Andy Carroll - Best Striker in the World

[Havors]

If he moved in front of the first man he'd be stood on the wings!!!!

Our wide players barely got the ball past the fullback

Nonsense, there were some half decent crosses as well as ones that got blocked etc. If he had half a footballing brain he would adapt to the situation but he just languishes flat footed in poor positions all the time.

Im just hoping he does have a brain and has yet to show it

[The Birdman]

Nonsense, there were some half decent crosses as well as ones that got blocked etc. If he had half a footballing brain he would adapt to the situation but he just languishes flat footed in poor positions all the time.

When were the half decent crosses? and how can Carroll adapt to crosses that get blocked, how is that his fault??
Most fans are agreed he can improve on his movement, of course he can but he's 21/22 and at the moment he has no idea if we're going to cross near post, far post, not cross at all, check back, pass some more for no reason then go back out wide where we were 90 seconds earlier but this time we've allowed their defenders to get back in position.
Glen Johnson is our worst culprit with Enrique a close 2nd, they are wide, have a chance to cross early on their strong foot but take an extra touch and either check inside and pass or in Johnson's case check back onto his left foot and put a **** cross in from the wrong angle which is easy to defend.

[saveferris]

Whilst I think Carroll's movement will improve with a couple of games. You cant blame him for a lack of movement from 9 other players. With Spearing and Adam as the CMs yesterday they are not known for their movement or for going past the striker.

Maxi/Bellamy would have been better to support Carroll yesterday, however they werent selected.

[cream]

I don't think Andy Carroll was the primary reason we lost last night. I can immediately think of at least four players whose performances were markedly inferior and very few that were notably better.

Most people frustration with Carroll is not because of last night, more that he's been unable to adapt or find any form since he's been here.

[Neil Young]

Yes, I understand that. But then it's silly to focus on his performance last night.

It's like this week's obsession with stats or previous discussions about Kuyt's form or Lucas's ability or Gerrard's injury or John Terry's reaction to Chelsea scoring a goal (probably the most laughable) or any number of things - focusing on a tiny detail as though it has any wider importance to the matter in hand.

Reece is right about Carroll needing to improve and the other players' crossing needing to improve - everything else about Carroll from last night is nitpicking, without there even being any evidence of nits to pick.

[RichC]

Most people frustration with Carroll is not because of last night, more that he's been unable to adapt or find any form since he's been here.

I think that's a fair point to an extent , he's not been good enough so far but I think what's trying to be said in this case though is last night he played ok but was let down badly by poor service.

He still needs to improve and by some distance but he took steps forward last night and the side as a whole needs to improve their crossing passing IF we're going to use him in the side.

[danperkins]

Not my decision I'm afraid. You need to speak to the top dog.



It would be nice if people were for once able to see the middle ground and agree that:

Andy Carroll needs to improve.
Our crossing needs to improve.

this

[Mattshark]

Not my decision I'm afraid. You need to speak to the top dog.



It would be nice if people were for once able to see the middle ground and agree that:

Andy Carroll needs to improve.
Our crossing needs to improve.

Our crossing is pretty medoirce to say the least and no service got to Carroll last night because of it. However, Carroll is too one dimensional at the same time and doesn't offer enough variation in his play.

[yamiedo]

I just feel Carroll is too limited a player to be playing for us week in week out. A new striker is a priority for us.

There are strikers out there who are good in the air yet still have the ability to take others on and make chances out of nothing.

Carroll is just not well rounded. He does link up play well and often wins headers but I feel we need a complete forward, rather than a limited one. He is a target man and right now under Kenny's pass and move style it is not working for us.

I have nothing against him, I am sure he can be good for another team but right now he should be sitting on the bench. Unfortunately he's one of our only options up front and that's why we need to get a striker in this transfer window.

[kris90210]

Are you actually reading my posts or are you just using the force to pluck out random comments from the ether?

Carroll has been on the end of some crosses he should have put away (Gerrards V Newcastle and Downing V Swansea/Norwich spring to mind) hes also failed to get in positions at times

However last night there was not one occasion barring Enrique when the delivery was of a good enough quality

I think that's a fair post. The service to him hasn't been great, but at the same time, he's hardly made the most of the opportunities that have fallen to him.

In addition, I would expect far more from him that to just be a target man for perfect crosses. He's big enough and aggressive enough to be able to turn a decent cross into good one - this is something he was doing for Newcastle but has seemingly lost the ability to do so for us.

He needs to work on his all round game. He has a fantastic shot on him - when was the last time he managed a clean strike on goal? Because I can't remember one in a long while now.

Carroll has all the physical attributes, but technically I think he's very, very poor.

[kris90210]

When were the half decent crosses? and how can Carroll adapt to crosses that get blocked, how is that his fault??
Most fans are agreed he can improve on his movement, of course he can but he's 21/22 and at the moment he has no idea if we're going to cross near post, far post, not cross at all, check back, pass some more for no reason then go back out wide where we were 90 seconds earlier but this time we've allowed their defenders to get back in position.
Glen Johnson is our worst culprit with Enrique a close 2nd, they are wide, have a chance to cross early on their strong foot but take an extra touch and either check inside and pass or in Johnson's case check back onto his left foot and put a **** cross in from the wrong angle which is easy to defend.

That's true actually. I saw both players cutting back onto their weaker foot to cross the ball in last night. I can only assume that they were trying to hold up play to allow players (who never actually came) to get into the box. Very strange

[cream]

That's true actually. I saw both players cutting back onto their weaker foot to cross the ball in last night. I can only assume that they were trying to hold up play to allow players (who never actually came) to get into the box. Very strange

Our movement was really poor last night.

[Lee]

Our movement was really poor last night.

Static. The amount of times where we had just Carroll in the box and he was surrounded by four or five City players.

[Exiled_red]

When were the half decent crosses? and how can Carroll adapt to crosses that get blocked, how is that his fault??
Most fans are agreed he can improve on his movement, of course he can but he's 21/22 and at the moment he has no idea if we're going to cross near post, far post, not cross at all, check back, pass some more for no reason then go back out wide where we were 90 seconds earlier but this time we've allowed their defenders to get back in position.
Glen Johnson is our worst culprit with Enrique a close 2nd, they are wide, have a chance to cross early on their strong foot but take an extra touch and either check inside and pass or in Johnson's case check back onto his left foot and put a **** cross in from the wrong angle which is easy to defend.

I've mentioned this before.

That's true actually. I saw both players cutting back onto their weaker foot to cross the ball in last night. I can only assume that they were trying to hold up play to allow players (who never actually came) to get into the box. Very strange

For me this was also part of the reason why Downing laid so many balls off, playing on the right wing, so often the defender would stop him coming inside, his only real options were to beat the man on the outside and (probably) cross with his weaker right foot, or lay the ball off to someone on the edge of the box.

IMO in situations like that we need Johnson to go on the overlap and either play the ball for Johnson to cross or his run creates a bit more space for Downing to do something cutting inside.

[yamiedo]

He is an old fashioned striker. Like another poster said above, most top teams don't have these kind of strikers anymore. The likes of Adebayor and Drogba are good headers of the ball but they have more to their game than Carroll. We need a complete striker. Somebody who does everything well.