Liverpool FC: Andy Carroll Doesn't Fit Tactically or Stylistically in Liverpool

The thought process is pretty simple.

You've got one big one and one little one. The big one wins it and the little one uses it.

It is one of the more simplistic approaches to creating football strike partnerships. So simple that success can be had from all levels of footballers, from Niall Quinn and Robbie Keane to Milan Baros and Jan Koller to the more recognizable, at least for the moment, duo of Sergio Aguero and Edin Dzeko.

Those three have carried out the little-and-large strike partnership better than anyone in recent times. At least, they have certainly been better than the combination (if you can even call it that) of Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll.

Liverpool initially signed both Carroll and Suarez to replace the goals lost from the Fernando Torres sale.

Both players were expected to lead the line for Kenny Dalglish's side, but so far no partnership has developed at all.

This is not just partly due to Andy Carroll's ineptitude as a Premiership footballer—it is completely due to Andy Carroll's ineptitude as a Premiership footballer.

At the time of signing him, Liverpool undoubtedly overpaid for Carroll.

That was something that they knew and accepted because of their need for reinforcement up front and because of their newfound fetish of young English talent, but I doubt they realized just how much they were overpaying for Carroll.

Carroll arrived at Anfield for £35 million, a sum by my estimation that is around £27 million more than his actual worth. Since then, he has spent most of his time on the sideline, whether it be due to injury or poor performance, and has looked out of place when on the field.

The attraction to Carroll for Liverpool came in the form of the 11 Premiership goals in 18 appearances (including a 35-yard strike against Liverpool themselves) prior to the January transfer window of 2011. The failure to recognize a player simply in form as opposed to a class individual was what doomed this transfer.

Carroll has essentially done nothing in his career, which isn't really a major knock on him considering he is only 22. The £35 million price tag has come and gone, there is nothing that the team can do about that now.

Attempting to justify it by forcing Carroll into the team doesn't make the transfer any less disappointing.

Carroll was signed to be a versatile big man. However, he lacks any sort of ability with the ball at his feet, at times struggling even to control the ball or make the simplest of passes, while he doesn't show the aggression or desire required to be dominant in the air.

At 22 years of age, Carroll can be forgiven for not being a well-rounded player. However, he cannot be forgiven for not showing the desire and determination to succeed.

Even Jay Spearing, who is blatantly a limited footballer, has more value to the team because of his passion and desire.

Passion and desire is a staple of Liverpool football club. Not every player that has worn the jersey has shown that passion or desire, but those that haven't have generally replaced the combination with talent.

Right now, Carroll is only serving to do two things for Liverpool on the field.

He is a passenger that the team has to carry and work in spite of because of his inability to fit into the team's tactics and style of play.

Much, much worse—he also forces the team's best player out of his most dangerous position.

Kenny Dalglish tried earlier in the season to play Carroll in behind the sniping Luis Suarez, but the formation simply didn't work. Suarez is best suit to lead the line and look to beat the last defender. Incorporating Carroll into the team forces him to play deeper, or as he did last night, out wide.

Despite his poor play on the field, Carroll apparently isn't too determined to fix things on the training pitch, with Pepe Reina listing Carroll as the club's worst trainer on Skysports' Soccer AM.

While I would sympathise with Kenny Dalglish's plight if he did not have any other options, that simply isn't true.

In order to play Carroll last night in the team's loss to Fulham, Dalglish left Dirk Kuyt, Stewart Downing and Maxi Rodriguez on the bench.

While none of the trio have overwhelmingly impressed consistently throughout the season, Maxi has for the short period that he has been on the field, and each of them would at the very least return Suarez, the team's best player, to his best position.

Each also fits the team's tactics and identity as a passing football team.

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. While this is not exactly what the club is doing by sticking with Carroll, each game he starts just reminds us more of the mistake that was made by bringing him to the club.

Tweeting @Cianaf