Andy Carroll- The Million pound question

You are sat in the hot seat with Chris Tarrant as he stares and glares you down in the ‘who wants to be a millionaire’ studio. Lacking self believe you seem a nervous wreck yet have somehow reached the million pound question. You decide to ask the audience, but after disappointing performances so far they fail to give you any support. You split 50/50 and the dilemma occurs between your loyalties, should you stay or should you go. The phone a friend hotline has withered away as Kevin Nolan now refuses to answer your calls.

You are Andy Carroll and you are asked; are you worth 35 million pounds?

This is where the dilemma occurs.  Andy Carroll seems insecure in his own abilities and has confessed his torment since the 35 million price tag was slapped upon him. Expectations and pressure was slumped onto the striker’s shoulders and as his performances have deteriorated the Liverpool fans have become increasingly frustrated.

This frustration is reflected in the Andy Carroll we see today; perhaps the situation goes all the way back to his Toon days, the black and white goal machine seemed confident, happy and played every game like it was his last. Sticking to his alibi Carroll believes he was forced out of Newcastle and never wanted to leave the club, looking at his weekly performances for Liverpool there is no doubt that Carroll looks like a man with his mind set on other things.

But it has nearly been an entire season and still Carroll looks like a wrong shaped Lego piece in Kenny Dalglish’s attempt to build his new castle and thrown. Perhaps  Carroll will leave at the end of the season but with the stubbornness shown by the Kop boss on every aspect of football this season, I  can’t see any team wanting to spend  anything in the double figures region for the out of form hit man.

More than anything facts speak for themselves, with a record of 50 appearances and 9 goals and but a handful of assists, his first season in a red shirt has been an utter disappointment. More facts you ask; you can type ‘Andy Carroll’ into Google and receive the most popular search of ‘Andy Carroll jokes’.

What does the future hold for the Liverpool misfit? One of two outcomes.

Ladies and gentleman 10 years down the line you could be witnessing the worst English signing of our generation, if he appearances fail to improve and his attitude remains that of a spoilt child there is only one direction for Andy Carroll, one good season in the Premier League could be all the history Carroll has as he ends up back at Tyneside to be the target man of Gateshead United.

Or perhaps down the line Liverpool fans can laugh away the ridicule Andy Carroll once faced, the striker develops a taste for goals and helps restore the reds title challenging credentials and even regains the honourable number 9 shirt for England as his performances reflect childhood hero Alan Shearer.

Is Andy Carroll worth 35 million pounds? Thankfully it is Kenny Dalglish in the hot seat.

Liam Curtis   @journocurtis

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