Andy Carroll - Best Striker in the World

[baitman]

None of which are either ready, or even strikers.

So you say we loan Carroll to a team to stop him getting fatter; we've got Man City on Wednesday, we playing Kuyt up top on his own if Bellamy's knees are knackered?

im not sure kuyt would get a game. its about goals, not yards on the pitch and stats

[Craig_H]

im not sure kuyt would get a game. its about goals, not yards on the pitch and stats

So obviously Coady and Sterling are the answer then....

[Kenneth]

All too easy to forget, but the margins have been very fine.

Hit the bar two or three times, is it? Missed a penalty and had keepers make worldie saves a couple of times.

Rub of the green and he'd have close to 10 goals so far this season.

There is some truth to that but it could equally be said that he's been given chances and with better finishing and he'd have more goals. His pen was terrible, and hitting the bar with a header from 10 yards isn't quite the bad luck story that a shot from outside the box hitting the woodwork would tell.

He has made some deemt contributions, he hasn't been completely ****, but the level of criticism is only proportionate to the level of expectation. In terms of what we do now, I think we should try and sell him. if we can't we buy a striker in jan and drop him to bench duties and try again in preseason.

[Craig_H]

The header against the bar - if you want to fault it, the problem was that he caught it TOO well. Can hardly have a go at him for that.

[Kenneth]

Can't praise him as if he'd scored it either though.

[Craig_H]

Expressing how small the margins have been between what he's got, and having around 10 goals, isnt 'praising' him, is it?

[Muddled]

@BumperGraham

#Llorente was the subject of a bid from Liverpool a yr ago while LFC negotiated at same time for Carroll. Prps ended up with the wrong one?

And didn't Bilbao say no?

#Ronaldo was the subject of a bid from Liverpool eight years ago, while LFC negotiated with Smicer at the same time. Perhaps we ended up with the wrong one?

[Kenneth]

Ok, can't dismiss the difference between scoring a header and hitting the woodwork from close range as simply being luck, or rub of the green. Fine margins, yes, but margins he has control over.

[Muddled]

It's not as if his efforts are high and wide though, with a bit more luck, as Craig says, he'd be nearer ten goals this season and not being branded as fat and dragging the level of our squad to his level of ****.

Another game and those chances go in off the underside of the bar.

A goalkeeper has an off-day and we're talking about how Carroll has helped us to an extra six points - six points that put us joint fourth.

Granted, it's all hypothetical and hindsight is a great thing, but he's not as bad as made out in this thread. Our team as a collective has been ****e for the last couple of games, yet Carroll has felt the brunt of our anger.

[Suarez]

The problem is that a 35m striker is a game changer, a genius, someone to strike fear into the opposition, no matter who they are. Is that Andy Carroll?

[Vermilion]

The problem is more, imo, that we paid 35mill for a 20mill striker.

One that needs time it seems too, but that's nothing new with signings, some hit the ground running, some don't.

[Fredo]

It's not his goalscoring ability (or lack of) which worries me but his lack of technique and game intelligence.

[Craig_H]

The problem is more, imo, that we paid 35mill for a 20mill striker.

Maybe we did but perhaps we need to stop blaming him for that.

[Muddled]

The problem is that a 35m striker is a game changer, a genius, someone to strike fear into the opposition, no matter who they are. Is that Andy Carroll?

You'd hope to get value for money, but it was a British, January deal with an inflated price - yes it's infuriating that we overpaid, but we knew when we bought him that we weren't buying a 'game changer' or a 'genius' - we were buying a raw talent, who had scored goals and caused a general mischief of himself when his team's gameplan was tailored to his strengths.

[Muddled]

It's not his goalscoring ability (or lack of) which worries me but his lack of technique and game intelligence.

I don't think he lacks technique, but I'd agree his lacks game intelligence.

He has a very pure strike and can play some great football, he just struggles when running with the ball. But really, are we wanting him to run down the flanks, or should we just get him in the box?