Andy Carroll - Best Striker in the World

[Kenneth]

He showed the raw materials at NUFC and in brief spells for us (City last season).

Do you genuinely think he's just 'lost' those raw materials? How does that happen at his age? When a player gets old, and/or injuries take their toll, then fair enough. But he's 22, not 32. I dont see how you just 'lose it' like that and i dont think he has. I'm curious as to whether you think he has.

I'm not convinced he ever really had it. So many average players have periods when they seem on fire but the fire goes out. Michael Ricketts has been mentioned an it's the possible extreme situation; we bought the new Ricketts at the peak of his game for a massive fee. Of course, I don't expect him to fade that badly, but he just hasn't done enough for long enough to show he's the real deal imo. He might but he'll need to up his game soon.

[Daniel 7]

Michael Ricketts

Thats a bit far though

[Kenneth]

Thats a bit far though

It is, but he looked ace for over half a season.

[Charly]

He clearly has the raw materials, has done better than Crouch did in his first 20 games, is going to get better and for the record, has actually played pretty well during a fair portion of his games.

I dont really think he has done better than Crouch did. Yes, Crouch did not score, but he made chances. and had a few near misses. But most of all, he was playing well in the team. Carroll seems to be playing a different game to the rest of the team. I dont think stylistically he fit in. Especially when we need a striker who scores sooner rather than later. as the rest of the team cant shoot for ****.

[Shaggy]

It is, but he looked ace for over half a season.

Ricketts was sensational for 6 months

[Craig_H]

Possibly. He certainly can't find them at the moment. You seem to think Torres has "lost it" in the Torres thread, but effectively he's in the same position at Chelsea isn't he? (Albeit a few years older with a prolific career already behind him)

We also don't know how much the injuries Carroll has suffered since he became a pro have taken their toll. Fowler's ****ed ankle at 23 affected his game for the rest of his career. It happens. Its always been very vague as to what was wrong with him, and his recovery has been rolled out as an excuse for his bad form for as long as he's been at Liverpool.

Difference with Torres, age aside, is that his weapon was electric pace and drive. He now has neither. Carroll's footballing assets arent the kind of things to just disappear at the age of 22.

[Kronenburg1892]

A good example of a player needing time to fit in is Lucas. Most people were on his back in the first two seasons at LFC. Now he's one of the first names on the team sheet.

I also don't buy this not fitting into the team. He puts in some great shifts holding the ball or defending from the front. He's been a lot more closer to scoring than Ngog has ever been too.

But hey, if he scores one goal he's man of the match. If he comes on for ten minutes and doesn't score, he's ****. Regardless of what he's done off the ball. I really do wonder if the score sheet is all people look at when judging a game or performance of a player. On recent form they could argue Suarez is a waste of £20million.

Confidence and maturity, ie time. The same for Henderson, and thankfully Adam. Downing and Carroll next. This team is growing, and actually pretty good, not the best, but then we haven't been in a position to boast that for a long time now.

[Kenneth]

Yeah, but no.

[Lecter]

WTF?

Yeah you see that out and out striker we bought for £35m well we didn't buy him expecting goals. Ohhhh no.

What the hell do you think we bought him for then? To save some of the struggling alehouses of Liverpool?

This getting beyond silly.

Add this to the big list of silly justifications for Andy Carroll

Yep Carroll was an out and out striker

Just like Dalglish would be a disaster

Always adheres to 4-4-2

Adam would'nt be good enough for our club either

I would like to thank you truefan for enforcing my point more than I could possibly have done myself

Lets face it anything you state as opinion is highly likely to be the complete and utter opposite in reality

[Lecter]

I dont really think he has done better than Crouch did. Yes, Crouch did not score, but he made chances. and had a few near misses. But most of all, he was playing well in the team. Carroll seems to be playing a different game to the rest of the team. I dont think stylistically he fit in. Especially when we need a striker who scores sooner rather than later. as the rest of the team cant shoot for ****.

Personally I think Crouch would struggle in our current side in terms of style

Our game then was geared around getting Gerrard running on to things

We dont play that way today

[Lecter]

A good example of a player needing time to fit in is Lucas. Most people were on his back in the first two seasons at LFC. Now he's one of the first names on the team sheet.

I also don't buy this not fitting into the team. He puts in some great shifts holding the ball or defending from the front. He's been a lot more closer to scoring than Ngog has ever been too.

