He's Big, He's Red, His Feet Stick Out the Bed!

The latest news from across the pond is that Liverpool's towering striker is leaving the north of England for Pompey's sunny south coast. The 6'-7" tall Crouch was a player I always admired. He had a knack for scoring some spectacular goals (as in the photo), and a pretty decent strike rate for England as well. He could be frustrating to watch at times - I never understood how such a tall player could be so lacking in ability to head the ball - and he certainly wasn't the speediest fella on the pitch. But he had very good ball skills for such a gangly frame, and could hold the ball up as well as anyone on the team at the time.

It sounds like Rafa offered to extend his contract, but Crouchie is understandably not thrilled at the prospect of another season playing second fiddle to the boy wonder Fernando Torres. The system Rafa now seems to favor would again limit his playing time, and you can't fault him for seeking out a regular place in a starting eleven. Good luck, Crouchinho!