Andy Carroll is taking the rap for the failure of others

There are basically two types of striker. There is the Luis Suarez type; one who is capable of creating things for himself.

Then there is the Andy Carroll type; who can be very effective if he is given the right sort service.

Carroll has been largely ineffective at Liverpool, and it is no secret that the new manager does not seem to see a place for him.

While it is unlikely that he would fit easily into the Rodgers’ style of play, the big Geordie would be justified in feeling that life at Liverpool hasn’t been that fair.

He could point out that it was a lack of service that gave him little to feed off.

He could point fingers at where that lack came from – a £20m winger who delivered nothing and a ‘creative’ midfielder who, for £9m, creates little.

Carroll could ask why it seems to be him, and not Downing or Adam who are being shown the door.

And perhaps that might be just a matter of time. The stories that Liverpool want Dempsey from Fulham and Allen from Swansea seem to be strengthening.

If they are true, then we can expect to see Dempsey playing in a front three with Suarez and Borini and Allen alongside Gerrard in midfield.

It is (thankfully) difficult to see where Downing or Adam would fit into this side, other than as benchwarmers. I suspect the problem is that they will be less easy to shift.

For all his detractors, Andy Carroll has a lot to offer – witness his Cup Final goal and that beauty of a header in the European Championships.

It is much less easy to see what the other two can offer. Downing was brought in on the back of a good season with Villa, but if you look at his figures for the previous one, they were dire.

The fact that Roy Hodgson took him to the Euros was utterly baffling. Charlie Adam is…well, simply pedestrian.

While there seems to be a few clubs lining up to try to attract Carroll, I suspect getting rid of the other two for any worthwhile sum will prove more difficult.

image: © kong niffe