Saturday, November 26, 2005
Peter Crouch versus Francis Jeffers
I've been wondering for a few weeks now which one of England's premier strikers - Peter Crouch or Franny Jeffers - would score their initial goal of the season first, but I haven't needed to worry about rushing to post on here about it as it still hasn't happened.
Who will it be?
Crouch has played 16 games for Liverpool this season, without scoring. Jeffers has been in and out of the Rangers team, and has also yet to register his first goal for his club.
Crouch was linked with Charlton during the summer, until the price tag needed to prise him away from Southampton was talked up (stupidly) by Harry Redknapp, and Liverpool were the only club willing to meet the £7m asking price.
Jeffers became a bit of a favourite among some of the Valley faithful last season, scoring twice on his home debut (against today's Charlton opponents Aston Villa) in a 3-0 win. He finished the season with five goals, but his style of play did not suit the 4-5-1 formation that Manager Alan Curbishley decided to use from November onwards. He was loaned out to Glasgow Rangers in August, in order to get some playing time and hopefully goals, but both have been lacking in any measurable quantity. Some fans still think that he could be the answer to Charlton's second striker needs.
The situation with Jeffers is complex: he was signed on a two-year contract, and is now into that last season. He was loaned out until January, with the hope of good reports being enough to either allow him to force his way back into the Charlton starting eleven, or to entice a bid from Rangers (or elsewhere). If Charlton had wished to keep him, they would enforce the additional years extension to his current contract that they favour, and if they didn't, he would be free to leave at the end of the season without a transfer fee involved if nobody else had come forward to buy him previously. Charlton will not want to pay his weekly wage if he is not playing, scoring, and contributing to the club for the final few months of his contract, unless they really have to.
So who will score that first goal?
My bet is on Crouch, who amazingly continues to be part of the starting eleven at Anfield, and will probably play against Manchester City at Eastfields today. Jeffers is getting starting time too, but Rangers are low on confidence as a team, and have another tough fixture away at Hibernian this weekend.
Don't be surprised if neither scores again today...and I wouldn't be surprised at all for Jeffers to return to The Valley with a big fat zero goals return to his name from his time at Ibrox.
Who will it be?
Crouch has played 16 games for Liverpool this season, without scoring. Jeffers has been in and out of the Rangers team, and has also yet to register his first goal for his club.Crouch was linked with Charlton during the summer, until the price tag needed to prise him away from Southampton was talked up (stupidly) by Harry Redknapp, and Liverpool were the only club willing to meet the £7m asking price.
Jeffers became a bit of a favourite among some of the Valley faithful last season, scoring twice on his home debut (against today's Charlton opponents Aston Villa) in a 3-0 win. He finished the season with five goals, but his style of play did not suit the 4-5-1 formation that Manager Alan Curbishley decided to use from November onwards. He was loaned out to Glasgow Rangers in August, in order to get some playing time and hopefully goals, but both have been lacking in any measurable quantity. Some fans still think that he could be the answer to Charlton's second striker needs.
The situation with Jeffers is complex: he was signed on a two-year contract, and is now into that last season. He was loaned out until January, with the hope of good reports being enough to either allow him to force his way back into the Charlton starting eleven, or to entice a bid from Rangers (or elsewhere). If Charlton had wished to keep him, they would enforce the additional years extension to his current contract that they favour, and if they didn't, he would be free to leave at the end of the season without a transfer fee involved if nobody else had come forward to buy him previously. Charlton will not want to pay his weekly wage if he is not playing, scoring, and contributing to the club for the final few months of his contract, unless they really have to.So who will score that first goal?
My bet is on Crouch, who amazingly continues to be part of the starting eleven at Anfield, and will probably play against Manchester City at Eastfields today. Jeffers is getting starting time too, but Rangers are low on confidence as a team, and have another tough fixture away at Hibernian this weekend.
Don't be surprised if neither scores again today...and I wouldn't be surprised at all for Jeffers to return to The Valley with a big fat zero goals return to his name from his time at Ibrox.
Comments:
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I think it'll be crouch. Rangers arn't providing decent service to the forwards so at the moment only workhorse players like Prso can do any damage by creating for themselves, until they get back on form I think Jeffers will struggle.
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