Andy Carroll - Best Striker in the World

[Chrono]

I'm sure he might well end up with a ratio of one every three games, I'm sure he'll score some important goals - the point I was making earlier was I'm not a fan of the direct football that will be needed to make him effective.

Drogba is and was a bit of a phenomenon, not only is he able to blitz players with pace, he has a great first touch, can shoot with power, has great vision, can defend from corners and set pieces as well as acting like a battering ram with his pace and power.

Carroll isn't going to be anywhere near that level in his career, he is never going to have all those attributes. Carroll is a british striker, thats why he is constantly referred to as a throwback. Drogba is the model for the all round, athletic, multi-talented, lone front man.

I'm not saying he'll be terrible, and I'm not writing him off. I have never been a fan of that kind of player. Just because he's just signed for us doesn't mean I have dropped my opinions and changed my mind.

That's fair enough and I wouldn't ever attempt to change your opinion but I personally think you are wrong and that Carroll can be far more than the battering ram old school English forward. I also think it's a misconception that we would play direct football due to him being in the team which is understandble given that 90% of teams with a potential target man would play in this fashion. With Kenny we are playing slick on the deck football, short passing, good movement which I don't think will change with Carroll being in the side and I think he can/will offer far more than he is being credited with.

I think some might be in for a bit of a suprise or of course I could be completely wrong and he will be nothing more than a brute force player. Only time will tell

[BrooklynRed]

With Kenny we are playing slick on the deck football, short passing, good movement which I don't think will change with Carroll being in the side and I think he can/will offer far more than he is being credited with.

Hmmm. Jamie Carragher seems to have not gotten the memo.

Spurs match showed that without having a creative attacking midfielder linking between Lucas/Spearing(or new CM) and Suarez/Kuyt/(winger to be named later), it is impossible to bridge between Carroll, the wings and the midfield without chucking the ball up to him and hoping he knocks it on to an open player. If you add a Gerrard to the mix, hopefully just behind Carroll, it makes me wonder how we accommodate all of the starters we have; Kuyt/Suarez on either wing with Gerrard in the hole would be a great set up for Carroll, but we waste Suarez by limiting him that way.

If we add in a LW in the Turan/Mata/Young mold to that equation, Gerrard probably goes out right, we add another creative midfielder (Meireles/Aqua or new) Dirk sits and Suarez wreaks havoc with Carroll setting him up with knock downs and quick passing; that said, I just don't see Kuyt sitting.

Fitting Carroll into the team is a dilemma and I think people are rightly nervous that by doing so, you strip Suarez of his best abilities, you lose Kuyt's work rate and danger on the right and you force Gerrard into a position which needs disciplined movement as well, him doing better in my opinion by attacking from the middle (in the hole) with strong cover behind him. That is a lot to sacrifice to put Andy in his best possible position; he doesn't seem to have the flexibility to be a pass and move attacker, primarily because he is so big and slow, which is fine in the box; getting him the ball in there and getting him to make sophisticated passes to our other attackers is a different story.

[RedReet]

I think we need to get him fit and get players around him that suit his game, at the moment I don't feel he fits our current system. Like with Crouch his height encourages us to launch balls up to him. When we didn't have that option (when he was out) we played a better game. We need to Adapt our system so that we can play the one and two touch pass and move game, we were playing while he was out with some additional player who will also gel with Carroll.

( I’ve quoted the wrong post here, but basically I’m replying to the general consensus that we won’t get the best from AC unless we specifically buy the players needed to compliment his aerial ability.)

I’ve mentioned it before, but building a team around Andy Carroll just doesn’t sit well with me. I can understand why Barca would do it with Messi, why you would do it with Ronaldo, even Stevie G, but I’m not comfortable with the idea of building our team around the potential of AC.

It also makes me wonder what happens if we buy all these players, geared to get the best out of Carroll and he gets injured. Do we have to buy another forward of similar build to step in, do we play a forward not suited to the role as we were forced to do when Torres got injured, or do we have to completely change our system again?

