Andy Carroll - Best Striker in the World

[Vermilion]

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

Bloody fools, surely people aren't blaming AC for the price we paid for him..

They need to realise he is not that player, lower expectations, and let him find his feet over time with this club, it could just click and go right for him, and anyway i think he'll be an assett to us over time, but a 35mill player he is not, once people relaise that maybe they'll cut him a little slack.

He's not even the player i thought he was tbh, not as rough and tumble as i imagined i mean, but coming to a club like LFC with everything that go's along with that, leaving his home town for the first time, stepping out of his comfort zone so to speak, it all could have the effect of slowing him down in whatever way at the start of his lfc career, as i say, he doesn't seem the big mouth pushy lad i expected, a Geordie Duncan Ferguson i had him down as.

I just see him as one of our squad going forward, part of the overall re-build, one cog to be used when and where the need arises, and not a be all and end all star player if i'm honest, but i still believe he can play an important part for lfc, score some important goals maybe, but first our wings need sorting.

[Muddled]

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

[Catrin]

When the line is drawn under all of this and the actual loss on the transfer is known, I'd love to be a fly on the wall when Comolli tries to explain this one.

[Mostar]

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

That is the reason i do not believe the time will make any difference.

Strikers go through scoring droughts from time to time but imo his overall game has too many holes for him to be a success with us.

[Mostar]

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.

He only had 6 months in PL before joining us and though i agree it was not his fault that we paid for him 35m the question needs to be posed what did our scouts saw in him for us to pay that kind of money.

in fairness, when you pay that type of dough for a player right or wrong you expect to see either a complete player or tremendous world class talent and he is neither.

[Darkon]

That is the reason i do not believe the time will make any difference.

Strikers go through scoring droughts from time to time but imo his overall game has too many holes for him to be a success with us.

The opposite of the expression 'form is temporary, class is permanent' also holds true, and it could well be the reason he won't make it here. Perhaps we just bought him off 1½ season in form and now he is back at his average level?

I don't know, didn't see much of him before we bought him (I mean games not youtube compilations), can't say if his average level is better or not. But his game-intelligence is very worrying.

[Mattshark]

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.

He ain't a £20m striker. Not his fault, the club are to blame. But I'd still think we massively overpaid if we'd bought him for £20m never mind £35m.

[Fredo]

Yep he isn't even worth £20m.

[Lecter]

Im not sure why he's being singled out when he was actually one of our better players in the first half yesterday. Not that that's saying much but he did get an assist, had a lovely first time pass over the defence for Bellamy a few minutes before, and got a header on target on one of the only decent crosses put in for him to attack.

Now Im not saying that's the return you expect for 35m quid but it was a lot more than other players produced yesterday. So why is he getting most of the stick?

[Darkon]

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-fc/liverpool-fc-news/2012/01/23/former-liverpool-fc-hero-dietmar-hamann-questions-andy-carroll-s-desire-to-be-a-success-at-anfield-100252-30178864/

Former Liverpool FC hero Dietmar Hamann questions Andy Carroll’s desire to be a success at Anfield

by James Pearce, Liverpool Echo
Jan 23 2012

FORMER Liverpool FC midfielder Dietmar Hamann has questioned striker Andy Carroll's desire to be a success at Anfield.

The Reds' record £35million signing once again struggled in Saturday's 3-1 defeat at Bolton.

Carroll has scored just six goals in 34 appearances for the club since his move from Newcastle United a year ago and is without a league strike since October.

Hamann insists the time has come for the big frontman to start giving Liverpool a return on their huge investment.

“Has Andy got that hunger and that desire to succeed?” Hamann said. “Does he want it badly enough?

“He gets all the help from the club and the fans he can, but at the end of the day it’s down to him.

“I know players are not machines and that some find it harder to adapt than others but he’s not a foreigner, he’s an English player who knows what’s required in the Premier League.

“The club has showed faith in him. Newcastle asked £35m. They could have waited until the summer and got three players for that price.

“Kenny Dalglish and the fans have showed tremendous faith. Now it’s time to deliver.”

Hamann was left infuriated by Carroll's performance after coming off the bench against Stoke at Anfield recently.

“The reception he got when he came on against Stoke was great. You would have thought Steven Gerrard was coming on,” Hamann said.

“But changing his boots like that annoyed me and the punters. He came on for 30 minutes and he slipped three times and then he changes his boots – so he’s on the touchline for two minutes.

“This is a lack of professionalism. It’s unacceptable. That’s how people get negative. When he comes on he’s got to make sure he’s got the right footwear. I had steam coming out of my ears.

“He’s got all the ingredients; a good touch for a big man, rocket of a left foot, very good in the air – what more do you need?

“Liverpool fans are very knowledgeable and they see the potential in him, otherwise they may have given up the ghost. But if the fans turn he may find it even harder to score.

“If he does start performing it could be a trip to the Euros with England. If he wants it he’ll go. But does he? I don’t know.”

[Alex]

Not really read this forum since Bolton. Which is probably a good idea.

But on Saturday he looked totally disinterested. Totally. If there is one thing that pisses me off, its when players put there hands on there hips after a **** up. He looked so angry after some moves.

He would have a case if he put some ****ing effort in. My support is unconditional. But my desire to criticise is now creeping in. Especially for him, Downing and Adam. Less so Adam at the moment. But if he show'd that he was trying I dont think I would be as pissed off as Saturday. He was a ****ing carthorse. Ignoring his transfer fee. Id rather have Ngog or Dundee leading the line.

[Maxiedge]

The fact that he's played a few games now and hasn't scored or played well might be a wake up call to his 'alleged' general lifestyle and also his attitude in training/on the pitch.

If you're not playing games there's an excuse really isn't there not to buckle down and work hard but now he's got no excuse.

I still belive in Carroll but he needs to take a real long hard look at himself and turn it around BIG TIME.


EDIT: Just seen the Hamman interview above and he's spot on IMO.

[Lecter]

Not really read this forum since Bolton. Which is probably a good idea.

But on Saturday he looked totally disinterested. Totally. If there is one thing that pisses me off, its when players put there hands on there hips after a **** up. He looked so angry after some moves.

He would have a case if he put some ****ing effort in. My support is unconditional. But my desire to criticise is now creeping in. Especially for him, Downing and Adam. Less so Adam at the moment. But if he show'd that he was trying I dont think I would be as pissed off as Saturday. He was a ****ing carthorse. Ignoring his transfer fee. Id rather have Ngog or Dundee leading the line.

2nd half I thought he looked disinterested - but then so did the rest of the team

First half I thought he was ok

[Shaggy]

Did anyone see Llorente's finish at the Bernabeau last night? **** me. Andy Carroll could try that 20 times and I reckon he'd slice every one miles wide or clear it over the bar and into the car park.

In fairness Llorente did miss a sitter after that but he's world's apart from Carroll.

There is so much obvious talent abroad, and very little British talent. It's not complicated is it?! Yet the BBC reckon we're after Jelavic FFS (yeah yeah, I know he's not British) and he "prefers LFC to *West Ham*".

[BigChief]

Has anyone actually seen Jelavic play regularly? I mean really regularly? Is he any good, could he have short term potential say like Sebastian Larrson?