Andy Carroll’s Liverpool future in doubt under Brendan Rodgers

Carroll’s days as Anfield No9 look numbered under Rodgers

Brendan Rodgers’ admission he is willing to let Andy Carroll go out on loan is embarrassing for everyone connected with Liverpool.

The Reds shelled out £35m for the Newcastle United No9 in January 2011, and he was greeted with widespread ridicule, and little since has changed the mood.

Since his arrival at Anfield, Carroll’s efforts have been undermined by poor service, poor fitness and the weight of expectation generated by his massive price tag.

He has improved in the last few months, but now circumstances are conspiring against him, as Liverpool have hired a manager who has little regard for muscular target men.

The fluid passing style Rodgers perfected at Swansea requires superior pace, technique and guile to work – Carroll quite simply does not tick any of those boxes.

That said, loaning out a player signed for such a monumental fee amounts to a huge admission of failure from a club which spent big to try and recapture former glories.

Of course, Carroll will not be short of suitors – AC Milan are reportedly interested, and Newcastle might even cheekily try and tempt him back to St James’ Park.

But wherever Carroll and Liverpool go from here, the idea he might go on and become the club’s next great centre-forward looks as far away as ever.

Borini is a start but Liverpool need more

Rodgers appears to be close to announcing his first signing since taking over at Liverpool and it’s hardly a marquee name – Fabio Borini.

Familiar to most of us for underwhelming spells at Chelsea and Swansea (on loan), it might surprise some of you to know that Borini was actually part of Italy’s Euro 2012 squad that made the final, not that he featured all that prominently.

As first signings go, it is hardly a headline stealer but it is evidence of what looks set to be a more considered transfer policy under Rodgers when compared to his predecessors.

Borini has to be a back-up striker, he scored goals for Roma last term, but he will struggle to score 20 goals per season.

Rumours are suggesting that Borini’s signing could precipitate Carroll’s exit, either permanently or on loan, but that would be a huge mistake.

Liverpool’s weakness last season was certainly not conceding goals, their defence was one of the meanest in the league, but it was scoring them.

Carroll must have taken some confidence from the Euros, Luis Suárez cannot hit the woodwork as many times as he did last season and with Borini involved as well, suddenly there are options at Anfield.

Unfortunately the perennial problem of terrible wingers looks set to continue, they need to buy one or two world-class players.

Stewart Downing endured a difficult first season at Anfield and hopefully Rodgers has noticed that glaring hole in his squad because it would be nice to have Liverpool challenging back at the top of the table.

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Read more on: Andy Carroll, Brendan Rodgers, Fabio Borini, Liverpool, Premier League.