Where does Carroll rank in worst ever signings?

[WestYorksRoyal]

I get it, this is a ridiculous question. He was 2nd top scorer last year. Aluko, Puscas, Fae and others all cost a lot of money and provided little. But our team has been so shit with him in it. A head on a stick to punt it to. Whenever things get rocky, the team defaults to a useless long ball tactic.

For all the chat of reset and recruitment, we're never going to move forward while he starts. He has to drop to 4th or 5th choice.

I'm not suggesting at all we'd have stayed up last season without him. We were in dire straits. But his presence allows the team a way out of being brave on the ball. A clear anti football option to default to.

For this reason, he is definitely in the conversation for our worst signing in my view. It's scapegoating, but I'm not criticising his individual performances. I'm criticising the effect his presence has on the team

[Snowflake Royal]

He shouldn't be anywhere near such a conversation.

[Sutekh]

Agree with Ian. The issue is largely with the idiots we've had employed as managers.

[SCIAG]

Yeah, not even close.

I can understand your concern to an extent, but you’ve got to ask yourself what the alternative is - it’s probably “hoof it to Ehibhationham”.

[Loafer]

[From Despair To Where?]

Absolutely nowhere.

It's like the original poster hasn't watched a single a Reading game prior to May 2023.

[Brogue]

I blame the systems and tactics rather than Carroll.

Yan kermogant was a similar player to Carroll and we played to his strengths. If we set ourselves up like we did with kermogant, Carroll would be a different player.

[Royal_jimmy]

I just don't think the system suits Andy Carroll at all.

He should be a bench option really if we need a goal. He shouldn't be starting games. We need Sam Smith back ASAP as I reckon him and Ehibatiomhan could work well together.

[YorkshireRoyal99]

He doesn't rank anywhere near one of the worst signings ever. The only thing I'd take on board from the OP is that he probably doesn't have a great effect on the team because of the type of forward he is. But that's not his fault if we don't play a way that suits him.

I always believe you should play to the strengths of your CF and attacking players, as those are the players who win you games. We don't do that with Carroll and I suspect he won't be starting if we bring someone else in and/or we get Sam Smith fit again. He should be used as an option, rather then the focal point in our team, because at the moment it isn't working.

[retro royal]

Seems like he's off the rails again

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/23465381 ... ancing-dj/

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

Kick him out the door now

[Royal_jimmy]

We're his retirement pay cheque

[CountryRoyal]

Seems like he's off the rails again

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/23465381 ... ancing-dj/

Not reading that tosh but also worth remembering his son was recently diagnosed with diabetes type 1 I think. Footballers are people too. Think he and we could benefit from him starting on the bench tbh.

I really don’t think he’s suited to this style but even the stuff he should be good at, he’s naff at the moment. Even though the penalty should have clearly been retaken, it was awful… such a comfortable height. Never really looked like having a shot on target from open play.

[Orion1871]

We're his retirement pay cheque

[Hound]

We're his retirement pay cheque

I’m hoping that wasn’t a serious comment

[hughsies no.1]

Ridiculous post

Don’t have to be a brain surgeon to see what his attributes are, and in League 1 if utilised properly he would be a serious asset.

Yesterday he was poor, missed pen, being pulled all over the place but even with 5 mins to go did we send one diagonal ball into him. He’s never going to press.

The equivalent is starting Vickers up top Tuesday night and just pumping it long to him all night to win balls in the air and hold it up - where it obviously isn’t his game.

Carroll isn’t the scape goat for me.

[Royalwaster]

Ridiculous post

Don’t have to be a brain surgeon to see what his attributes are, and in League 1 if utilised properly he would be a serious asset.

Yesterday he was poor, missed pen, being pulled all over the place but even with 5 mins to go did we send one diagonal ball into him. He’s never going to press.

The equivalent is starting Vickers up top Tuesday night and just pumping it long to him all night to win balls in the air and hold it up - where it obviously isn’t his game.

Carroll isn’t the escapegoat for me.

Corrected for you.

[South Coast Royal]

As other posters have said there have been hundreds if not thousands worse than him and plenty of those cost significant amounts of money.
To the OP just remember where we are.
A club looking for loans and freebies last season and this so who better could we have got.?

Sam Smith is already becoming a better player the longer he is out and much is expected of little and large (Vickers and Ehib) who are very much novices.

If we are going to play Carroll as a regular starter we desperately need speedy wide men to provide crosses-Azeez doesn't strike me as one of the answers, Knibbs might be.

If we are going to play differently without him as the focal point we could do worse than use him as a centre-back where I feel he could be outstanding-exceptional in the air, a better touch than most centre-backs and a strong tackler .
Maybe lacking in pace but the other options there are hardly speedsters.

Let's hope that the anticipated signings that Selles has gone on about provide some better options all over the pitch as, at the moment, we really are not very good.

[Snowflake Royal]

As other posters have said there have been hundreds if not thousands worse than him and plenty of those cost significant amounts of money.
To the OP just remember where we are.
A club looking for loans and freebies last season and this so who better could we have got.?

Sam Smith is already becoming a better player the longer he is out and much is expected of little and large (Vickers and Ehib) who are very much novices.

If we are going to play Carroll as a regular starter we desperately need speedy wide men to provide crosses-Azeez doesn't strike me as one of the answers, Knibbs might be.

If we are going to play differently without him as the focal point we could do worse than use him as a centre-back where I feel he could be outstanding-exceptional in the air, a better touch than most centre-backs and a strong tackler .
Maybe lacking in pace but the other options there are hardly speedsters.

Let's hope that the anticipated signings that Selles has gone on about provide some better options all over the pitch as, at the moment, we really are not very good.

If we want to play Carroll, we should be playing NGW and Camara at the wings imo. NGW in particular is always looking to go past his man and cross or pull back.

I think Carroll just doesn’t have the legs for it anymore. And CBs are more agricultural bruisers at this level. Carroll has a reputation of being very physical and aggressive so refs are just not going to give him much. Strikers already come off worse in those battles generally because its less game changing to give a defensive freekick than an offensive one in shooting/crossing range or a penalty.

[SouthDownsRoyal]

Not the worst signing but get rid of him