Author Topic: Scribes Q&A: Part I of several. Join in!  (Read 43013 times)

Offline StevenLFC

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Scribes Q&A: Part I of several. Join in!
« on: October 7, 2011, 11:29:37 am »

note from Hinesy: This is part one of occasional internal spyin' kop type threads which are generated in the Writers Forum and brought over. Please join in, especially during the international break when this will remain stickied



This weeks subject will be Andy Carroll, as he seems to divide opinion.

1. Cast your mind back to January 31st. Liverpool have announced that Fernando Torres wants to leave and is about to join Chelsea. News then breaks that Liverpool have had a bid accepted for Newcastle striker Andy Carroll. What were your initial thoughts about us replacing Torres with Carroll?

2. Do you think the £35M price tag is a burden for Liverpool & Carroll?

3. How would you describe Andy's performances thus far?

4. What would you describe as Andy Carroll's strengths and weaknesses?

5. Some people say Andy Carroll needs to adapt to Liverpool, others say Liverpool need to adapt to Andy Carroll. Most think it's a bit of both, what are your thoughts?

6. Finally, how do you see Andy doing for the rest of this season, and looking further forward, his Liverpool career?
« Last Edit: October 7, 2011, 06:31:24 pm by hinesy »

Offline Veinticinco de Mayo

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Re: Scribe Q&A
« Reply #1 on: October 7, 2011, 11:51:15 am »
1 & 2.  Too many emotions spinning around to be able to nail one to the mast really.  Gutted about Torres leaving, but pleased with the price we got for him, happy about us moving very quickly to sign a promising young player with Prem experience, less impressed with how much he cost.  It's all well and good to justify his price in terms of the Torres money but the headline fee was always going to weigh heavily around his neck.  And sure enough it is even now impossible to have a conversation about the lad without the fee cropping up within the first few lines.

3.  Patchy.  In general we look a better side without him in it.  There are signs of improvement though.

4.  Strengths?   Drinking, clubbing...  Strong, tall, good header of the ball, good passer of the ball, great shot. 
    Weaknesses?  On his heels too often, first yard is not in his head, movement could be better, shit taste in music, needs haircut


5.  He needs to adapt to the way that Kenny wants him to play.  This is true for everyone at the club. 


6.  That is the sixty million dollar question.  Hopefully the recent signs of improvement are just the start and he kick on from that goal at Goodison
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Offline lachesis

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Re: Scribe Q&A
« Reply #2 on: October 7, 2011, 01:51:04 pm »
1. I was pleased to have an end to the Torres saga. Best days were behind him and he had been lacking commitment to the cause for so long that I had tired of his petulance and shitty attitude long before his departure.

I thought it was a gamble on Carroll. The second season syndrome is often talked about with regards to new strikers in the league. Having said that, looking at his attributes I wasn't disappointed we were getting him.

Let's be honest even John Carew could have done the job Torres had been doing for us for a few months up top (probably minus the histrionics as well). Even if Carroll did fail, it would just be the same as having Torres up front with an additional £15 million in the coffers (ok, maybe a bit harsh Torres did show a glimmer of his genius every now and again but it was very rarae in the latter stages of his days with us. I couldn't justify us keeping him on the basis that he may or may not decide to want to play again. Looking at how things are going at Chelsea from afar admittedly it doesn't seem we are missing much)



2. Yes, no doubt. And not because I'm expecting a massive premium top echelon player to be ripping up grass every game but because the money could have been utilised elsewhere and improved a lot of other positions. There is a sort of 'here's what you could have' when looking at the outlay spent on Downing for example. Could we have got a striker in the mould of Carroll cheaper and really invested in a wide position where the premiums these days seem to be?

Not that I'm implying Downings a bad player per se, but certainly not in the top bracket and in my opinion does not have the necessary time or skills to make it into that bracket despite being a very solid player.

Having said that we have to temper it with realism. We are buying British so this adds an instant £3-5 million on the price. Aguero may have gone for more or less the same in transfer fee but the wage demands of the two players will be very different. We can be prepared to break transfer records but the model we use relies on a stern wages structure it appears.

It has also long been said that we are short on funds and we have often said we haven't had investment in playing personnel. The owners have invested heavily in Henderson and Carroll so when other clubs, media and pundits are seeing this money spent on two players that so far have not impressed, the question turns to one of having the money but not using it wisely - this is not a new claim and it means old arguments and shitty articles are regurgitated.



3. Disjointed is probably the best I can say. He is still learning to play with his team mates. It doesn't help that I don't feel we send enough crosses in from high enough up the pitch. It doesn't help that Adam generally stays outside the box and Lucas doesn't make the late runs as often as I feel he should to support Carroll (given his excellent heading ability). This often leaves him isolated in the box and when it comes in he'll generally have to beat his marker and then challenge for the header anyway hoping to get a nod on it. We dont really create those golden headed chances for him.

In contrast to that though I feel much was made of the fact that he isn't just a 'head on a stick' and he has more about him in the foot department. He has a rasping strike and I don't think we've seen much of that from him either. He's getting bogged down in the area from the edge of the centre cirle to the 18 yard line and I'm not sure why.

Didn't watch him much at Newcastle but he does seem to get a lot of free kicks given against him. Some warranted when seen again, but a lot not really and doesn't seem to get the same level of protection.



4. Strengths - I think his main strength is his all round ability. I don't look at him and think he has one stand out trait that elevates him into a top category yet. But he has the potential in his heading and shooting form range to become one of the best.
   Weaknesses - I can't really think of one but as VdM points out above he does have a quality of that one yard too late syndrome. Whether this is because he is still gelling with team mates is too early to call though. Needs to take a chance more often - he might even turn some poor crosses into good ones doing this.



5. We both need to adapt. Carroll is playing with better players here and whereas other teams playing Newcastle may give him more space or time, he won't have that luxury while playing for the bigger clubs. They will generally sit deeper and pay more attention to him especially if deployed as the main and lone striker. I know people are excited about the Suarez/Carroll partnership but honestly if Suarez wasn't blessed with such individual skill and talent I think we'd feel a little bit more deflated about the prospects for it just now.

I feel our crossing at the moment is a bit haphazard, there isn't a routine to it which means Andy probably struggles to determine what position to take up because by and large he's unsure of where it is going to end up. We can either let this develop organically or I guess we could insist that certain crossers always aimed for a specific spot, although this means it could be easier to defend against (I think there was a case where Allardyce used to get all his players to stand on the front post from corners in a similar tactic - but only from set pieces). All in all I feel the latter can take you so far but you really need to cultivate the understanding and partnerships between players to be dynamic and play the opponent as it were.



6. I'm not fully convinced he is back to full fitness yet. I'd like the derby goal to give him some confidence and for him to start the next game like a player possessed but ultimately I can't see it happening. I'd say he needs about 3-5 games without any setbacks to get sharp and what I'd consider match fit.

Looking at how things are shaping up I reckon we'll see round about 12/13 league goals from him this season, in terms of forging links with the other strikers and being the anchor in our front line I'm not so sure about yet. As of now he is probably an 'option' and his goal will be to cement himself as a surefire starter as Suarez has already done.
« Last Edit: October 7, 2011, 01:56:38 pm by lachesis »

Offline No666

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Re: Scribe Q&A
« Reply #3 on: October 7, 2011, 03:25:16 pm »

1. Cast your mind back to January 31st. Liverpool have announced that Fernando Torres wants to leave and is about to join Chelsea. News then breaks that Liverpool have had a bid accepted for Newcastle striker Andy Carroll. What were your initial thoughts about us replacing Torres with Carroll?

I was pleased we were replacing Torres immediately with an 'up and coming' name, because it signified a statement of intent from the owners - not merely that they were reinvesting incoming funds unlike the last lot but also that they were not prepared to be put at the disadvantage of losing a striker in the middle of the season. That was an important statement to make about our ambition and our balls. I'm not sure all of us have been singing from that same hymn sheet since then. If we should have learnt anything from Torres's time with us, it is that no individual should be lauded to the detriment of the collective. We were so lucky to have him, to have kept hold of him in 2010... And soon enough he bought into that view. It riles me today to see pundits like Hansen - who should be steeped in the old adage that the club is bigger than the individual - telling us how lucky we are to have Suarez. Won't take much and he'll start believing it, too.

I'm sorry that this is off at a tangent - and I don't have much to say about Carroll. I haven't seen enough of him. He scarcely played last season after all. My honest reaction to him would be: he needs a lot of support from the stands because he clearly is fragile, and we can start forming an opinion in three months' time.

