Andy Caroll

[dazby]

One thing is for certain. When he does make his debut there will be a LOT of pressure on him to perform instantly.

[aaron bond]

In reality with the torres money they have bought 2 forwards for round about 7million not bad business really when you look at it in those terms.

But the replacements are:
1. An unproven striker with 5 months Prem experience, and with the potential to end up in prison in the next year or so.
2. A striker who has scored goals in the Dutch league...like Dirk Kuyt, Mateja Kezman and Alfonso Alves did.

It's not exactly like for like.

Admittedly it could work out for them, but with the fees they paid, it's a hell of a risk.

Or...
1. Potentially the best centreforward since Shearer at a young age
2. A striker who scored goals in the Duth league...like Ruud van Nistlerooy, Dennis Bergkamp, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink did.

Haha....very true. I'm hoping it's the former though!

Although it's the fees involved which make it so ridiculous.

[Slim]

Well, if City paid £31.5M for Robinho and we're considered to be ruining football, I wonder whether the press will be all over Liverpool and Chelsea for not just beating the transfer record, but destroying it.

[john68]

To partly answer that Slim.
I have been listening to quite a lot of the radio footie stuff over the last couple days whilst working and unsuprisingly, we have been largely ignored. The arguments have been raging about the values of Torres and Carroll, with both Chelsea, L'pool and Newcastle coming under fire.
What was very noticeable was the sychophantic treatment that Twitchy got, both on Talkshite and the BBC. All very jocular... "Good ol 'Arry eh...hahaha...sez he's not buying anyone...hahaha...Yer jus know he's not telling the truth...hahahaha...Jack the lad is 'ole 'Arry...hahahaha."
It seems that Twitchy is everybody's mate.

[john@staustell]

In reality with the torres money they have bought 2 forwards for round about 7million not bad business really when you look at it in those terms.

But the replacements are:
1. An unproven striker with 5 months Prem experience, and with the potential to end up in prison in the next year or so.
2. A striker who has scored goals in the Dutch league...like Dirk Kuyt, Mateja Kezman and Alfonso Alves did.

It's not exactly like for like.

Admittedly it could work out for them, but with the fees they paid, it's a hell of a risk.

Or...
1. Potentially the best centreforward since Shearer at a young age2. A striker who scored goals in the Duth league...like Ruud van Nistlerooy, Dennis Bergkamp, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink did.

Not even good enough to lace the boots of a shadow of a 19-yr old Alan Shearer. He's scored a few goals with his head, after Sir Joseph Barton dropped it on his head mostly. Shearer was something else in his early career, running forward and lashing it is the top corner from any angle or distance.

I see no comparison. In fact I think there's a great chance this may be the first transfer to rival Steve Daly in terms of idiocy. £ for £.

[zuricity]

Darren Bent scored again last night. A bargain at 24 mill what .

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

In reality with the torres money they have bought 2 forwards for round about 7million not bad business really when you look at it in those terms.

But the replacements are:
1. An unproven striker with 5 months Prem experience, and with the potential to end up in prison in the next year or so.
2. A striker who has scored goals in the Dutch league...like Dirk Kuyt, Mateja Kezman and Alfonso Alves did.

It's not exactly like for like.

Admittedly it could work out for them, but with the fees they paid, it's a hell of a risk.

Or...
1. Potentially the best centreforward since Shearer at a young age2. A striker who scored goals in the Duth league...like Ruud van Nistlerooy, Dennis Bergkamp, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink did.

Not even good enough to lace the boots of a shadow of a 19-yr old Alan Shearer. He's scored a few goals with his head, after Sir Joseph Barton dropped it on his head mostly. Shearer was something else in his early career, running forward and lashing it is the top corner from any angle or distance.

I see no comparison. In fact I think there's a great chance this may be the first transfer to rival Steve Daly in terms of idiocy. £ for £.

Exactly.

Shearer was genuinely something else. You could see that from early aghe, even when he wasn't yet at his 0.7 goals/game prime. The way he could bang them in from every angle and always knew where the goal was without looking, you KNEW you were looking at future star and yes ONCE IN A DECADE (if not more) finisher.

Carroll is tall lad who looks raw but promising. He is good in the air. That's just about only thing similar between him and Shearer. As said, he could turn out to be really good striker over the years. Never in million years top 3 in the world striker though that Shearer was in his prime.

[Slim]

In reality with the torres money they have bought 2 forwards for round about 7million not bad business really when you look at it in those terms.

But the replacements are:
1. An unproven striker with 5 months Prem experience, and with the potential to end up in prison in the next year or so.
2. A striker who has scored goals in the Dutch league...like Dirk Kuyt, Mateja Kezman and Alfonso Alves did.

It's not exactly like for like.

