Rafa challenges Crouch
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Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has challenged Peter Crouch to prove he has improved as a player.
Benitez is still in the market for a new striker and competition for places at Anfield is going to be even greater.
Crouch started Wednesday's UEFA Champions League qualifier with Maccabi Haifa on the bench with new boy Craig Bellamy starting in attack.
Benitez has called on Crouch to continue his improvement and build on his success of last season.
"This year, Peter is more mature and he needs to understand what it means to be a Liverpool player," said Benitez.
"People were talking before he signed that he wasn't good for us. But after a while he was in the squad with the national team and now people know how good he is.
"But he cannot think that is enough. He now needs to continue improving as he has a lot of potential and possibilities.
"You cannot stop improving. He needs to know how important it is to score goals, to make assists and to work hard for a club like this, and I think he is going about things the right way.
"He needs to improve in some areas and keep doing the things he has done well."
Meanwhile, Bellamy has warned his team-mates that they must finish off the job against Maccabi or suffer a potential Champions League hangover.
Bellamy suffered disaster at Newcastle when they crashed out to Partizan Belgrade in the qualifying stages and their Premiership form dipped as a result.
The Welshman is determined for the same not to happen to Liverpool and has called on them to reach the group stages of the Champions League.
"It's amazing how much a season can go off if you don't get through this," said Bellamy.
"It was a real struggle because everything you've been looking forward to with regards to the Champions League is taken away from you - we've got to get through."
Benitez is still in the market for a new striker and competition for places at Anfield is going to be even greater.
Crouch started Wednesday's UEFA Champions League qualifier with Maccabi Haifa on the bench with new boy Craig Bellamy starting in attack.
Benitez has called on Crouch to continue his improvement and build on his success of last season.
"This year, Peter is more mature and he needs to understand what it means to be a Liverpool player," said Benitez.
"People were talking before he signed that he wasn't good for us. But after a while he was in the squad with the national team and now people know how good he is.
"But he cannot think that is enough. He now needs to continue improving as he has a lot of potential and possibilities.
"You cannot stop improving. He needs to know how important it is to score goals, to make assists and to work hard for a club like this, and I think he is going about things the right way.
"He needs to improve in some areas and keep doing the things he has done well."
Meanwhile, Bellamy has warned his team-mates that they must finish off the job against Maccabi or suffer a potential Champions League hangover.
Bellamy suffered disaster at Newcastle when they crashed out to Partizan Belgrade in the qualifying stages and their Premiership form dipped as a result.
The Welshman is determined for the same not to happen to Liverpool and has called on them to reach the group stages of the Champions League.
"It's amazing how much a season can go off if you don't get through this," said Bellamy.
"It was a real struggle because everything you've been looking forward to with regards to the Champions League is taken away from you - we've got to get through."
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