Offline Hinesy

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Re: Scribe Q&A
« Reply #4 on: October 7, 2011, 06:28:46 pm »



This weeks subject will be Andy Carroll, as he seems to divide opinion.

1. Cast your mind back to January 31st. Liverpool have announced that Fernando Torres wants to leave and is about to join Chelsea. News then breaks that Liverpool have had a bid accepted for Newcastle striker Andy Carroll. What were your initial thoughts about us replacing Torres with Carroll?

I was wary but understood the need to immediately replace Torres. I was happy we brought in someone who'd played in the PL and could score. Obviously injured but to be honest the headfuck of Torres leaving clouded anyone's replacement unless it was going to be Messi, rather than messy.

2. Do you think the £35M price tag is a burden for Liverpool & Carroll?
Burden? Not sure. Perhaps, insomuch as the price one pays pre-defines the expectations. That said, most reasonably educated fans knew the situation he was purchased in. In a normal transfer window, I would've expected to pay no more than £20m for him.

3. How would you describe Andy's performances thus far?
He looks bewildered and isn't match fit. That said, the only intelligent piece of punditry from Shearer, ever, pointed out his running and expectation of quick crossing which isn't happening for him at the moment. That said, he's not played enough for me to totally decide but I guess that answer alone demonstrates my doubt.
4. What would you describe as Andy Carroll's strengths and weaknesses? Finding space, heading, left footed, strength and nerve all good. Finesse, speed, adaptability and match fitness: bad.

5. Some people say Andy Carroll needs to adapt to Liverpool, others say Liverpool need to adapt to Andy Carroll. Most think it's a bit of both, what are your thoughts?
I think you're right.
6. Finally, how do you see Andy doing for the rest of this season, and looking further forward, his Liverpool career?
No idea, I never speculate, that way lies financial penury and humiliation from one's peers.
« Last Edit: October 7, 2011, 06:32:28 pm by hinesy »
Yep.

Offline SMD

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Re: Scribes Q&A: Part I of several. Join in!
« Reply #5 on: October 7, 2011, 08:19:32 pm »
1. Cast your mind back to January 31st. Liverpool have announced that Fernando Torres wants to leave and is about to join Chelsea. News then breaks that Liverpool have had a bid accepted for Newcastle striker Andy Carroll. What were your initial thoughts about us replacing Torres with Carroll?

What the fuck.

What the actual fuck.

I won't lie, I was dumb founded. Not only were we going for Andy Carroll as a replacement for Torres but we bid £30m and they turned it down. And we went back with a bigger bid!

I didn't think Andy Carroll was a bad player. He had a brilliant 6 months up until his injury and he looked a much better talent than when he made his first fleeting appearances in the Premiership. At the time, we all believed in Torres, he just needed to perk up, to be fit and to have proper service. He was still our number 9, we still loved him and we still bounced. We could rationalise him leaving for £50m but to replace him with Carroll in conjunction selling Torres was mind bending.

2. Do you think the £35M price tag is a burden for Liverpool & Carroll?

I think it might be for him because of the media but I don't think we should really think about it. Yes I know there are those who believe in the "£15m below the Torres fee" and those who read it as an absolute but honestly I don't care too much as long as overall our transfers are successful.

3. How would you describe Andy's performances thus far?

Sub par. He's shown flashes...but I wouldn't say of brilliance. Forget the fee, he's just not been able to be an effective player for us.

4. What would you describe as Andy Carroll's strengths and weaknesses?

He's strong. Very strong. his technique isn't bad but for some reason he's been really clumsy and sluggish for us. Is it just fitness?

His weakness is his inability to make something out of nothing. Unfortunately we just haven't provided enough creativity to mask that,

5. Some people say Andy Carroll needs to adapt to Liverpool, others say Liverpool need to adapt to Andy Carroll. Most think it's a bit of both, what are your thoughts?

It doesn't matter who it is, unless they're able to make their own chances like Torres or Suarez, they're going to struggle. So it's in our best interests to make Carroll look good.

6. Finally, how do you see Andy doing for the rest of this season, and looking further forward, his Liverpool career?

He has to succeed, as it means our midfield is doing better and working as a unit. If we become a more creative force, then it all comes down to Andy. And I think he'll be fine if that happens.
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Offline Terry de Niro

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Re: Scribes Q&A: Part I of several. Join in!
« Reply #6 on: October 7, 2011, 08:39:18 pm »
1. Cast your mind back to January 31st. Liverpool have announced that Fernando Torres wants to leave and is about to join Chelsea. News then breaks that Liverpool have had a bid accepted for Newcastle striker Andy Carroll. What were your initial thoughts about us replacing Torres with Carroll?

My head was in such a spin at the time, regarding Torres wanting to leave. But once it sunk in and hearing that Carroll was coming in to replace him, plus the fact that we already had Suarez in made it easier for me.

2. Do you think the £35M price tag is a burden for Liverpool & Carroll?

I've never in my years of supporting Liverpool paid much or if any attention to how much we purchase players for.
Considering what we got for Torres, who clearly didn't want to play for us long before Chelsea come calling, £35M is meh to me and I'd like to think that the club, Kenny and Andy think that way too.

3. How would you describe Andy's performances thus far?

A mixed bag to be honest. He's showed what he can do against City last season and Everton this season.
He really needs to find a bit of consistancy now and I believe that he will.

4. What would you describe as Andy Carroll's strengths and weaknesses?

Strengths: He's got a hammer of a left foot on him. He's also shown that he can throw a decent header in if the delivery is right.

Weaknesses: Tends to look a bit clumsy at times.

5. Some people say Andy Carroll needs to adapt to Liverpool, others say Liverpool need to adapt to Andy Carroll. Most think it's a bit of both, what are your thoughts?

Tough one that.
Kenny and his staff have us playing quick pass and move type of football, of which Andy needs to adapt to.
Then again he's proved to me that you don't need to hoof the ball to him because of his height and strength in the air.
The goal last week in the derby proved that to me.

6. Finally, how do you see Andy doing for the rest of this season, and looking further forward, his Liverpool career?

There is no doubt that we haven't seen (consistently) anywhere near the player he was for Newcastle YET.
But I'm sure we will see that soon. The fact that Kenny and his staff still have faith in the lad and are working hard with him will do for me.
« Last Edit: October 7, 2011, 08:42:03 pm by Terry De Niro »

Offline Dougle

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Re: Scribes Q&A: Part I of several. Join in!
« Reply #7 on: October 7, 2011, 09:01:07 pm »
1 - I thought (as I followed the chaos via F5 on that evening) that it was a very big price to pay. I also thought that it was FSG making a statement of intent which pleased me. I was very disappointed that Torres left but I have to say that feeling lasted little time as Suarez bedded in and Torres fumbled around. The money FSG squeezed out of Plastics was great.

2 - I think the "price tag" is a very convenient lever for "Sky" pundits and the like to use to stir up trouble for Kenny, Damian etc. It also makes Andy quite an obvious  target for "very witty terrace humour". That can't really help Andy and it clearly irritates Kenny. Conversely it might Andy to "step up and shove the abuse back down the throats from where it came.

3 - performances so far (along with the team in general) a bit patchy. He does seem to be "not clicking" with the fast ball-on - ground style (though he has good touch), neither does he seem to profiting from high ball hoofing and floated crosses. Agree with above that he's whistled up way too much. It seems the prevailing ref attitude is that he's to blame by default. He's been unlucky there as he could already have a couple more goals to his name this season.

4 - strengths, good shot, strong, good heading ability, tough and courageous, good touch, good passer, hard, great defensive asset, disciplined there.
     Weaknesses - that first mental move, gets wound up and liable to annoy refs, he's not yet really made a partnership with any player nor blended into the team style (albeit this is as yet not predictable), not fit and not effective until he's really fit, I don't feel he's settled at Liverpool yet.

5 - I think he's got to do the work on the training ground to make the understanding with the other players. Also he's got to get fit.

6 - He'll get better as he gets fitter and scores more ... it's all mutually beneficial there.

Offline The 5th Benitle

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Re: Scribes Q&A: Part I of several. Join in!
« Reply #8 on: October 7, 2011, 10:22:38 pm »
1. Cast your mind back to January 31st. Liverpool have announced that Fernando Torres wants to leave and is about to join Chelsea. News then breaks that Liverpool have had a bid accepted for Newcastle striker Andy Carroll. What were your initial thoughts about us replacing Torres with Carroll?

