They cost 85 million pounds between them, but Andy Carroll and Fernando Torres have failed to live up to their huge price tags after deadline day moves last January to Liverpool and Chelsea respectively. However between the two they have managed 7 Premier League goals in 11 months for their new clubs, a shadow of what they had done before becoming the most expensive english footballer ever (Carroll) and the most expensive premier league signing of all time (Torres). But after a year of dismay, has the suspension to Luis Suarez and the African Cup of Nations for Didier Drogba, given the two of them the platform, in the shape of consecutive starts, to finally live up to expectations for their new clubs?
Many say Fernando Torres has never been the same striker since his winner in the 2008 European Championships for Spain. Although the Spaniard kept getting goals for his club, he was clearly unhappy and handed in a transfer request towards the end of the January transfer window when a mega offer from Chelsea came in. Seen as a perfect replacement for the aging Didier Drogba, the former Atletico Madrid man has disappointed scoring just 3 league goals all year and 7 in all competitions. He has scored more goals for Liverpool (4) in one month in 2011 than he has for Chelsea in 11. He looks like a shadow of himself now, refusing to run at players or take too many shots and prefers to pass the ball even when he is in a position in which the old Torres would have scored. A couple of poor misses, none greater than the open goal against Manchester United, haven’t done any good for his confidence either. After being given his chances by both Carlo Ancelotti and Andre Villas Boas, he has fallen out of favor with the Portuguese preferring Drogba in the middle with Struddige and Mata on the flanks.
Andy Carroll was seen as one of the most promising strikers in English football. Wearing Alan Shearer’s number 9 at Newcastle United, the 21 year old scored 11 goals in the Premier League in just half a season for the Magpies. Already a regular in the England team, with Fabio Capello seeing him as the future of the national side alongside Wayne Rooney, he was a man with a large following from various premier league teams. Failed bids from Tottenham during the winter transfer window, it looked like Newcastle didn’t want to sell. But with Torres on his way out, Liverpool made an offer they could not refuse. Although he arrived injured (and on probation where he was forced to live with former captain Kevin Nolan), Carroll finally got his first (and second) Liverpool goals in a 3-0 win over Manchester City. However they were to be his only goals that season. Started the new campaign alongside Luis Suarez, but a return of just 2 goals in 16 Premier League appearances have not been enough for him to cement his place in the side, and just like his the man he replaced, he has fallen being in the picking order.
However due to recent events, both these high profile and expensive signings could get another burst of life, exactly a year after they signed for their teams. Didier Drogba is going the spend time away in the new year at the African Cup of Nations. Nicolas Anelka is off to China on new year’s day. And Romeau Lukaku still isn’t mature enough to lead the front line yet. With Daniel Struddige doing wonderfully on the right, there have been suggestions that he could be moved to the centre. But this could be the perfect time for Fernando Torres to be given a chance to prove his worth again. A run of a few consecutive games where he knows that he cannot be dropped could do wonders for a striker’s confidence. And that seems to be the big barrier between the immensely skilled forward and him displaying his true form. If he even has half the self belief that Nicolas Bentnar does, Torres could be said in the same breath as Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi once again.
The dream move for Andy Carroll hasn’t quite worked out as well as he would have hoped. Although he no longer has to live with Kevin Nolan anymore, he has lost his place in the England squad due to his drinking and fitness problems (according to manager Fabio Capello). Not a regular for his club anymore either, he looks like a shadow of the player he was when at Newcastle. But Liverpool have been hit by the news that striker Luis Suarez could be banned for 8 games (subject to appeal) for his racist comments on Patrice Evra. This huge blow for the Anfield club could be a blessing for the young Englishman. While neither Dirk Kyut nor Craig Bellamy are a big man centre forward, Kenny Daglish is going to have to play his 35 million pound man up front. Similar to Torres, a good run of games could be what he needs to get back to his best too. And with Steven Gerrard returning to fitness, it could be a tempting bet to put money on Carroll finally getting some goals.