Why everyone is being too harsh on Andy Carroll

Andy Carroll completed his move to Liverpool in January 2011 on deadline day. As Fernando Torres made his last minute move to Chelsea for £50million, Liverpool moved quickly to replace him by signing Carroll for a British record of £34million. Carroll has now been at Liverpool for a year and he has not played the best football of his career, but I feel the stick he has received has been very harsh.

Andy Carroll celebrates his goal against Oldham in the FA Cup

Being a similar type of striker as Andy Carroll, I know that players like him do not get goals on a plate for them. They have to work hard for their goals. Carroll is not a natural finisher like Micheal Owen, Thierry Henry and Alan Shearer have been in the past. His game is about winning headers, grappling with defenders and holding the ball up. He plays most of the game with his back to goal which is not a bad thing for Liverpool.

I do feel that in recent weeks he has been left isolated by Liverpool playing him up front on his own. If you play a striker like Andy Carroll up front on his own then he needs players making runs off him and Liverpool haven’t been doing that. Carroll ends up flicking the ball on to nobody and he holds the ball up and has nobody to lay it off too. This makes Carroll look like a terrible player when really he is doing a good job but no one is helping him out. Football is a team game. You noticed the difference last Friday night when Steven Gerrard made his return as a sub against Newcastle United. Gerrard constantly made runs off Andy Carroll and ran on to his flick ons. Gerrard understands how Carroll plays and they could work well together now he is fit. I feel Gerrard could be the key to Andy Carroll being a success at Liverpool.

A £34million price tag does come with natural pressure but I’m sure Carroll did not ask to be bought for that much. If Newcastle wanted that much money for him and Liverpool were willing to pay it then that is between the 2 clubs and it is harsh to blame Carroll for costing too much and say because he cost too much he should be doing better. Carroll’s goal return hasn’t been great but big strikers like him do a lot more for the team than just score goals and I am sure Kenny Daglish and all the Liverpool players appreciate that.

Carroll has scored 4 goals from 16 starts for Liverpool but he is not the only striker to struggle for goals when he first joined. Peter Crouch scored 5 goals from 22 starts. Even Luis Suarez scored only 8 goals from his first 23 starts. When Micheal Owen came through the ranks he also managed 8 goals but they came in his first 21 starts and Dirk Kuyt scored 9 goals from his first 22 starts. All these other strikers have gone on to score many more goals for Liverpool.

Maybe I am biased towards Carroll because I class myself as a similar striker to him, but I am very sure he is going to have a great career for both his club and his country. He is still only 23 too which will give him plenty of time to prove his doubters wrong.

Feed the Yak and he will score

This week my striker of the week goes to Blackburn Rovers striker Yakubu.

Yakubu scored 4 goals at the weekend

Yakubu blasted 4 goals for struggling Blackburn Rovers in a 4-2 win over newly promoted Swansea City. The pick of Yakubu’s 4 goals was his first as he expertly placed the pulled back ball into the top corner from 12 yards out. Yakubu was a constant threat throughout the game and he proved to be the difference between the 2 sides. If Blackburn can keep him fit and scoring then they will be able to climb the table. One of the main reason teams struggle in the Premier League is because they do not have a goalscorer.

Yakubu joined a special club when he scored his hat trick for Blackburn as he became 1 of 5 Premier League players to have scored a hat trick for 3 different clubs. He has now scored hat tricks for Blackburn, Everton and Portsmouth. He joins Nicolas Anelka (Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City), Kevin Campbell (Arsenal, Everton and Nottingham Forest), Les Ferdinand (Newcastle United, Q.P.R, Tottenham), and Teddy Sheringham (Manchester United, Portsmouth, Tottenham).

Yakubu celebrates with Manager Steve Kean

However the fantastic display by Yakubu and Blackburn Rovers was again over shadowed by the fans protests of manager Steve Kean. When Yakubu put Blackburn 1 nil up he went and celebrated with Steve Kean and what the fans did next was  outrages. The cheers and applause from the celebrating fans quickly turned to a chorus of boos. Never before at a football match has a teams fans ever booed when their team has gone 1 nil up. I am embarrassed for the Blackburn fans who did this.

The situation hand at Blackburn now. Fans banners about getting Kean out were banned from a recent game, but this did not stop someone getting a plane flown over the stadium. What good is this doing for the Blackburn team. The answer is none at all. If Blackburn do get relegated this season it as much down to the fans as it is the owners or the manager.

Yakubu was an easy winner of my striker of the week this week there were some others that did put in very good performances.

