Pardew critical of Liverpool over Carroll

Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew does not believe Liverpool are playing to Andy Carroll’s strengths.

Carroll made a record 35 million pounds move from Newcastle to Merseyside last season, but has scored only four league goals for the Anfield club.

During the week the 22-year-old also missed a penalty in a Carling Cup clash against Chelsea, though Liverpool eventually won 2-0.

“I think Andy Carroll’s a fantastic player and I don’t think Liverpool play to his strengths if I’m honest,” Pardew said on Sky Sports.

“You give him the ball in the right areas and he’ll finish, no question.”

“I watched them in the week, Liverpool, and they put two crosses into the box: Luiz fouled him for a penalty which wasn’t given, and then Alex handballed it and they got a penalty.”

“But they just don’t deliver the sort of balls that he wants really. He’s good on the floor, he’s decent, he’s a decent striker but he’s not top level.”

Pardew said something had to change for Liverpool to get the most from Carroll.

“Well something’s got to help him I think if he wants to be a success there, because I think with the movement and the players they have he doesn’t get the deliveries in that box that brings out his strength,” he said.

“Andy’s going to feed on those situations. The modern era that we’re in there’s less crosses and there is more movement and there is trickier play and Andy perhaps needs to adapt his game to fit in there.”

The Newcastle boss said left-back Jose Enrique, who also left the Toon for Liverpool, may not be ideally suited to provide the service from the flanks that Carroll needs.

“I had an issue with Enrique putting the ball into the box for him (Carroll),” Pardew said.

“He wants to feel his way in, find a route in there – don’t get me wrong he’s a fantastic player – but he wasn’t the type of full-back who wants to get the ball out of his feet and put it in the box.”

Pardew is backing Carroll to make it to the Euro 2012 finals in Poland and Ukraine.

“He’s a terrific player, I felt sorry for him when he was left out of the England squad,” he said.

“I still feel in the European Championships that he should be included, I believe he’s a potentially good player for England.”