It should be so different. After finishing last season with a surge, then acquitting himself well at Euro 2012, Andy Carroll would have envisaged reporting back for pre-season training with a spring in his step and a glint in his eye.
Instead, Carroll will cross the Atlantic this weekend harbouring insecurities and a degree of frustration that the writing appears to be on the wall for his time on Merseyside: any club willing to meet Liverpool’s £20million valuation will be able to buy the England striker.
Unforeseen: Andy Carroll returns to a bleak Liverpool future More from Dominic King... Mersey Beat: Liverpool can't afford to miss out on Europe... and Everton would love to qualify too 12/04/13 Mersey Beat: Liverpool, West Ham or Newcastle? ... What next for Andy Carroll? 28/03/13 Mersey Beat: Keeping Suarez will be Liverpool's biggest test as Europe's elite eye summer move 22/03/13 Dominic King: Almost four years ago, Liverpool were winning in Madrid and jousting with United for the title. Now they're 29 points behind 12/02/13 Farewell to a Liverpool legend, the man who had the Kop dreaming of a 'Team of Carraghers'. Now his No 23 shirt should follow him into retirement 07/02/13 Mersey Beat: Powerful and now prolific, Everton's patience with Anichebe is finally paying off 11/01/13 Mersey XI for 2012: Find out who makes the cut for our combined Liverpool-Everton side 28/12/12 Mersey Beat: Kop kids need old heads beside them to bring glory days back to Liverpool 14/12/12 Mersey Beat: After years in the shadows, Osman finally emerged to prove his international class 16/11/12 VIEW FULL ARCHIVEInevitably, the indications that Liverpool are ready to let Carroll go just 19 months, 56 appearances and 11 goals after his £35million move from Newcastle has caused a huge stir around the red half of the city and the majority believe he at least deserves an opportunity to shine for Brendan Rodgers.
Rodgers, who has made a huge impression on the Liverpool players he has worked with during his first few weeks at the helm, has a vision in mind for how he wants his side to play, rat-a-tat-tat passing and pressing to torment the opposition.
From the signings he has made and is attempting to make, it is clear to see who will slot into which holes in his preferred 4-3-3 formation. The engine room should contain Steven Gerrard, Lucas and one other from a group including, among others, Joe Cole, Jordan Henderson and Charlie Adam.
Leading the attack will be Luis Suarez and he will be flanked by Fabio Borini and Stewart Downing. Clint Dempsey would obviously feature if Liverpool’s attempts to pluck him from Fulham are successful, while Craig Bellamy will also feature if remains at Anfield.
Where, then, would Carroll fit in? If he is only going to figure sporadically, then Rodgers is being fair to the player. If he can’t promise him regular football – which Carroll needs to be at his best – then honesty is the best policy and Liverpool have to protect their investment.
Calling the shots: Brendan Rodgers does not need the striker
The thing is, though, Carroll has done more than hint that he is ready to make a difference in a Red shirt and who is to say he couldn’t fit into a front three anyway? Would it not be possible for him to play centrally with Suarez, who loves cutting in off the flanks, and Borini peeling off him?
It is sometimes easy to forget that Carroll is only 23 and if Liverpool do offload him, to Newcastle, West Ham or Aston Villa, they would be ushering out the door a player who has yet to fulfil his potential. Some would say it is brave. Others would label it a gamble.
Liverpool’s recent history is littered with big money forwards who have flopped – Robbie Keane, El Hadji Diouf, Djbiril Cisse and Ryan Babel underwhelmed at a grand total of £55million – but Carroll, for all the difficulties he endured, is not someone The Kop want to give up on.
‘I’ve spoken openly and honestly with Andy in terms of where he is at, but I have done the same with all of the players – I have spoken to all of them,’ said Rodgers, who will be in the dugout for the first time on Saturday as Liverpool manager against FC Toronto.
Options: Carroll could work nicely in a front three‘It gets highlighted more with Andy because he is a young player. Maybe others may not see him fitting in with me, but for me he is an important part of the group. There is talk of him going on loan, but there is absolutely no way I would be looking to loan a player like that.
‘But his condition will be the same as every player. If an offer comes in for any player at the club we would either look at it – or dismiss it – and Andy’s no different to that.’
Listening to the impressive Rodgers speak, he is adamant that only a few tweaks are needed to make Liverpool competitive again in the future. Whether that future contains Andy Carroll remains to be seen.
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