Aston Villa News 24/7Writer: J P Fear 
Date:Wednesday October 31 2007
Time: 9:37AM
UK time is: 20:00:49
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Villa Return For Liverpool Striker?
Paper reports today are suggesting that Aston Villa are set to return for Liverpool and England striker Peter Crouch.
Yes, the same Peter Crouch we bought under Graham Taylor's reign for over £5-7million (depending on what report you believe) from Portsmouth and sold for peanuts (£2m) to Southampton! That was a criminal sale by David O'Leary when the squad was small and at worst he was another body to use. It was also a criminal sale by the old regime who didn't put a sell on clause in the sale contract so when he moved to Liverpool for mega money we got nothing....anyhow moving on....!
The report is in several papers including the Daily Mirror and the Telegraph.
According to a report by Vicki Hodges in the Telegraph Villa are 'desperate' to sign Crouch and will pay a record fee over the £9.65 million it took to buy Ashley Young to secure the services of the England international.
Apparently Martin O'Neill enquired about the availability of the 26-year-old in the summer and will return to test the water in January as Crouch has been displeased with the rotation system that has seen him spend a great deal of time this season sitting on the bench with just 5 starts in all competitions but most noticeably only 1 premiership start (4 times on the bench, 3 times coming on), a fact that has also affected his England place.
Crouch has 1 goal to his name this season for Liverpool, in the Champions League.
His international record is very impressive (as is his girlfriend to be fair!) with 12 goals in 22 games for England. His dancing is slightly less impressive mind you!
Manchester City are also being linked, although to be fair Sven is being linked to every player under the sun including Nicolas Anelka (oooh yes please for Villa!) and Michael Owen.
They say a player should never return but Crouch never really got a major chance at Villa and when played he was used as a target man with the ball being hoofed up and yet for a tall lad he is much more comfortable with the ball to his feet.
Would still rather Anelka mind you! What do you reckon, a good or bad move?
Crouch gets punk'd by Rio 'Silly Hair' Ferdinand:
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Your Comments
In his honour, today I will be mainly doing the robot...!
The Fear
LOL, hope thats not a double entendre Fear. In all seriousness we need a 20 goal a season striker not a target man.
Villan444
He would be a fantastic signing. Never should have sold him, he offers so much more than Carew or any of our other strikers. Hope this comes off.
DeanoVilla
Agree DeanoVilla, we should never have sold him. And I said it at the time too! He's a very good player. He offers something totally different and would guarentee goals. But more than £9.65m!? That would be pushing the boat out a bit! Are we being taken for a ride at the moment for the prices we're paying for players!? HArewood, Reo-Coker, Petrov all immediately spring to mind.
Tierney
Agree with the rest of you. Should never have been given away, sorry, sold.
Gordonsleftboot
O Leary really was a tit.I remember going to watch us play Ledds at Talka Park in one of O Learys first games and Crouch was obviously not one of O Learys favourites even then.
Pking
I remember he did great when Taylor signed him for us.
Pking
I would welcome him back. He's a different player to the one we had. His finishing has improved no end.
weller77
you lot can leave crouchie alone..... once rafa see that we need to use him more often than we are crouchie will want to stay
muffdaddy1983
Might be with Torres injured he won't be available anyway? Not good for him spending so much time on the bench though, don't know how you Pool fans can stand the rafa rotation system!
The Fear
Hadn't realised his England record was so good. Not sure about him being able to play with John Carew though, surely two target men would lead to even more long ball?
The Fear
Conspiracy theory Mr Fear. The club have seen your comments regarding Mon yesterday and started this story to divert attention.
Gordonsleftboot
I watched him against Bolton in the cup and remember worrying we were done for when he came on - then proceeded to blow me away with some very good ball control and play. I'd welcome him back - should never have sold him.
xfranc
Rodney was sold to cheaply and I was amazed when Liverpool came in for him for such a high fee (at the time). Although I think he is good I would rather see a dafoe or a poacher like owen if we are to keep Carew. If we are planning on selling Carew then I think he would be and excellent addition.
NY Villa
I seem to be in a minority of one here - i'm really not a fan of Crouchy. I really think this would be another one of those signings that falls in the "yeah ok then" bracket. Not really the signing to push us to the next level.....
YatesyVillain
crouch and carew upfront . . . . loft one into the mixer ashley! I would say crouch good signing. Anelka would be awesome but lets face it we are never going to see a signing like that down VP. (No offence Harewood).
tylervilla
Have to say i totally agree with you Yatesyvilla. Therefore, your not so much in the minority has you thought! Whilst I would agree that Crouch should never have been sold at the time, we are in a different time now, and I don't believe he would give us anything extra, which is what is required to take us forward. However, if we did sign him, he would have my full backing, as would MON.
Nigel-not-Reo
carew and crouchie strike force sounds good to me. both can hold the ball up for each other, both can poach goals if necessary, both will 90% of the time get their head on the ball. gabby sitting in the middle of them in a three way strike force... sounds great to me!
industrial_musical
does anyone remember when crouch scored that last minute winner at boro? probaly one of my favourite villa moments after playing soo badly.
villabikes29
lol gordonsleftboot, hmmmm, or maybe not?! I actually didn't make any comments, just published what Ashley Young said and asked what everyone else thought. Then it kicked off!!!! ;o)
The Fear
Industrial, Gabby is quick but he would have to attack and defend and do 2 peoples job, Crouch has no pace( those clouds give more resistance than the air down here.)Agree with Nigel, entirely.
Villan444
Crouch has no pace but hes extremely good with with his feet. Remarkarbly.
villabikes29
....for a big man.....
YatesyVillain
No No and thrice no, Crouch although wasted when he was at Villa is not the answer to having a striker scoring 20 goals a season.
col8
Let's wait and see what Ramos thinks of Defoe - if his situation doesn't improve by January I reckon he'll be a dead cert to move on....
YatesyVillain
If he brings his women with him then you lot will be laughing. Hot mumma!
Real Deal
This has to be some sad journalists idea of a joke. I sincerely hope that there's not the slightest inkling of truth in the story. Crouch back at Villa Park? Absolutely no way. Please!!
glensider
Have always been a huge Peter Crouch fan. I would welcome him back with open arms. The ball sticks to him like glue.
Adam Deuce
We haven't been watching the same player then Adam Deuce. It would be a backward step in my humble opinion.
glensider
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