A £35m question that only Liverpool fans can answer
Whenever a club is underachieving it seems inevitable that somebody will become a scapegoat. It is one of the few guarantees in the beautiful game with many players succumbing to this fate. And Andy Carroll is the latest to be reined in.
After joining on deadline day in January, Carroll has been unable to hit the heights expected of him as the £35 million replacement for Fernando Torres which has led to the media and some Liverpool supporters wondering whether he is up to the task.
Questions have been raised over his on-pitch attitude, fitness and lifestyle, but with Kenny Dalglish refusing to criticise the striker, it seems that people on the outside have got it in for him. So is this a case of the media sensationalising something that all players go through? Or is patience starting to run thin with the 22-year-old?
Nobody can doubt that Carroll has so far failed to live up to expectations but it is becoming redundant to read that spending £35 million on a striker should equal goals and his so far goal shy Anfield career makes him useless. And while it is obvious that strikers will be judged by how often they get on the scoresheet, it is not the only thing to consider.
His time on Merseyside has been plagued by injuries that have prevented him from showing his power and eye for goal. Having joined the club with a torn thigh muscle it took until March before he could finally make his debut and after opening his account with two goals against Manchester City and looking sharp he suffered another injury setback, which has been linked to a lack of professionalism. But many young players suffer injuries when they play a lot of football and as the main striker at St. James’ Park it was likely that his body would suffer some affects.
On top of that, England manager Fabio Capello said that he needed to control his drinking to reach the top but club manager Dalglish rubbished these suggestions. When asked by a reporter about the player’s off-pitch antics the Scot claimed that “nobody knows” what his lifestyle is and that the press “milk” an unimportant issue. It is clear that King Kenny does not believe there is a problem and if the man that sees him day in and day out has no worries, then there is little to argue.
A big factor in this debate is the lack of game time Carroll has had because of his trouble adapting to the Liverpool style of play. Newcastle got the most from the striker because they utilised their wingers, getting in plenty of crosses and long balls that allowed Carroll to use his power and top class heading ability. Now at Anfield, the fluid, attacking style of play is unsuited to his strengths and despite Dalglish bringing in Stewart Downing to get crosses in, the plan is yet to succeed and with no out and out winger on the right the goal chances are drying up.
This is why he is dropped even after scoring important goals. Grabbing a goal in the Merseyside derby was a big step in getting the fans on side but in the following games against Manchester United and Norwich he was back on the bench and prevented from building his confidence.
The reason for this has been the superb form of Liverpool’s other signings. Fellow January signing Luis Suarez has been a revelation at Anfield since joining from Ajax, scoring freely and fitting in seamlessly so when Carroll was given the opportunity to play he has been expected to do the same. And this season, Craig Bellamy has marked his return with his own passionate displays which have put unwarranted pressure on the £35 million man.
It is easily forgotten that last season was his first campaign as a first-choice Premier League striker and he was instantly thrown into the limelight with 11 goals in 19 appearances for Newcastle. His performance against Arsenal in the Magpies’ 1-0 win showed his immense potential but at just 22 he is yet to develop as a rounded football and reach his peak, and having been signed whilst injured, manager Kenny Dalglish clearly has the “six years not six months” mindset with this buy.
Andy Carroll is a superb talent going through a rough patch. He has scored 17 goals in 56 Premier League games during his career, hardly a poor record for someone so young. Every footballer has a spell like this and the best players always come through it. His injury problems have made the spell last longer and the fact that Liverpool are off the pace has left everyone wanting answers. If the club were really becoming impatient with him it would be clear to see but with the form of Suarez and Bellamy it is simply a matter of Dalglish playing his best team on the day. Dalglish is confident that Carroll will repay his price tag and so should everyone else. The fans and the media need to lay off him and let him get to what he knows best. The best years of his career are ahead of him. He will be Liverpool’s next great number nine.
What do you think? Is Carroll a good player or another for the scrapheap? Have your say. Comment below or follow me on Twitter @jrobbins1991.
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SPOT ON!!!
