Andy Carroll - Best Striker in the World

[Lecter]

MOTD showed a good highlights reel of him in one game doing just that, creating space for other players, for a daft geordie he has some footballing brain.

Yeah

Even against Spurs when he was slated on here I thought there was a couple of times when he made some great runs out wide taking the central defender with him

To me to make Carroll work there are things needed

Carroll needs to be back to his phyiscal peak in terms of strength and his general fitness (I dont think we've seen that yet)

We have to get good service from wide areas for Carroll nd we also have to have midfield runners looking to join up with him and pick up knockdown and also to run into areas that he has created space by pulling out wide

That married with more games with Suarez and I think the talk about him will become much more positive

[EwarWoo]

However to be fair I don't think anyone has actually said that the price is his fault, and quite rightly too as it's nothing to do with him.

The general air seems to be he was a waste of money. It's almost like he's written of because of his price.

It may not directly be the case, or consciously, but it's certainly having a big impact on how he's being judged.

Give him time and we'll see. Forget his price tag until then.

[Craig_H]

Haha. He hasn't had one, has he?

*racks brain*

Poor header over the bar v Spurs, and a header on target at Sunderland that was blocked on the line.

That's it, I think.

The miss against Spurs was very poor in fairness, but yeah, he hasnt really had chances created for him.

[The Birdman]

From what I've seen he's a totally different player. I'd loved to be proved wrong, but I just don't see Carroll as the type of player who would pull defences around. Torres used to do that at his best, Carroll is a different player.

Don't think Birdman is saying Carroll is similar to Rooney but can have as big as an influence as Rooney if he's fully fit and firing.

Completely different players but the Mancs bought Rooney for what about 20m when he was 18/19 5-6 years ago (can't be arsed to check)

Arguably he has been their most influential footballer, yes he's a cock but he does a shift wide left in a 5, drops off the front man and can play up front on his own.
People wank about Llorente but he is no different or better than Carroll.

This season we have the best points return against the other 'big teams' what has let us down is away to Blackpool, West Ham, West Brom etc... etc... we need players who will perform week in week out in the PL regardless of the weather or conditions and Carroll will give us that.
Add at least 1 wide player, have any combination of Gerrard, Suarez, Kuyt, Meireles and whoever else we will buy to run off him and past him and he will be unplayable.
A fit Carroll is also very mobile, people just fall into the stereotype of he's big so he must be lumbering.

This season he has played when 75% fit at best and he has been our plan A with a little bit of Suarez off the cuff thrown in as a plan B.

Playing with width means sides won't be able to play narrow, they will have to stop the crosses or he will dominate in the air, full backs going out to stop crosses creates space between the centre back and his outside full backs.

Pace and/or runners in behind means teams won't be able to squeeze us shutting off the space infront of Carroll, defenders will drop off because all footballers are scared of pace and runners behind then, teams dropping off allows us to play to into Carroll's feet and chest allowing him to link the play.

As I've said, Kenny will buy the right players and Carroll will be unplayable

[Lee]

The general air seems to be he was a waste of money. It's almost like he's written of because of his price.

It may not directly be the case, or consciously, but it's certainly having a big impact on how he's being judged.

Give him time and we'll see. Forget his price tag until then.

Mate, I'm agreeing with you ffs!!

[EwarWoo]

Mate, I'm agreeing with you ffs!!

Lol. Wasn't saying you were, sorry if I've come across wrong.

[Lee]

Lol. Wasn't saying you were, sorry if I've come across wrong.

[Craig_H]

Pair of queens

[Lee]

Pair of queens

Shall...not...bite

[Craig_H]

[Shaggy]

You are Arsene Wenger and I claim my £5.

really!! i think it's pretty clear carroll touched...the defender gets a touch, but it comes clearly off carroll and into the top corner -

Had carroll, not jumped/challenged for it the way he did, it would never have gone in

He didn't touch it, Kolarov just headed it straight in. Luckily for him Sky - who showed not a single shred of compelling evidence - were all excited after his first goal and never questioned it.

I questioned this fact on the night he scored that goal, but everyone was convinced he had the last touch, i just put it down to my aging eyes.

Whatever happened, it was'nt a brilliant header, it was a flukey goal at best if he did get the last touch, but for sure the defender did head it at some point.

Regardless though, i'm sure he has scored superb headers while at Newcastle, and i don't think his heading ability is in doubt from what certain people in the game say anyway, lets hope they're right.

my eyes are better than i thought....get the **** in...

[EwarWoo]

Pair of queens

Ooooooh! Get her!

[Craig_H]

He didn't touch it, Kolarov just headed it straight in. Luckily for him Sky - who showed not a single shred of compelling evidence - were all excited after his first goal and never questioned it.

Kolorov got the first touch, but headed it onto Carroll's head, so AC got the last touch.

Get yourself down to Specsavers FFS

[Shaggy]

Yeah, that's what Sky kept saying. But the cameras didn't support it at all.

[Mostar]

can't believe people are really moaning about carroll...

Harsh imo - seems sometimes thought there is just no pleasing people - had we sold torres, signed no other striker, and then come the summer lost out on carroll to spurs - we'd all be moaning.

I think the main issue is the price....yes everyone agrees that £35m is ott - but in hindsight £50m for torres is a dreadful signing....as is the £30m for dzeko or whatever it was.


Imo - carroll has the attrributes and raw ability to become a top centre forward - if it goes well, he gets fit, gets the service, and gets the goals - potentially we could have our centre forward sorted for the next 10 years - which makes £35m a bargain.

Now for me - i really liked the look of carroll - and i felt that £15m would have a been a great deal for him - young and english with potential, means most players like that are valued at £10m before they even kick a ball in the first team.

the reason the price inflated was that it was a late deal in the january transfer window and we'd just got £50m for torres.

Yes maybe there was a slight bit of panic in it...but so what...at least we took the gamble and went for it. - i'd much rather that than us stall over it, miss out and then regret it later on.

He also is a striker that clearly needs some quality service - something that we have zero off, the one decent cross for him to attack (whether he touched it or not ) he/we scored from.

Lets get him fit, lets get some quality players with pace and creativity around him, and lets get behind the lad and support him - lets judge him when he is fit, playing with Gerrard/Suarez/Hazard and Young supplying him.

It's almost as if some people want him to fail....so they can turn round and slag the new owners/comoli/anyone just for the sake of moaning