England's Peter Crouch celebrates after scoring during their international friendly soccer match against Hungary at Old Trafford, Manchester in this May 30, 2006 file photo. - Reuters
BADEN BADEN, Germany (Reuters)
ENGLAND WILL place their World Cup faith in a two-metre tall 'dancing robot' called Peter Crouch when they take on Paraguay today.
Criticised at Anfield for an abysmal start to his Liverpool career and booed by England fans as recently as October, Crouch is suddenly on the verge of becoming a national treasure.
Five goals in his last three full internationals have been key to his rehabilitation, along with a mildly embarrassing goal celebration when he impersonates a dancing robot.
Having performed it in front of his future king last week in Manchester, to Prince William's wry amusement, Crouch's spindly frame now has a deadly serious role to play in Frankfurt.
Aside from his own much-improved sense of goal, Crouch's mere presence in the penalty area causes panic among defenders unused to his aerial threat. He can score goals or nod the ball down to a teammate in the danger zone, while that towering presence draws markers away from his predatory strike partner Michael Owen.
England beat Argentina 3-2 in a friendly last November simply because a late cross soared into the area and defenders made a beeline for Crouch, leaving Owen to nip in and head the winner.
Crouch's Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard believes Paraguay will be the next South American side to struggle to deal with his lanky teammate, who is standing in for injured Wayne Rooney.
"We're hoping they've never played against a Peter-type of player before," he told reporters on Thursday.
"I see him day in day out in training and in games so I know what a talent he is. If he plays to his ability on Saturday, he can cause Paraguay's defence a lot of problems."
WORRIES ABOUT THE STRIKER
Indeed, worries about the striker have now been transferred from sceptical England fans to Paraguay coach Anibal Ruiz.
"Peter Crouch is a concern for me," Ruiz told reporters on Thursday. "We hardly come across players like Peter Crouch. Very seldom."
However, Ruiz can direct a weapon of his own in gifted striker Roque Santa Cruz, now expected to play after a season overshadowed by a knee operation and more recently by tendinitis.
Santa Cruz, who plays his club football in Germany for Bayern Munich, declared himself fit on Thursday to face England having previously been a major doubt. One element unlikely to change was his belief that the spotlight will be on Sven-Goran Eriksson's men.
"For this game, the pressure is all on England," Cruz told reporters. "They are the favourites not only to win the group but are the favourites to win the World Cup.
"With all this pressure, anything can happen."
England and Paraguay met at Anfield
in 2002 for a friendly which the hosts
won 4-0.