I’m not having a go at Carroll and will obviously reserve judgement until next year but spending £35m on potential and maybe another £30m or so to help fulfil this potential is a big risk IMO.

In saying that, I’ve no reason to believe Kenny is planning this, it’s others that keep mentioning that our summer shopping basket will revolve around Carroll and we’ll change our style to suit him. The way I see it is the players and positions we have been linked with are problem areas that would need addressing anyway with or without Andy Carroll in the squad. Obviously one would expect a lot more productivity from crosses with a more natural LB and LW in the team, but I hope this doesn’t come at the expense of Suarez who obviously prefers the ball at his feet. I don’t think Kenny would be foolish enough to rely upon and build our team around one player, but if he was then that player for me would have to be our No.7.

[Daniel 7]

( I’ve quoted the wrong post here, but basically I’m replying to the general consensus that we won’t get the best from AC unless we specifically buy the players needed to compliment his aerial ability.)

I’ve mentioned it before, but building a team around Andy Carroll just doesn’t sit well with me. I can understand why Barca would do it with Messi, why you would do it with Ronaldo, even Stevie G, but I’m not comfortable with the idea of building our team around the potential of AC.

It also makes me wonder what happens if we buy all these players, geared to get the best out of Carroll and he gets injured. Do we have to buy another forward of similar build to step in, do we play a forward not suited to the role as we were forced to do when Torres got injured, or do we have to completely change our system again?

I’m not having a go at Carroll and will obviously reserve judgement until next year but spending £35m on potential and maybe another £30m or so to help fulfil this potential is a big risk IMO.

In saying that, I’ve no reason to believe Kenny is planning this, it’s others that keep mentioning that our summer shopping basket will revolve around Carroll and we’ll change our style to suit him. The way I see it is the players and positions we have been linked with are problem areas that would need addressing anyway with or without Andy Carroll in the squad. Obviously one would expect a lot more productivity from crosses with a more natural LB and LW in the team, but I hope this doesn’t come at the expense of Suarez who obviously prefers the ball at his feet. I don’t think Kenny would be foolish enough to rely upon and build our team around one player, but if he was then that player for me would have to be our No.7.

Good post that one.

I agree with pretty much all of it.

[el matador]

tall strikers want decent balls delivered early into the box from different angles. they thrive on pull backs from the line, crosses whipped over with pace and curl into that gap between the defenders and goalie for them to attack and they like quick balls into the box to attack when defenders arent expecting them. for the latter valencia is probably the best in the league.

at present we do neither and most of our attempts at crossing are literally balls played in from 90 degree angles that rely on their defenders missing the ball or carroll outjumping their centre backs.

enrique on the left and johnson on the right would definitely help this but johnson on the left doesnt work.

[JohnDoe]

Some nonsense written here.

We don't have one player who can beat his man on the flank. Not ****ing one.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, Suarez behind Carroll with two wingers who are actually threatening when isolated with a defender will completely destroy the league. Suarez is a complete mismatch on the deck, against anyone. Carroll is a complete mismatch when he gets the ball in the box, whether it's in the air or within shooting range. If we actually had a decent passing midfield (which we don't) with genuine threats on the flank that can drag full backs away from clogging the middle, it would be impossible to nullify Andy Carroll, and he'd score 20 Premier League goals in a season.

Mark it down.

[RedReet]

Some nonsense written here.

We don't have one player who can beat his man on the flank. Not ****ing one.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, Suarez behind Carroll with two wingers who are actually threatening when isolated with a defender will completely destroy the league. Suarez is a complete mismatch on the deck, against anyone. Carroll is a complete mismatch when he gets the ball in the box, whether it's in the air or within shooting range. If we actually had a decent passing midfield (which we don't) with genuine threats on the flank that can drag full backs away from clogging the middle, it would be impossible to nullify Andy Carroll, and he'd score 20 Premier League goals in a season.

