There’s no doubt that Andy Carroll has caught the attention of the media this season, and mostly it’s for the right reasons – he’s a Newcastle number 9 who is scoring goals and looking very good..
Andy Carroll – improved two areas of his game
Andy has basically carried on from last season scoring good goals, and while he got 19 goals last season and was Newcastle’s top scorer, he is already on 6 goals in the Premier League, and the way the Newcastle United side have improved this season, that figure could go up quite a bit.
Yes, we are still worried about Andy’s off the field antics, but he has team mates around him, like Kevin Nolan and Joey Barton, who surely will become a big positive influence on him, and help him become a top professional. We have to hope so in any case.
We’re amazed at how Joey Barton has transformed his career and life on Tyneside, and he’s gone from being a big negative to a positive role model, within two years, and he showed on Sunday he’s as cool as a cucumber in these top games.
Chris Hughton talked about Andy’s off the field antics:
“We are all aware, and Andy is himself, the best place for him to shine is on the football pitch and on the back pages.”“He is a young man, his game is developing and we want that to continue.”
“All young players make mistakes and they have to learn from them.”
And certainly Andy seems a quick and eager learner, and has come on a ton under the coaching of Chris Hughton, in a short 16 months, and Chris is now fast getting the recognition he deserves for what he has achieved so far with Newcastle United – and even this season the improvement in the Newcastle side is there for all to see.
It’s amazing what Chris has already achieved, and we still have to pinch ourselves, after watching Newcastle look like a very good team on Sunday, and beat Arsenal 1-0 after demolishing Sunderland 5-1 the previous weekend.
Getting back to Carroll, Chris says Andy has already improved his game in a couple of places:
“There are two areas of his game; what he has always had, hence his side, his prowess in the air and that is not only in attack, but also defensively as well.”
“Where we have seen improvements is in his mobility.” “What he is able to do at times is stretch defenders more than he used to and that is because he has come of age, he has grown and is maturing into his body in the way he has.”
“Also his hold-up play and that has come with confidence.”
Andy was a power-house on Sunday at the Emirates Stadium, and yes he’s still raw in a few places, but the lad was back in defense heading balls clear, and then up front running at the Arsenal defense, with 4 Arsenal players around him – he worked his socks off for the team on Sunday and put in a terrific shift.
Andy certainly looks a great player in the making, and while Fabio Capello would have seen some of the rough spots, if Andy can keep improving under the quiet and astute coaching of Chris Hughton, he will almost certainly become one of Newcastle’s great number 9s – and sooner rather than later.
Comments welcome.
3 comments so far
Shot Bru
Nov 9, 2010 at 10:35 AM
Comment #1Totally agree with CH (what a legend by the way) Carroll’s mobility, balance and agility has improved outta sight in the last few months which is starting to shape him into a unique player…very few if any 6’4″ strikers have the capability of getting the ball at their feet and running at defences at full speed like Carroll does…it’s electrifying to watch. Sometimes when he lays the ball off he can be a bit casual but that improvment will come with time.
Mr Books
Nov 9, 2010 at 11:47 AM
Comment #2To be honest I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Capello does give him a run out in an England shirt. What he showed against Sunderland, and at the Emirates were pretty much all of the qualities that Capello used to espouse to justify his selection of Hesky as a foil for Rooney. In adition he can score goals, which Hesky never really did, even at club level.
With Bent out and Crouch out of form (something Capello claims he considers, although the world cup showed the lie to that) I think he has a good chance of getting an opportunity for 45 minutes against France.
Hugo_Viana
Nov 9, 2010 at 2:16 PM
Comment #3who’s gonna partner him if he plays against france?
Could it be Shola??????