MW Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 I still see him as a bits pieces striker. I am surprised we haven't seen him really smack one in yet, as I remember him whacking a few gooduns for Yeovil iirc. Didn't he hit the bar with "the goal that never was" during the championship? He also scored a screamer for Cov in his last few games for them IIRC Was it Plymouth? I thought when we signed him he hadn't scored for a while? Might be wrong. I mean when he hit the bar for us, would have been a cracker think it was plymouth when we won the league Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
80 Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 I'd argue his performances of late make James Perch the only poor Hughton signing. Oh aye. The signing enabled Carroll to become the striker he is, and he's been invaluable since the turn of 2011. Can't believe it's worked out cos the Leon Best i saw for us 12 months ago was f***ing woeful. A Coloccini esq turnaround. Saying that though I do remember possibly myself and definitely Stu saying the Plymouth game showed real potential. Don't mean to bring it up, but seeing as it's been mentioned, yeah I think he's been a decent little cheap as chips investment, providing options for our other players last season (inc. off the pitch) which kept up our momentum, while still not being fully developed himself. I remember him showing a fair bit shy of a goal too, he wasn't abject. A good move by Hughton worth pointing out more than normal, seeing as the £1m spent on him is supposedly one of his biggest crimes according to Ashley and Llambias. Just a shame that injury kept him out of the squad for months at the start of this season and stopped him being able to change that perception. Pleased for him. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
80 Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 Has paid us back value for money wise imo. Absolutely. I still don't really rate him, but he's risen to the challenge pretty well and is playing out of his skin at the moment. He's been a great little poacher for us in the last few games. Honestly don't think he is, yet. Take the situation in the second half at 2-0 up, ball gets played into him just inside the area, he looks at the goal, gets half a yard on his man but then hesitates before knocking the ball down the channel and eventually back to Jonas. A fully-firing, top form Leon Best smacks that ball as soon as he gets a sniff at goal, he's definitely proven that he has the technique, think he's the type of player who will only get better with a constant, injury-free run in the team. Whether that is ultimately good enough to be a number 9 for NUFC is up for debate. Yep, as has been said, he definitely has psychological restraints on his play. He's prone to failures of conviction, snatching at things etc. But if, a big if but if nonetheless, he can be trained to overcome those he'll move up a level (or two) as a striker. True as it might be, consistently only being able to reach that kind of confidence after a long run in the side isn't good enough for a Premiership man, but hopefully he can be improved and eliminate that need. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldtype Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 How many goals before we change the thread title to "Screw the rest, Best is best!" Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shayno Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 Scored as many goals as Wayne Rooney in the PL this season! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Optimistic Nut Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 A hat-trick against a team in claret & blue, a goal against Arsenal, and the winner away to one of the other Carling Cup Semi-Finalists. Andy who? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattynufc Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 Would much prefer Best playing to Shola - Best isn't the best but at least he runs about when he hasn't got the ball. Scarily, our best striker at the club at the minute. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 A hat-trick against a team in claret & blue, a goal against Arsenal, and the winner away to one of the other Carling Cup Semi-Finalists. Andy who? So basically, Carroll is either an expensive Leon Best, or an expensive Michael Ricketts Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRon Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 Best's two worst games were probably against Fulham and Blackburn, both of whom have got gigantic monster centre backs in Hangeland and Samba. IIRC Carroll also struggled in those games earlier this season. Looks like he has enough about his game to make a serviceable target man against the rest. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginola Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 FIVE in SEVEN Leon Noone could've expected that before the season started. Fair play to the man, he's doing a really good job for us at the moment. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skirge Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 He deserves the praise like.. first Toon gamers he looked lazy & disinterested.. he now looks right up for it and I have to say he has awesome chest control Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRon Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 I just hope he doesn't do too well and the powers that be decide we don't need a new striker after all. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
womblemaster Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 `when we won the league` still gives me a fuzzy feeling ) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmojorisin75 Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 I just hope he doesn't do too well and the powers that be decide we don't need a new striker after all. fucking hell yeah, he's hitting some form and is 5 goals away from double figures in the league mike will think he's got another cash cow on his hands and get Pards to play him week in week out Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AyeDubbleYoo Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 He gets knocked down, but he gets up again. Ain't never gonna keep him down. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flip Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 He's a fucking awful footballer, but for some reason he seems to score goals. Still think he's very average at best, but he is getting goals for us and thats what matters in the end. Creds to him! But we still need two new strikers in the summer. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colos Short and Curlies Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 He's the 2011 verson on Paul Kitson Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frazzle Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 Can he get 11 (in total!) before the end of the season? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flip Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 Can he get 11 (in total!) before the end of the season? Why not? Then we should look to offload him for £35million. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fenham Mag Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 Scored as many goals as Wayne Rooney in the PL this season! BUT DID YOU NOT SEE ROONEYS GOAL???!!! BEST GOAL EVER BY BEST PLAYER EVEERRRR!!!!!!!!!!11111 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fenham Mag Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 Bet Best is regretting choosing Ireland over England now. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevo Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 Played well and it was a great finish. Looking onto next season, he's the perfect type of striker we need for squad depth as I think we should be looking for two strikers to go straight into the first-team, then ship Xisco out and Ranger on loan. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcmk Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 He will make a decent option in terms of squad depth next season - that's providing we bring in some good strikers of course. This period is just a purple patch though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RupertCommunicator Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 If Best played for manure he'd be hearalded as the best thing since sliced bread. If rooney played for us, he'd be slagged off as a donkey (which he is). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
OzzieMandias Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 Though he's not the greatest footballer, his mental attitude seems to be spot on. He doesn't get deterred. He hangs in there. He's determined to take his chance and make the most of what he's got. Got to give him a thumbs-up for that, and it suits the atmosphere of the current squad. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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