Peter Crouch

Peter Crouch - England Striker - World Cup 2006
squad no. 21

club: Liverpool
position: Centre Forward
age: 25
caps: 7
goals: 5

Who would have thought it would come to this? Peter Crouch is not only going but has suddenly become the Great White Hope.

If he is handed a permanent starting role he will find it a lot tougher than he did against Jamaica.

Can we really win the World Cup with a beanpole targetman laying off balls for Michael, Frankie and Steven? We may well be about to find out.

Football England Verdict
Rating: 4.50

Did as well as anyone could have reasonably expected; badly.
Scored against Jamaica and fought well up front alone against Portugal.
Quite honestly though Crouch is not an international footballer, just another of Sven's whims that got us nowhere.

Portugal 0-0.
Football England rating: 6
Did okay trying to hold the ball up on his own after Rooney's dismissal but his total lack of a strikers' instinct was evident when he allowed Miguel to beat him to a good heading chance.

Ecuador 1-0.
Thank God we scored. Crouch was about to come on and it spared us that torture.

Sweden 2-2.
Football England rating: 2
A God awful display after replacing the stricken Owen. He will be a happy man this morning as his personal prospects continue to get better but it is bad news for the nation as a whole.
Just what is it that he brings to the party? Bad in the air, slow and bambi on ice when the ball's on the deck.

Trinidad 2-0.
Football England rating: 5
Becomes the hero after scoring the first goal but had already missed a couple of good chances, one in truly embarrassing fashion.
If Rooney is going to start from now on he is still the man to go back on the bench for me.
I'm not sure that goal would have been allowed too often in this competition, either.

Paraguay 1-0.
Football England rating 5
Knocked a few balls down in the first half but never linked up in a dangerous area and failed to test the keeper all afternoon.
His lack of pace is all too noticable at this level and the tactic of floating corners for him to flick on is a waste of time. Just whip them in somewhere near John Terry.
Cleared a couple of Paraguay corners but that was about it really.
Got booked for arguing about the free kicks he was giving away but that seemed fair enough. He doesn't need to put his arms on the defenders' shoulders to win headers so why does he do it?

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