Crouch could be in trouble by arrival of new signings Bellamy,Fowler and/or Dirk Kuyt
RAFAEL BENÍTEZ has tended to opt for the carrot rather than the stick when it has come to motivating Peter Crouch, but he has indicated to the England forward that he is unlikely to be so indulged in the new season amid serious and growing competition for places in the Liverpool attack.
As if the seemingly imminent arrival of Dirk Kuyt from Feyenoord were not warning enough, Crouch found himself left out of the starting line-up as Liverpool began their season with an unconvincing 2-1 victory over Maccabi Haifa in the first leg of the Champions League third qualifying round tie on Wednesday, but there was more to follow as Benítez suggested that the former Southampton forward must raise his game.
“I think this year Crouch is more mature and he needs to understand what it means to be a Liverpool player,” Benítez said. “He needs to improve in some areas as well as to keep doing the things he does well. He needs to understand how important it is to score goals and to make goals and to keep doing the right things. You can’t just say: ‘I’m here now’ and that’s enough. You need to continue improving. He has a lot of possibilities, a lot of potential.”
It is a safe bet that the Liverpool manager’s words have been repeated behind closed doors, perhaps a suggestion that Crouch, 25, under- achieved in scoring eight times in 32 Barclays Premiership appearances last season. He is under pressure to add more goals this season, with Craig Bellamy and Robbie Fowler already in situ and great competition likely to follow after the arrival of Kuyt, a robust striker who will bring far more flexibility to Benítez’s forward line.
Liverpool are not taking the acquisition of Kuyt for granted, with Newcastle United also having shown strong interest, but the transfer is expected to completed next week — a straight cash transaction rather than a part-exchange deal involving Jerzy Dudek or Jan Kromkamp — even if the forward will not be eligible to play against Maccabi in the second leg. The venue for that match is likely to be confirmed as Cyprus at a meeting of Uefa’s executive committee today.
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