Ryan Babel says there was a striker who impressed him even more than Fernando Torres at Liverpool

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Liverpool’s team of the late 2000’s under Rafa Benitez really should have won something.

After the heroic and unlikely Champions League win of 2005, Benitez built a side who went close to winning another European Cup in 2007 and the Premier League two years later.

However, despite the quality running throughout that Liverpool squad, a trophy of any kind evaded them.

From top to toe it was a brilliant team. Starting with Pepe Reina in net and running all the way to Fernando Torres up front, Benitez had some real superstars at his disposal.

One of the more frustrating members of that team was Ryan Babel. Although capable of brilliance, Babel didn’t show it often enough at Anfield and eventually spent just three-and-a-half years with the Reds.

Babel still clearly remembers his time with Liverpool fondly, though, and despite playing alongside peak Torres, the Dutchman says he was actually more impressed by Peter Crouch.

Ryan Babel hails Peter Crouch technique

Crouch had a good Liverpool career. It says a lot that almost 17 years on from his move away, the 43-year-old remains a fan favourite at Anfield.

However, owing to his gangly frame and unorthodox technique, Crouch has at times been a figure of fun, too.

But according to Babel, the 6 foot 7 inch striker had ‘incredible’ technique that rivalled even Torres in his prime.

“You know what, I was more impressed with Peter Crouch’s finishing. He was incredible,” he told the SdS Podcast when asked about playing with the likes of Torres.

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“He was tall, he was not necessarily fast but he was very calculated, very technical. He had an incredible mind. He was very smart and intelligent. He would score bicycle kicks in training! It was unbelievable.

“Torres was a different dynamic and eventually Gerrard and Torres clicked,” Babel added. “You even had guys like Andriy Voronin and a lot of other strikers who had no chance anymore.”

Peter Crouch’s underrated record for Liverpool

There’s no question that Crouch was underrated throughout his time at Liverpool, perhaps during the whole of his career even.

Had the former England international stuck around, he could even have been the difference in the Reds’ failed title pursuit in 2009.

Instead, tired of a place on the Anfield bench behind Torres, Crouch joined Portsmouth in 2008.

Now a very visible pundit, it will be interesting to hear whether the usually self-effacing Crouch responds to this unlikely praise from Babel.

In the meantime, perhaps it’s time that a few started to appreciate Crouchie a little more.