“Carroll is that type of player (a target man), because Liverpool already have Suarez with mobility, Bellamy is a very good striker with mobility, so they need Carroll. He is a good option.
“But you do need to explain to the other players how to play with a target man and if they can’t play with a target man then they have to go. You need to support him, run in the right places, give him the right balls. My idea with someone like Peter Crouch was for him to flick the ball on for others to run behind and other players to support.”
Carroll’s time at Anfield has been blighted by injuries and bad form since his £35 million ($54.2 million) move in January. Manager Kenny Dalglish has stuck by the towering forward playing him in eight games this season, despite a paltry return of two goals.
Benitez thinks Luis Suarez, Craig Bellamy and even Dirk Kuyt –- all players who make quick, darting runs -– should focus on supporting Carroll in the final third. If he plays a classic target role the three will either receive his flicks and lay-offs or exploit the space left by opposing defenders who mark him closely.
The Benitez plan works better the closer Carroll’s teammates play to him. The problem is that he often drifts into wide channels, leaving acres of space between him and any support player who is not positioned on that particular wing. His only options are making a negative pass, hitting long (Steve Gerrardish) passes to runners or losing the ball.
If he limits his movements to the center of the field -– nearer and further to the goal versus touchline-to-touchline -– it will allow him to serve a greater number of teammates in more dangerous situations.
Photo courtesy of Flickr/liverpoolfc.ge