Admittedly it could work out for them, but with the fees they paid, it's a hell of a risk.

Or...
1. Potentially the best centreforward since Shearer at a young age2. A striker who scored goals in the Duth league...like Ruud van Nistlerooy, Dennis Bergkamp, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink did.

Not even good enough to lace the boots of a shadow of a 19-yr old Alan Shearer. He's scored a few goals with his head, after Sir Joseph Barton dropped it on his head mostly. Shearer was something else in his early career, running forward and lashing it is the top corner from any angle or distance.

I see no comparison. In fact I think there's a great chance this may be the first transfer to rival Steve Daly in terms of idiocy. £ for £.

Exactly.

Shearer was genuinely something else. You could see that from early aghe, even when he wasn't yet at his 0.7 goals/game prime. The way he could bang them in from every angle and always knew where the goal was without looking, you KNEW you were looking at future star and yes ONCE IN A DECADE (if not more) finisher.

Carroll is tall lad who looks raw but promising. He is good in the air. That's just about only thing similar between him and Shearer. As said, he could turn out to be really good striker over the years. Never in million years top 3 in the world striker though that Shearer was in his prime.

Mystic Meg's got nothing on you two fucking muppets.

[john@staustell]

Blimey you've just compared Carroll to Shearer and you're calling us muppets!?

[Slim]

Blimey you've just compared Carroll to Shearer and you're calling us muppets!?

I said he had potential and he REALLY does, however let's carry on with the comparison theme.

Carroll has 91 league appearances and 32 goals, not bad for a young lad slightly better than 1 in 3. When Shearer had 91 appearances, he had 14 goals. To put that in perspective, Emile Heskey had 24 goals at the same point in his career.

In fact I think people are wanking over Shearer WAY too much and he was only TRULY prolific in and around his Blackburn days. He got injured a hell of a lot and had some droughts that made Corradi look prolific. Yes some 20+ seasons but a "ONCE IN A DECADE" striker? Ian Wright scored 20 goals less for Arsenal than Shearer did for Newcastle with 83 fewer appearances, but then again he is a wanker who slags us off on the telly, so we should discount him right?

What does all this mean? Very little because for Carroll at least it's all about potential. But a 1 in 6 striker looked special, once in a decade? Please.

[bluej]

In reality with the torres money they have bought 2 forwards for round about 7million not bad business really when you look at it in those terms.

But the replacements are:
1. An unproven striker with 5 months Prem experience, and with the potential to end up in prison in the next year or so.
2. [highlight]A striker who has scored goals in the Dutch league...like Dirk Kuyt, Mateja Kezman and Alfonso Alves did.[/highlight]

It's not exactly like for like.

Admittedly it could work out for them, but with the fees they paid, it's a hell of a risk.

Alves and Kuyt have got better scoring rates than him in that league as well I believe.

MOTWYW.

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

Blimey you've just compared Carroll to Shearer and you're calling us muppets!?

I said he had potential and he REALLY does, however let's carry on with the comparison theme.

Carroll has 91 league appearances and 32 goals, not bad for a young lad slightly better than 1 in 3. When Shearer had 91 appearances, he had 14 goals. To put that in perspective, Emile Heskey had 24 goals at the same point in his career.

In fact I think people are wanking over Shearer WAY too much and he was only TRULY prolific in and around his Blackburn days. He got injured a hell of a lot and had some droughts that made Corradi look prolific. Yes some 20+ seasons but a "ONCE IN A DECADE" striker? Ian Wright scored 20 goals less for Arsenal than Shearer did for Newcastle with 83 fewer appearances, but then again he is a wanker who slags us off on the telly, so we should discount him right?

What does all this mean? Very little because for Carroll at least it's all about potential. But a 1 in 6 striker looked special, once in a decade? Please.

HAHA

It's Doctor Slim on full spin flow.

First of all, Carroll has spent 6 months in top flight. He is 22 now. Alan Shearer made his professional debut as 17 year old kid in English top flight. He would never play in any level in his entire career.

As everyone who follows football knows, Shearer was brought in slowly usually getting 5 or ten minutes in the end of the games. Still, he was Southampton's Player of the year while playing in Premier League at the age 20 despite only scoring 14 goals in 48 games. As everyone remembers his main duty was to create space for Le Tissier. At the same age as Carroll, Shearer moved to Blackburn and ended up scoring 22 goals in 26 games before his season ended in injury. At this stage Carroll has respectable 11 goals in 20 games. Nothing like 0.85 strike rate Shearer had at his age but still very respectable.

And if you are trying to say 409 goals in 796 games isn't "once in a decade" talent then... well you are just arguing for arguments sake.

No matter how much you love some potential you see in Carroll, it makes you only look like utter clown comparing him to Shearer in anything but birthplace.

