I must be missing a trick here Another good championship game of footy tonight. 2 teams good at times, poor at others I've enjoyed the last few home games - especially under the lights but QPRBeth "also a few players are stepping up.......so did young Carroll, saw a lot I liked in him tonight. " Carroll He looked livelier He moved forwards a bit more but He got pushed off the ball about 25 times in the middle of the pitch His passing was just terrible, not just killer passes that were worth a go but don't quite come off But about 20 simple 5 yard passes under no pressure that he completely mucked up He wouldn't shoot even if in front of an open goal - but that is true of 90% of the squad So I see him as a midfielder who cant tackle, hold a ball, pass or shoot That just leaves his heading but he is at least 1 ft too short Am I missing a trick? I await Jenas's return from injury after his recent show of form
Possibly. I was on the Spurs Board giving it loads a while back and some Spud-head went and brought back a Stat showing that basically when Carroll plays we tend to win and when he don't, we tend to lose. Don't know whether that means owt or not but there you go. I watched him last night and I thought he looked very tidy most of the time. Working the little "triangles" well with one touch football. However, he gave away two balls first half which saw Wigan gallop away down the other end and they should have scored the pair of them. Also, the lad doesn't seem to have any confidence in himself. There was a point in the 2nd when he had acres of space just in front of the box to have a crack at goal but he stopped and turned sideways and then the other way to try and find someone instead of shooting himself. There is a player in there and he'll develop in time but his small frame and lack of self-belief means he gets bullied a lot, particularly in this hatchet-man of a division. He'd probably play a lot better in a better team, a real "football" team. The Spuds fans certainly rate him.
Seeing Carroll in the flesh yesterday...I was really impressed with his work rate, his passion...no he is lightweight, and does get pushed off. However he is constantly running back, constantly harrying, very tidy, on the whole very composed. He has so much of the ball he will lose it every now and then problems....Yes we do seem to do better when he is playing....but I think he has to play with "someone"....he works well with Joey (i described him as Joeys gopher, and I still think that is right).....he could play well with Henry....but would be lost playing along side Kranky for example Not the complete article, but definately an excellent cog in the machine, he also had a couple of near decent shots from distance yesterday No...do not send him back to Spurs...we need him here
Benayoun is the definition of lightweight. Hasn't the club got a pair of shorts that fit him, he looks like he's standing in a tent for midgets.
Thought he did pretty well again last night. Some tidy passing, wants to get on the ball. Movement was good, popped up on left wing, right wing at times. Suits him having Morrison as an option to receive the ball. Did get caught a few times but that’s not unexpected when playing against a team like Wigan who flood the midfield pushing their Wingbacks in their at times to basically have 6 midfielders. Carroll was head and shoulders above Barton last night in terms of quality on the ball. Normally when a phrase fits a footballer ‘he see’s passes no body else can see’ it’s a compliment. With Barton it’s a massive criticism, he gives the ball away so often, you think what on earth did he see there?!?!
I'm afraid that the "British mentality" towards players will always count against players like Carroll. He's small people say. He gets out-muscled people say. If Messi had grown up in England, the chances are he would never have made it through our academies. Things are slowly changing, but the change is indeed very, very slow. Carroll is a player that keeps the ball for the team. Everyone remembers the bad passes, but forget all the accurate ones that retain possession. Players like him are always looking to get on the ball so they are likely to be playing more passes then most and some won't come off. He's far from the finished article and yes, he must learn to cut out the more risky passes on the halfway line, especially the square ones. I think he'd benefit from playing with better players in a the Premier League, but I like him as a player. Much more ability on the ball than Barton.
Not the player he was (as usual with us!) but I've always quite rated him and he's scored two goals in two games.
He had his best game but why did he do a 360 and then pass backwards when he had the ball 35 yards from goal with only 1 man to beat?
He had his best game.............why pick out one moment when he maybe made the wrong decision? Things look totally different when you're on the pitch, in the moment. Players make the wrong decisions all the time, when, if they were watching on, they would have known exactly what the right decision was.
Good player. Keeps things ticking along, always shows. Yes a bit lightweight and gives it away too much but I think he will develop into a fine player. He could do with a goal I think to help his confidence a bit. I actually can't wait for him to realise his potential if only to shut up the boo boys who decided he was rubbish in his first few games and have been unrelenting since.
Spot on. It's the same with Hoilett. Whenever I'm at games there are fans giving him stick all game. How do they think that's going to help?
Fair comment Col. I was a bit pissed off with him for getting sent off. Whether or not his two fouls merited bookings I'm not sure, but they were fouls and unnecessary. I'm glad that Tom carroll is getting some positive notices at last. I like players like him almost on principle. He does a job effectively, not everything works but he never hides. He'll come good.
Agreed. I like Carroll, but he looks short of confidence, which is not surprising given the treatment he gets from some 'supporters'.
Couldn't agree more that was baffling & also a few times down right in good positions we did the same thing, one other thing Zamora in on goal then turns back on himself without shooting, whether lack of confidence or what but amazed in what I saw.
Its confidence, they don't want to get crowd abuse if they miss but Zamora refuse to pull the trigger 2 or 3 times inside the box. Its also the reason why we play like we do, everyone takes the safe sideways or backwards pass bar Morrison. We usually have lots of possession but don't get anywhere.
Well said you three, the general fan won't see the potential of Carroll but you three can pat yourself on the back for being able to see his potential as your average fan will focus more on players like Barton because he looks to try harder but Carroll is growing as a player, this is his first time in his career on a full season loan, and we're far too quick to dismiss young players because they don't set the world alight straight away. Plus Swords has attempted to speak for fans on here (on the spurs board) and tried telling me you all believed he was awful, shame on you swords!
He's a good lad Carroll, I think he's more suited to the "glamour style" of Premiership football than the more rough and tumble of the Championship. Hopefully you guys come up for next season and maybe both clubs can arrange another loan for the lad as his first team chances here will still be limited unless we ship a few out which I can't see. I reckon you'd see a much better Carroll then, good to see he's getting some positive reviews and displays now though, he's highly thought of by most of us lot.
Link up play is something we've dreadful at this season. That's a big part of Carroll's job but he can't do it effectively when there is so little movement in front of him. He's still a lightweight though and he stayed up way past his bedtime last night.