Positive, given we'd picked up Suarez who, even if he wasn't meant as such, was the real replacement for Torres. Carroll gave us something different, power and strength as well as potential aerial domination.

2. Do you think the £35M price tag is a burden for Liverpool & Carroll?
 
Sadly, yes. It shouldn't be. It's completely irrelevant in fact, all that matters is how he performs in red. But the detractors - media, even some of our own fans - will always use it as a stick to beat him with whether he does well or badly, which I personally find appalling. Still at least they get the figure right, unlike the morons who still think Hendo cost £20m.

3. How would you describe Andy's performances thus far?
 
Progressive. He was injured when he started and still isn't fully fit but is showing encouraging signs. On his day, he's an absolute beast, and I think we'll see that soon.

4. What would you describe as Andy Carroll's strengths and weaknesses?
 
Strengths: Great in the air, piledriver of a left foot. Takes defenders out of play, which gives space to others. Moves much better than most think.
Weaknesses: Not really his fault but his presence tends to mean we lump it up to him. Seems to still lack a bit of confidence. His ponytail.

5. Some people say Andy Carroll needs to adapt to Liverpool, others say Liverpool need to adapt to Andy Carroll. Most think it's a bit of both, what are your thoughts?
 
A bit of both, but it's early days yet. I think the issue is, we have to play a different game when he is on the pitch to the game we play when he isn't. One is prettier, but is it more effective? We'll see when he's firing on all cylinders.

6. Finally, how do you see Andy doing for the rest of this season, and looking further forward, his Liverpool career?
 
I think he'll have a good season all in all, a slow start leading to regular goals. He'll kick on next season though, he has a lot of improvement in him. It's very sad that people quote one figure (£35m) and very rarely the other (22, his age).

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Re: Scribes Q&A: Part I of several. Join in!
« Reply #9 on: October 7, 2011, 11:04:10 pm »
1. Cast your mind back to January 31st. Liverpool have announced that Fernando Torres wants to leave and is about to join Chelsea. News then breaks that Liverpool have had a bid accepted for Newcastle striker Andy Carroll. What were your initial thoughts about us replacing Torres with Carroll?

I'd been impressed with what I'd seen of Carroll in Championship but he'd taken to the Premier League like a duck to water. While I knew we were paying over the odds. I wasn't concerned because we were selling Torres to Chelsea for more than he was worth due to the timing of the transfer.

2. Do you think the £35M price tag is a burden for Liverpool & Carroll?


I don't think the price tag is the issue it's the fact that Carroll is the most expensive English player therefore everything he does will come under the microscope. However if He's scoring for us regularly nobody will care about that.

3. How would you describe Andy's performances thus far?

Because he was injured when we signed him I had little expectation of Andy Carroll last season and other than the Man City game at Anfield he didn't exceed that. This season I've been impressed with his performances but disappointed with his goal tally although last week at Everton he was barely in the game then popped up and scored.

4. What would you describe as Andy Carroll's strengths and weaknesses?

His strengths are his left foot and his aerial ability. I think his biggest weakness is his failure to impose his big frame at times.

5. Some people say Andy Carroll needs to adapt to Liverpool, others say Liverpool need to adapt to Andy Carroll. Most think it's a bit of both, what are your thoughts?


It's a bit of both. I think the more Carroll plays with Downing, Suarez and Gerrard now he's fit the better for us.

6. Finally, how do you see Andy doing for the rest of this season, and looking further forward, his Liverpool career?

I think he'll score at least 15 goals for us this season. Ultimately how Andy Carroll's time at LFC goes will depend on him. He has the talent to be an exceptional servant to the club but it’s whether or not he has the application.

Offline Matt8Pie

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Re: Scribes Q&A: Part I of several. Join in!
« Reply #10 on: October 8, 2011, 12:03:41 am »
1. Cast your mind back to January 31st. Liverpool have announced that Fernando Torres wants to leave and is about to join Chelsea. News then breaks that Liverpool have had a bid accepted for Newcastle striker Andy Carroll. What were your initial thoughts about us replacing Torres with Carroll?

It was bittersweet; I was devastated that Torres was gone, but happy Carroll was here. I thought Carroll was a good striker given his performances in the first half of the season but I couldn't help but feel deflated that Torres was gone. He was getting back to his best it seemed and I was really looking forward to seeing what I deemed the best strike force in the Premiership with Suarez and Torres on board. However, I read a few posts on here from some of the few that talked sense who gave me a better insight into what Kenny sees with the big man up front with the little man playing off him and how Kenny favoured a team with this sort of partnership throwing back to his teams of the past. That made me feel more positive about the signing given that I trust Kenny and I was a bit more excited as to what we could expect going forward with the new lineup. I couldn't shake the feeling though that we'd downgraded, and I still can't.

2. Do you think the £35M price tag is a burden for Liverpool & Carroll?

I think it's been more of a burden for Carroll earlier on this season with away fans shouting the genius and original "what a waste of money" chant at him than it has been for Liverpool. It was evident in his celebration against Exeter that it was affecting him. I think away fans will be the main problem for this while he's not in goal scoring form but hopefully his goal last weekend will push him on further and everyone can be a bit easier on him.

If you actually look at the circumstances where it was agreed we'd pay £15 million less than what we sold Torres for, or whatever the agreement was, then it makes more sense of the situation and with that in mind, I don't see it as a burden at all. In hindsight, given he didn't have much of an affect on last season, I still think we rushed into the signing and we overpaid, but nobody knew how well Suarez would do and by selling such a big name player in Torres, we had to bring someone in otherwise our owners and manager would've possibly faced a backlash from certain parts of our, ahem, fanbase. As I said, I think the burdern is mainly felt by Carroll given the media hype and away supporters. Kenny has shown that he'll play other players if someone isn't in form.

3. How would you describe Andy's performances thus far?

I think his pre-season was really good but since we've been back in the premiership, he had a bit of a sluggish and lazy start. Over the past few weeks though, since the Wolves game, he's upped his game and is putting more effort in which we can see and I'm feeling better about him being on the pitch. You can see him being more vocal on the pitch as well which I think is giving him confidence and his overall play is benefitting from it. He's still gelling into the new look team and we'll see the best of him when the service improves. He's progressing still, and I think as supporters, we need to get behind him rather than lambast him for not giving us immediate results. Gerrard coming into the team will have a dramatic improvement on Carroll's game, in my opinion.

4. What would you describe as Andy Carroll's strengths and weaknesses?

His biggest strength is his size but so far, I don't think he's thrown his weight around as much as you would expect from such a big guy. He's got a belter of a left foot too which, if we see him dropping back more like he has been in recent games, with other players like Gerrard, Bellamy, and Downing running around in midfield giving him a bit more space, we'll see him smashing a few more from distance. He's obviously got his heading ability too but again, he's been very restricted with his lack of service and I think it's really holding him back. His weaknesses for me so far have been his reluctance to throw his weight around as I've said, and that he's looking for a foul too much instead of just manning up and getting on with things. One thing that really frustrates me is how often he's beaten to the ball in the air. He really should be winning those high balls in the middle of the pitch and it amazes me that someone as small as Lucas is visibly able to win more of those headers than Carroll is.

5. Some people say Andy Carroll needs to adapt to Liverpool, others say Liverpool need to adapt to Andy Carroll. Most think it's a bit of both, what are your thoughts?

It's a tough one but I think Carroll will need to adapt to Liverpool. The club doesn't have to adapt to Andy Carroll, he was brought in with a system in mind and he's a cog in part of that system. It's easy to think that because of his size, the ball has to be punted up to him and certain players are to blame for that perhaps. Kenny's trying to get the team back to pass and move and we've shown we can do that, and I think Carroll needs to show he can play in it too. From what I've heard and from some examples, he's shown he has a good touch and can distribute the ball well. The main thing he needs to adapt to is the pressure of playing at a big club and having the spotlight on him. He didn't have that pressure at Newcastle so he was able to play more with a smile on his face. You can see the strain at times he's been under with us and he needs to just shrug his shoulders, pull his socks up and give it his best. Once he's got that figured out, he'll improve a lot, I think. The fans will always be the same with any player and will want signs of world class stardom within a new player's first couple of games a la Suarez, and that's something that we need to improve because it's only detrimental to the players we're bringing in. Not every player that comes in will have that Lucas attitude of proving doubters wrong and won't always want to give 100% if the fans aren't willing to be patient.

