Carroll holds no fear of the Premier League.
Posted on June 19th, 2010 | 295 Comments |
The release of the Premier League fixtures on Thursday swifly put paid to any idea that we would be given one of the kinder fixtures to start the campaign with, as Manchester United away was “randomly” generated for the second time in three years to be our opening fixture.
This whole Premier League thingy has become a sticking point with fans though, as questions are now being asked whether or not a team that scored so many goals last season will be able to score enough goals in the top flight to secure survival in the forthcoming season.
Andy Carrolll finished last season as top scorer with 19 goals, an impressive feat when you consider he had only managed to bag four goals by Christmas, and he seems to believe that there are enough goals in the current Newcastle squad to ensure we can achieve the main aim of survival come next May.
“Last season we scored a lot of goals, and we have strikers who can still score a lot of goals in the Premier League. We had four lads on more than 10 goals,” Carroll said to The Sheilds Gazette.
“The service was the most important thing last season. The goals were coming on a plate for me because the ball was being worked into the right positions. The lads around us have helped a lot, and they’ll be important again next season.”
Last season we had four players who reached double figures for Newcastle, and whilst they may not score as many back in the Premier League, the threat still remains. Of course we can always strengthen what we have, and who is to say we won’t, but even if we didn’t, we have Andy Carroll who looks to be showing some form of realisation of his potential.
“For me, I appreciated knowing I was first choice for the first time. From November, I started playing week in and week out because of injuries really,” Carroll said. “I got on a bit of a roll, scoring a goal and then getting another one the week after. I think from that point I was picking myself.”
I can’t really argue with that. Carroll got given his chance and took it with both hands, making himself one of the first names on the team-sheet. If the service is right then he will score goals, his aerial ability is too good for him not to be a threat. There is more that that to his game though, and he started demonstrating that towards the end of the last campaign where he introduced some neat hold-up play and distribution to his team-mates into his game.
The Premier League is the next step on the career ladder for Andy Carroll, and in many ways it is an important season for the Gateshead lad as he gets his chance to prove he can cut it in the big time. He has been watched by the current England setup, although at the minute that is something that is best kept quiet, and is likely to be given the nod for the number nine shirt next season.
I just hope he can keep his head down, avoid trouble, and continue improving at the rate at which we saw last season.
I’ve no doubt at all that Carroll will score if he gets the service,and I think that’s the area where I have the doubt.Can Jonas and Routledge provide him with the service? I hope so,you can be the best header of the ball in the world but if decent crosses on coming in your not gonna score.I’d still like to see a proven winger come into the squad.