Firstly, the calibre of opposition we were playing was a lot higher than we have become accustomed to in recent weeks. Spurs came out of the blocks yesterday fully motivated and dominated the first 30 minutes of the game. Against Newcastle United especially a couple of weeks ago, the Reds got away with an average display in the first half, one which would have been punished by better opposition. Spurs were that superior opponent and took advantage. Unlike against the aforementioned Man City, where the Reds started like a house on fire, Spurs fully deserved their 1-0 lead at half time.
The big difference between the City and Spurs was not the presence of Andy Carroll, as he started both matches, it was a lack of intensity in the midfield areas. Here’s a useful quote from the match programme from Steven Gerrard:
“In the last four or five games, especially, we have recovered possession in areas where we haven’t in the past. Against Man City goals came from us winning the ball back outside their area.”
In the big games against Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Man City at home this season, high pressing and high tempo have been the feature of our games in the three wins and a draw; in the defeat to Spurs, this was lacking. Combined with decisions from the referee, the lack of match fitness from Andy Carroll, the lack of performances from players who needed to be at the top of their game, and a great defensive display from King and Dawson, it all contributed to a limp 2-0 defeat.
To answer the question from the opening paragraph, how does Andy Carroll fit in to Liverpool’s pass and move philosophy? The answer is simple, if he gets the service he needs he will score goals. We don’t need to change our style and hoof the ball to accommodate him. We can pass as sublimely as we have been in recent matches and still use him as a key outlet. Bring in players who both compliment him and the team, and combined with our short passing style, we will have a strong aerial presence and an extra dimension to ensure we are covered for all eventualities when games are tight.
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Get some players who can actually cross a ball. Sorted.
someone must stay close when it matters (knock ons lay offs)give him long balls so he can chest them down, that way he will win lots of fouls and he can hold the ball up to link play, he needs to be running on to the ball in the air, cut back crosses from the bye line are the answer. for corners the far back post so he can head it back in (like he did against us)if players dont use common sense we wont get the best out of him. easy out balls are nothing but a hindrace to andy and to the team.
by long balls he can chest down, i mean as opposed to balls he can barely reach which go harmessly through to the keeper off the top of his head – this is not andys fault it is the lazy get out ball or hoof it anywhere near poor play.
We missed Meireles badly. And playing against 12 men (With Fergies loanee Webb doing it for Arry) didn’t help.
Get a grip Bill,take off your red coloured glasses and smell the coffee,Spurs were very good and deeserved to win.Total control throughout the pitch.
Definetly..agreed fully but it still doesn’t change the fact that Webb was a disgrace AGAIN when officiating a Liverpool match.
unfortunately, Bill is correct. meireles being out and carroll playing is the reason for our non performance and loss. the understanding between meireles, kuyt, maxi and suarez is key to our recent wins. our current “wingers” can play the pass and move, but none of them are good crossers or fast enough to collect the balls which Caroll flick towards the goal. so we lose the ball possession often, with our players defending instead of pushing spurs back. until we get quality pacy wingers with deadly accurate crossing, hoofing long balls tactic is suicide when carroll is not match fit.
I reckon we have dropped a clanger by signing him and paying all that dosh-Newcastle have coped well without him and must be laughing their socks off by now at an inexperienced player who cost 35 million pounds and has scored twice in 5 months! bad signing! Oh yes- he will eventually chip in with a few more goals (who doesn’t) but for that price you want 20/25 a season year in year out……..in the model of darren bent-nic anelka-drogba etc etc-ship him off to man city and they will bench him-with all the rest of the injury prone flops….
Yep let’s just forget the fact that he has been injured for most of those 5 months!
He has as many goals in the EPL this season as Javi Hernandez. And he was injured for 2 months of the season.
He is also younger than Hernandez.
hey Pete you wouldn’t happen to be a bluenose in disguise would you?
By not using him as a Peter Crouch, play trough the midfield and use the flanks and get crosses in that he can attack, being a target for hoofs is not his strength
I advise Carroll he has to develope for a well-muscled n tight body to remain fit at anytime in any game so keep it up YNWA
I really think it is a 3 part soluton that integrates but also gives options.
1. Trues wingers are required to provide him but he must be at end of them and put a high % away.
2. He has to develope his game, get stronger and be very mobile and play the pass/move gave with L.S. behinf him.
3. We will pay some games withiout him with SG and DK and others supplying LS as the striker.
The probelm is how to fit him in, the plus is the alternative opetios he gives us.
If he is a PC the second then waste of meney, if AC listens to KD then he will become a great player and be adaptable and patient.
Forget the 35M for AC, LS is worthe the 50 we got for FT, I think he was silly to leave as LS was the solution for him, and he could replace him too when injured.
I did not know much about LS but nw know he is a no 10 and also a number 9.
I trust Kenny to work it out.
@ Carrol9- Exactly! £35 million for a crock!