6. Finally, how do you see Andy doing for the rest of this season, and looking further forward, his Liverpool career?

I think he'll have a good season. He's only 22 and that's often overlooked so he still has a lot to learn. Ngog is around the same age and people were still saying that about him last season, so people need to give him time. With Gerrard coming back into the team, we'll see our overall team performances improve and Carroll's Liverpool career will kick start. I think he'll have a similar career path to Fernando Llorente; slower in the younger years but as he gets to that age where players enter their peak, and in particular strikers, he'll be one of the best target men around. He was bought for 5 years, as Kenny said. I think he'll be a big player for us.
« Last Edit: October 10, 2011, 01:04:10 am by Matt8pie »
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Offline Red_Mist

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Re: Scribes Q&A: Part I of several. Join in!
« Reply #11 on: October 8, 2011, 03:09:09 pm »
1. Cast your mind back to January 31st. Liverpool have announced that Fernando Torres wants to leave and is about to join Chelsea. News then breaks that Liverpool have had a bid accepted for Newcastle striker Andy Carroll. What were your initial thoughts about us replacing Torres with Carroll?

Torres leaving made me feel disappointed and frustrated. Okay, his form had dipped and his attitude towards the end often stank, but he'd been a genuine hero and his goals, epitomised by that one vs Man Utd when he fought off Daffy and smashed it in at the Kop end, brought us huge amounts of joy. Then, just as the corner was being turned off the pitch, he did one. Was gutted if I'm honest.

Replacing him with Andy Carrol gave me mixed feelings. He seemed as surprised as us and somehow, at first, not fully in control of his own destiny. That made me uneasy. BUT, I had a good mate who watched Newcastle play a lot more than me who texted "great signing"...and I respect his judgement, so I relaxed a bit.

2. Do you think the £35M price tag is a burden for Liverpool & Carroll?

I know this goes against the grain, but I honestly don't think so. Well, at least not as much as is made out. There shouldn't be any Liverpool fans who use it against him, but I know there's a few. But with Kenny's attitude in his press conferences rubbing off on all of us, I think the vast majority shrug it off. If the only people to make it a burden are other fans & the press, well f**k em, as Kenny might say.

3. How would you describe Andy's performances thus far?

He obviously hasn't clicked for us yet, but I think he's improving. There's much more to come from the big man and I think he's working hard for it. It'll come.

4. What would you describe as Andy Carroll's strengths and weaknesses?

Strengths - Strength! The ability to attack a cross, shift defenders off out the way, and nod it in with at least three of said defenders hanging off his shoulders. I'd love to see a lot more of this. He's also got a decent left peg.

Weaknesses - Lack of pace makes him appear a bit lumbering at times. But that won't necessarily stop him getting into the right place at the right time, which he did plenty of times for Newcastle.

5. Some people say Andy Carroll needs to adapt to Liverpool, others say Liverpool need to adapt to Andy Carroll. Most think it's a bit of both, what are your thoughts?

Either statement on its own makes little sense. All players need to adapt to each other and gel as a team with the strengths of each individual maximised and any weaknesses compensated for. Singling Andy Carroll out for this question, or anyone else for that matter, is a bit daft imo.

6. Finally, how do you see Andy doing for the rest of this season, and looking further forward, his Liverpool career?

I hope/believe we'll see much from him this season. His fitness will improve as will his understanding with his team mates. Without a crystal ball, I can't really comment on his longer term career with us. Just hope he'll turn into a type of cult hero...he's got many of the essential attributes to become exactly that. Hope he keeps on giving us the chance to roll out the jokes about 'sinking bitters'.

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Re: Scribes Q&A: Part I of several. Join in!
« Reply #12 on: October 8, 2011, 07:22:39 pm »
1. Cast your mind back to January 31st. Liverpool have announced that Fernando Torres wants to leave and is about to join Chelsea. News then breaks that Liverpool have had a bid accepted for Newcastle striker Andy Carroll. What were your initial thoughts about us replacing Torres with Carroll?

I not ashamed to admit I was gutted when Torres left.  For me he was a proper quality player, a genuine goalscorer, a player who had class, a household name that was admired by many, and the thought of Fernando and Suarez running opposition defences ragged was a very exciting one.  Alas it wasn't to be, and although i don't feel the truth is out about how the Torres deal went down, we bought Carroll and he is the future.  If I'm honest, apart from the goal he scored against us, I didn't really know that much about him, well apart from the negative press surrounding his alledged girlfriend situation.  I can just remember thinking "...£35m?  Really?  For Carroll?  Wow!"


2. Do you think the £35M price tag is a burden for Liverpool & Carroll?
I wish it wasn't, but the media are always going to mention it aren't they?  And as someone has already said, I wonder if the lad will ever play a game where the opposition fans aren't singing what a waste of money - unless he starts to score masses of goals that it.  It doesn't help that Suarez has outshone him completely since he has arrrived.  As for the club, It will be seen as a masterstroke if he starts firing in the goals and we get champions league won't it?  If not, then Yes it will be a burden.  We've already had an article this week, a poor one, but one nonetheless, saying each one of our points has cost the most amount of money.


3. How would you describe Andy's performances thus far?

It would be harsh to judge on last season when I don't feel he was ever fit.  This season has been a bit mixed.  He's certainly shown glimpses of quality in the last few matches, and shown he isn't just a tall target man.  But it can't be ignored that his presence has affected how the rest of the team play.  The hoofs were noticeably reduced the last couple of matches, but prior to that it was all a bit, 'lump it to Carroll' in approach, particularly from our less technical CB's.  It obvious Andy is as frustrated by this as we are, and he has a lot more to his game, but it can't be denied that when Carroll plays we don't play as well as a team ......yet.   I have to give credit to Carroll though for his work rate, he helps in defence on set pieces, and does try to do the right thing.  And he's still a young lad with plenty of improvement in him.

Main concern for me is the lack of understanding between him and Suarez.


4. What would you describe as Andy Carroll's strengths and weaknesses?

Strengths - He does have an eye for goal, and can link up play well.  Pretty decent touch too most of the time

Weaknesses - He's pretty static compared to say, Bellamy, Suarez or Kuyt. 



5. Some people say Andy Carroll needs to adapt to Liverpool, others say Liverpool need to adapt to Andy Carroll. Most think it's a bit of both, what are your thoughts?
Both, I think Liverpool need to adapt to Carroll.  As I said earlier, Andy doesn't want big long hoofs out of defence.  When we have technically able CB's who can contribute to us building an attack from the back, I think Andy will benefit no end.  Carroll, does need to improve his understanding with some of his team mates, and to learn how to fit in to a pass and move system.



6. Finally, how do you see Andy doing for the rest of this season, and looking further forward, his Liverpool career?

I'm not sure he's a nailed on starter in the team a la Suarez, and I'm not sure his style of play is the most useful against all opposition, but I like him.  I think he is a good option to have to offer a different style of play.  This season I don't see him getting that many goals, but I hope he can chip in with a few and build a decent relationship with Suarez.  He's got some good attributes, we just need to work out how to fit them in to our team.  His future career?  I'm not sure to be honest, with the team still in transition I feel it's too early to tell.  I hope he's really successful though!

Rossiter absolutely bossed it tonight. Really believe he'll end up playing more games this season than Lucas.


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Re: Scribes Q&A: Part I of several. Join in!
« Reply #13 on: October 8, 2011, 07:41:40 pm »
note from Hinesy: This is part one of occasional internal spyin' kop type threads which are generated in the Writers Forum and brought over. Please join in, especially during the international break when this will remain stickied



This weeks subject will be Andy Carroll, as he seems to divide opinion.

1. Cast your mind back to January 31st. Liverpool have announced that Fernando Torres wants to leave and is about to join Chelsea. News then breaks that Liverpool have had a bid accepted for Newcastle striker Andy Carroll. What were your initial thoughts about us replacing Torres with Carroll?

2. Do you think the £35M price tag is a burden for Liverpool & Carroll?

3. How would you describe Andy's performances thus far?

4. What would you describe as Andy Carroll's strengths and weaknesses?

5. Some people say Andy Carroll needs to adapt to Liverpool, others say Liverpool need to adapt to Andy Carroll. Most think it's a bit of both, what are your thoughts?

