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Is it time for Gekas?

So far we have not seen anything from Theofanis Gekas and despite the words of Guy Whittingham ringing in our ears, words that many expected would see the Greek striker named on the bench against Chelski on Tuesday, he was not...

Today he has told The News how he is desperate to be given his chance to show what he can do, and hopes this comes even if he appreciates why more 'familiar faces' are being given the nod at the moment.

Still for the majority of us, if not most of us, all we know of Theo is little snippets we have seen of him playing in European competition or for his country, not to mention the 'wonderful world of YouTube', a fantastic place but more often than not a very one-sided place to be fair where even the biggest donkey can be made to look a world beater, mentioning no names!

If we cannot score goals we will not win games it is that simple - we are starting to create enough opportunities now to make you think we can win games, but we simple are not getting in the positions to take them or when we are we are missing them. You cannot afford to miss chances at this level can you...

Would Theo have converted the chance that Dave Nugent had when one-one-one with Petr Cech, would he have made more of the chance that is still haunting me now that Niko Kranjcar missed?

We may never know, unless similar opportunities present themselves to him down the line.

He is known as a 'goal hanger', a player that will be in positions to take chances - one thing that is known is unless we do see something of him we will never know what he can do. If he is not good enough fair enough, but we need to be told this - if he is then as much as 'waiting for the right moment' is something that we might feel we need, we cannot wait forever as we are running out of time...

I had said we should stick with what we have, but we now have a tough call coming up the weekend after this when we go to Boro - do we drop Peter Crouch and go with Theo or do we again carry on as we are and hope that the England man finally gets that breakthrough that he is so desperate for, and for me is all he needs to fire on all cylinders again...

Some might say 'how come you are not mentioning Nugent is being the one to step aside?'

Well, for me that is quite simple really, he is not playing as an out and out forward is he, he is playing right or left side in an advanced midfield role, left at the moment, getting forward as well as working his nuts off defensively - I am not at all convinced that Theo would, or even could do that job like he is?

The former Preston man is looking more and more the player we wanted him to be when we signed him - although to be honest I did not think he has the work rate that he does in him and his first touch is really coming on, it was fantastic on Tuesday in awful conditions - so how could he be left out! Granted I would still prefer to see him right up alongside Crouch but an orthodox 4-4-2 is not something we look like seeing much of for the foreseeable future is it...then again 'needs must' and all that.

I am a big fan of Crouch, and would have him in my side more often than not and do still feel that he offers far more than some credit him, but we need goals, we desperately need goals, if Theo is up to it then potentially putting a more mobile and more out and out striker in him up top against Boro might be the way we need to go?

To be honest I suspect that it will be pretty much 'as you were' again, not that I am knocking this of course as can we really fault what we have seen from the guys in the last 3 games!

For me Crouch would not respond by throwing his toys out of the pram, like some do, but he would of course not take to kindly to sitting out regularly - although sitting out regularly is not something that I would expect to be the case anyway.

So, Crouch or Gekas - you decide!

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Writer: pompeyrug Mail feedback, articles or suggestions

