Underrated Carroll has to be in Hodgson’s squad for Euro 2012
WE’VE seen Fernando Torres go from world class to hopeless and back again; now the man Liverpool bought to replace him is enjoying his own renaissance, and it’s great timing for England.
The turnaround in Andy Carroll’s season began at Blackburn last month, when he scored the decisive goal in a 3-2 win. He made a huge difference when he came on in the FA Cup final on Saturday and then on Tuesday night against Chelsea he looked like a man possessed.
It’s compelling evidence for an England recall and if I was Roy Hodgson I would absolutely include him in the squad for next month’s European Championship.
No-one believes England have any chance of winning the tournament – even getting to the semi-finals would be the world’s biggest fluke – so we have to accept it’s about building for the future, and that’s where Carroll could have a major part to play.
I’ve always been a fan of Carroll and never argued with the £35m fee Liverpool had to pay. His range of attributes makes him unique, he is so dangerous at set-pieces and in many respects is underrated.
He is rarely noted for his intelligence, but he is a very clever player. His flick-ons are far from random and he has an excellent touch and awareness of space.
We hadn’t seen much since his move last year, for a number of reasons. The price tag clearly inhibited Carroll, who also struggled because of Liverpool’s awful home displays. It is in front of your own fans that you tend to build form but his team’s struggles have made that much harder. A player with such aerial threat relies on good service, and that has been in short supply.
When he has played for England, Carroll has looked the part, and if Hodgson needs more convincing he need only look around at the paucity of England’s forward options.
Trevor Steven is a former England footballer who played in two World Cups and two European Championships. He is now a scout and media commentator.