Steven Flectcher (Wolves)- Scored a second half brace as Wolves came from behind to beat Sunderland by 2 goals to 1.

Will Buckley (Brighton)- Came of the bench to score a 92nd minute winner as Brighton beat Nottingham Forest 1-0.

Matt Tubbs (Crawley Town)- Scored a hat trick as Crawley beat Redbridge 5-0 to set up a 3rd round tie with Championship side Bristol City.

Dave Macpherson (Nantwich Town)- Evo Stik Northern Premier side Nantwich won 5-4 away to Whitby Town with Macpherson scoring a hat trick.

Who should lead the line for England at Euro 2012?

Rooney was sent off against Macedonia

With Wayne Rooney suspended for all of England’s Euro 2012 group matches, who would be the ideal player to replace him in the starting 11. There are many players fighting for his place before next summers championships, but I want to know who the England supporters think should be given the chance.

Top 5 Premier League Strikers

The Premier League formed in 1992 and since then there have been many great strikers. I have picked my top 5 strikers in no particular order.

Alan Shearer celebrating a goal for Newcastle

Alan Shearer- Shearer started his career at Southampton, and then moved on to Blackburn Rovers where his goal helped them win the Premier League in 1994/1995 season. He then moved on to Newcastle United where he his now a club legend. He has scored the highest number of Premier League goals ever, scoring 260. Shearer is now a pundit for Match of the Day.

Andy Cole playing for Manchester United

Andy Cole- Cole’s best time of his career came when he was at Manchester United between the years of 1995-2001. He won the Premier League tittle 5 times in the 5 seasons he was at the club. He also scored goals for Newcastle United, Bristol City and Blackburn Rovers. He scored 187 goals altogether in the Premier League.

Thierry Henry

Thierry Henry- Henry played in the Premier League for Arsenal from 1999-2007. He won the League twice in 2001/2002 and then again in 2003/2004 season wen Arsenal went unbeaten for the whole season. He racked up 174 Premier League goals for Arsenal before  he moved to Barcelona. Henry has now moved to the MLS where he is playing for New York Red Bulls.

Micheal Owen at Liverpoo

Micheal Owen- Owen has scored goals at every club he has played at although he has had a lot of injuries through out his career. Whenever he returns from injury still manages to score goals. He has scored 149 goals in the Premier League with most of them coming at Liverpool. However he has also scored many goals for Newcastle United and also his current club Manchester United. Owen has lost a lot of his early career pace but he is still proving that he knows how to hit the back of the net.

Robbie Fowler

Robbie Fowler- Fowler played started at and played for Liverpool in the Premier League for the majority of his career. He scored the Premier League quickest hat-trick in 1994 against Arsenal. He netted his 3 goals in a record period of 4 minutes and 33 seconds from the first goal going in until his third was scored. Fowler scored a total of 163 Premier League goals. He left Liverpool in 2001 but rejoined them in 2006 for another season. Fowler also scored goals for Leeds United and Manchester City. After a spell in Australia, he now plays in Thailand for Muangthong United.

Other Top Premier League strikers who just missed out on the list are:

Eric Cantona- Classy striker who became a Manchester United legend between 1992-1997 before retiring from the game at the age of 31.

Les Ferdinand-Scored 149 Premier League goals. Most came for QPR and Tottenham.

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink-Score 127 Premier League goals for Leeds United, Chelsea and Middlesborough.

Ruud Van Nistlerooy-Scored 95 goals for Manchester United in 150 appearances.

Teddy Sheringham- Scored 147 Premier League goals and is oldest player to play in the Premier League at 42.

Wayne Rooney-Has now scored 126 Premier League goals but I am sure there will be plenty more to come at Manchester United.

Dennis Bergkamp-Arsenal Legend who was scared to fly so would sometimes not travel to Arsenal’s Champions League games. Made 411 appearances for Arsenal in an 11 year spell.

Brave Billy Sharp’s ‘goal from heaven’

This weeks striker of the week goes to Doncaster Rovers Billy Sharp. Sharp started and captained his team and scored a wonder goal, just 3 days after his 2 day old baby boy Luey Sharp had been born. He dedicated his goal to his son.

Billy Sharp reveals his t shirt when he scored. "That's for you son"

There was a minutes applause before the game to celebrate the life of Luey Sharpe. The goal was a fantastic dipping volley and it was a fitting tribute to his son. Sharp celebrated by revealing a shirt underneath his playing shirt that read, “THAT’S FOR YOU SON”.  The referee did not book Sharp which showed that some referees can show a bit of common sense.