Andy Crock Carroll
pretty clever that, bravo.
Any one who is slating AC does not know what they are talking about. He is good in the air, good with the ball, on the floor, he has accuracy strength. Apart from his pace, (which isn’t even bad) he has everything a striker needs! Also for an adverage Newcastle side, he was one of the best players in the premier league. Can you image how good he will be when he is fully fit playing for a Liverpool side that is better than the one we have seen play so well recently. Give him 2 months into next season and then judge him
Good to see someone talking sense on this thread. I don’t believe some of the comments I’ve read. The problem with Carroll is not that he’s not good enough. It’s the fact that the players around him aren’t. If the defenders would stop hoofing the ball forward (and Jamie is the biggest culprit, and if we had someone who could get past the defenders, then Carroll would be lethal. He’ll make plenty of goals for Suarez and any attacking mids running onto the ball.
I hope so!!
It was obvious the midfield lacked creativity. That’s why LFC needs Aquaman back!
Oh!yes Carrol was good for Newcastle remember Hodgson was also good 4 Fulham. Mind you I’m not saying Carrol can’t be beta all I’m saying is that he’s just too young for us to build a club of liverpool calibre around let him learn from d bench and with what people hav been saying so far it’s like he’s 90% head &10% leg then mayb we need an HOT AIR BALLOON at Anfield. Suarez’s far beta stil wondering why their cost isn’t the other way round. In fact to me Carrol is a huge version of Torres very lazy to run around for the ball. Check out Suarez
What annoys me when we blame certain players for our defeats and yet our worst players are Dirk Kuyt and Lucas Leiva , We must be living in a fools paraside to believe we are going to win trophies namely the league and pass the scums 19 title with the 2 above so called footballers in the starting line up . KD / SC has to consider buying top players so DK/LL can warm the sub bench and come in when needed.
Id like to suggest that the difference wasnt that Carroll started, but that Meireles didnt play. in the majority of games under Kenny, Meireles has played in various positions, not just starting the game, but throughout the game. his ability at retaining position further up the pitch provides more options to recycle/retain posession positively, rather than what we saw on Sunday with Reina having more touches than Carroll !
their will be games when all the peices are fitting in the jigsaw to be the perfect picture, but have games were it just doesnt work. how we adapt for our next game and get oursleves picked up will be a crucial indicator for next season, that we have a team of fighters. afterall, you learn more about a team through defeat than victories. and to be winners, you first have to lose !!
Liverpool lost to an average Tottenham side who were without Bale and specialist full backs. Of course Howard Webb was shocking but that cannot be an excuse for losing 2-0 at home to Tottenham. Starting a half fit Carroll was clearly a mistake and as much as I like this player, I have to admit that he was useless up front yesterday. Clearly, with Carroll in the side, the team automatically switched to playing hoof ball to him and forgot about the pass and move football that saw us destroy teams earlier. Replacing the injured Meireles with Carroll was a tactical mistake which affected the whole structure of the team and the way they played. There was nobody in midfield to distrbute the ball and provide the creativty needed. Kenny should have replaced Meireles with either Shelvey or Cole, not Carroll. As we saw, the only player who provided a spark was Suarez who, for most of the game, had at least 2 players surrounding him. Of course injuries cost us but we could have done with an attacking player in midfield to provide some sort of creativity to a team clearly lacking something in the final third. If you’re missing Meireles, Aquilani and Gerrard and still Cole is left on the bench then there is something wrong. Having maybe Cole or Jovanovic would at least have added a different dimension to the team but Kenny made a tactical mistake by replacing Meireles with Carroll.
Very strange article David, you suggest that he might have been to blame for the result against Spurs then you say that none of the reasons are conclusive, make up your mind.
Football is a team sport therefore one player should be be blamed when a teams display is below par.
If your implying that the presence of Carroll is gonna make the players play long balls the entire 90 mins then you don’t respect the intelligence of our players. I’m sure our boys are smart enough to know when to play the direct ball to Carroll and when to play it short.
The presence of Carroll in our team gives us a tremendous option and his strengths should be embraced as adding to the team. He doesn’t just score headers you know, the guy has an awesome left foot too, watch that 1st goal against Man City again if you need reminding.
The guy has been unlucky with injury in the past 6 months and has not have a chance to get a proper run of games under his belt. I think it will be the start of next season after a good pre-season that we will see the best of him.
The problem is that the team Rafa left us with couldnt accomodate a player like Carroll that needs constant service and crosses. Once we are done rebuilding and get some proper wingers that can run down the line and cross the ball instead of cutting in and back passing, then he will be very effective and im sure he can be a top goalscorer, there is no doubt he has an eye for goal.
owh cmon nickyLFCcy u can do better.rafa? that makes me wanna take a shower
eh frozen. did i hear u say ‘off the bench’. so u would like to see £35m wasted off bench.comon, if that should be the way out, then chelsea should have sat Torres down off bench a far way back.