West Ham agree fee in region of £15m with Liverpool for Andy Carroll

[Darth Crooks]

Hugely worried that we're already relying on him far too much,. Entire gameplan today was 'smash it at Carroll' and we had nothing else.

 

Just been saying this.  Not signing another striker is already looking like a very foolish decision.

 

 

 

Basically what we did in the championship, only Nolan was given enough time and space in that league to mop up any crumbs. Won't cut the mustard now will it?

[Mick]

His heading has improved no end, last season he got on the end of a long ball and it could go anywhere.  Today and probably the season so far has been a massive improvement as he's directing the ball excellently.  Too bad the shower of shit around him couldn't get on the end of anything which he laid off.

[Wullie]

Annoying thing is that we didn't play that way last season either, we played very much as a team. I'm worried the Carroll hype is affecting the team. We didn't come up as a one man band and we shouldn't start playing like one now.

[Wullie]

Annoying thing is that we didn't play that way last season either, we played very much as a team. I'm worried the Carroll hype is affecting the team. We didn't come up as a one man band and we shouldn't start playing like one now.

[Mick]

Annoying thing is that we didn't play that way last season either, we played very much as a team. I'm worried the Carroll hype is affecting the team. We didn't come up as a one man band and we shouldn't start playing like one now.

 

You can say that again.

[Zero]

I am divided. I am also worried that this will affect the team as a whole.  However I couldn't deny that this is the most powerful weapon we have.  Today we are a bit unlucky - if things' went in the right direction we should have scored twice or more by just relying on Carroll.

[Liam Liam Liam O]

Annoying thing is that we didn't play that way last season either, we played very much as a team. I'm worried the Carroll hype is affecting the team. We didn't come up as a one man band and we shouldn't start playing like one now.

 

Well it's up to the manager etc etc

[johnnypd]

Annoying thing is that we didn't play that way last season either, we played very much as a team. I'm worried the Carroll hype is affecting the team. We didn't come up as a one man band and we shouldn't start playing like one now.

 

played with 2 up front usually last season, 4-5-1 usually reserved for tricky away games, particularly in the 2nd half of the season (which is when we played almost all of our good stuff). failing to buy a mobile striker in the window seems to have condemned us to playing 4-5-1 permanently as Shola and Loven just aren't up to it in this division. we don't have the tools needed to switch things around if need be.

 

What's almost worse is that Carroll is really the only one capable of being the lone striker - the amount of emphasis this all places on him is crazy considering he's still very raw and inexperienced and will have dry runs/injuries/loss of confidence.

[Alberto2005]

Carroll played the same role today as he did the previous 3 games, and we've played reasonably well in those 3 games so I don't see the problem.

[johnnypd]

Carroll played the same role today as he did the previous 3 games, and we've played reasonably well in those 3 games so I don't see the problem.

 

problem isn't starting with that line-up, which is fair enough, it's the lack of options to change when it was obvious (according to those who were there) that it wasn't working. for me we've built up a squad for 4-5-1 when our best stuff last season, the football that made me optimistic for this season, was all played with a 4-4-2. we also don't have adequate back up for when Carroll is injured/jailed/out of form - whose going to play up front alone when he is out - Shola!?.

 

obviously there'll be tough games where we will want to play 4-5-1, and man utd away, villa home and wolves away all fall into that category, but when we are chasing the game we need to be more positive, make changes sooner and have another, more attacking system to fall back on. Lovenkrands just isn't good enough for this division which is putting an inordinate amount of pressure on Carroll, imo. while he's done well so far he is not going to perform in every single match and it is unrealistic to expect a young lad to do that.

[madras]

threadtitle change need "andy carroll on cloud 3"

[Alberto2005]

Carroll played the same role today as he did the previous 3 games, and we've played reasonably well in those 3 games so I don't see the problem.

 

problem isn't starting with that line-up, which is fair enough, it's the lack of options to change when it was obvious (according to those who were there) that it wasn't working. for me we've built up a squad for 4-5-1 when our best stuff last season, the football that made me optimistic for this season, was all played with a 4-4-2. we also don't have adequate back up for when Carroll is injured/jailed/out of form - whose going to play up front alone when he is out - Shola!?.

 

obviously there'll be tough games where we will want to play 4-5-1, and man utd away, villa home and wolves away all fall into that category, but when we are chasing the game we need to be more positive, make changes sooner and have another, more attacking system to fall back on. Lovenkrands just isn't good enough for this division which is putting an inordinate amount of pressure on Carroll, imo. while he's done well so far he is not going to perform in every single match and it is unrealistic to expect a young lad to do that.