Doncaster manager Dean Saunders described how Sharp had told him that he wanted to play in the game against Middlesborough so that he could score a goal for his son. Once Sharp had said that to Saunders there wasn’t really any way Saunders could refuse.

Doncaster did go on to lose the game 3-1 to high flying Middlesborough but Sharps inspirational act overshadowed it. It shows that football is just a game and sometimes people get to hung up on it. You can see Sharps goal and celebration here. 

Some media and social networking sites have compared Sharps act to that of Carlos Tevez this week. I don’t feel this is right because Sharp’s act of courage is on another level. His efforts stand alone from anything I have ever seen before and there is no need to put it into any context by comparing him to Tevez.

Billy Sharps inspirational match over shadowed some other brilliant striker’s performances this week.

Robin Van Persie (Arsenal)- Scored a hat-trick at Stamford Bridge as Arsenal beat Chelsea 5-3. RVP is quickly becoming an Arsenal legend.

Demba Ba (Newcastle)- Scored a hat-trick as Newcastle beat stoke 3-1 at the Britannia stadium. He nearly signed for Stoke earlier this year but he did not pass a medical. Stoke boss Tony Pulis described Ba’s knee as a “ticking time bomb waiting to go off” .

Bradley Wright-Philips (Charlton Athletic)- Scored 2 goals as Charlton beat Hartlepool 4-0 to go top of League one. Not many teams go to Hartlepool and get points so it was a great win.

Billy Kee (Burton Albion)- Scored a hat-trick in a high scoring game away to Barnet. Burton won the game 6-3.

Connor Jennings (Stalybridge Celtic)- Scored 2 in a 2nil win against Worcester to send his team top of the Blue Square North. His goals have also earned him a call up to England C.

Shaun Tuck (Skelmersdale United)- Scored a hat-trick as his team beat Ossett Town 4 goals to nil.

15 year old scores for Wycombe

After Mason Bennett made his debut for Derby last weekend, Wycombe Wanderers own sensation took the lime light this weekend. 15 year old Jordan Ibe scored a goal but Wycombe were beaten by Sheffield Wednesday 2-1.

Jordan Ibe celebrates his goal on Saturday

Ibe’s goal came 10 days before his 16th birthday. By scoring he became the clubs youngest football league scorer and has since been backed to be a Premier League star in the future. This was Ibe’s 7th first team appearance of the season but this was his first start. He showed why his manager put faith in him by running through a number of players before smashing the ball into the top corner.

Ibe was also booked on Saturday when he went and celebrated with his family who were in the Adams Park crowd. I feel that this rule needs changing as there is no better feeling than scoring a goal and celebrations are a spare of the moment thing that you do not think about. To be at risk of being sent off for the rest of the game is absolutely ridiculous. Ibe is 15 and to be playing for a professional first team at 15 would make you want to celebrate. To score as a 15 year old for a professional team you’d want to be able to celebrate however you wanted too!

You can see Ibe’s goal in Wycombes 2-1 defeat to Sheffield Wednesday here. 

Ibe scored a wonder goal for Wycombe’s under 18’s earlier in the season which brought him to the attention of many Premier League clubs.

Derby hand debut to 15 year old Striker

Championship side Derby County have given 15 year old Mason Bennett his professional debut, even though he is still at school. Bennett was born on the 15th July 1996. To put it into perspective, Bennett was still not born when ‘Gazza’ lobbed the ball over Colin Hendry’s head to then score on the volley at Wembley against Scotland in Euro 96. He was born exactly one month later.

Mason Bennett at school

Nigel Clough started Bennett for Derby last Saturday away at Middlesbrough and he became Derby’s youngest ever player at 15 years and 99 days. Over 17 thousand were packed into the Riverside stadium but this did not faze Bennett. Derby lost the game 2 nil but Bennett did not let himself down as he put in a very mature performance. He nearly scored too when his shot cannoned back off the cross bar. He was always involved in the action and was also booked. He played 78 minutes of the match before being substituted.

Bennett was set to make his debut on the Tuesday before but Derby were playing Reading away and the management thought that it was too far for him to travel as he had to go to school the next day. You can understand where Derby are coming from but I know where Bennett would have rather have been.

