler I think Bellamy would have contributed more than any of our strikers, apart from Torres.

 

I agree. But the golf club incident cemented his departure in February.