But hey, if he scores one goal he's man of the match. If he comes on for ten minutes and doesn't score, he's ****. Regardless of what he's done off the ball. I really do wonder if the score sheet is all people look at when judging a game or performance of a player. On recent form they could argue Suarez is a waste of £20million.

Confidence and maturity, ie time. The same for Henderson, and thankfully Adam. Downing and Carroll next. This team is growing, and actually pretty good, not the best, but then we haven't been in a position to boast that for a long time now.

Yep Lucas is a great example of players needing time

[Roboklopp]

Dunno Lec, Crouch was very clever with his build-up play, holding the ball up & flick-ons. Reckon the Crouch of yore wouldve been a good spearhead with Luis, Bellamy & Maxi behind him.

[Roboklopp]

Lucas also had Masher, Xabi & possibly Stevie ahead of him, so we could afford time & room for him to grow into the squad. Currently, we are weak as **** up top & cannot carry passengers.

[Lecter]

Lucas also had Masher, Xabi & possibly Stevie ahead of him, so we could afford time & room for him to grow into the squad. Currently, we are weak as **** up top & cannot carry passengers.

We havent scored enough goals with Carroll in the side and we havent scored enough goals with Carroll out of the side

So who are the passengers???

[little dave hedgehog]

Drop Carroll Or Drop Top Four Dreams...

Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez cannot play together. Full stop. Suarez needs to play with Maxi, Kuyt, Bellamy and other football thinkers. Andy Carroll just gets in the way...

The apparent inability of Andy Carroll to recapture the kind of form that made him one of the most feared strikers in the Premier League may be in part due to the player whom he was notionally bought to partner. On paper, the big man-little man partnership involving two very good players seemed a winning combination. The reality has been very different - and one has to wonder whether either is a suitable foil for the other.

Luis Suarez is Liverpool's dominant influence. He sets the tone, forces Liverpool to play. His willingness to work and find space, his ability on the ball and his movement all drive Liverpool from the front. Essentially, it is his almost constant availability and his intelligence that makes Liverpool work. He is a pass waiting to happen. A menace to opponents - always alive to possibilities. A midfielder's delight.

Suarez is also the catalyst - his presence appearing to bring out the best of like-minded players, like Maxi, Dirk Kuyt and Craig Bellamy. Players that Rafa Benitez liked to say had game intelligence, who play in between the lines and make opponents uncomfortable with their constant movement and clever touches.

Clearly, since Dalglish returned to Liverpool, his side's most eye-catching performances have come when these players have been involved. Their dynamic rotation across the frontline and their intuitive touches and interplay have given Liverpool a real cutting edge - and a more convincing goal threat. And Suarez leads the way.

Drop Andy Carroll into the mix - and he just looks like he is in the way. He does not appear to think quickly enough or have quick enough feet, and he has a tendency to drift into spaces where Suarez would like to inject a little menace and mischief. He's just not on the right wavelength.

To make matters worse, Carroll's mere presence still brings out the simplistic and cowardly worst in some players - unable to resist a long punt in the direction of a big man, neither helping the striker nor the team.

Very little of this is Carroll's fault. Sure, he could work on his game - do a bit better. But it is hard to escape the feeling that he just does not fit into Liverpool's best XI. Shoehorning him into the side upsets the flow - and frustrates and inhibits Suarez, who on the evidence of his time with Liverpool and Uruguay seems to flourish when he has complete freedom to operate across the front line and is supported by similarly intelligent players.

Suarez is at his best when Maxi plays - and Kuyt and Bellamy. Liverpool are also then at their best. To get the best from Carroll, you feel Stewart Downing must play down the left, which means the Argentine Maxi tends to be left out, denying the Uruguayan one of his most effective foils.

Downing and Carroll cost a combined £55million - the kind of money that suggests they should be your plan A. However, team selection has to be based on performance and not price tag. Liverpool have the squad and the wherewithal to make the top four, but will only do so if their manager deploys his forces judiciously and based on form and the compelling evidence before him. Carroll and Downing may well come good for Liverpool - but at present, they do not merit a place in the team. The concern must be that price tag pressure and a desire to justify a massive transfer outlay if allowed to dictate who gets the nod could derail the club's ambitions this season.

Paul Little

http://www.football365.com/f365-says/7357711/F365-Says