I think Hughton knows this aswell, he knows Lovenkrands and Ameobi aren't good enough so he decides to leave it as it is.

 

That said, we're playing Blackpool at home who are probably the worst team in the division despite their impressive start and players such as Lovenkrands and Ameobi shouldn't have problem against this calibre of opposition.

 

Also, it's clear we didn't have a budget in order to spend the amount of money needed to give Carroll a strike parter who would be good enough for the Premiership. You're looking at 6m at minimum to find anyone near that and 6m was the budget we spent on all the players brought in. It will be a big problem though.

[johnnypd]

Carroll played the same role today as he did the previous 3 games, and we've played reasonably well in those 3 games so I don't see the problem.

 

problem isn't starting with that line-up, which is fair enough, it's the lack of options to change when it was obvious (according to those who were there) that it wasn't working. for me we've built up a squad for 4-5-1 when our best stuff last season, the football that made me optimistic for this season, was all played with a 4-4-2. we also don't have adequate back up for when Carroll is injured/jailed/out of form - whose going to play up front alone when he is out - Shola!?.

 

obviously there'll be tough games where we will want to play 4-5-1, and man utd away, villa home and wolves away all fall into that category, but when we are chasing the game we need to be more positive, make changes sooner and have another, more attacking system to fall back on. Lovenkrands just isn't good enough for this division which is putting an inordinate amount of pressure on Carroll, imo. while he's done well so far he is not going to perform in every single match and it is unrealistic to expect a young lad to do that.

I think Hughton knows this aswell, he knows Lovenkrands and Ameobi aren't good enough so he decides to leave it as it is.

 

That said, we're playing Blackpool at home who are probably the worst team in the division despite their impressive start and players such as Lovenkrands and Ameobi shouldn't have problem against this calibre of opposition.

 

Also, it's clear we didn't have a budget in order to spend the amount of money needed to give Carroll a strike parter who would be good enough for the Premiership. You're looking at 6m at minimum to find anyone near that and 6m was the budget we spent on all the players brought in. It will be a big problem though.

 

would've liked us to go for the likes of Bellamy, Obinna and Odemwingie as they're all mobile, of a good quality and can do a shift out wide as well. but, whatever, the window is shut so it is up to Hughton to find an alternative with the what he has already.

[Mick]

 

problem isn't starting with that line-up, which is fair enough, it's the lack of options to change when it was obvious (according to those who were there) that it wasn't working. for me we've built up a squad for 4-5-1 when our best stuff last season, the football that made me optimistic for this season, was all played with a 4-4-2. we also don't have adequate back up for when Carroll is injured/jailed/out of form - whose going to play up front alone when he is out - Shola!?.

 

obviously there'll be tough games where we will want to play 4-5-1, and man utd away, villa home and wolves away all fall into that category, but when we are chasing the game we need to be more positive, make changes sooner and have another, more attacking system to fall back on. Lovenkrands just isn't good enough for this division which is putting an inordinate amount of pressure on Carroll, imo. while he's done well so far he is not going to perform in every single match and it is unrealistic to expect a young lad to do that.

 

Take Nolan and Smith out today and replace them with Ben Arfa and Tiote and it would have been a home win.

[Alberto2005]

Carroll played the same role today as he did the previous 3 games, and we've played reasonably well in those 3 games so I don't see the problem.

 

problem isn't starting with that line-up, which is fair enough, it's the lack of options to change when it was obvious (according to those who were there) that it wasn't working. for me we've built up a squad for 4-5-1 when our best stuff last season, the football that made me optimistic for this season, was all played with a 4-4-2. we also don't have adequate back up for when Carroll is injured/jailed/out of form - whose going to play up front alone when he is out - Shola!?.

 

obviously there'll be tough games where we will want to play 4-5-1, and man utd away, villa home and wolves away all fall into that category, but when we are chasing the game we need to be more positive, make changes sooner and have another, more attacking system to fall back on. Lovenkrands just isn't good enough for this division which is putting an inordinate amount of pressure on Carroll, imo. while he's done well so far he is not going to perform in every single match and it is unrealistic to expect a young lad to do that.

I think Hughton knows this aswell, he knows Lovenkrands and Ameobi aren't good enough so he decides to leave it as it is.

 

That said, we're playing Blackpool at home who are probably the worst team in the division despite their impressive start and players such as Lovenkrands and Ameobi shouldn't have problem against this calibre of opposition.

