Five reasons why Andy Carroll hasn't fired for Liverpool

It is no secret that since his record-breaking £35m move from Newcastle in January 2011, Andy Carroll has been somewhat of a disappointment for Liverpool. His match-winning finish at Ewood Park this week was only his sixth Premiership effort, equaling an astonishing £5.8m per goal, a statistic that is typical of a dreadful league season for the Anfield club.

It is little over a year since Carroll was being hailed as England’s leading light, and few would argue that the 23-year-old doesn’t possess oodles of potential. So why hasn’t he fired for the Merseyside club? Here are my five main reasons for Carroll’s shortcomings.

5) Pressure

It is not made easy for any new signing to settle in at Liverpool. No sooner is your contract signed before you are being compared with an all-time legend, being dragged through the trophy-laden Anfield museum, and lectured about the intricacies of ‘Liverpool Way’. Every player is expected to play a certain brand of football, with instant success, and young players can often not cope with such a pressure. Whilst the fans are known to be some of the most patient in the world, the English media are not. Couple that with the weight of a £35m price tag, and there is no finer example than that of Carroll.

4) Tactics

If Damien Comolli’s statistic-led master plan was to build the team around Carroll’s trusty head, then no-one appears to have told Kenny Dalglish. With Carroll on the pitch, they seem intent on leaving the big Geordie isolated up front on his own, with little support from the other attacking forces around him. The bottom line is, when Carroll was at his best for Newcastle, Shola Ameobi and Kevin Nolan would be in around the edge of the box to feed off the big man’s knock-downs. Liverpool have chosen not to provide this level of support, a role which would surely suit Steven Gerrard down to the ground?

3) Poor Service

When the reds secured the signing of Stewart Downing in July 2011, minds boggled as to the potential of a Downing/Carroll partnership. With the Premiership’s most successful crosser of the ball, and the Premiership’s best header of a ball, how could Liverpool not be shot to stardom? Well, they could underperform. Despite a string of promising recent showings, Downing will be disappointed with his form this term, and his delivery into the box this season has been frankly substandard. A lack of width down the right flank, an injury-riddled Steven Gerrard and equally poor debut season from Jordan Henderson have all also contributed to a poor quality of service that has significantly undermined Carroll’s potential.

2) Movement

Now this one is the big man’s fault. When the chips are down, an out-of-sorts front man has to make his own luck, and in this department, Carroll has been sadly lacking. Seemingly more intent on sulking at refereeing decisions than getting himself into the game, the big man often fades out of games and leaves himself stranded in poor areas of the pitch. One asset of his game that has surprised the Anfield faithful is the quality of his footwork, and in order to properly show this off, Carroll must drop into the midfield more. His best games for Liverpool have been when he has done exactly this.

1) Luck

Let’s be honest, lady luck is the first to be blamed when a player isn’t quite firing on all cylinders, but in Carroll’s case, this might be a little justified. Dodgy offsides, rattling woodworks and outstanding saves have all conspired to reduce his goals tally, and whilst, with a little more of the rub of the green, Carroll would not exactly be threatening the scoring records of Robin van Persie, his return in a Liverpool shirt would be doubled at least.

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https://www.sportskeeda.com/2012/04/05/liverpools-unlikely-savior-andy-carroll/