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| telegraph.co.uk |
No player embodies this conflict between the fresh hope at the start of the campaign and unpersuasive reality ahead of Sunday’s trip to Chelsea more than Andy Carroll.
While Luis Suárez thrives as an emblem of an exhilarating future, Carroll’s struggles with form and fitness have tempered some of the optimism.
Kenny Dalglish and Fabio Capello could be forgiven for thinking the only rockets the striker should witnessed ought to have been those delivered up his backside to ensure he grasps the opportunity afforded him.
The Liverpool manager could not have been more accommodating or supportive in his efforts to relieve the pressure on the striker.
“At minus £15 million, it’s not a bad buy,” Dalglish said ahead of the trip to Stamford Bridge.
“It’s a good argument against people saying he cost £35 million. Andy will settle in, there’s no problem whatsoever. He’s only a boy and we’ve been delighted with what he’s done.
“Two of the last three games he’s played have been the best he’s played for the club so we know he’s moving forward and we also know that he would love to play for England in the championships so the better he does for us, the better the chance he's got of going there.”
Capello has also urged the striker to force his way back into his plans, generously offering mitigating circumstances for his struggles.
“Sometimes when some players change clubs like Carroll from Newcastle to Liverpool the pressure is different,” said Capello.
“Andy Carroll is a good player and a good talent but in this moment we need to wait. He needs to score goals. For forwards it is like a drug.
They need goals – I am waiting for his goals I am looking for his goals.”