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I hope that I am wrong but to date Andy Carroll is not even worth a quarter of what Liverpool paid for him. Carroll is not a footballer but a Ron Yeats type, who plays up front as a number nine. He is extremely cumbersome and ponderous. His dribbling skills are none existent. You cannot make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear. Carroll just has not got the necessary football skills. If he has not got the skill now he never will have. To liken him to Shearer is a joke. When Carroll is not playing and Bellamy is on the pitch there is so much more creativity and an air of anticipation. Bellamy in my opinion should start every match for Liverpool. You cannot even compare Carroll to Crouch as Crouch at least is very good on the ‘deck’ and not bad in the air. Carroll does not even come anywhere near Crouch’s ability and Liverpool got rid of him. Carroll was bought on the rebound to appease the fans after selling Torres. What a disaster. The money that was paid for Carroll could have bought two exceptional players. I am sorry but Carroll is not the player Liverpool need. Liverpool FC has to hold its hands up and say they made a monumental error purchasing Carroll.
I must also say at this point that I am fed up listening to KK trying to justify Carrols inclusion in the squad let alone the starting eleven.
And I must add as well that KK is not winning any media friends with his confrontational attitude to nearly every post match interview he has conducted this season.
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M. Reply:
November 6th, 2011 at 5:56 am
So true met.
I think AC is a striker who could have been successful, may be 35-40 years back, but not now. He is too slow, horrible first touch & too clumsy on turning. I don’t think at the pace EPL is played, he can ever be fast enough for even tap ins, let alone bet the marker or off-side trap. He could be good only in set-pieces, but you can’t waste your no. 9 (35mn was cheap money from the new owners for Nandos sale, so none seems bothered much) for a service which can be offered better by the centre backs.
Actually, KD himself is under immense pressure for the transfer howlers he has made & becoming too cocky in front of media. It’s only for KD’s past association with LFC & reputation that has kept him in the job till now unquestioned yet. I think, we should try to sale AC ASAP; still we can recover some of the wasted money. But if KD’s ego keeps AC at the starting line up, within few more months we might not find a buyer even to pay 3.5mn
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we got andy carrol plus fifteen million pounds for torres. that was a good deal. since then we have hung a thirty five million tag round carrol’s neck and judged him on that.we have a great young player with untold potential and a much better team now. what is the problem?
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George, I think that KK has somewhat encouraged this volley of hate from the media on Carroll from the way he talks to journalists. The press have spotted an easy target in Carroll because he isn’t banging in goals and keep running with it because they want to unsettle KK and dampen down his arrogance. But I don’t think Carroll is a bad player, he just struggles in Liverpool’s set up. They are completely different to Newcastle and he hasn’t quite adapted yet but he will.
Michael, I agree with you that it was a good deal, despite still thinking it is a lot of money for someone so young. He has a lot of potential but so did Francis Jeffers, and look what happened. Hopefully he will show how good he is more regularly than he has so far because if he does, you’ve got a great striker.
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He may not be worth 35mil, but he will be a good striker for liverpool. he is already a better finisher than suarez, (suarez better overall) carrol will improve and become more versatile. one day he might be worth 35mil. regardless he is a top striker and will do well at liverpool.
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hugh granston Reply:
October 30th, 2011 at 12:50 am
Carrol will never be a good footballer.
Liverpool has only upfront a great footballer;Luis Suarez.
The money spent in downing,Adam,Henderson,Carrol is money wasted.
Coates,Suarez,Enrique are good players.
Liverpool is a mediocre team…without Suarez they can not win any game..
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I think kk must bench caroll,downing,henderson,johnson and worst charlie adam .maxi,spearing,bellamy,kirt and kelly must play first XI.
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Even with Suarez, we are not winning many games. Teams have summed us up; you double team Luis & allow Adam, Henderson & Carroll lot of space, for their speed & creativity, while KD’s ego has pushed Kyut to bench behind JH & AC.
The difference between Downing & Young is clearly evident, which was visioned by the great Scott few months back. Considering a price tag of 20mn, Downing has absolutely no shooting skill & he can’t cut back; I think Maxi was a better player a year back, when purchased for free. I fear the worst for LFC, Suarez, Lucas & Pepe to place transfer requests & no non British willing to join us in KD era fot the treatment Mireales & Acqualini received.
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