 

Also, it's clear we didn't have a budget in order to spend the amount of money needed to give Carroll a strike parter who would be good enough for the Premiership. You're looking at 6m at minimum to find anyone near that and 6m was the budget we spent on all the players brought in. It will be a big problem though.

 

would've liked us to go for the likes of Bellamy, Obinna and Odemwingie as they're all mobile, of a good quality and can do a shift out wide as well. but, whatever, the window is shut so it is up to Hughton to find an alternative with the what he has already.

I think it's fair to say Bellamy was never an option. I think also if we're actually talking about buying a player then it must be the right player and not a panic buy just because they're better than Ameobi or Lovenkrands, which isn't very difficult. I think those 2 were loans though which would have been useful.

[Colocho]

 

problem isn't starting with that line-up, which is fair enough, it's the lack of options to change when it was obvious (according to those who were there) that it wasn't working. for me we've built up a squad for 4-5-1 when our best stuff last season, the football that made me optimistic for this season, was all played with a 4-4-2. we also don't have adequate back up for when Carroll is injured/jailed/out of form - whose going to play up front alone when he is out - Shola!?.

 

obviously there'll be tough games where we will want to play 4-5-1, and man utd away, villa home and wolves away all fall into that category, but when we are chasing the game we need to be more positive, make changes sooner and have another, more attacking system to fall back on. Lovenkrands just isn't good enough for this division which is putting an inordinate amount of pressure on Carroll, imo. while he's done well so far he is not going to perform in every single match and it is unrealistic to expect a young lad to do that.

 

Take Nolan and Smith out today and replace them with Ben Arfa and Tiote and it would have been a home win.

 

Simple as that like.

[Doug]

 

problem isn't starting with that line-up, which is fair enough, it's the lack of options to change when it was obvious (according to those who were there) that it wasn't working. for me we've built up a squad for 4-5-1 when our best stuff last season, the football that made me optimistic for this season, was all played with a 4-4-2. we also don't have adequate back up for when Carroll is injured/jailed/out of form - whose going to play up front alone when he is out - Shola!?.

 

obviously there'll be tough games where we will want to play 4-5-1, and man utd away, villa home and wolves away all fall into that category, but when we are chasing the game we need to be more positive, make changes sooner and have another, more attacking system to fall back on. Lovenkrands just isn't good enough for this division which is putting an inordinate amount of pressure on Carroll, imo. while he's done well so far he is not going to perform in every single match and it is unrealistic to expect a young lad to do that.

 

Take Nolan and Smith out today and replace them with Ben Arfa and Tiote and it would have been a home win.

 

Simple as that like.

It really is,

Oh and to keep on thread, Carrol would have then scored to keep him on cloud 9

[Dokko]

Annoying thing is that we didn't play that way last season either, we played very much as a team. I'm worried the Carroll hype is affecting the team. We didn't come up as a one man band and we shouldn't start playing like one now.

 

It's slightly worrying aye.

 

 

My fault like for putting him in my dream team. If people want to pay me to take him out then donations welcome.

[FrenchWilliam]

£6m january bid from spurs? http://www.talksport.co.uk/sports-news/football/premier-league/transfer-rumours/1111/2/spurs-eyeing-shock-swoop-newcastle-star

 

 

Only talksport, so highly unlikely there's anything in it, and can't imagine it would be accepted anyway.

 

EDIT: Just seen other thread. D'oh

[Cajun]

Admittedly a little kneejerk but shola tonight reminded me it might not be the end of the world if we don't have Carroll for a few games. Two excellent finishes and was unlucky not to have more. Getting quite a good goal to game record in his old age

[Guest black n white]

yeah was a good game for shola tonight, but seriously if was picked on sunday is he gonna put in the same performance?? no he's not! im not trying to take anything away from him but he just can't do it

[johnnypd]

Admittedly a little kneejerk but shola tonight reminded me it might not be the end of the world if we don't have Carroll for a few games. Two excellent finishes and was unlucky not to have more. Getting quite a good goal to game record in his old age

 

yep, chuffed for shola, and it even gives us an option to go 4-4-2 if he is intent on playing that well.

[TRon]

Maybe UV will produce a graph/statistical analysis on why Shola is an integral first team player based on his last 12 months performances.

 

Or maybe not.

 

 

[Cajun]

Why?

 

I said in the match thread at one nil when someone wanted to haul him off instead of loven, shola's trademark these days is playing gash but scoring goals. I would be more confident in him grabbing a goal more than all but 2 or 3 of the rest of the squad.

[Cajun]

Sorry that was for black and white.