He represented England in the Under 17s World Cup in Mexico this summer where he

Bennett celebrating his goal for England Under 16s

scored 1 goal. England were knocked out in the semi-finals by non other than Germany! Most recently Bennett represented England at Under 16 level live on Sky Sports in the Victory Shield. England beat Northern Ireland 3-1 at Chesterfield’s B2 Net Stadium. 100 of his school friends and teachers went to watch him play in this game and Bennett did not dissapoint as he scored 2 goals and set 1 up in the game and was described as being a man amongst boys.

Bennett is said to have his feet firmly on the ground but you can only begin to imagine how popular he must be with his school mates. Most good footballers in school get attention if they play for clubs, or even if they do well for the school team or even just in P.E. For Bennett to make his professional debut for the team a lot of his school friends will pay to go and watch every week is on a different level. Let’s hope Bennett can fulfill his potential and become one of England’s best players in the future.

Bennett has recently had scouts from Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham come and watch him. I feel that he would be best staying at Derby for a few years, because if he was to move to one of the Premier Leagues biggest teams now then I doubt he’d play until they felt he had developed more. At Derby he has been given his chance early and is taking it and if he continues to do this he will get more opportunities in the future to move to a big team. It would still be understandable if Bennett was to move now though, as every player no matter how good they are, wants to play at the highest level they possibly can in their careers.

Bennett joins 2 other schoolboy strikers who have made their debuts in the football league recently.

Reuben Noble-Lazarus (Barnsley)- He was 15 years 45 days old when he appeared against Ipswich Town last September.

Jordan Ibe (Wycombe Wanderers)- He scored for Wycombe in pre-season against Staines Town. Made his full debut in the league cup tie against Colchester when he came on in extra time. Manchester United are leading the race to sign him. He scored this wonder goal for Wycombe’s Under 18 side. 

The youngest ever reported striker to make their professional debut came from the Bolivian League. 12 year old Mauricio Baldivieso was given his debut by his Dad who is is the manager of his team. As you can see from the video, he shouldn’t have been playing if he can’t take a slight kick! 

Aldershot vs Manchester United LIVE

Manchester United travel to League 2 Aldershot in the Carling Cup Forth Round in what will be one of the biggest games in the ‘Shots’ history. Follow my live feed of the game here.

Aldershot vs Manchester United

Aldershot FC Main Stand

HartlePOOLE man James is my striker of the week

This week my striker of the week is Hartlepool United striker James Poole.

James Poole

The former Manchester City man scored 2 goals for his side away at Chesterfield this weekend. This took his tally to 5 for the season. The striker has been in and out the team this season but he will now be looking to hold down a regular starting place in this form.

Poole, now 21 years old, signed for Manchester City from Macclesfield Town when he was just 15. He was part of Manchester City’s FA youth cup winning side in 2008 and was ever present in the reserve side at Manchester City too. The left footed striker, who can use both feet,  never made a first team appearance for City. At the end of the 2009/2010 season he went on loan to then League two side Bury. He then went in search of first team football again the next season when he joined Hartlepool United on loan. He rejoined the ‘Monkey Hangers’ at the start of this season on a permanent basis after his contract at Manchester City had run out.

Poole’s first goal at the weekend was a fantastic strike from just over 20 yards. The ball fell to him on the edge of the box and he found half a yard and struck the ball across the keeper into the far corner giving the goalkeeper no chance. That goal put Hartlepool 2-1 up. His 2nd goal put them 3-1 up and it also proved to be the winning goal as the game finished 3-2. Poole is not the biggest striker, but his fantastic movement in the box allowed him to get his head on the end of a cross from the left at the near post. You can see Poole’s goals by clicking here.

Striker of the week James Poole with team mate Peter Hartley

When Poole left Manchester City he looked destined to join Hartlepool so that he could join up with team mate Peter Hartley. Put the 2 surnames together and it will become clear why.

Poole will be looking to continue his form on Tuesday night when Hartlepool take on Tranmere Rovers at Victoria Park. If selected, which I’m sure he will be, it will be Poole’s best run of games since he joined the club.

Although James Poole is my striker of the week this week, once again their are a few strikers that missed out on the best accolade in football.

Robin Van Persie (Arsenal)- Last weeks striker of the week could have easily made it 2 weeks at the top in the row if it wasn’t for Poole. Arsene Wenger surprisingly left his captain on the bench but Van Persie came on to score 2 goals in a 3-1 win over Stoke City at the Emirates.

Mario Balotelli (Man City)- Poole’s former team mate was in the news for apparently setting fireworks off in his house this week but he put all that behind him and scored 2 goals in Man City’s 6-1 drumming of Man United in the derby.