6. Finally, how do you see Andy doing for the rest of this season, and looking further forward, his Liverpool career?

1. It was funny, because it took all the attention away from Suarez who sort of slipped in through the back door whilst everything with Torres/Carroll was kicking off. Of course, by the time he actually took to the pitch his quality exploded into the faces of every Liverpool fan watching that day. And I think that's been a boon for everyone involved in the Carroll transfer because it's taken the pressure off somewhat (if Suarez wasn't capable of scoring a goal every other game, there would have been shouts about Carroll rather than the background murmurs and whispers at the moment).

I was excited like everyone else about him coming in. And like everyone else I batted away the price tag as though it was nothing, although I'm sure there were, and are, many of us who still get that nagging doubt about the whole thing; was it worth it? In hindsight, he didn't make any impact in the second half of the season and maybe it would have made more sense to actually wait in the summer and spend that money more productively (even if we spent it on Carroll anyway, you wouldn't think he'd have cost as much as he did). The thing with Torres is is that we were truly shaken by what he did- it was really gutting (I remember exactly where and when I found out actually, which is pretty sad/funny). At that time anyone who'd have replaced him would have been a big step down really, because he was one of the best goalscorers in Europe up until that point.

2. I don't think it's a big burden as long as we win things. Just like £50m wouldn't be a burden for Chelsea as long as they win trophies. I said at the time, I wouldn't care much if Carroll turned out to be shite over the next 2-3 years as long as we won trophies. The point it starts becoming a pressure is when you don't make CL football or don't make credible title challenges in time and Carroll's one of those not performing. We're obviously not there yet. Also, I think it's obvious that there could have been more productive uses of that money, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's a big added pressure.

3. Very average. Honestly speaking, I haven't even put them as better than how Crouch was for us yet. Maybe even that's optimistic. Cautiously, I'll compare him to Keane- a player who just didn't seem to 'fit' into the team as it is at the moment. The promising thing in this case, however, is that we still have some major development to come from this team, which is still growing and has a way to go. The team Keane came into was ready to challenge for big titles, and he disrupted it. At the moment, Carroll's like the rest of the team pretty much- trying to find it's feet and express that talent. Some of them have started forming those relationships across the park (Downing and Enrique and Suarez and Kuyt for example), but there's still a lot more to come yet. I think that's the case with Andy too (and wasn't the case with Keane).

4. His hammer of a left foot- it's awesome. He's big and strong but for me it's not a strength of his yet because he doesn't use it as well as a top striker should (Kenny needs to feed him DVDs of Drogba). I think those areas are where his strengths are and will lie in the coming seasons.

5. It's all a bit chicken and egg; does a player fit into a system or should the system fit around the players. I think the best managers play with bot aspects- the mould a player into a system but they'll flex the system around players as well. Alex Ferguson provides the best example of this over the years in my opinion- his players and systems change every time he builds a new team, but they always seem to win. Perhaps Mourinho is another example. Anyway, with Andy, I think he needs to quicken up and be more mobile for the current pass and move system to work effectively around him, and for the others, they need to include him in that system rather than start smashing it forward all the time. Interestingly, I've been thinking a lot about Barca's experience with Ibrahimovic- suddenly a quick, dynamic pass and move side find themselves with a player who slowed the pace down naturally. It didn't really work, but I think that was as much down to Ibrahimovic's reluctance to adapt himself to a quicker game based around passing and of course, by then the Barca style was so well ingrained that they were never going to adapt it (even if they were able to).

Andy's at the start of his career and should find that adapting process easier. The team's also less established in its own style and should find it easier to flex around Andy's strengths. I talked about his hammer blow of a left foot. I just can't believe it hasn't been used that often. I mean, every time he seems to be in a decent position to score, he generally scores! It's just that he doesn't seem to be getting in those positions too often...

6. I just hope he finds his feet soon enough so we can emerge as favourites for 4th place and reach it. We could do with a shitload of goals from him, but I'm not expecting that- it'd be a great result though and one I hope for if not expect. Looking forward into his career- well I hope he has the impact on our team that Drogba has had on the Chelsea team and Ibrahimovic had on the Inter team. They're 2 big role models for him at the moment in my opinion.
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Re: Scribes Q&A: Part I of several. Join in!
« Reply #14 on: October 8, 2011, 10:24:41 pm »
1. Cast your mind back to January 31st. Liverpool have announced that Fernando Torres wants to leave and is about to join Chelsea. News then breaks that Liverpool have had a bid accepted for Newcastle striker Andy Carroll. What were your initial thoughts about us replacing Torres with Carroll?

Honestly, my first reaction was that the site had been hacked. All the flash images had gone, so had the menu bar and the only image was that we had accepted an offer from Chelsea. Then went on here and the media sites were all reporting it and at first I felt shocked, then went through the Kübler-Ross stages of grief in around an hour. Before thinking fuck it, players come and go and I'd always kinda liked Carroll.

2. Do you think the £35M price tag is a burden for Liverpool & Carroll?
For Liverpool no. Kenny is smart enough to not give a fuck, and the owners wouldn't have sanctioned the fee without fair dues. I do wonder how Andy feels though. For a young man that's a shitload of pressure that he's getting bombarded with, everytime he turns on the TV or Radio, checks the paper or walks down the street. Not helped at all by the likes of Fabio Capello making his alleged problems public, and his supposed idol Shearer mentioning it in every media outlet that listens.

3. How would you describe Andy's performances thus far?
Hit and miss. Against City last season he looked unstoppable then there were times where he looked incapable of hitting the ocean if he fell in it. He's looked increasingly sharp the last few weeks though. His goal against Exeter shows what he can do with the ball at his feet (something I've always said we should focus on) and his goal against the Bitters showed something of a poacher's instinct.

4. What would you describe as Andy Carroll's strengths and weaknesses?
He's great in the air, but deceptively good with the ball at his feet. Has a cannon of a left foot and shouldn't be afraid of shooting outside the box. His size and stature are a bit of a double edged sword however. He lacks acceleration and in terms of closing down opposition players it's a side that needs a lot of work, his size also makes him a bit clumsy in challenges and refs have some prejudiced fetish for calling a foul on every aerial challenge he wins. Needs to get someone from the scouting team to put together a "How to" video of Vieri, Shearer, Drogba et al to model his game after. His strength can be his biggest asset but if not used correctly will end up hindering his play.

5. Some people say Andy Carroll needs to adapt to Liverpool, others say Liverpool need to adapt to Andy Carroll. Most think it's a bit of both, what are your thoughts?
One could argue that the likes of Downing were brought in, in order to get the best out of him. I don't think it'll be necessary though. Maybe I'm just so naive in the matter but the way I see it is simple. He'll either fit in or he won't. Adapting to him, would be the wrong move and a sign of bulking under the pricetag. Suarez is the focal point of the attack and we should adapt to him. If that means a 5 man midfield, then big Andy gives way. If it means a human-tank that draws away defenders and can throw his weight around then by all means throw him in there. He's being trained to play the Liverpool way, and Kenny won't ever compromise that to benefit a single player.

6. Finally, how do you see Andy doing for the rest of this season, and looking further forward, his Liverpool career?
I think it will take a long time personally. He'll have dryspells and the like this season and the next. But I think he has the potential to do it all. I think he'll follow the Luca Toni/Didier Drogba mould. He's already there physically, with the right training and discipline he'll become an absolute machine but like with the aforementioned strikers it will take some time before the head follows suit. And I mean that as a compliment. Once he accepts his limitations and starts focusing on his strengths he can become an absolte phenomenon.
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Re: Scribes Q&A: Part I of several. Join in!
« Reply #15 on: October 8, 2011, 10:26:32 pm »
Who's the hardest scribe?
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Offline Garstonite

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Re: Scribes Q&A: Part I of several. Join in!
« Reply #16 on: October 8, 2011, 10:55:08 pm »
Who's the hardest scribe?

Someone called? Awrite you fackin' maaag?

Moving swiftly on:
Q1 - I think most fans are blinkered when a new signing comes in. I'm certainly no different. You focus heavily on their strengths and gloss conveniently over their weaknesses. I can't profess to have seen all that much of him, bar the 3-1 defeat we suffered at St James' Park when he had probably the game of his career, Newcastle's demolition of Villa when he scored a hat-trick and his exceptional display at Old Trafford playing up front on his own in a game I watched in the vain hope Utd would drop some early season points. So, in truth, I'd liked what I had seen an awful lot and was very happy to trust The King's judgement because it was still in his 'honeymoon period' (although, I'm not sure if it's actually ended yet?).
 
