“Liverpool’s decision to sign Andy Carroll, in January 2011, was logical in the context of the transfers that followed that summer. The £35million fee may have been high, but as Liverpool pointed out at the time, they essentially got him and £15million for Fernando Torres and that was consistent with a switch from an approach based on counter-attacking to one based on crossing. Whether or not Charlie Adam, Jordan Henderson and Stewart Downing really were bought through some quasi-moneyball logic because they had created the most chances of any players realistically available, the acquisitions seemed to make sense: they could deliver balls for Carroll to use the aerial ability he demonstrated in scoring a classical header for England against Sweden in the Euros. That goal, stemming from a perfectly timed leap and a powerful flex of the neck muscles showed just what Carroll is good at.” ESPN – Jonathan Wilson