Three talking points from the English Premier League this weekend:
Maybe Andy Carroll wasn't that bad after all
Maybe Andy Carroll wasn't that bad after all
It's not
Andy Carroll's fault that Liverpool paid ₤35
million for his services. Really, it's not. The kid made
a great start to life in the Premier League at Newcastle, yet has
been unable to convince on Merseyside, yet has to wear his massive
sticker tag ever since. Amidst a lot of confusion, there have even
been occasions where he's looked quite good – for Liverpool and for
his country.
Andy
Carroll was the Hummer in a garage that new manager Brendan
Rodgers' wanted to stock with sports cars. The new boss made it
eminently clear that England's most loveable lump didn't fit and
hawked the lad all over the country; now Carroll finds himself
fronting the West Ham forward line alongside old
sparring partner Kevin Nolan.
How
quickly fortunes turn. Carroll was outstanding in West Ham's 3-0
triumph over Fulham, while Rodgers is so desperate for strikers he
has reportedly considered re-signing current outcast Michael Owen.
Less than a week after sending Carroll on loan to East London,
rumours
have begun about him returning to Anfield in January – no
matter how poorly Rodgers thinks the “fit” is. Having only two strikers will change a manager's thinking, pronto.
The
player is sure to be wanted, appreciated and more than just his
price tag at the Boleyn Ground. He'll also receive service from
(relatively) precise sources like Mark Noble and Matty Taylor. At
Anfield, Andy Carroll will always be overshadowed by an eight-figure
transfer fee – but it doesn't mean he's useless: big-ticket items
can always be re-purposed if they fail to meet expectations.
West
Bromwich Albion carry a big stick
The
Baggies' claimed not only a
win against Everton on Saturday, but with it the yoke of
expectation that accompanies overachievers. Yet, when compared to
the Toffees, WBA are playing exceedingly well despite a rookie
manager tipped heavily to fail and a squad assembled for comparative
peanuts. After long being the West Midlands' fourth – or fifth –
club, West Brom seem now to be the region's best team.
Still,
no-one is talking about them.
Since
Roberto Di Matteo led them back to the Premiership in 2009, they've
made budget signing after free transfer who have all had a great
influence: Saturday's central midfield duo cost a combined ₤175,000
– 1/200th
of Andy Carroll – while Peter Odemwingie cost a mere ₤1.5
million. No more do they rely on Nathan Ellington or the
immortal Pedro Pele; recent reinforcements have all been quality,
like Liam Ridgewell and Ben Foster. After being the Premier
League's yo-yo team of the 2000s, West Brom seem now to have the
talent and belieft to stay in the division.
The
Baggies are playing with more freedom under Steve Clarke than former
boss Roy Hodgson and could be the ever-present sneaky team that
dares to creep into the table's top half.
Watch
out for Zenit St. Petersburg
While
most
European transfer windows closed on Friday evening, Russian clubs
still have another two days to reinforce their squads. Champions
Zenit St. Petersburg have taken full advantage, signing Brazilian
striker Hulk and Belgian midfielder Axel Witsel from their Portuguese
clubs for
a combined ₤64
million.
The
moves – and a Champions League group gutted by financial concerns –
make the Russian Champions their group's hottest tip to make the
elimination stages. With the squad at their disposal, Zenit may well
be a good underdog bet to make even
The
purchases also indicate a further shift in the financial balance of
power away from it's traditional seat of England, Spain and Italy.
The Russian league is helped immeasurably by this publicity: the
purchases made by Zenit and Anzhi Makhachkala – who
also dipped into the market – suggest the landscape has
expanded to include more than the established Big Four leagues. This
can only benefit players, who can attract cash and notoriety anywhere
from Sydney
to Seattle.
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