Q2 - I don't know whether the price tag has been a burden for Andy. Only he could answer that. At a guess, I doubt it's helped but as a professional I'd have presumed he would have been concerned about his form regardless of his price. I certainly wouldn't say it has been a burden for Liverpool Football Club as a whole though. Once the fee is paid, it's paid.

Q3 - It hasn't been great and there's no real point trying to pretend otherwise. The movement of Maxi, Kuyt and Suarez were the key to our late season success last term and Andy would come in, be far too static and would imbalance the side. Saying that though, his performance against City was marvellous and gives us an indication of what the team could be like with both styles working together in harmony.

Q4 - Strengths - terrific left peg and a great header of the ball. His passing ability and vision are both underrated features too.
Weaknesses - I've been disappointed with his strength since he's arrived. He's bullied far too easily, too often for a man of his size. He needs to become a more imposing figure and his reading of the game is something to be desired at times too. I hope it's just a case of him still trying to get to know some of the new players/our style of play.

Q5 - Good question. There was an interesting moment in the derby when we won a free-kick in Everton territory. Adam stood over the free-kick and Andy positioned himself at the back of the box only for Charlie to play it short and have the move break down. He was quick to criticise Adam, but Liverpool has built its reputation over the years as a passing side. At Newcastle, every opportunity they received, they would get the ball into the back of the box. Barton's delivery was perfect for Andy - hung up, there to be attacked. We were undone with this method at SJP last season when Nolan bundled the ball into the net from one of Carroll's knock-downs.
I don't want to see us becoming a one-dimensional, direct side. We've got too many great ball-players to be doing so. Newcastle used Andy's strengths as their approach. We've bought him to use his strengths as a commodity. He needs to get used to that.

Q6 - It all depends on Andy. If I was him, I'd continue honing the qualities that attracted us to him in the first place, but I'd realise that to become a regular feature in this team, I'm going to really develop on the areas that make him appear to 'imbalance' our side, starting with his movement.
« Last Edit: October 11, 2011, 02:52:39 pm by Garstonette »

Offline DutchRed

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Re: Scribes Q&A: Part I of several. Join in!
« Reply #17 on: October 9, 2011, 11:12:04 am »
1. Cast your mind back to January 31st. Liverpool have announced that Fernando Torres wants to leave and is about to join Chelsea. News then breaks that Liverpool have had a bid accepted for Newcastle striker Andy Carroll. What were your initial thoughts about us replacing Torres with Carroll?

Well, I thought that 35M was a huge lot of money for an unproven striker. But then again, it wasn't my money and who the f*ck is a spotty teenager to question King Kenny? I was hopeful that he'd come good  after I saw a lot of good performances from him for Newcastle, but I was very concerned that his young shoulders had to wear the pressure of replacing a name as big as Fernando Torres.

2. Do you think the £35M price tag is a burden for Liverpool & Carroll?

It must be. Two years ago he was totally onheard of and now he's the most expensive English striker in history. The money is paid anyhow, so both Liverpool and Carroll should give everything to make it as good an investment as possible.

3. How would you describe Andy's performances thus far?

He hardly set the world alight to be honest. Both his goals against Manchester City were examples of his talent, though. Once he has completely gelled in with the other players in the team and is playing the Dalglish/Clarke way, he'll come good and will be scoring a few goals.

4. What would you describe as Andy Carroll's strengths and weaknesses?

His strengths? He can pass a bit and posesses terrific heading ability and a left peg that scares the shit out of any goalkeeper. His weaknesses are obvious. He's a bit of a softie in the box, needs to be more clever. And he's a tad slow, but that doesn't have to be a big problem.

5. Some people say Andy Carroll needs to adapt to Liverpool, others say Liverpool need to adapt to Andy Carroll. Most think it's a bit of both, what are your thoughts?

Carroll needs to adapt to Liverpool, no doubt about that. Just because it's harder to make ten men adapt to one than the other way round. And actually, with Downing, Adam, Henderson, Gerrard and Suarez we do have a couple of players who'll make him score.

6. Finally, how do you see Andy doing for the rest of this season, and looking further forward, his Liverpool career?

He'll come good. Not tomorrow, but eventually he will. He is a born goalscorers and born goalscorers always come good eventually. The only thing I'd do if I was Kenny is to give Andy an advisor like Fowler or Rush.
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Re: Scribes Q&A: Part I of several. Join in!
« Reply #18 on: October 9, 2011, 07:33:18 pm »
note from Hinesy: This is part one of occasional internal spyin' kop type threads which are generated in the Writers Forum and brought over. Please join in, especially during the international break when this will remain stickied



This weeks subject will be Andy Carroll, as he seems to divide opinion.

1. Cast your mind back to January 31st. Liverpool have announced that Fernando Torres wants to leave and is about to join Chelsea. News then breaks that Liverpool have had a bid accepted for Newcastle striker Andy Carroll. What were your initial thoughts about us replacing Torres with Carroll?

Never thought of it like that. Torres was part of the old world, part of the Rafaloution, part of the great Spanish years. His leaving was part of the club's horror show. I didn't blame him, or any of the current management.

Likewise, Andy was definitely part of the new world. Young, British, a real target man in the Drogba mould. A sldgehammer to replace a rapier.


2. Do you think the £35M price tag is a burden for Liverpool & Carroll?

Yes, no doubt about it. Personally, I think it hard to see him being worth that much to us, but I also think that FSG had to make a statement to keep folks like Pepe onside

3. How would you describe Andy's performances thus far?

OK. I think he's had poor service from wide, and needs more. I think he's now fit, and works hard and is learning how to make his way. Most 'big men' don't peak until 24+ and I wouldn't be surprised if he took a couple of years to become as good as he can be.

4. What would you describe as Andy Carroll's strengths and weaknesses?

No doubt he's good in the air, although he's actually not done that well for us to date. I think the ball sticks to him, and when he comes deep, he links the midfield OK. His weaknesses have been his fitness - no doubt he was off the pace for  along time - too long IMO

5. Some people say Andy Carroll needs to adapt to Liverpool, others say Liverpool need to adapt to Andy Carroll. Most think it's a bit of both, what are your thoughts?

Bit of both. No point in having him if we're not going to put the ball wide and get quality crosses in. Could have bought another striker, another type of striker instead. Equally, he's got to play pass and move as well - we can't be the Barcodes. If anything, I think he's adapting better than the service to him

6. Finally, how do you see Andy doing for the rest of this season, and looking further forward, his Liverpool career?

I think he's going to get better this season, but truth be told I expect him to be no better than OK this season. He's a long-term bet, just like Henderson...


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Re: Scribes Q&A: Part I of several. Join in!
« Reply #19 on: October 11, 2011, 09:13:59 am »
1. What were your initial thoughts about us replacing Torres with Carroll?
It depends on how you look at it. I believed that Torres gave us the edge over all other clubs. He was the best striker in the EPL and Carroll was not going to replace him. However Torres left so I was pleased that we bought a player who had a lot of potential. In the past we would have let Torres go and brought in some has-been.


2. Do you think the £35M price tag is a burden for Liverpool & Carroll?
The price tag is not a burden for Liverpool. It may be a burden for Kenny if Carroll fails to deliver. Yes it is a burden for Carroll until he proves that he was worth it; until then he's going to have to listen to the media comments. The bigger burden, which applies to all Liverpool players, is to perform to the highest level in all games.


3. How would you describe Andy's performances thus far?
About 70% of what I expect from him. At times he's been good but this season he really needs to start to perform well and to knock Suarez off the MOTM perch.


4. What would you describe as Andy Carroll's strengths and weaknesses?
His strengths are obvious. He's good in the air and has a great shot. His weakness are that his first touch can be poor and at times he is too static.


5. Some people say Andy Carroll needs to adapt to Liverpool, others say Liverpool need to adapt to Andy Carroll. Most think it's a bit of both, what are your thoughts?
Players cannot really adapt unless they have the tools to do so. Carroll is not going to be a high energy player like Suarez who has great close skill. Hence the team will need to learn how to use Carroll's strengths. We need to get to the bye-line and get quick crosses in for Carroll to head in. He's not going to be effective with one-touch football. Carroll was bought for his strengths........if we wanted a quick thinking forward then we made a mistake in buying him.


