Andy Carroll switch to fullback?

Andy Carroll knew he failed to block Peter Crouch, even though the corner kick was illegitimate in the first place.  

WHILE many of you would like to praise the magnificent goals by Luis Suarez and long-awaited miracle by Stewart Downing, I would like to focus on one small size midfielder of ours, one Mr Jay Spearing. He has dramatically improved in the last few games especially in the Everton match and most intriguingly, in the last night's  match against Stoke City. 

Jay Spearing is my MAN OF THE MATCH.

Now on to the real business. I may sound like a broken record or even thought as an act of disloyalty to keep on criticising Andy Carroll. Trust me, I don't have much to gain nor would I be cheered by the Newcastle United fans for doing so. The last time I commented on this subject, some of our fellow LFC fans chastised me for being rude and writing a blasphemy article  towards our own player. It's not true. As a loyal and hard core fan, I am voicing my mere frustration by his performance. It was a repetition of a many unspectacular play and again it was evidence in the FA Cup match against Stoke City last night.

Firstly; Andy never won the aerial battle with Robert Huth. He managed to win some free kicks after he was fouled either by Huth or two other towering fullbacks of Stoke City. The long balls were a subject of not 50-50 chances but more like 30-70 for Andy to lose out. 

Second, Andy was slow in reaction or in a football terms, freaking lazy SOB. It was blatant when Dirk Kuyt play 1-2-1 only to find Andy was not moving. Andy should have known that Kuyt was the only advancing player while another team mates was a bit too far at the right for Kuyt to pass the ball. So it has to be him. But the freaking lazy SOB were too slow to react.

Third, Andy didn't seems to click with any of the other forward, be it Luis Suarez, Kuyt or Steven Gerrard. The long crosses from the fabulous Jose Enrique or Martin Kelly or Downing were easily clamped by Huth. If you can't do much because there were one or two defenders shadowing you, can't you at least disrupt them so other players could muster their shots. Apparently not.

Fourth, since he can't win the ball, we thought it would be okay for Andy to assist our defence, especially during the set-pieces. But he didn't managed to shadow Peter Crouch sufficient enough to stop his predecessor from heading the ball into the net. Albeit the corner kick was an illegitimate one (the ball didn't touch any of the LFC players) and the silly complaint by Pepe Reina regarding the obstruction by a Stoke City player (we did that in the match against Manchester United).

Fifth, contrary to that one incident, I think Andy did pretty fair in the defensive role. In the crazy aerial bombardment by the Stoke City with their long throw-ins, Andy won lots and lots of the balls. In fact, one of it was crucial as Crouch was ready to pounce the sweet crosses when Andy flew high to head the ball away.

It would be crazy to suggest Andy to be switch role from a striker into a fullback. It's not as if we can suggest the same for a striker like Dirk Kuyt to change into a right winger because fullback needs another type of skills: tough as a thug but accurate and timely. Flash your images to Martin Skrtel and the back-to-good Jamie Carragher. Andy wasn't that tough. If he is, he could have won many many battles not only with Huth but other opposition big size defenders. 

But since he is not good at the front, why not try him at the back?