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Jose Enrique: Carroll ready to do ‘brilliant’ things

Comment: 0 August 16th, 2011 by: admin

New signing Jose Enrique has recently come to the defence of teammate Andy Carroll after detractors have begun to question whether the striker was well worth his £35 million tag price.

Enrique, who spent four years with Carroll at Newcastle United, insisted that Carroll, hampered with thigh and knee injuries during his first six months at Anfield, is yet to hit his peak.

‘I watched him play last season and I knew he wasn’t fit,’ Enrique said.  ‘I don’t care if the player is Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, if a player isn’t fit they cannot play properly.’

Coming off disappointing draw against Sunderland one day after his arrival from Newcastle, Enrique stated that ‘Andy’s still playing very well in his position and he is going to be an important player in this season.’

‘He was brilliant at Newcastle and I am sure he will be brilliant for Liverpool,’ he continued.

Enrique also readily addressed claims that Liverpool overpaid for the 22-year old striker.

‘When a club like Liverpool pays £35 million for anyone it’s because they think he is a good player,’ he said, ‘and I’m sure Andy is going to do a lot of very good things for us.’

He also addressed his process of integrating himself with the squad while still attempting to reach peak physical form.

‘I am not 100 percent because I have not trained with the team and I need to get to know everyone,’ the Spaniard explained, ‘but that’s normal and in the next few games, if I continue to play it will be easy to understand the others.’

The draw against Sunderland was a less-than-satisfactory start for the Reds, who are currently running without Steven Gerrard.

The team under Kenny Dalglish have instead tightened the midfield, covering up any holes left by Gerrard and further diversifying the formerly one-man team.

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