So the travelling contingent to Portugal will include our 35-million-pound man. Word on the street is that Andy Carroll is travelling but will not be walking out onto the pitch for announcements. Instead, he’ll occupy a similar spot on the bench and support his teammates—but you must imagine that will only be for the first 60-or-so minutes; though King Kenny seems to have an interest in using available substitutes later in games (but that probably comes from the fact that we have way too many players who seem to be made of glass). Either way, it will be great for Carroll to get some game time, to work with the midfield and see what he can do with the wayward crossing that comes from our wings. Seriously, as an aside, how can we look at ANYTHING in the next transfer window but wingers and defenders (I do not want to hear anything about another striker or central midfielder)? Back to Braga: so Carroll will make the trip and I’m hoping he’ll get a 30-minute run-out and maybe steal a late away goal for us. We’ll probably need it; Braga will counter attack and we’ll be without Suarez; I’m not excited about our prospects in the game and honestly think we’ll need the work rate of Kuyt and Meireles to keep us in the tie for the 2nd leg back at Anfield. So, Carroll’s time on the pitch will be critical, I feel for this 1st leg. Let’s hope he starts his legacy-building Thursday night.
Suarez isn’t happy that he’ll have to wait so long for another run-out, and who can blame him. Because of his own “passion” he served a long lay-off in the winter (because of biting an opponent) and has just been getting back into his form—and what fine form that was against the Scum—and now he finds himself sitting around until we return to Premiership action after two legs of European ties sandwiching an FA Cup weekend. What kind of impact will this have on our new class-act? We have to hope so; the promise of things to come was glaringly evident against the Scum. His performance makes it much easier to forget Torres (who?). Seriously, would Torres have been able to split two defenders, beat another two and PASS the ball? NO—Torres would have shot, hit Van Der Saar in the gut and not tracked back to help stem Scum United’s counter attack. It’s my hope that we see Suarez just as sharp as he was on Sunday when we return to the Premiership; we’ll need his unique vision and touch to get through the Sunderland defense. I have to admit; it’s twelve days away—that’s another almost two weeks of Suarez and Carroll working together…..I’m just saying.
Did any of you see that Suso and Pacheco and Sterling are at it again? Their combined age is still almost a decade younger than King Kenny; I cannot help but get excited to think about the things to come from these young men. Just think about it; if we keep building in this direction, we sign King Kenny to a long-term contract, keep Clarke on board and keep the Academy under the Barcelona-esque “Liverpool way” of training, the things to come can only be promising. All three are attacking players and should be ready for first team football within the next 2-3 years, just when Stevie G and Meireles’ careers will be seriously winding down. Imagine if they truly are magical…we’ll still have Jonjo—don’t forget how ripe he is either; maybe, just maybe, we will finally stop spending millions in transfers per year on midfielders and use those funds to expand Anfield…ah, to dream.
Lastly, central Texas now has roots to Liverpool. Paul Daglish has helped establish an approved Liverpool Academy right here in America---reportedly the ONLY approved international Liverpool Academy. Probably not newsworthy in itself beyond the fact that there is another tie between my beloved club and my home shores. Who knows, 10 years from now maybe I’ll be watching an American kid run out in that gorgeous red kit to the songs of the Kop…..dare to dream!
Until we meet again,
The Red Yank
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