Hughton: Carroll could be the new Crouch

[Ishmael]

Crouch is atrocious in the air.

[AlanSkÃrare]

Crouch is better with his feet though. Infact I don't even Crouch is that oustanding in the air, he doesn't score lots of goals with his head but has a decent all round game. Don't think I can see Carroll ever getting 20 goals for England.

 

I'd love to see a breakdown, but I reckon at least 40% of his goals have been headers, which is a phenomenal percentage.

 

Blackpool (A) - Header

Plymouth (H) - Shot

Doncaster (H) - Shot

Peterborough (H) - Header

Cardiff (H) - Shot & Header

Swansea (A) - Header

Coventry (H) - Header

Watford (A) - Header

Boro (A) - Shot

Scunthorpe (H) - Header & Shot

Bristol City (A) - Shot

Doncaster (A) - Shot

Blackpool (H) - Header

Plymouth (A) - Header

Ipswich (H) - Header

 

10 headers, 7 shots. More than I thought.

 

WBA in the Cup was 2 shots aswell, that's 10 headers and 9 shots.

[Shayno]

Not a natural finisher with his feet but he can certainly hit them with his left. Needs to work on his right footed strikes.

[huss9]

needs to learn to use his strength and stay on his feet a lot more, and someone at the club has got to make him stay behind (even though he should be doing so himself) and work on that right foot.

[STM]

It's nice to hear Hughton say that Carroll needs to work on his touch and awareness. I wish we had someone like Nobby or Robert on the wings though.

[Fugazi]

When you watch him with the ball at his feet you wouldn't expect him to have such a good cross on him, really is surprising.

[quayside]

Carroll has made dramatic strides this season - if he maintains his improvement at shielding the ball and getting more savvy in the box for half chances he is going to be one of the best CFs in the UK.

There are very few currently playing that have his strength - he is going to be MUCH stronger than Crouch who is a lanky player - and not many CDs are going to enjoy playing against him. He is getting more like the young Duncan Ferguson all the time and he was a major threat to any defence. Even the Germans were terrorised by him in one of his early internationals.

 

However, as with most things, there is a BUT...in this case, it is whether he improves as a person and keeps out of trouble ; also, whether his feet can be kept on the ground so he continues to work at his game. This is where the manager comes in, but in the end, its down to the player.

 

If he does the business next season - and many will be watching to see if he does - he will be the target of most top clubs.

 

    especially the Duncan Ferguson reference.

[JCONA]

lol thats harsh on carrol

 

nobody deserves to be compared to crouch

[junkhead]

Remember when everybody was knocking him down and only me, junkhead (internationally renowned football expert) said "Heyy, guyz, you're clueless. This guy is our best striker"

 

.. man, I'm so great and wise!

[TRon]

Carroll's going to score a few goals with his head in any division and seeing as it's hard to see where else the goals will come from next season that will probably turn out to be priceless.

[Newcastle Fan]

Calling him the next Crouch is an insult tbh.

[nobby_solano]

ah but crouch got it worse, he was the new ian ormondroyd

[Consortium of one]

FSC showed an England U21 friendly back in the fall and Carroll was quite impressive in that game.  He was the focal point of the offense and was dominant in the air.  Picked out some canny passes too, IIRC.  Needs work on the end product as many have pointed out but he looks to have a good foundation to build on. 

[steve_69]

I don't know what some people's probelm is with Crouch. I think he's brilliant personally

[Guest sittingontheball]

What's the most Crouch has scored in a season of club football? About a dozen?

 

He'll face prem goalies and center halves next season, but Carroll is much improved this season and is still young. A bright spot in our squad.

[Ronaldo]

I don't know what some people's probelm is with Crouch. I think he's brilliant personally

 

He's good, no better.

[Rob W]

Calling him the next Crouch is an insult tbh.

 

I'd sue if I was him...............

[Colocho]

Carroll is already stronger and has the ability to be better in the air. Carroll has got a long way to go before you can compare Crouch's touch and all round ball control to him.

 

Hopefully Hughton means he can become our Crouch i.e. tall target man who can score goals.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

For all the goals Andy Carroll has scored with his head, his flick-ons in general are very poor, as is his timing when jumping to head the ball. I distinctly remember a moment of play against Middlesbrough at the Riverside a few months back when someone threw the ball into the box from our throw-in, Carroll somehow guided it back out of play for a throw-in to 'Boro. He's much improved but I see little in his game that suggests he'll be anything other than a big clumsy awkward hand-full type of a forward. Crouch on the other hand has very good technical ability and a football brain. Carroll has neither and I wouldn't say he's very strong either, he's more awkward if anything.

[Fenham Mag]

Wonder how many goals he'll score over the summer for his prison.

 

Reckon he'll score around the 10 mark next season basically because i don't think teams in the Prem cope well with Good headers of the ball and he is one of the best headers of the ball i think i've seen.

 

I would go to say he should be a definite starter next year and play most of the balls to his head. Won't be pretty but we need to survive before we progress.

 

Remember his header against Stoke who are probably the most aerial in the Prem 

[Ronaldo]

For all the goals Andy Carroll has scored with his head, his flick-ons in general are very poor, as is his timing when jumping to head the ball. I distinctly remember a moment of play against Middlesbrough at the Riverside a few months back when someone threw the ball into the box from our throw-in, Carroll somehow guided it back out of play for a throw-in to 'Boro. He's much improved but I see little in his game that suggests he'll be anything other than a big clumsy awkward hand-full type of a forward. Crouch on the other hand has very good technical ability and a football brain. Carroll has neither and I wouldn't say he's very strong either, he's more awkward if anything.

 

Agree with most of that, people call him strong because he's tall, good in the air and wears a shirt 2 sizes too big.

[Jayson]

Because its so easy to be good in the air without much strength. You wouldnt get pushed off the ball or anything.

 

Most of that is nonsense. See no reason to negatively judge the potential of a player who has shown a lot of improvement in part of his game in just the 2nd half of the season, he has ages of time to progress in other areas.

[Mowen]

His 'shooting' with his head is absolutely fantastic, best by a mile in the CCC and I can't think of anyone who's a lot better in the prem either. Flick ons not always so great, looks a bit random at times. We'll need him next year.

[Ronaldo]

Because its so easy to be good in the air without much strength. You wouldnt get pushed off the ball or anything.

 

Michael Owen.

[Super Duper Branko Strupar]

I don't know what some people's probelm is with Crouch. I think he's brilliant personally

 

Correct!