Mark it down.

[Arn]

We don't need wingers to make Carroll effective. What we need is pace and more creative players. We also need a playmaker and better ball playing central defenders.

Wingers is only one way to make him effective. Not the only way. If we get in more creative players and more pace then he can be very effective in a 4-3-3. A system without wingers.

That means that he would get more space to work with and the other two strikers would also get more space to work with. Having a player like Carroll isn't all about the number of goals he scores. It is much more about the space he opens up for other players.

How much space would a player like Aguero get in a 4-3-3 with Carroll as the central striker or Suarez? It would be more or less impossible to defend against.

Play a high defensive line and Aguero and Suarez will destroy you. Play a low defensive line and Carroll destroys you in the air or used as a target striker.

KK would be able to change tactics very often in a game. He would get so many options that it would be scary. He can play with a target striker, quick counter attacking or pass and move possession football.

Aguero is used as an example of a quick, creative striker.

[JohnDoe]

I'm not sure what you're on about but considering he's scored 11 goals in 18 games for Newcastle, he'll piss 20 goals here if we get some players who can actually give him the ball in dangerous positions.

Our midfield is extremely mediocre and has overachieved during the second half of the season. Suarez has made everyone around him better in that lone striker role in a 4-3-3, where he's been our creator. He's made Maxi and Kuyt look like world beaters by getting on the end of his delivery and taking advantage of the attention he commands, I'll give them credit for that. They've done a great job.

When Carroll's in the game though, they are under more pressure to distribute the ball because they're stuck out wide in a 4-4-2 and their game suffers because they can't. beat. a. player. And I'm not just talking about Maxi and Kuyt, it's Lucas and Spearing too and it's no fault of their own. That midfield just isn't good enough, nowhere near close to hold its own in that formation.

[RedReet]

I'm not sure what you're on about but considering he's scored 11 goals in 18 games for Newcastle, he'll piss 20 goals here if we get some players who can actually give him the ball in dangerous positions.

Our midfield is extremely mediocre and has overachieved during the second half of the season. Suarez has made everyone around him better in that lone striker role in a 4-3-3, where he's been our creator. He's made Maxi and Kuyt look like world beaters by getting on the end of his delivery and taking advantage of the attention he commands, I'll give them credit for that. They've done a great job.

When Carroll's in the game though, they are under more pressure to distribute the ball because they're stuck out wide in a 4-4-2 and their game suffers because they can't. beat. a. player. And I'm not just talking about Maxi and Kuyt, it's Lucas and Spearing too and it's no fault of their own. That midfield just isn't good enough, nowhere near close to hold its own in that formation.

Ha ha, the fact that you came in ridiculing previous posts, then declared your fantasy formation with mythical players as the key to success just tickled my funny bone. Then to back it up by saying we should drop practically half our team, who ironically have been our best players for the past few months to accommodate Carroll, just added to the hilarity. I would also expect a bit more than 20 goals from the fulcrum of our team if we are going to sacrifice 20+ goals from two of the most productive goal scoring wide players in the game (and before anyone says Maxi is only going through a purple patch etc, if he’s allowed unnamed world class wingers, I don’t think it matters). And to claim that Lucas isn’t a good passer (and Jay to a lesser extent) just concludes that fact that you’re clearly just having one big laugh.

[RedReet]

We don't need wingers to make Carroll effective. What we need is pace and more creative players. We also need a playmaker and better ball playing central defenders.

Wingers is only one way to make him effective. Not the only way. If we get in more creative players and more pace then he can be very effective in a 4-3-3. A system without wingers.

That means that he would get more space to work with and the other two strikers would also get more space to work with. Having a player like Carroll isn't all about the number of goals he scores. It is much more about the space he opens up for other players.

How much space would a player like Aguero get in a 4-3-3 with Carroll as the central striker or Suarez? It would be more or less impossible to defend against.

