Peter Crouch and a logical equation

No technique?

Peter Crouch has signed! Yey!

Yes I’d have preferred Klaas-Jan Huntelaar too but I don’t agree with all of the negativity on the message boards about Crouch. We all know what the equation is in football transfers; if he’s better than what you have, better than what you can get and you can afford him (which at £10m Spurs clearly can), he’s a good signing.

He’s an upgrade on Roman Pavlyuchenko and particularly Darren Bent. In terms of general efficiency, there isn’t that much in it between Bent and Crouch, Bent scores more goals, Crouch has touch and technique. But it’s the team’s style of play and the system that matters. Bent doesn’t fit into Spurs’ style of play because he has no first touch and no vision. He can’t get involved in the flicks and dinks that Modric, Keane, Defoe and Lennon like to zing around. Crouch has that ability to hold the ball and contrary to popular view, will improve the quality and aesthetics of our football through simple ball retention and distribution. Bent is good for hanging on the shoulder of the defence, running onto direct balls and scoring scrappy goals. He’d be great at Everton, not so good at Spurs.

So what of Pavlyuchenko? I’m a fan, I think he could… possibly… maybe do it. I’ve seen enough of him playing for Russia (not just at the Euros) and heard enough from Hiddink et al to think that he might become a top Premiership player. But last year, in 90% of the matches he played for Spurs, he could barely kick the ball in a straight line, let alone hold it up. We all know about the cultural, language and tiredness issues so what more is there to say. Pav, whilst full of potential, is still an unknown quantity. With Crouch, we know exactly what we’re getting; a technician, a focal point for our attack and a proven Premiership performer who will fit into our team’s style of play.

So he fits the bill with the first element of the equation, Peter Crouch is better than what we have.

But could we do better and buy someone else? I don’t think so. Of those available, Dzeko would have been my number one, Huntelaar my number two. Huntelaar might still come, Dzeko has been a no way for weeks now. Who else is there? Carew? Not available at any kind of reasonable price. Viduka? Don’t mess about. A punt on an unknown Wengeresque French African? We need a player who is guaranteed to do it, Spurs can’t afford another Pavlyuchenko experience this year. So who else is there that we could have got? I’m stumped.

So tell us Crouch haters, who would you have preferred to Crouch other than Huntelaar? Or would you have liked to have seen us keep lumping the ball over the top to Bent and hoping he scores a few with his shin?