Andrew Thomas Carroll, popularly known as Big Andy was born in Gateshead, in the year 1989, January 6th , heighten 6’3”, aged 22. A sexy looking footballer, but really deadly when fit and surrounded by right players.
The big Geordie is to become a feared striker in the world of football in England and in Europe
I started following him during his New Castle United days, particularly against Liverpool FC. His 2 deadly goals against Liverpool deflated Reina twice in that fixture. Liverpool lost to them. His left foot is his power, his tool on the pitch. He is very proud of it; that is the gift he’s got. Life was pretty much easy for him at Saint James Park, as he was still nurturing himself up for bigger things. Basically, no pressure on him. Even though he had his issues regarding his personal life style, that still did not stop him doing what he knows best and improving week in week out. Although that affected a him little. Along with that was injuries (knee injuries) that is peculiar to footballers.
When he is fit, he can be deadly and unstoppable. The team played to his tempo to bring out the best in him. We saw the real Andy Carroll. In other words the team was built around him since he was the goal poacher. We saw services from both the wings and from the midfield. Joey Barton is one notable player that helped him a lot. Having shown plenty of talent and potentials in himself the time now came when bigger clubs came with their monies. Incidentally, Liverpool F.C. came calling in January transfer window.
But the question is: Was Andy Carroll really ready for the move? Is the player ready to fill Torres’ scoring boots? Is he ready for 15-20 goals this season; a season that the club ‘must’ make top 4?
Here is where I think Andy Carroll became a victim of circumstance. Sure, it is the joy of every big fish to swim in a bigger pool when the right time comes, otherwise it would get eaten up by predators. Like a mother bird, it keeps nurturing the little fledglings until they learn how to fly and fly with safety. New Castle United is where Big Andy started. His move in my opinion came abruptly; it came at the wrong time for him as he was not prepared. True, it becomes really difficult when a club of Liverpool stature come calling for you. First you consider its height, the history, tradition and cultural heritage, the famous Anfield stadium where the best fans exist in English football, where players no matter their background are adored. All these factors could weaken your hands. But then, for a player to move, it has to come from within him, it has to be a natural decision, the readiness must be there. Granted, there are players who may have being contemplating a move, but have not fully decided and yet the abrupt calling came and they moved. In his case, I think he was not fully prepared, perhaps he never contemplated moving during the summer transfer window, at the same time the aforementioned factors could have weakened Carrol’s hands. And if he did, he may have wanted it at the earliest to allow him prepare his move. Unfortunately, the owner made the most of his move. The owner used him as a pawn to enrich himself. A player that is currently not worth his price tag is being forced to move, but should worth every penny spent on him in the next coming season and seasons.
Since then, the 35m pounce price tag has been a weight too much on him to absolve, adding also his injury woes. This has affected his growth, his confidence and passion. He has really missed oldies, especially seeing his former club flying high in the league table. He can be compared or seen as a horse being driven to a river or stream to drink water when it is actually not thirsty, even though the water would be beneficial to it. But the fact remains it does not feel thirsty at that moment.
Well, regardless of whatever might be his present situation, it is definitely momentary. Carroll’s move to Liverpool WOULD YIELD BENEFITS both to himself and the club in the long term if he finds himself in the right environment. Of course, Kenny should not be blamed for signing him as the purchase is an astute one, though the long term one. He earns 70k a week, but many especially the media, when it comes to LFC would not talk about the weekly wages but rather would doggedly dwell on the sign on fee. Where I would point a finger at Kenny is failing to get the right players to bring out the best in him.
This is what I mean; when Liverpool lost their prolific goal scorer in the person of Torres at the eleventh hour of the January transfer window Kenny he chose to go for big Andy, the summer transfer window was the right period he should have signed the round pegs for the round holes and not the opposite. Signing Henderson as a right winger has really affected both Andy and Henderson. Downing has been really disappointing to everyone of us. Before the summer transfer window when all of us were expecting massive changes, though there were in terms of wage cuts and cutting down dead woods; we saw how effective Maxi was scoring hat trick in quick succession, Kuyt is another player that was very effective as a striker and from the right wing. These are experienced players that brings something nice and different to the team in the absence of what you really want/needed, but at the moment been marginalized. The usefulness of Dirk Kuyt cannot be over emphasized, should Liverpool chooses to sell him a player like Ezekiel Lavezzi would be the right replacement for him. These players also eased off pressure on Carroll. Today, the case is different. Big Andy is suffering from ill services. He’s being pushed to do what he cannot do at the moment. One could argue that he has a poor ball control, running with the ball, but we could not argue the sweet way he scores his goal. He is that direct goal scorer not in the mould of Torres or Suarez; meaning you have to play the ball into my deadly left foot. As time passes, he would be improving his frailties on the pitch.
If Kenny really wants us to see the real Big Andy regardless of his life style, he must take it easy on him, he must make him feel relaxed, feel at home, he needs to be nurtured in Liverpool way as he is used to his former place. In that vein, a striker has to be signed in the January window. In the meantime Kuyt, Maxi and Bellamy should be involved. If Carroll is pushed too much, he may get frustrated to want to leave. THAT BOY IS A BIG GEM. It is only Kenny that has that responsibility. It is him that would change it. Taking into cognizance he is only 22, he just not ready for what most fans wants and expects of him. But that thing is there in him. Mario Balotelli is living example of what I am talking about. When he was with Milan, he was that bad boy at that age of 22, the talent was there and is there, so much that City could splash out 25m pounce for his services…brother please it’s not easy…, but today he is getting better and more interesting. The same is what I see happening in Big Andy Carroll. For now, he is a victim of circumstance until the situations gets better.
The above is purely my opinion not anyone else’.
Comments appreciated.
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