This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…
Andy Carroll was poor as Newcastle United lost 1-0 to Burnley in the Premier League on Saturday.
On the chalkboard
Signed on a free transfer in the summer, the 30-year-old had made just one start prior to the encounter with the Clarets.
Manager Steve Bruce started Carroll at Turf Moor at the weekend and he failed to really have any sort of impact in the final third.
Per WhoScored, he had two shots on goal, with neither on target, despite having a total of 36 touches throughout the game.
He notched a pass completion rate of a mere 63% – the joint-lowest of any Newcastle player to start the game – and did not complete a single dribble.
The former West Ham United striker, despite his 6 foot 4 height, also won just 37% of the aerial duels he attempted, meaning of the 18 he contested, he won seven.
Carroll was also dispossessed once, while was dribbled past on two separate occasions.
Not the answer
Newcastle have a number of strikers to choose from.
They also have Dwight Gayle, Joelinton and Yoshinori Muto but they have all struggled to hit the back of the net, scoring once in the Premier League between them.
Carroll is another to have failed to have scored in the top-flight and this performance proves that he is not the answer Bruce is looking for.
Naturally, he needs strikers who can score goals and, at the moment, it isn’t just Carroll who is struggling to do that.
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But here he outlined his deficiencies, his inability to create proper chances and his fallibility in the air.
As Newcastle’s season progresses, Bruce needs to drop Carroll.
Meanwhile, another Newcastle ace simply must improve.