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Carroll and Suarez

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TheBunnyman

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This Guardian interview with Luis contains the first glimmers of that much anticipated strike partnership...

Beginnings, as Kenny Dalglish knows, are everything. He marked his first game at Anfield with a goal and so, within 16 minutes of coming on against Stoke City, did Luis Suárez. Others are not so fortunate. As Newcastle United's manager, Dalglish brought Jon Dahl Tomasson to St James' Park, where he blew a one-on-one against Sheffield Wednesday. His game on Tyneside never recovered. On Sunday, against Manchester United, it is likely to be Andy Carroll's turn.

Whether he starts, the partnership with Suárez, upon which Liverpool have lavished £59m, cannot be long delayed. It is the classic big man, little man combination seen most effectively at Anfield when John Toshack and Kevin Keegan spearheaded Bill Shankly's attack. Having shaken off a thigh injury, Carroll has been training with Suárez for a number of days now and the Uruguayan has already wondered how defenders will cope.

"He hasn't played a competitive game for two months but it is up to us as a group to ease him back in after all that time away," Suárez said, nursing a cup of mate at Liverpool's training ground at Melwood. [size=14pt]"My impressions so far are that he is very tall, good in the air and has great feet. You have to remember that defenders here are very tall; that's why the duels between them are very good to watch but I still don't know how they are going to cope with him."[/size]

Because of injury and suspension, the central defenders Sir Alex Ferguson will be able to deploy are the unconvincing combination of Chris Smalling and Wes Brown. "It is important for us that neither Vidic nor Ferdinand will be there," Suárez said. "But you have to say that any player who is at Manchester United must be there for a reason."

For much of his time at Old Trafford, many wondered what Diego Forlán, Uruguay's last contribution to the Premier League, was doing until in December 2002 he scored twice in three minutes at Anfield. After the second, Gary Neville ran up and told him: "They will never forget you after that."

As Suárez sips his mate through the traditional silver straw, the song United fans sang for Forlán is translated for him: "He comes from Uruguay, he made the scousers cry …"

"Diego told me that this will be the most important game of the year for them – as it will be for us," Suárez said. "To score in a game like this is something you dream of. That United fans still sing that for Diego shows the power of the fixture. We know how important it is that Manchester United do not win the title. It would be a big prize to stop them winning the league.

"I've played a lot of big derbies in Holland and Uruguay and for the national team, against Argentina and Brazil, so I am calm. The only derby I was ever nervous before was the one between Nacional and Peñarol when I was 18. If you become obsessed with how big the game is, you will get nervous and you'll take it into the match."

In Amsterdam he was known for what South Americans call picardía, a bit of devilment – the cunning and ability to be there when it counts. "It is a hard quality to explain," he said. "[Ruud] van Nistelrooy and Raúl have it. At Ajax [for whom he scored almost a goal a game] and Groningen I was in the right place at the right time."

He would hope that these qualities might erase the perception of him as the man whose handball in Johannesburg against Ghana helped steal the World Cup from Africa and whose career in Dutch football ended with a suspension for biting an opponent.

"Sofia [his wife who left Uruguay at 16 to join him in the modest Dutch town of Groningen] said that if I behaved off the field like I do on the field she would not be with me," he said. "It would be great if people in this country had a positive image of me. The fans loved me at Ajax.

"It is important for me to defend my team – that is what Uruguayans are like. When I wear the shirt of any team, I become a fan of that team."
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It's a kind of S.American herb tea.

Good interview, and IMO mark is spot on about the man it reveals. Despite being a foreigner who knew zero Dutch before he went to Holland, Suarez became skipper of Ajax Amsterdam and got a humungous send-off when he joined us. Such things don't happen to just any player.
 
[quote author=Judge Jules link=topic=44438.msg1294959#msg1294959 date=1299319749]
It's a kind of S.American herb tea.

Good interview, and IMO mark is spot on about the man it reveals. Despite being a foreigner who knew zero Dutch before he went to Holland, Suarez became skipper of Ajax Amsterdam and got a humungous send-off when he joined us. Such things don't happen to just any player.
[/quote]
Well said. All three.