Date:Friday March 6 2009

Time: 11:25AM

Your Comments

Easy one for me - give Gekas a chance - Crouch is too gangly and can't header the ball which is shocking for someone who's 7ft tall! A spell on the sidelines may make him think that his position isn't safe and he might start scoring again. Gekas is a proven goalscorer.
PFCGino
Easy one for me - give Gekas a chance - Crouch is too gangly and can't header the ball which is shocking for someone who's 7ft tall! A spell on the sidelines may make him think that his position isn't safe and he might start scoring again. Gekas is a proven goalscorer.
PFCGino
he should replace crouch for at least the second half of a game, like Gino said crouch might realise that he needs to try harder. If we bring him on for just 45 minutes then we can see how he does for us, and how he does in English football. or, at least when we get to 4-0 against 'boro then bring him, on see how he does!
MFFP
he should replace crouch for at least the second half of a game, like Gino said crouch might realise that he needs to try harder. If we bring him on for just 45 minutes then we can see how he does for us, and how he does in English football. or, at least when we get to 4-0 against 'boro then bring him, on see how he does!
MFFP
i cannot for the life of me see how anyone can say that crouch 'needs to try harder', would this be possible? if anything he is 'trying too hard!'
we know, and always have known the crouchy is not strong in the air so lumping it up to him isnt always going to pay dividends, 'if' we get the ball right and have runner from midfield/a partner to run onto his flicks then we are laughing, but these flicks more often than not need to come from well constructed moves, desperation long-balls do not do him or us any favours...
we do, wthout doubt need to see what gekas can do, so bare minimum he needs to be on the bench at boro and 'if' he isnt started we have to hope we are in a positon where he can be brought on to show what he can do...
pompeyrug
i cannot for the life of me see how anyone can say that crouch 'needs to try harder', would this be possible? if anything he is 'trying too hard!'
we know, and always have known the crouchy is not strong in the air so lumping it up to him isnt always going to pay dividends, 'if' we get the ball right and have runner from midfield/a partner to run onto his flicks then we are laughing, but these flicks more often than not need to come from well constructed moves, desperation long-balls do not do him or us any favours...
we do, wthout doubt need to see what gekas can do, so bare minimum he needs to be on the bench at boro and 'if' he isnt started we have to hope we are in a positon where he can be brought on to show what he can do...
pompeyrug
I don't doubt for one second that Crouch doesn't try hard - he certainly seems committed to Pompey's cause. Thinking about it more it's a tough decision for Hart to make. Personally, I would involve Gekas at Boro on Sunday. He scored 7 on his Leverkusen debut, let's hope he does the same here!!
PFCGino
I don't doubt for one second that Crouch doesn't try hard - he certainly seems committed to Pompey's cause. Thinking about it more it's a tough decision for Hart to make. Personally, I would involve Gekas at Boro on Sunday. He scored 7 on his Leverkusen debut, let's hope he does the same here!!
PFCGino
If we've got him and are paying him good money, why not get him on the park for a while? Otherwise we'll NEVER know what he can do.
hammersmithblue
If we've got him and are paying him good money, why not get him on the park for a while? Otherwise we'll NEVER know what he can do.
hammersmithblue
Agree with all that has been said but, I would go the other way round and start with him giving all he can with the big fellow entering the fray later. I feel when defenders have to alter their approach due to the big man's arrival they tend to lose concentration and make mistakes. At least, a forward change should not be the catalyst for an early goal to be conceded unless Gekas trys out some backpass's to the keeper!
dedmans
Agree with all that has been said but, I would go the other way round and start with him giving all he can with the big fellow entering the fray later. I feel when defenders have to alter their approach due to the big man's arrival they tend to lose concentration and make mistakes. At least, a forward change should not be the catalyst for an early goal to be conceded unless Gekas trys out some backpass's to the keeper!
dedmans
You can't drop Crouchie! If necessary, have Nuge on the right and Gekas/Crouch up front. However, Gekas wouldn't be the first stiker we've bought, never to see the Prem.
Pompeyscum
You can't drop Crouchie! If necessary, have Nuge on the right and Gekas/Crouch up front. However, Gekas wouldn't be the first stiker we've bought, never to see the Prem.
Pompeyscum
Did we buy Gekas? I thought he was on loan or am I mistaken?
Gandor1
Did we buy Gekas? I thought he was on loan or am I mistaken?
Gandor1
Why hasn't he even had a run out with the 2nds?
pentonpompey
Why hasn't he even had a run out with the 2nds?
pentonpompey
I am worried about any player who says 'Portsmouth is a very well organised club, with excellent training facilities'. Gekas scores goals yes but has never played in the Premier League before. We need experience at the moment, if things get desperate then we have to experiment. having said that looking forward to seeing him play love a goalscorer , Biley, Kemp et al.
eastneydave
I am worried about any player who says 'Portsmouth is a very well organised club, with excellent training facilities'. Gekas scores goals yes but has never played in the Premier League before. We need experience at the moment, if things get desperate then we have to experiment. having said that looking forward to seeing him play love a goalscorer , Biley, Kemp et al.
eastneydave
crouch has been brilliant for us - no question about that. Personally, I would like to see how he played alongside gekas - however, with the current formation, it would probably only be for the last 20 minutes, and if we arn't winning.
pompeycarpet
crouch has been brilliant for us - no question about that. Personally, I would like to see how he played alongside gekas - however, with the current formation, it would probably only be for the last 20 minutes, and if we arn't winning.
pompeycarpet