6. Finally, how do you see Andy doing for the rest of this season, and looking further forward, his Liverpool career?
I think this is a big season for him. If he stays injury free then he needs to be much sharper and to start to knock in the goals otherwise he'll become an impact sub. If he has a disappointing year then I see him being sold. He needs to grasp the opportunity and play with immense passion and to become a great player.
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Offline rossipersempre

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Re: Scribes Q&A: Part I of several. Join in!
« Reply #20 on: October 12, 2011, 07:33:21 pm »
1. What were your initial thoughts about us replacing Torres with Carroll?
Like most, I knew we were having problems with Torres, his body language said it all, but never suspected he'd pull such a stunt especially as we'd just (finally) landed a player like Suarez, a real statement of intent. After the feeling of shock and betrayal (fucking Chelsea?) died down a little, I felt that second wave of nausea when it transpired we were prepared to pay £35m for Andy Carroll. It seemed (and still does if I'm honest) a panic purchase, a PR stunt by Henry & Werner to prove that we weren't a selling club. The fact our first choice was a far superior and proven player like Fernando (Torres) Llorente and we were knocked back says to me we were intent on buying anyone as a panacea to the fans, rather than wait for the summer market when a more calm and rational approach could be taken not to mention a greater availability of players (*cough* Aguero *cough*). And I think that was a big mistake. I still do, but it is what it is.


2. Do you think the £35M price tag is a burden for Liverpool & Carroll?
Of course it is, and anyone who says not is deluded. It affects the way the club treats him in terms of playing time (you don't routinely bench a player and record signing) and it increases the pressure on Carroll to deliver. The key of course lies in relieving that pressure on both parties and I can think of no other person better equipped to do that than Kenny.


3. How would you describe Andy's performances thus far?
Hit and miss. He clearly has potential, but it remains to be seen whether or not he can fulfill it at Anfield given the contrast between the system he is used to playing and how we do (Carragher aside). Heart says yes, head says no, and whilst I'm more than happy to give him time to adapt, if I'm being brutally honest, I would not be surprised to see a £20m-ish move at the end of this or early next season if he doesn't step up and adapt his game.


4. What would you describe as Andy Carroll's strengths and weaknesses?
Heading and left peg are strong. Mobility and link-up play remains a worry, the former more than the inevitable latter. He also seems to have a good attitude and seems to really grasp just what an honour it is to play for our club. That will hold him in good stead.


5. Some people say Andy Carroll needs to adapt to Liverpool, others say Liverpool need to adapt to Andy Carroll. Most think it's a bit of both, what are your thoughts?
Common sense says it ought to be him adapting to us. That's how great teams are built. Except I can't see how he will given our pass-and-move philosophy. The best I can see is that he provides more of a standalone option, an add-on striker, in the way that Crouch was successful with us. Problem being is that like Crouch, that option becomes surplus to requirements once a more suited option becomes available.


6. Finally, how do you see Andy doing for the rest of this season, and looking further forward, his Liverpool career?
This is very much a make or break season for him. He does well, steps up, looks sharp and bangs in a fair few goals, and he'll be fine. If not and he takes some knocks and has a stop-start season as a result, and the doubts (and knives) will be out. Sad but inevitable. See question 2.
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Offline Malaysian Kopite

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Re: Scribes Q&A: Part I of several. Join in!
« Reply #21 on: October 13, 2011, 04:51:03 pm »
1. Cast your mind back to January 31st. Liverpool have announced that Fernando Torres wants to leave and is about to join Chelsea. News then breaks that Liverpool have had a bid accepted for Newcastle striker Andy Carroll. What were your initial thoughts about us replacing Torres with Carroll?

-I was rather disappointed. Torres, despite having a terrible season by his usual standards was a gem of a player and Carroll was rather unproven.

2. Do you think the £35M price tag is a burden for Liverpool & Carroll?

-Unfortunately, yes. At any opportunity, his price tag will be brought up.

3. How would you describe Andy's performances thus far?

- Slightly above average. It would be unfair to judge him last season when he was recovering from injury although he had a superb game against Man City. This season he hasn't been very impressive yet. His best performance I would say was against Wolves.

4. What would you describe as Andy Carroll's strengths and weaknesses?

-Plenty has been said about his heading ability, so Im going to call attention on one his other other strengths, his impressive passing ability for a striker. Look at that ball he played to Suarez when he hit the post against City. It was simply brilliant. Apart from that, he's got a good shot on him and is good with his weaker foot as well.As for his weaknesses, he's not the most mobile player and due to his height, too many decisions go against him.

5. Some people say Andy Carroll needs to adapt to Liverpool, others say Liverpool need to adapt to Andy Carroll. Most think it's a bit of both, what are your thoughts?


-More of Liverpool needing to adapt to Andy than vice versa.

6. Finally, how do you see Andy doing for the rest of this season, and looking further forward, his Liverpool career?


-This season I think he's good value for 10-15 goals as well as proving to be an important squad member. I think Andy will only come into his own 2 to 3 seasons down the road, but when he does, it might just be worth the wait.
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Offline WOOLTONIAN

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Re: Scribes Q&A: Part I of several. Join in!
« Reply #22 on: October 17, 2011, 07:47:27 am »
1. Cast your mind back to January 31st. Liverpool have announced that Fernando Torres wants to leave and is about to join Chelsea. News then breaks that Liverpool have had a bid accepted for Newcastle striker Andy Carroll. What were your initial thoughts about us replacing Torres with Carroll?

Very Disappointed in Torres, thought he was above being a money grabber. Had only seen Carrol twice but I liked what I'd seen.

2. Do you think the £35M price tag is a burden for Liverpool & Carroll?

I thought 1 million for Trevor Francis was ridiculous many years ago. Nowadays I ignore all costs.

3. How would you describe Andy's performances thus far?

Too infrequent. Strikers need to play regular football wether scoring every week or not. It will not help him being in and out every other game.

4. What would you describe as Andy Carroll's strengths and weaknesses?

Has the build of a Sherman Tank perfect for holding the ball up away from home. Would be a great foil for Suarez if they were to be given a chance to build a partnership.


5. Some people say Andy Carroll needs to adapt to Liverpool, others say Liverpool need to adapt to Andy Carroll. Most think it's a bit of both, what are your thoughts?

Watching us crossing high balls without him is frustrating. Watching us NOT cross high balls with him is frustrating.
When he does play we need to find a player who knows how to take a corner. Some of our corners if not most are pathetic.

6. Finally, how do you see Andy doing for the rest of this season, and looking further forward, his Liverpool career?

If he gets a regular slot and we practise set pieces, he will be an asset. If he is allowed to make a partnership with Suarez, both will benefit. If we insist he must change his game to suit Liverpool, I think we've wasted our money.
We bought a big strong centre forward if we dont supply him with bullets he will never score.

Summary
I like what I've seen of Carrol but he will always be a Shire Horse not Nijinski.
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Offline jooneyisdagod

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Re: Scribes Q&A: Part I of several. Join in!
« Reply #23 on: October 17, 2011, 08:40:16 am »
1. Cast your mind back to January 31st. Liverpool have announced that Fernando Torres wants to leave and is about to join Chelsea. News then breaks that Liverpool have had a bid accepted for Newcastle striker Andy Carroll. What were your initial thoughts about us replacing Torres with Carroll?

First thoughts ?  Can't be written here without a large amount of swearing but lets just say what the fuck will suffice.  However as the dust settled and the initial sadness of seeing a much loved player leave in the manner he did and Torres became dead to me, I looked at the Carroll deal and thought we overpaid but at the same time found myself asking the question, ''What would be my reaction if the Mancs had spent the same cash on him ?'' and in all honesty I used to placate the feeling that we had overpaid for him grossly.  That said I did like what I had seen of him which admittedly wasn't much.  The first time I really watched him closely was the game against us when he scored that stunning goal from outside the box and I thought he was quite talented if raw.  So, I wasn't against signing the player itself.  And in all honesty, I have really liked how respectful he has been since he got here and seems to have a decent head on him at least until he goes out on the piss or when he is meeting Kenny at Boyzone concerts !



2. Do you think the £35M price tag is a burden for Liverpool & Carroll?


I think it is a massive burden actually.  Lachesis made the point and quite beautifully may I add that spending 35m on a player who doesn't seem to start every game leads to the inevitable question of whether the money could have been invested somewhere else.  He brings up the example of Downing and I think our views on Downing as a player are very similar in that I think he is a solid player without having the talent to stand out and really become an international star the way Torres, Gerrard, Alonso, Mascherano and Pepe do.  But I digress, I guess what I'm trying to say is that the inevitable question leads to a lot of pressure. 



