You can buy my first e-book on Amazon in kindle format, it is called The Kopite View Season 2012-13, here is the link http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kopite-View-Season-2012-13-ebook/dp/B00BMW7JTA/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1362780961&sr=1-1
The book consists of my match reports and articles from earlier in the season. If you like my blog, you will like my book. All the money is going to help Hillsborough Families.
Carroll Never Got A Chance
Liverpool sold Andy Carroll to West Ham and cut their losses on a player that didn’t fit into new manager Brendan Rodgers’ plans. Carroll finally made the move to West Ham permanent after passing a medical ending speculation regarding his future.
Carroll signed from Newcastle for £35 million on January 31 2011. Carroll was recovering from injury at the time of signing and he had to wait some time before making his debut . Andy Carroll had a difficult start to life at Anfield as he struggled to find the net and he also looked to be struggling with his fitness after his injury setback.
Carroll’s first full season ended with Carroll in fine form as he netted the winner in the FA Cup semi-final against Everton before coming on as substitute in the final against Chelsea to score again and change the game as Liverpool just missed out on another trophy. A few days later Carroll tormented the Chelsea defence again as Liverpool gained revenge by defeating the Blues at Anfield in the league.
That summer led to Liverpool’s manager Kenny Dalglish’s departure and Swansea manager Brendan Rodgers taking over the Anfield hot seat.
Dalglish’s departure signalled the end of Carroll’s career as a Liverpool player as Brendan Rodgers hastened to move him on albeit on loan before the end of the summer transfer window. It seemed a crazy decision to let Carroll, go as Liverpool were left short of strikers in their squad. They did try to bring Fulham’s Clint Demspey to Anfield on the last day of the transfer window but it fell through and left Liverpool very short of strikers.
Brendan Rodgers came into Anfield and stated that every player would be given a chance, well I don’t think he gave Carroll much of chance by moving him out so quickly even with a shortage of strikers.
In fairness to Rodgers he does have a style of play that he wants his team to play and a certain type of player to fit into his team, Carroll was not his type of player for his team. Regardless of the amount of money that Liverpool Football Club paid for Carroll, Rodgers was not in any way going to work with Carroll to coach him into fitting into his team’s style of play. OK so Carroll was an investment from the previous management team at Anfield, but I got a feeling that by getting rid of Carroll so quickly was like an announcement to Dalglish and his staff that Carroll was a waste of money.
If a club pay so much money for a player then you would think that they would give him every opportunity to fit into the team and to find his form. Chelsea and Torres is a prime example as they even changed manager to bring the best out of their struggling expensive investment.
But Liverpool and Rodgers refused to give Carroll time and this week ultimately cut their losses by selling him to West Ham after his season’s loan spell at Upton Park.
It is surprising that Liverpool’s owners allowed Rodgers to move the big striker on after they invested so much money on him. But at the same time it is to be applauded that the owners are allowing Rodgers the freedom to make his decisions of who he wants and doesn’t want in his team, even if the player moving out has cost a lot of money.
Carroll is a big strong player who can lead the line well and he is also dangerous in the air. Carroll is also valuable at defending set-pieces with his heading ability. His powerful left foot shot is also a highlight of his abilities and he would have given Liverpool another attacking option.
Many experts thought that Liverpool lacked a plan B in attacking options this season under the leadership of Brendan Rodgers as Liverpool were left at times frustrated in trying to break teams down especially at Anfield where some teams sat very deep intent on frustrating Liverpool’s passing game and preventing Liverpool space to penetrate. But the option of Carroll in attack would have posed a different problem for opposing defences and gave them something different to think about instead of the predictable style set by Rodgers.
Most good teams need a plan B option for when things are not going right and good managers know when to use it. Barcelona are about the only team that don’t use a plan B but that is because they are so good and don’t need one anyway.
The other disappointing thing about Carroll’s departure is the reluctance by Rodgers to work with him and mould him into the player that he would like for his team. Carroll is not a veteran and has many years ahead of him where he could have been coached and he should have been coached.
Andy Carroll’s career at Liverpool will go down as a flop and one of the worst signings in history. But it didn’t need to be that way if he had been given a chance after Kenny’s departure and if you don’t get a chance to prove yourself then what chance do you have.
This article is not intended to be a criticism of Brendan Rodgers’ management style, I am just being highly critical of Rodgers’ treatment of Carroll and like all managers he has favourite players and players that he doesn’t like and unfortunately for Carroll, his face didn’t fit.
The Carroll episode is now closed at Liverpool and I’m sure everyone wishes him all the best at his new club at West Ham where I’m sure he will be more appreciated by his manager.
The hope now is for Rodgers to bring in the right players to improve Liverpool in their quest for Champions League football.
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Tags: Andy Carroll, Anfield, Brendan Rodgers, Carroll, Kenny Dalglish, Liverpool, Rodgers, West Ham United FC
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