Darius Henderson (Millwall)- Scored a hat trick as Millwall thrashed big spending Leicester City 3-0 at the Walkers stadium.

Yann Kermorgant (Charlton Athletic)- Famously chipped a penalty 2 seasons ago in the Championship play off semi-final for Leicester City which was saved. Scored 2 goals this weekend when Charlton saw off Carlisle by 4 goals to nil. This song was made by a Leicester fan about his miss. 

Jordan Rhodes (Huddersfield Town)- For the 3rd week running Rhodes has just missed out on being my striker of the week. The 21 year old scored his 2nd hat trick in 2 games as Huddersfield beat Preston 3-1.

Connor Jennings (Stalybridge Celtic)- Scored twice as Stalybridge beat Altrincham 5-1 to go top of the Conference North.

Ste Howson (Radcliffe Borough)- The central defender played upfront for the second half of Radcliffe’s FA Trophy tie against Harrogate Railway and scored the winner in stoppage time to make it 2-1.

R.V.P is my M.V.P

My Striker of the week this week goes to Arsenal’s Robin Van Persie.

Van Persie Celebrates his winner against Sunderland

The in form striker seems to be the only positive thing coming out of Arsenal football club at the moment. The influential captain has taken over from Cesc Fabregas with style, and he is doing all he can to help Arsene Wenger, in what is turning into the hardest part of the French managers Arsenal career.

The first thing a captain of a football team should do before anything else is lead by example on the pitch. Without doubt Van Persie fell into that category with his performance against Sunderland this weekend. Van Persie was the main man from the word go, scoring his first goal after just 29 seconds. He received the ball from Gervinho on the left and found space on the edge of the box to put the ball in the net with his weaker right foot.

It was not all about Van Persie’s goals in the game on Sunday, with the striker also going close on another 2 occasions in the first half. Van Persie’s movement found him space 25 yards out and he lashed his effort with his wound of a left foot but his shot just went the wrong side of the post.

His next effort was a moment of genius and one that has repeatedly likened him to Arsenal’s former striker Dennis Bergkamp. Van Persie received the ball on the right hand side of the box with his back to goal. He turned the defender with a skillful touch then chipped the ball over the goalkeeper’s head across the goal. Van Persie looked to have scored the goal of the season but it hit the inside of the post.

Van Persie scores the winning free kick

Sunderland’s Sebastian Laarson looked to steal the show with a fantastic free kick into the top corner just before half time but it was the man of the moment Van Persie that made sure that Arsenal won the game with 10 minutes remaining. Arsenal had been unconvincing since conceding the goal before half time but they were still seen to be pushing for a winner. Van Persie himself won a free kick and decided to take control of the set piece. He placed the ball down with purpose and and curled it into the near top corner giving the goalkeeper no chance. Van Persie showed how important he is to Arsenal in this game. Were they to lose him they really would be in a crisis.

Van Persie has continued this season where he left the last. He was injured until January 1st 2011 but from then until the end of last season he scored 18 goals in 19 appearances as well as setting a new record in scoring in consecutive away games. Some feel that if Van Persie was fit for all of last season then Arsenal would have won the league. This may seem a bit ambitious but it would have given them a much better chance.

Van Persie signed for Arsenal in 2004 for £2.75million as a 21 year old and was seen as possible long term replacement to Dennis Bergkamp. 7 years later Van Persie is Arsenal’s most influential player, one that Arsenal would really struggle without this season were they to lose him.

Van Persie is my striker of the week this week but their were a few players that gave him a run for his money.

Mario Balotelli (Man City)- Seems to be enjoying his football a lot more in recent weeks and he is putting in performances to show it. Scored a fantastic overhead kick as City thrashed Aston Villa by 4 goals to 1.

Anthony Pilkington (Norwich City)- Was plucked from non-league side Atherton Collieries 5 years ago by Stockpot County before moving on to be an influential player for Huddersfield Town. Has now been given his chance at the highest level and he is taking it. Scored 2 in Norwich’s 3-1 win over Swansea, the first coming after less than a minute.

Jordan Rhodes (Huddersfield Town)- Pilkington’s former team mate scored a hat trick in league one as his team eased past Exeter with a 4 nil away win.

Jamie Vardy (Fleetwood Town)- High flying Conference side Fleetwood Town won 4-1 away at struggling Alfreton Town as they look to gain football league status for the first time. Vardy signed for Fleetwood from FC Halifax in the summer.

Marvin Johnson (Romulus)- The Evo-Stik first division south team beat New mills away from home 5-2 with Johnson scoring 4 of the goals.