Andy Carroll - Best Striker in the World

[dww]

I don't think we were one-dimensional last season, quite the opposite. We were like two completely different teams: one all high pressing, quick passing and interplay; the other leaden, predictable, dull and dire. And we'd often manage to be both in the same game, although when it happened it was almost always the former followed by the latter than the other way round.

My main concern was that it appeared to be totally random, I couldn't see why we we'd be great one game, or even half, and terrible the next. And the fact so many of the good performances seemed to involve Maxi who would immediately sit out the next five games made the randomness of selection and tactics even more bizarre. I don't know really whether Carroll made that much difference but I don't think he helped.

And following the Carling Cup the good performances became rarer and rarer.

It was this lack of pattern - a positive one anyway - that made me reluctantly support changing the manager. And the fact we now have a football strategy in practice is precisely why I think Rodgers has done a good job.

So if he doesn't want Carroll, it's fine by me.

That seems a fair summary.

[spider-neil]

So if he doesn't want Carroll,

And he doesn't.

[Neil Young]

I don't think we were one-dimensional last season, quite the opposite. We were like two completely different teams: one all high pressing, quick passing and interplay; the other leaden, predictable, dull and dire. And we'd often manage to be both in the same game, although when it happened it was almost always the former followed by the latter than the other way round.

My main concern was that it appeared to be totally random, I couldn't see why we we'd be great one game, or even half, and terrible the next. And the fact so many of the good performances seemed to involve Maxi who would immediately sit out the next five games made the randomness of selection and tactics even more bizarre. I don't know really whether Carroll made that much difference but I don't think he helped.

And following the Carling Cup the good performances became rarer and rarer.

It was this lack of pattern - a positive one anyway - that made me reluctantly support changing the manager. And the fact we now have a football strategy in practice is precisely why I think Rodgers has done a good job.

So if he doesn't want Carroll, it's fine by me.

[Mattshark]

Even if true it was up until then as effective as our new system in terms of results.

We were pretty terrible leading up to the cup final too, after December we really fell apart.

[dww]

I thought we were one dimensional for the majority of last season and complained about such during the season and was worried well before the League Cup final.

Even if true it was up until then as effective as our new system in terms of results.

[Mattshark]

I'm not sure it was a huge issue until after the Carling Cup final - we seemed to be scoring more or less as well as we did this season then. Although, the difference could be ascribed to having the likes of Kuyt and Maxi on the flanks offering another option.

I think a lot of people are constructing a narrative for last season that isn't fully representative.

I thought we were one dimensional for the majority of last season and complained about such during the season and was worried well before the League Cup final.

[dww]

Do you not think limiting ourselves to this one style of attack would be even more predictable? It was a massive issue last season, this season we are far less predictable and much more inventive.

I'm not sure it was a huge issue until after the Carling Cup final - we seemed to be scoring more or less as well as we did this season then. Although, the difference could be ascribed to having the likes of Kuyt and Maxi on the flanks offering another option.

I think a lot of people are constructing a narrative for last season that isn't fully representative.

[Shaggy]

Tor-Kristian Karlsen @karlsentk
The fantasist who dreamt up the Andy Carroll to AS Monaco rumour really needs his head checked out

He has just stepped down as Monaco's CEO so you'd imagine he knows

[Vermilion]

Nothing is predicatble when Suarez is on the pitch.

[Fredo]

Maybe Carroll isn't the guy to do this but I still think the point stands that we are too predicatable when we desparately need a goal in the final few minutes.

What do you mean by predictable? If 'unpredictable' means changing our style and launching it then that would make us or any team predictable if it is expected of us that our plan B is to bring on Carroll or a target man, surely.

We can be unpredictable by playing the same way. It's all about the movement and how cleverly we can find spaces, whether the opposition is sitting deep or not. It doesn't have to be a different style of football.

[Mattshark]

Maybe Carroll isn't the guy to do this but I still think the point stands that we are too predicatable when we desparately need a goal in the final few minutes.

Do you not think limiting ourselves to this one style of attack would be even more predictable? It was a massive issue last season, this season we are far less predictable and much more inventive.

[spider-neil]

I don't think Carroll will help there or that this tactic would help and carroll's play would like be limiting to us anyway.

Maybe Carroll isn't the guy to do this but I still think the point stands that we are too predicatable when we desparately need a goal in the final few minutes.

[Mattshark]

Getting on the end of crosses isn't all though, I'm talking winning the first ball in the box and then allowing the poachers in the team (Sturridge, Borini, Suarez) to finish off the second ball.

I don't think Carroll will help there or that this tactic would help and carroll's play would like be limiting to us anyway.

[spider-neil]

I think the getting to the byeline/supply chain changes are more important than the need to have a 'big man' to get on the end of the crosses.

Getting on the end of crosses isn't all though, I'm talking winning the first ball in the box and then allowing the poachers in the team (Sturridge, Borini, Suarez) to finish off the second ball.

[dww]

Also I'm not talking about aimlessly bombarding the oppositon box with long punts I'm talking getting to byline and putting the cross into the box. Carroll is more likely to win the ball then the defenders and when you have Sturridge and Suarez on the pitch they will pounce on the second ball.

We need to mix it up because currently we are ridiculously predictable when we desparately want to break down teams going to the final minutes of the game.

I think the getting to the byeline/supply chain changes are more important than the need to have a 'big man' to get on the end of the crosses.