You have to give it to Carroll though, as woman beater he is already experienced professional and way ahead of Shearer.

[Ted Hughes]

Shearer didn't become a prolific scorer until he signed for Blackburn when he was a similar age to Carroll, he only got about 1 in 4 for Southampton, Carroll's record is much better so far. What the fuck are you all talking about?

[Slim]

HAHA

It's Doctor Slim on full spin flow.

First of all, Carroll has spent 6 months in top flight. He is 22 now. Alan Shearer made his professional debut as 17 year old kid in English top flight. He would never play in any level in his entire career.I am sure this is somehow Andy Carroll's fault, who took them down again?

As everyone who follows football knows, Shearer was brought in slowly usually getting 5 or ten minutes in the end of the games. I was only counting games he started in, and stop reading Wikipedia for your information, he only came on as a sub 13 times in 118 matches, I counted it as 105.Still, he was Southampton's Player of the year while playing in Premier League at the age 20 despite only scoring 14 goals in 48 games.This says more about Southampton than Shearer. They finished 14th and conceded the 2nd most goals in the league. As everyone remembers his main duty was to create space for Le Tissier.Again with Wiki? However Dr. Spin, that WASN'T YOUR POINT, Bang them in from every angle, knew where the goal was, etc etc...now he is a space creator? Spin spin spin At the same age as Carroll, Shearer moved to Blackburn and ended up scoring 22 goals in 26 games before his season ended in injury. At this stage Carroll has respectable 11 goals in 20 games. Nothing like 0.85 strike rate Shearer had at his age but still very respectable. Carroll has just turned 22, when Shearer had just turned it was the start of that 22 in 26 season and if you are going to use the "only in top flight" point, you should stop including cup goals, which makes it 16 in 22, still impressive and doesn't really need your padding. However 0.85 strikerate? Even using the cup games AND his 23rd year, he had 65 goals in 185 games(starts only) at 0.35, not 0.85. Funny thing, for comparison's sake. When he had just turned 22 he was transferred for a British record transfer fee to Blackburn, didn't Carroll just move clubs? For a British transfer record?(Even if it only last an hour) Yeah, they are fucking miles apart.

And if you are trying to say 409 goals in 796 games isn't "once in a decade" talent then... well you are just arguing for arguments sake.I will say it's very impressive, but again every impressive season he had to his name, he had after the age Carroll is now.

No matter how much you love some potential you see in Carroll, it makes you only look like utter clown comparing him to Shearer in anything but birthplace.

You have to give it to Carroll though, as woman beater he is already experienced professional and way ahead of Shearer.

Actually what I said was "potentially the best centre forward SINCE Shearer" this would mean he doesn't even need to be better than Shearer in order for it still to be true. And as for utter clown, I am not the one who gleans his information from wikipedia to make a point nor pad my stats to make a point, and at this point Carroll is ahead, so is Heskey but that just says more about Shearer at the same age.

You want a player than was once in a decade(I assume we mean 90's here?), how about Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Raul, Batistuta, van Basten was still playing in the 90's and scoring for fun. You could even argue Cantona who had 6 seasons with 2 clubs and has 5 league medals to his name.

Anyways, all this from someone who says he could "see potential" in Shearer(don't you fucking love those cretins who say this after the fact, like those cunts asking the questions in Trivial Pursuit who read the answer and "go, oh this is easy") and debates the ability of anyone else to do likewise. Arrogant clown.

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

Most of that drivel don't make any sense to me. You were arguing that Shearer wasn't "once in a decade" talent and yet go on to make point that Carroll is potentially as good as Shearer. So doesn't that validate my original point that spending "once in decade" money for player, who IF he turns out to be good is on par with player who you didn't consider to be that special in the first place, was fucking retarded?

Oh yes it does.

[Slim]

Most of that drivel don't make any sense to me. You were arguing that Shearer wasn't "once in a decade" talent and yet go on to make point that Carroll is potentially as good as Shearer. So doesn't that validate my original point that spending "once in decade" money for player, who IF he turns out to be good is on par with player who you didn't consider to be that special in the first place, was fucking retarded?

Oh yes it does.

What the hell was all this? Jesus, I can see why john got frustrated with you, you make no fucking sense. Let's see if I can decode.

You said he was a once in a decade striker, he wasn't.
You said Shearer was something special at the same age, he wasn't.
You say there is no comparison between the two, there is.

Now even if Carroll turns out to be as good as Shearer(which I never said he would) he won't be the only one in the decade, Shearer was special but hardly unique.

[Crazy_Cabbie]

Shellsuits, Donnay, Le coq sportif and now Andy Carroll
It seems that Mike Ashley has been flogging overpriced shite to scousers for years ;-)