Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez Sign For Liverpool: Can They Fill the Void Left By Fernando Torres

On a frantic deadline day Liverpool FC completed the signing of Newcastle’s Andy Carroll for a record fee. Carroll was signed as a replacement for Fernando Torres, who left for Chelsea on the final day of the transfer window.

Torres had earlier handed in a transfer request which was rejected by Liverpool. But on the deadline day he was sold to Chelsea. Chelsea’s record 50 million bid was accepted by Liverpool who went onto buy Andy Carroll for a fee in excess of 35 million Euros.

That leaves Liverpool with 2 new strikers in Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez. Liverpool completed the Suarez transfer on deadline day as well for a fee of 26.5 million Euros from Dutch side Ajax. But the transfer was finalized several days previously and was only subject to medical.

In Suarez and Carroll Liverpool have 2 of the most talented strikers in world football right now. For their previous clubs, both the players plundered in goals for fun and scored consistently. But question marks still remain of whether the 2 can continue to score goals for Liverpool.

During Fernando Torres’s stay at Liverpool he was an extremely successful and popular player. After signing for Liverpool from Atletico Madrid in 2007, he went onto score 81 goals in just 142 games and was the fastest Liverpool player to score 50 goals.

He struggled this season especially during Roy Hodgson’s tenure as Liverpool manager. He managed just 6 goals during this time. But following the appointment of Dalglish Liverpool his entire game seemed to have improved and he seemed to be coming back to his best. He scored 3 goals and was looking extremely impressive.

But Torres is still not back to his best. Also the fact that he was wanting a transfer goes to show that he was not in the right frame of mind to play for Liverpool. There was a possibility that he could end up affecting the team morale which would have an extremely bad effect on the club.

Liverpool have taken a big gamble in signing these 2 players especially considering their cost. Liverpool are currently 7^th in the table and if they are to have a good season they will require both these players to be instant hits and bring immediate results.

Last season Suarez scored 49 goals for Ajax in just 48 matches. Yet that hardly guarantees goals in the Premier League. If history is anything to go by players with the history of scoring goals in the Dutch league struggle to do the same in England. Liverpool already have the perfect example already at Anfield.

Liverpool signed Dirk Kuyt from Feyenoord in the summer of 2006. During his stay in Netherlands he averaged close to 26 goals a season and was even the top scorer in the Dutch League in 2005. Yet at Liverpool he averages only close to 10 goals a season.

One can wonder if the same thing will happen to Suarez as well. He is definitely a highly talented and skilled player but one of the main reasons for his stunning statistics has got to be the less competitive and free scoring nature of the Dutch League.

But there have also been players like Nistelrooy who have tasted success even in the Premier League. There is every possibility, that Suarez will end up following his footsteps.

But Suarez has shown that he can score in competitive tournaments as he scored 3 goals in the World Cup. Suarez has great skill and composure in front of goal that will enable him to score freely for Liverpool.

Andy Carroll is a different story. He has been widely compared to Newcastle legend Alan Shearer and his performances so far this season has justified that calling. He has scored 11 goals for Newcastle this season including a hat-trick against Aston Villa, a great header against Arsenal and a 25 yard screamer against Liverpool themselves.

He is one of the best headers of the ball in England right now and offers a real physical presence upfront. His height makes him an extremely potent threat from set pieces and gives defenders a very hard time.

But he is of a different mould from Fernando Torres. Torres was never a big threat physically. Torres was a player blessed with great technique, lovely finishing and a certain flair that made him a joy to watch.

Carroll is a different type of player. He is effective and did rack up the goals for Newcastle but several of his goals were headers. At Newcastle he would chase down long balls, win headers and set up goals for teammates.

Liverpool under Kenny Dalglish seem to be trying to score goals by employing a free flowing style of play with several passes. Question marks still remain whether Carroll can adapt and fit into Liverpool’s style of play.

But in my opinion I think he can fit into Liverpool’s starting lineup and continue to be the force he is. His aerial ability will give Liverpool a different strategy to and a different means to score goals. It will give them a bit of variation in front of goals.

He is extremely good at winning aerial balls and can supply knock downs to the likes of Suarez, Gerrard and Meireles. Carroll has proved that he does possess a good foot as well and has scored a few impressive goals with his feet as well.

In Carroll and Suarez, Liverpool have 2 highly talented forwards who will have to establish themselves for Liverpool. Suarez and Carroll are two players who right now are on top of the game and they have every possibility of filling the void left by Torres with ease and creating a fabulous legacy of their own.

The 2 of them are capable of being great players but whether that will happen in a Liverpool jersey only time will tell.