LET’S face it Andy Carroll never asked to be bought for £35m but that price tag has weighed heavily on him and seems to have been a major factor in his poor performances this season according to those close to him.
With such a large transfer fee hanging over his head, thanks to Liverpool’s ex-employee Damien Comolli, Carroll was on a hiding-to-nothing when he was signed in January 2011.
Kenny’s philosophy of “buy young, buy British” was the order of day and Carroll was seen to fit that bill perfectly, seemingly at any price. Everyone, including Carroll himself, knew we’d paid too much for him and the expectations were too high with only an immediate impact and hatful of goals were going to keep the critics at bay.
As we all know, Carroll failed to impress in his first 12 months with only the occasional encouraging outing. Serious questions were asked about his true ability – was it a one-off season at Newcastle? – culminating in speculation he may even be traded during the January transfer window. If that had happened not many would have protested. Mind you Kenny has not helped Carroll’s cause with him never truly being given the opportunity to settle or create a partnership with Suarez. He’d be brought on as a substitute often when Downing was being taken off leaving no one on the field to provide those all important crosses he needed to have an impact. Only when Gerrard returned from his long injury did we start to see evidence of Carroll’s promise when quality balls were sent into the box.
But now Carroll is starting to show what a fighter and striker he really is. It’s taken over a year but it’s starting to look like Carroll has shrugged off the criticism and his confidence is rising to the point he’s looking like the striker we all hoped he’d turn out to be. He looks fitter (according to Brad Jones he’s been putting in extra training), he’s quicker, his touches and control more assured and, most importantly, he’s starting to score goals – and winning one’s at that.
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With two critical strikes within a week against Blackburn and the cracker against Everton on Saturday Carragher was moved enough to classify that latter as worth thee $35m on its own. A bit of an exaggeration but we got the point. Worryingly, before his 87th minute strike at Wembley, he looked like the Andy of old when he missed a sitter at the near post but to his credit he kept on battling and got his reward even though Fellini was attempting to mug him in the process.
Critically a striker needs to play on a regular basis in order to develop and maintain their confidence and eye for goal so let’s hope Kenny keeps faith with Andy for the rest of the season and have him even sharper for the FA Cup final on May 5th. There’s a long way to go before anyone can say Carroll is now showing his true potential on a consistent basis but we’re now beginning to see a player no defender can look forward to facing and a true strike partnership being developed with Suarez.
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always said it give the lad a chance and he will become an absolute beast of a player his touch has improved ten fold he has a cracking leftfoot shot and he his heading is getting back to its best
ya absolutely agree..he should be given more time on the pitch..would also like to see more of sterling and suso in first team action…if we delay to play them,then they may look for first team action in other teams..don’t delay and don’t the mistake manu made with rossi and pique..
cheers ynwa
If you give a player of any quality a chance, he would score, what more a 35 mill player. My point it’s still early days. As in anything it needs perspective. Carroll’s replacement Cisse registered 8 goals in 8 games and cost 10 mill.
Yes Carroll should not be blamed for his price tag. We the fans never sid he should. The blame should go to KD and DC, so one down, one more to go.
DC was sacked and rightly so for his poor negotiationg skills and frankly not doing his job. His counterpart at Newcastle does not have such fancy title and is 67 years old but lok at his discovery and their price.
KD should be sacked for many reasons, poor tactical know how, man management, poor judge of players value but remember, it was KD who gave that player list to DC and it was KD who insist on buying British at all cost, hence Carroll’s price tag.
It’s worth remembering some of our best players in recent years are not British, Alonso, Mash, Kuyt, Torres, Sami, Henchoz and they cost no where near what we paid for Carroll or even Henderson.
A true gentleman must be accountable for his actions and why should DC alone be the fall guy for KD. Shame on you KD, you are a true coward.
Would a true coward not push all the blame onto the outgoing employee publically? As soon as Comolli left, Dalglish in his press conference, stated that it was he and he alone as manager, who had final say on all the signings – thus making himself publically accountable for those players coming into the club – not Comolli.
Did Andy Carroll cost £35 million or did we get £15 million and Andy Carroll for Fernando Torres. Every quickly forgets the poor form and attitude our former beloved #9 had been displaying and that HE was the one who left us in a lurch. Newcastle was driving the bus on the price and Chelsea were the ones who were going to pay. It also wrong to think that we then only got £15 million for Torres but given his return to Chelsea up to this point they still overpaid.