My concerns are obviously hypothetical, Liverpool may well have a grand plan for the summer, but as mentioned above, would the sheer price of Carroll have too much influence on the way the team thinks and plays? Liverpool’s problem isn’t the players, it’s the mentality. Too little movement, not enough imagination. We don’t press high up the pitch like we used to, and if we win the ball in midfield, there’s only usually two people in front of play. To break teams down, you have to be ready to pounce, quickly and ruthlessly.
All of the teams who play on that ‘higher level’, have an amazing fluidity about them that allows interchangeable positions making them a nightmare for defenders. By focusing entirely on Andy Carroll, we allow ourselves to fall into dependency. Everybody will know where Carroll will play, and how we will play to him.
Who knows? Maybe Andy Carroll’s biggest role could be to play the world’s most expensive red herring. By using Carroll not as a goal scorer, but as a goal creator (i.e. making space, runs, dragging defenders away) Liverpool can take advantage of this space. The biggest trouble Liverpool have had for the last two years is finding players who can create space. We’re too static, and Andy Carroll surely falls into that bracket. But, it can work. To utilize a player of Carroll’s ability, we need strong runners from midfield and players who know when to go and when to stay, a footballing brain can never be underestimated. Meireles has shown he has the potential to do it, but he can’t be relied upon solely.
Kuyt doesn’t have the legs any more and Suarez is still too early in his career at Liverpool and must be given time. Although his direct style and unpredictable nature make him a handful for any team, I’m sure he will help the ‘dream’ of beautiful football along nicely.
In summary, I hope and expect Andy Carroll to be a success at Liverpool FC. I just hope that Liverpool play to LIVERPOOL’S strengths, and not Andy Carroll’s. Andy Carroll should be a weapon wielded in a way to allow a warrior to move freely, not a weapon too heavy to be swung, rendering our metaphorical warrior over encumbered.
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I love dis article. I once commentd dat Lfc playerz now prefer forcing d ball on Carroll’s head even right from our defensiv players esply Carrager(i lik d exclusn of Agger&Johnson) and most times we loose posesion dat way.
D only problem i’ve wit dis article is u sayin Lfc’s prob is not d players and u went ahead 2 say we dont press high up, No Imagination. HOW do u expect a below average player of Maxi to press high up, how do u expect Lucas to have good imagination. Its jst like sayin Barca’s success is nt bcos of their good players though other factors also play a role. Mister! Footbal is complex it’s a combination of power,strength,skils,imaginatn,creativity and winning mentality. Go buy some good playerz Lfc if u wana COMPETE.
pliz kenny buy us lavezzi or cavani becoz caroll needs to be rotated with other good players who can play on the ground.look wat redknap does at spurs.he has crouch,defoe,pav.we can even play 4-3-3 wth caroll,sarez and cavani/lavezzi upfront.lets alos get ansaldi for leftback,mvilla for defensive mid,honda for attcking,get ashley young and jarvis or arda.we nid a centreback and i want garry cahill.
Too true. This was the exact problem we had when Torres was here. We tried to build a team around him. Luckily, we didn’t get too far as he buggered off down south.
We need to focus on brining in players with not only high levels of technical skill, but players who can play WELL as a team. Players who will move out of position to fill in if a team mate has been pulled out of position.
This is how Arsenal and Barcelona play. Just watch them – there’s ALWAYS someone in the right place. This is what we need.
Lucas, Gerrard, Spearing and even Cole to some extent are all very good at this, Kuyt too, is more than comfortable tracking back, or moving out if a player is caught out of position. We need more players that are happy to do this. Torres used to just amble around the halfway line when we were being pressed, hoping for a counter attack.
I think Carroll is young enough that he CAN adapt his game, even if it’s only slightly. But, you’re right. Sometimes, Carroll won’t be the best option, but it’ll be useful to have him come off the bench, or to switch tactics halfway through a game to catch the other team off guard.
Agree with everything in this article friend.Since we played Carroll he’s won a lot of air battles but we play too many longballs from the back.my opinion is to get the best from Suarez and Carroll is to have fast wingers with good crosses,meaning a Bale-style of player.if you lob the ball from defence all the time,you are predictable and with a 2 or 3 man marking on air on Carroll,it’s difficult for him to take any headers.only Agger and Johnson are more calm with the ball on their feet.Carragher always lobs the ball from the right,Skrtel sometimes does it and Kyrgiakos doesnt know what the thing football means.we gotta need wingers at summer and we should build a team around Carroll and Suarez.put these two upfront and create a squad capable of challenging for the title.
Reina
Johnson Skrtel Cahill Baines
Navas Gerrard Alonso Arda
Suarez Carroll
YNWA
skertel……..agger……..taiwo
johnson……..cahill….coentrao
….eriksen…gerrard…suarez…
……………caroll…………
sub
kelly
jonjo
cara
meireles
kyut
ngog
reina and gulasci
Good article. But the problem with Carroll in a Liverpool shirt is two-fold. £35 mil would have been a lot for any unproven, technical, mobile, rounded, young striker. To pay £35mil only to be forced into playing an outdated, long-ball system to justify his price tag is to box yourself into a corner – which Liverpool have done at a staggering costs to themselves.
If Liverpool’s desire is for passing, pressing, fluid football – you could have taken your pick from any other young english striker – Sturridge, wickham, Moses – for e.g. for a fraction of the cost,, and they wouldn’t force Liverpool into playing battleship football.
So to pay £35mil for a striker who’s not up to the price tag is one thing- to pay that amount only to force the rest of the team into playing like Stoke every week is another.