Read this article by Paul Tomkins last week and thought some might find it interesting. Maybe it will allow those kept awake by Carroll's transfer fee a respite from the constant soul-destroying fact we signed him for a large sum and he hasn't yet been knighted, or perhaps a salve for jerked knee-related injuries. http://tomkinstimes.com/2011/11/andy-carroll-prime-target/ The goals scored by similar styles of players at Carroll's age is particularly interesting i think. Anyhow give it a read, maybe it'll make some of you feel better, maybe some already kind of knew this. Also i will add that Carroll has done a good job in a couple of tough away matches this season, the likes of which we didn't win last season. Now if we had some difficult Champions League away games that fact alone would be much more meaningful.
Carrol is a valuable member of our squad and will improve as he gets older. "We bought him for 5 years not 5 weeks."
It's been said before but I believe this season was always a non starter for Caroll. Price tag was ridiculous but not our money so irrelevant. What it did was put a huge expectation on a player who should have had at least 2-3 more years of grind at a less high profile club to become the finished article. We bought him too soon now we have to protect him from the stirring Sh*tes that are the media. To do this forget the money. Forget comparisons (stupid I might add) with Auguero or even Suarez. Support the lad when he plays & cheer him when he scores. Too much demand for instant brilliance; not everything happens overnight no matter how much we want it to.
Someone on Twitter said Glen Johnson should give him the phone number of his barber perhaps this would help his goal scoring.
Interesting article and a good read. I notice Carroll's stats are miles better than Fernando Llorrente when you compare them age for age. I think with Carroll a large chunk of it is all the new players getting to know each other. A specialist striker coach could work wonders to.
Isn't Ian Rush a coach in some respect? Not going to get better than that. I think Carroll will come good. If he improves his touch and (if he can) his agility, we have a demolition ball of a player. On form he will terrify defences. His miss against Norwich was criminal - that's two points lost.
How good is Llorrente really? I know a lot would have rather us spend the £35m on him last Jan but is he really that much better?