3. How would you describe Andy's performances thus far?


He has been patchy.  Looks good for a bit and then looks pedestrian and all of a sudden jinks past a couple displaying skill you would never guess he had just looking at him and then shoots wide. 

4. What would you describe as Andy Carroll's strengths and weaknesses?

His strengths are obviously his heading ability.  He hasn't displayed much of it so far here IMO and I haven't yet been able to conclude why that is.  I believe we need to wait for a while longer before we can determine why he does not look as aerially dominant at Liverpool as he did at Newcastle.  However, having seen him boss Skrtel and was it Soto that played against Newcastle ? in a performance that was forceful as they come, I believe he can head the ball and head well.  He also seems to have much better feet than people give him credit for.  Strong as an ox although he seems to be getting a fair few fouls going against him.  His weaknesses would have to start with his lack of mobility.  He just seems way too static and that might work in some cases and for some players like Berbatov who has perhaps the best touch in the league apart from his size and even he has struggled at the Mancs who play the kind of high tempo football, we seem to be going for as well.  And mobility for me isn't just about pace, its also about game intelligence.  He just seems very coached and seems to lack a bit of invention in the game intelligence department.

5. Some people say Andy Carroll needs to adapt to Liverpool, others say Liverpool need to adapt to Andy Carroll. Most think it's a bit of both, what are your thoughts?


A bit of both really.  Nothing to explain any more.  While I don't expect Andy to become the cornerstone of our team, I do think we may make a few changes to adapt to him and vice versa.

6. Finally, how do you see Andy doing for the rest of this season, and looking further forward, his Liverpool career?


No clue.  I was really hoping he would play against the Mancs since IMO he would have bullied them for 90 minutes physically and that would have freed up a lot of space for Suarez.  However it didn't happen.  The one positive I could take out of our record signing not starting a match against our biggest rivals was that we finally seem to be in a position where we could leave a 35 million pound striker on the bench, a situation the Mancs have been for ages. 
Quote from: Dion Fanning

The chants for Kenny Dalglish that were heard again on Wednesday do not necessarily mean that the fans see him as the saviour. This is not Newcastle, longing for the return of Kevin Keegan. Simply, Dalglish represents everything Hodgson is not and, in fairness, everything Hodgson could or would not hope to be.

Offline JohnnoWhite

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Re: Scribes Q&A: Part I of several. Join in!
« Reply #24 on: October 18, 2011, 07:20:06 am »
1. Torres departing in the manner in which he did was a considerable surprise to me. I had him figured for better than that but seems that I was wrong. That Liverpool then paid £35 mill for an unproven piece of Geordie raw talent with some off-field baggage was an equally big surprise to be honest with you.
What was very odd too was that when he arrived, he came carrying a leg injury which I remember caused me to ask a good Liverpool mate of mine how come they paid up if he couldn’t pass the pre-signing medical? He didn’t have an answer either.
I then wondered whether securing both Suarez and Carroll was an attempt to resurrect a modern-era Toshack and Keegan style partnership but it’s very difficult to say as they haven’t been given any game time together.

2. Is the tag he’s carrying a burden for either the club or the player? Well, it might be for the club who decided to shell out a hefty portion of the Torres money on him but not in the least for the lad himself.  I say this because in my book, it’s not the player’s fault if others value him as they do – whether it's realistic or not.  All the lad can do is come and try to do what he believed first attracted Liverpool to come and buy him in the first place.

3. His performances so far have been few and far between which I find strange. Is the lad carrying some injury which flares regularly enough that he can’t command a regular spot in the side? I don’t know but £35mill to sit on the bench more frequently than leading the line is bound to raise questions of managerial preferences for leading the club’s strikers.

4. Strengths and weaknesses is a bit of a funny one to call. In many ways he’s a throw-back to the old style centre-forwards of the 50’s and 60’s – look at his physical height and strength. Surprisingly (as was the case with Crouch too) despite his height, he hasn’t particularly shown much of his heading prowess which again is a bit strange. You buy a 6’4” striker and you don’t field him often enough to work on a strategy that utilises his best assets. It just appears a bit odd to the outsider is what I’m saying. He might be the finest header of the ball since Tommy Lawton or Jackie Milburn but we've never seen him in action long enough to form a view as it were. We know he carries a bazooka in the left foot though.

5. Whether  he needs to adapt his game to how KD wants to play or whether the side need to find a way that’s targeted around the role he’s required to deliver is again very difficult to say given that KD doesn’t play him regularly enough to work out who needs to do what. I do think that sooner or later, questions will start to be asked either by Liverpool fans themselves or the Press if nothing emerges from this period of settling in that both him and the club are going through at the minute.

6. As to his future pivotal role for the rest of the season and beyond I refer you to the above comments. Until he starts appearing regularly and establishes himself as deserving to be the first name on the team sheet on every match day, then the big question of what the futures holds for him remains largely academic. It's a bit of a unsolved puzzle at the minute.
« Last Edit: March 30, 2012, 08:08:58 pm by Johnnowhite »
There is nothing wrong with striving to win, so long as you don't set the prize above the game. There can be no dishonour in defeat nor any conceit in victory. What matters above all is that the team plays in the right spirit, with skill, courage, fair play,no favour and the result accepted without bitterness. Sir Matt Busby CBE KCSG 1909-1994

Offline christobinsings

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Re: Scribes Q&A: Part I of several. Join in!
« Reply #25 on: March 7, 2012, 12:22:18 pm »
I t is interesting to read the original post here, then read what folk are feeling today over a year later, and opinion has not actually changed, who says this managing game aint easy??

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EX0zIilGuww&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Offline AKABillyGee

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Re: Scribes Q&A: Part I of several. Join in!
« Reply #26 on: June 25, 2012, 11:40:51 am »
Open University Senior Lecturer Dr Frank Monaghan is researching the ways in which Liverpool FC fans use both banners and social media to mark out a 'Scouse' identity and how they put these resources to use - from low humour and mocking of opponents through to political activism to resist the commercialisation of football.  Source - OpenMinds the journal of the Open University June 2012.

Offline The Shepherd

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Re: Scribes Q&A: Part I of several. Join in!
« Reply #27 on: September 25, 2012, 06:06:22 pm »
1 and 2. A part of me was relieved as I was fed up of Torres sulking. At the same time I knew we were losing a massive asset that would be virtually irreplaceable although I did think £50 mill if spent well could improve the squad a lot. As it turned out we basically acted like a bored housewife with wad of cash at her disposal and spent it impulsively on the most fashionable item currently on the market and got seriously ripped off doing it. The £35 mill was always going to be a short term burden which could possibly turn into a long term disaster.

3. Carroll has been OK and I thought selling him was a bad idea so you can guess what I thought about loaning him out to West Ham.

4. His strengths are obvious in terms of his physical abilities but he does definitely have an eye for goal. I also think mentally he brings something to the squad. He is a team player and a battler and seems to me to have a really good attitude, just has had a bit of bad time with PR and his spare time activities.

5. Andy Carroll is a team player. End of.

6. He'll do well at West Ham. His future at Liverpool is up to the manager and the board.

Offline JohnnoWhite

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Re: Scribes Q&A: Part I of several. Join in!
« Reply #28 on: September 26, 2012, 07:14:01 am »
It doesn't much matter now he's away in the East End but I can't agree with the bit about really good attitude. My view of his attitude - whenever he got a chance of wearing the shirt to be fair to the lad - was that when things went wrong and attacks broke down, he too often - for the games I saw anyway - was inclined to pull his gob and bollock his team-mate for delivering a poor ball or for them not being where he'd just played the ball. Yes he's a big lad with some prospects - but whenever I see today's players displaying that tendency, then it always disappoints me.
Fuck me, they've got the team shirt on their back plus they've got £50K a week minimum for it too! Get real and support your team-mates even when the pass they made wasn't perfect eh? When was the last time ANYONE - Carroll included - was perfect?

Maybe he'll be back and maybe he won't. That's for others to determine based on what THEY decide he can bring to the LFC table. Wait and see is all you can do.
There is nothing wrong with striving to win, so long as you don't set the prize above the game. There can be no dishonour in defeat nor any conceit in victory. What matters above all is that the team plays in the right spirit, with skill, courage, fair play,no favour and the result accepted without bitterness. Sir Matt Busby CBE KCSG 1909-1994