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View from the Kop

He Should Be Kept…On A Leash!

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IN January, interest in Andy Carroll by any team with a reasonable budget would’ve been a dream come true for most Kopites and I dare say some would even want King Kenny’s head on a platter if he didn’t deal.

Six months down the line however I’m sure letting him go has become a decision that would require immense deliberation and for reasons that the 23-year-old himself has given via some very impressive performances.

The rumour mill has been full of growing speculation and interest from Italian giants AC Milan and the possibility of a move away from Anfield for Carroll. Severing all ties with the big man now would be a big mistake in my opinion but a loan deal, as most of the gossip suggests, could be very beneficial to all parties involved.

The big successor of the famed number 9 shirt has had a really tough beginning to his Anfield career and failed to find his rhythm in his first year at the club. Though he often dismissed the weight of the price tag, it is undeniable that it set the bar of expectation rather high for him. Coupling this pressure with recovery from injury and integration into an inconsistent line-up of players, it is a bit understandable that it took so long for him to fully show his potential.

There has been an indisputable increase in the level of his impact on games. Aerially, Carroll has become quite a dominant force, winning a majority of the balls he contests in the air. His chest control and the technique of his headers has also been quite laudable. The increase in his confidence and overall desire to play and to score goals has also not gone unnoticed. As a target man, Carroll has become a much more threatening player to have up front.

His hold up and possession play have however not seen as much improvement as the other areas of his game. Quite similar to many other players his size, aside the occasional step-over, footwork isn’t Carroll’s strongest point and he has been guilty of some rather poor first touches. His lack of pace is another evident flaw even though there isn’t much he can do to improve that. Unfortunately, these may render him quite incompatible with Brendan Rodgers’ tactics for the moment as they may emphasize less aerial and more possessive, pass-and-move and maybe individualistic methodologies.
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However, keeping in mind his age, growing work ethic and desire, I think Andy should remain under the ownership of Liverpool FC for at least another season. A loan deal will be the best way to ensure both adequate playing time and maintaining ownership of a player who might yet prove a valuable asset in the grand scheme of things.

Exposure to a different league (especially one as tough as the Italian league) may be just what Andy needs. Strength in possession and instinctive play is something he will have to develop quickly if he is to have any hopes of being fielded regularly (though this may still apply if he stays put). An added bonus, granted he stays with Milan, might be the chance to train alongside a much more experienced striker of similar build and a truck-load of class, Zlatan Ibrahimovic; a learning opportunity that could spawn a very deadly Carroll if taken and utilized to full effect.

At 23, “a work in progress” is still a safe assessment of Andy Carroll. He might be far from the offensive threat he has the potential to become but it would be a real shame to lose him now and watch him realize the depths of his talents elsewhere, especially after what he’s shown these past few months. Rodgers seems a shrewd character and I’m hopeful that for a player such as Andy, bubbling with untapped potential just waiting to be developed and harnessed, a loan deal if any at all is as far as it’ll go for now.

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18 comments

  • magnumopus says:

    I hear that Zlatan was just sold to PSG.

  • anthony says:

    mario gomez had the same faith after his $35 mil price tag move to B.munich when liverpool wanted him on loan but he eventually stayed at munich n become there top goal scorer,why would rogers want to loan carroll out n he dont even seen him play

  • Bill says:

    What use would loaning Carroll out be? He’d be doing what he was last season and waiting for the long ball only doing it for another side. We know he can do that already, If he stays at Anfield he will be learning how to play Tic Tac Toe, at least we’ll find out if he can. He is also a very important asset when defending corners and free kicks. West Ham and Fulham can do one or buy Crouch. as to us buying Dempsey, it aint’ gonna’ happen or have you all forgotten what John Henry said? Nobody over 25 unless it’s a free transfer. He’s not going to waste £7.5M on someone who’s 30 in March. And we have Borini now anyway.

  • david says:

    No loan deal please. He is too slow and lacks class for the type of football I would like to see liverpool play. He is suited to a long ball team or a team who adjust by firing crosses in hope the whole game, and who is he for liverpool to give up pass and move. In other words, I don’t want to see him back ever so get some money back and spend more wisely.