(Mark, Jules and Suarez)
 
Liverpool strikers Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez have been warned that they will face a fight for their frontline places next season as Anfield manager Kenny Dalglish sets about knocking Manchester United off their perch.

The warning has come from former Liverpool title-winning striker David Hodgson who believes that Dalglish will seek high-quality attacking reinforcements to bolster his club’s strike force as United prepare to officially eclipse their bitter rivals' domestic achievements as they close in on their 19th league title.

“Everyone will be thinking it will be a Carroll-Suarez partnership next season because they paid £35 million for Carroll and almost £23 million for Suarez,†Hodgson told Telegraph Sport.

“I am sure that they will complement each other well but I have no doubt whatsoever that the club will be looking for other strikers because big clubs like Liverpool do not just get by with two strikers,

“A good club pushing for a top-six place will always go for a strength-in-depth policy that will need four strikers so they will be on the look-out for others.

“Man United are there to be knocked off their perch but they are so consistent it will take an awful lot to do that.

“If Liverpool finish in the top three next year that will be a big forward step. I don’t think any club is in a position to knock Man U off their perch. But in the long-term if Kenny is signing young players it could take two or three years.â€

Hodgson knows all about Liverpool strategies having spent two trophy-laden years on Merseyside following a move from Middlesbrough to act as back-up to Ian Rush and Dalglish and as he struggled to establish himself Michael Robinson was hired to intensify competition for places.

Hodgson, who likes Carroll, hails from Gateshead, believes the England striker will flourish under Dalglish.

“Can Andy Carroll do the business for Liverpool? Yes he can. Without question,†Hodgson, now 50, said.

“Technically he is gifted for a big boy. He has great feet for a big boy and we all know about his aerial ability. He is a throwback to the old days but he has everything in his locker even when it comes to pace because when he is in full flight he takes some stopping.

“They have made a great signing but it will take him time to settle into a new system and a new way of playing, a new way of training and a new way of life. He will have all summer to reflect and will be a better player next season and got rid of the niggling injuries.

“I have seen him come on leaps and bounds and it is very rare that Kenny ever makes a mistake when it comes to signing a striker. Just look back on his days at Blackburn when he got Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton and they won him the title. He is very astute when it comes to strikers because he was one of the best in th world.â€
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Everyone is talking about Carrroll & Suarez understandably, but for me I like the Suarez/Kuyt partnership. They were made for each other and I've been pleasant surprised how quickly they've fo9rmed an understanding and how effective it is. Carroll will have to go some to get in the team.
 
[quote author=KopKing link=topic=44438.msg1329219#msg1329219 date=1304960581]
Everyone is talking about Carrroll & Suarez understandably, but for me I like the Suarez/Kuyt partnership. They were made for each other and I've been pleasant surprised how quickly they've fo9rmed an understanding and how effective it is. Carroll will have to go some to get in the team.
[/quote]
Ive been saying the same thing. Suarez sets them up and Kuyt puts them away.
 
Kenny said today that Carroll is back in full training, so will be available for the game on sunday.

Great news!
 
[quote author=KopKing link=topic=44438.msg1329219#msg1329219 date=1304960581]
Everyone is talking about Carrroll & Suarez understandably, but for me I like the Suarez/Kuyt partnership. They were made for each other and I've been pleasant surprised how quickly they've fo9rmed an understanding and how effective it is. Carroll will have to go some to get in the team.
[/quote]

Gives us a lot of options too...
 
[quote author=Hansern link=topic=44438.msg1332100#msg1332100 date=1305220141]
Kenny said today that Carroll is back in full training, so will be available for the game on sunday.

Great news!
[/quote]


he can hardly drop the goal machine though for Andy can he
 
Since Ming is doubtful with injury I think he could be rested and Carroll starting..

Maxi should play no matter what
 
We should bring Carroll on from the bench when Tottenham are tired, or if we hit problems, and just tell him to go out there and enjoy himself.
 
We should start with the same team I reckon. Shelvey for Ming if he's still injured. Carroll can come off the bench.
 
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