It would be nice to have some kind of communication from the management team about Gekas, because he hasn't even been on the bench lately. As for Crouchie, he said recently that he is missing having a playing partnership upfront since the dwarf left, he's still working on establishing one, and this might be part of the problem. Obviously he's had more chance to start forming this with the Nugget. Assuming Gekas is up to it (and Corporal Punishment told us he is) then I would have him on the bench instead of Kanu and bring him on for about the last half hour. Can't understand him not being on the bench at all.
tracyc
It would be nice to have some kind of communication from the management team about Gekas, because he hasn't even been on the bench lately. As for Crouchie, he said recently that he is missing having a playing partnership upfront since the dwarf left, he's still working on establishing one, and this might be part of the problem. Obviously he's had more chance to start forming this with the Nugget. Assuming Gekas is up to it (and Corporal Punishment told us he is) then I would have him on the bench instead of Kanu and bring him on for about the last half hour. Can't understand him not being on the bench at all.
tracyc
For me it's not a question of Crouch OR Gekas.. Play them both in a 442 - We seem to be accomodating Kranjcar in the hole which (in fairness) is getting better performances out of him.. but we need to score .. Kranjcar back on the left, Nuge to the bench to accomodate Gekas .. If indeed he is ready ..
Chix
For me it's not a question of Crouch OR Gekas.. Play them both in a 442 - We seem to be accomodating Kranjcar in the hole which (in fairness) is getting better performances out of him.. but we need to score .. Kranjcar back on the left, Nuge to the bench to accomodate Gekas .. If indeed he is ready ..
Chix
The greek style doesnt go down to well in the english game.. i can only really remember that guy for Bolton getting a good run.
nodster
The greek style doesnt go down to well in the english game.. i can only really remember that guy for Bolton getting a good run.
nodster
knowing pompey he is probably on a 'pay as ou play' loan deal or something - hence why he does not play...
lets say nugent played on the right, where would pennant fit into things tho if nugent played on the right? granted pennant has gone quiet the last couple of games but i reckon hhe has the ability to create chances if he just 'stays out wide!'
'why has he not played in the 2nds!' how old are you penton lol, a phrase like that makes you sound ancient old bean :-)
as always dave is the wise head of experience, we do need experience prem league players and others do have something that theo does not 'this experience'...
i can understand kanu being named on the bench, and altho utaka can 'in theory' fill striking and right sided roles would gekas not be a better option as a sub than utaka? at a push belhadj could play wide right if needed - so totaly agree tracy that theo is a better option to at least have on the bench.
if we go 4-4-2 tho would it not be a better option to play nugent and crouch as opposed to crouch and gekas tho Chix? surely as nugent is in posession of the shirt and is playing well he deserves that chance at playing up top with crouchy?
stelios giannakopoulos was the bolton guy, who was the premier league side he signed for this season? was it hull... the defender at newcastle, nikos dabizas, he was not that bad was he.
pompeyrug
knowing pompey he is probably on a 'pay as ou play' loan deal or something - hence why he does not play...
lets say nugent played on the right, where would pennant fit into things tho if nugent played on the right? granted pennant has gone quiet the last couple of games but i reckon hhe has the ability to create chances if he just 'stays out wide!'
'why has he not played in the 2nds!' how old are you penton lol, a phrase like that makes you sound ancient old bean :-)
as always dave is the wise head of experience, we do need experience prem league players and others do have something that theo does not 'this experience'...
i can understand kanu being named on the bench, and altho utaka can 'in theory' fill striking and right sided roles would gekas not be a better option as a sub than utaka? at a push belhadj could play wide right if needed - so totaly agree tracy that theo is a better option to at least have on the bench.
if we go 4-4-2 tho would it not be a better option to play nugent and crouch as opposed to crouch and gekas tho Chix? surely as nugent is in posession of the shirt and is playing well he deserves that chance at playing up top with crouchy?
stelios giannakopoulos was the bolton guy, who was the premier league side he signed for this season? was it hull... the defender at newcastle, nikos dabizas, he was not that bad was he.
pompeyrug
Not easy for any players coming into a new country so when do we gamble. I'd prefer 442 at home. Put Theo in the bench & give hime 10-20 minutes & ease him in. Some players have a habit of scoring on debut's. The winner at Boro would be a great way to start!
storagematt
Not easy for any players coming into a new country so when do we gamble. I'd prefer 442 at home. Put Theo in the bench & give hime 10-20 minutes & ease him in. Some players have a habit of scoring on debut's. The winner at Boro would be a great way to start!
storagematt
I can't for the life of me work out why he hasn't been given a crack. What's he doing on the training pitch.. Crouchie is trying too hard at the moment and it's showing. I'd give Gekas a start and see how he does. It's a risk, but we need goals real bad. He's a poacher and will get goals no matter what league he plays in.
cornypomp
I can't for the life of me work out why he hasn't been given a crack. What's he doing on the training pitch.. Crouchie is trying too hard at the moment and it's showing. I'd give Gekas a start and see how he does. It's a risk, but we need goals real bad. He's a poacher and will get goals no matter what league he plays in.
cornypomp
Agree Cornypomp throw him in I say whether as a starter or a sub but we got him on loan to play surely being that we need goals he's worth a punt
Chix
Agree Cornypomp throw him in I say whether as a starter or a sub but we got him on loan to play surely being that we need goals he's worth a punt
Chix
 

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