thfcsteff
Garth Crooks
It would certainly be nice to have a player in our central midfield that understands the importance of passing forward for a change.
Indeed.
It would certainly be nice to have a player in our central midfield that understands the importance of passing forward for a change.
I would like to come forward as a guilty party for this. i apologise too but i have to say that i dont know why i hold on to things that irritate
a more concerted effort is definitely needed i admit
I definitely wasn't thinking of you, africanspurs
I don't think Carroll will ever amount to anything amazing, but he could be our Joe Allen and a useful squad player. He isn't, and never will be, in the same class as Dembele or Parker though.
A bit premature to write him off like that, do you not think? The kid has massive potential.
There are places for the Joe Allen's of this world in the top teams. Or let's make it a bit sexier by saying there is a place for the 'Xavi' type players of this world.
That's assuming that every footballer in the world progresses at the same rate - which is wrong.
He looks good in training with the U-21's one touch passing and nice interchanging with Jonjo. He might get a start tomorrow against Romania.
[video=youtube;oplxNmje_0E]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oplxNmje_0E[/video]
Old Bill;328816[B said:]Every player I can remember with massive potential goes on to have a massive career[/B], barring injury. Certainly in our game, I can't comment in foreign lands where their ability is there but may not be realised or noticed by the wider footballing community, there aren't many top top class players I can recall who weren't clearly top class in their teens and already superior in their teens to most seasoned pro's playing the same position.
There have been a few very good players though who come through late, but I wouldn't regard them as massive potential players. Just very good players. Massive potential to me equates to potential to be a world class player.
I cannot agree with this 1st sentence. There are countless numbers of player who never develop into the players their early promise shows and it has nothing to do with injury. You don;t have to look any further than our own academy for examples of this.
I think you need to re-evaluate your definition of potential. Even the term world class is so objective as to be a pointless label and frankly nobody is saying Carroll will be in this mythical world-class bracket.
Carroll is not a teenager but hardly a season pro. He is twenty, and young twenty at that in a physical sense. When I see Carroll play I am not blind to his limitations but he has the one thing that cannot be taught and that is footballing intelligence. He sees the bigger picture and that for me trumps most physical attributes. Carroll will be a good premiership quality midfielder either with us or another club of that I have no doubt.
You are proving my point more than debating against it? My question is this:
How many players in their teen didn't show world class potential but then went on to become world class?
Second question is, do people really believe that Carroll will be one?
Old Bill said:...He isn't, and never will be, in the same class as Dembele or Parker though.
Drogba
I'm not actually. I'm disagreeing with your original point that Carroll will not amount to anything and making the point that world class tag is a red herring in this debate.
I can certainly see Carroll being a better player than Etherington and O'Hara but I guess time will tell. Let's disagree on this one.Parker and Dembele certainly aren't world class but they are of a high standard. A standard that Carroll will never reach unfortunately. I do think that Carroll could be an Etherington/O'Hara level player though and that is a decent standard to be proud of.
I can certainly see Carroll being a better player than Etherington and O'Hara but I guess time will tell. Let's disagree on this one.