Play a high defensive line and Aguero and Suarez will destroy you. Play a low defensive line and Carroll destroys you in the air or used as a target striker.

KK would be able to change tactics very often in a game. He would get so many options that it would be scary. He can play with a target striker, quick counter attacking or pass and move possession football.

Aguero is used as an example of a quick, creative striker.

In what way Arn?

I can understand how the likes of Kuyt and Suarez can open up space by dropping deep or going wide to pull the defenders out of position, but what particular attributes of Carroll are you using to open up space?

[JohnDoe]

Ha ha, the fact that you came in ridiculing previous posts, then declared your fantasy formation with mythical players as the key to success just tickled my funny bone. Then to back it up by saying we should drop practically half our team, who ironically have been our best players for the past few months to accommodate Carroll, just added to the hilarity. I would also expect a bit more than 20 goals from the fulcrum of our team if we are going to sacrifice 20+ goals from two of the most productive goal scoring wide players in the game (and before anyone says Maxi is only going through a purple patch etc, if he’s allowed unnamed world class wingers, I don’t think it matters). And to claim that Lucas isn’t a good passer (and Jay to a lesser extent) just concludes that fact that you’re clearly just having one big laugh.

So we should stick with Kuyt, Maxi, Lucas and Spearing as our midfield, play Gerrard off Suarez and march on to the league title next May.

Okay.

[CJ]

i dont think we will build a team around Carroll as such but more likely buy players that help us get more out of him. This will give us options.

imagine having the options up front and the problems it will cause the opposition when working how to set up against us?

[Exiled_red]

( I’ve quoted the wrong post here, but basically I’m replying to the general consensus that we won’t get the best from AC unless we specifically buy the players needed to compliment his aerial ability.)

I’ve mentioned it before, but building a team around Andy Carroll just doesn’t sit well with me. I can understand why Barca would do it with Messi, why you would do it with Ronaldo, even Stevie G, but I’m not comfortable with the idea of building our team around the potential of AC.

It also makes me wonder what happens if we buy all these players, geared to get the best out of Carroll and he gets injured. Do we have to buy another forward of similar build to step in, do we play a forward not suited to the role as we were forced to do when Torres got injured, or do we have to completely change our system again?

I’m not having a go at Carroll and will obviously reserve judgement until next year but spending £35m on potential and maybe another £30m or so to help fulfil this potential is a big risk IMO.

In saying that, I’ve no reason to believe Kenny is planning this, it’s others that keep mentioning that our summer shopping basket will revolve around Carroll and we’ll change our style to suit him. The way I see it is the players and positions we have been linked with are problem areas that would need addressing anyway with or without Andy Carroll in the squad. Obviously one would expect a lot more productivity from crosses with a more natural LB and LW in the team, but I hope this doesn’t come at the expense of Suarez who obviously prefers the ball at his feet. I don’t think Kenny would be foolish enough to rely upon and build our team around one player, but if he was then that player for me would have to be our No.7.

I'm not saying that we need to build our whole squad or system around Carroll, I personally think that we need. I think that we need to use the full width of the pitch and have pace and flair, which are players we don't have at the moment. We need to do this regardless of who is playing up front. Players with these qualities will bring the best out in Carroll, so it's not a case of building the team around him.

[RedReet]

I'm not saying that we need to build our whole squad or system around Carroll, I personally think that we need. I think that we need to use the full width of the pitch and have pace and flair, which are players we don't have at the moment. We need to do this regardless of who is playing up front. Players with these qualities will bring the best out in Carroll, so it's not a case of building the team around him.

I read a post earlier that prompted my reply (which I write in Outlook BTW now to make it look like I’m working ). By the time I logged back in to post, I couldn’t find it so just quoted you after reading that particular line. Having read the full thing in context I realised that wasn’t the point you were making which was why I pointed out that I was replying in general to those who do want us to build our entire team around Carroll.