Is it just me, but after watching last nights game and the cup final on Saturday, I cant remember seeing a decent cross being put in. Pennent was lively and had a go, but how often did we see a cross of any quality. Most either hit the first defender, went right over the top or got cleared easily away. Cant these mega bucks footballers cross a ball with any pace or accuracy, what do they do in training ffs.
Agreed They should watch the highlights from Rotherham Vs barnsley 1981/2, Stuart Barrowclough gave a lesson in crossing.
Crossing is a dying art. The amount of times players beat their man nowadays only to punt it straight at the nearest defender is outrageous. If you play on the wing, you ought to be able to cross with quality. Pennant cut inside a number of times to buy himself time, to pick out a cross on his favoured foot only to balls it up completely. Beckham is still the best crosser of a ball this country has, which makes playing Crouch and dropping Beckham all the more genius. Tricky players that can't deliver a final ball, may as well just do keepy ups in the park for loose change.
Crossing has become a dead artform. If I were benitez I would have have stuck Crouch and Kuyt up front and just kep on crossing it and crossing it and crossing it. But I didnt even watch the game so what doI know.
Crosses were poor and not delivered with any pace so the keeper could collect them at his leisure. Mind you, with only Kuyt up front on his own would there have been anyone to get on the end of a decent cross? Why play Gerrard out of position like that too, what a waste? As for Harry Kewell? Didn't know he was even getting a gamelately, he shouldn't have bothered either,never looked threatening. Poor team selection and use of subs IMHO.