  • alfonzo mo says:

    our biggest problem i see at the moment is sheer numbers. therefore quality may have to wait. if you look at the front three we will be playing, at the moment we only have suarez borini and downing. backups such as carroll, bellamy and possibly cole (in front three??) could all be gone or leaving. the sale of kuyt was always happening and i believe the loss of maxi leaves us and rodge a bit shell shocked as it would seem he wanted to keep maxi. with only 20million left in the kitty our options are limited. worrying!!!

  • M. says:

    AC is a donkey; can’t ever become a stallion. However, loaning him ‘ll never get even a mule out of him. Whoever, is going to hire him on loan, ‘ll specifically take only for the sky hoof ugly hustle & bustle football. I am not sure even Fulham or West Ham ‘ll start with him, because he can’t break into a Championship defense line, when in full energy.

    I think, we should keep him under our pay roll so that he can learn to play keeping ball on ground, we can have a option against packed oppositions holding for a point in last 15 min. & in future, we might get another raciest manager who is ready to waste 25+mn on him for his passport (so far his only quality)

  • collie says:

    Carroll may not be as quick as some smaller men, but he has more flat out speed than he is given credit for. Few centre backs will beat him in a race for a loose ball. He is also a good defender in the box against corners and free kicks. I f Rodgers give a quick judgement on Carroll, he may find that fans give him a quick judgement at Anfield.

  • alfonzo mo says:

    carroll doesnt suit. he should be let go if possible old fashion striker means old fashion football. mobility is the name of the game, especially under rodge. the biggest prob i see in letting him go is the number situation. six positions and if carroll, bellamy and cole leave only three left, with only 20 million to spend!!

  • Towson Tom says:

    Firstly, look at B.R.s performance at Swansea, It actually was’nt that great with his Pass-pass-pass
    model of playing, finishing with a goal diff of Minus 7. To play his way requires Six quality Midfield players all able to score goals on a regular basis, Even Barcelona found (V chelsea) it does’nt always work and when it does’nt you need something diferent, do I have to go on?

    • kagu says:

      There is no perfect system, we’ll never won all of our games. If we can be as succesfull as Barça was, I would be happy.

  • deano says:

    carroll has been a shambolic mistake,HOW ON EARTH CAN A MANAGER PAY £35 MILLION POUNDS for andy carroll ? he had six months in premier league,what a complete MUPPET DALGLISH WAS :{ carroll can only be arsed now there is talk about him going ? i say get well rid ASAP,he cant adapt his game,and he will always be slow with no ball control ? so why keep him !!! even as an sub it doesnt work,£35 million pound sub :{

    • kagu says:

      Guess you don’t understand the intersest to buy someone young and talented, guess you don’t understand that the last hours of the mercato, players are more expansive to buy …

  • ameen says:

    It’ll be a mistake letting Andy go…. Andy, 2 me, can play in the middle of a front 3 to be flanked by Suarez and Borini. And he is also a supe-sub. Agreed,pace may be his weakness but he has shown,towards the end of last season, that he can take on his opponent and displace them. Brendan Rodgers should not consider letting him go as an option but encourage him and blend him into his style of play and also help him in his accuracy and shooting cos i really like that left leg of his. By the way,he’s got a head that is priceless. Please,don’t let him go.
    YNWA.

  • ameen says:

    It’ll be a mistake letting Andy go…. Andy, 2 me, can play in the middle of a front 3 to be flanked by Suarez and Borini. And he is also a super-sub. Agreed,pace may be his weakness but he has shown,towards the end of last season, that he can take on his opponent and displace them. Brendan Rodgers should not consider letting him go as an option but encourage him and blend him into his style of play and also help him in his accuracy and shooting cos i really like that left leg of his. By the way,he’s got a head that is priceless. Please,don’t let him go.
    YNWA.

  • juan manuel gomez says:

    Carroll should stay and play in the center of the attack, with Borini on the left and Suarez, on the right.
    liverpool should not buy a dempsey, is not good enough, and its to old

    buy: gaston ramirez, Schürrle or Dzagoev, joe allen or Boudebouz, Strootman or Kyriakos Papadopoulos, and please to Konoplyanka

    sell: adam, Aquilani, cole,

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