• Premier League

Carroll is like a young Drogba - Joe Cole

ESPNsoccernet staff
March 31, 2011
Andy Carroll has received high praise from Joe cole © PA Photos
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Liverpool's Joe Cole thinks that £35 million striker Andy Carroll can have the same impact as Chelsea's Didier Drogba.

Carroll, 22, moved to Liverpool from Newcastle on the last day of the January transfer window after a very impressive start to life in the Premier League. Now, team-mate Cole, who has not enjoyed good headlines since his own move to Anfield, think that the young Englishman reminds him of one of the league's best.

"Andy has made such an impact in such a short time," Cole said. "He could be anything that he wants to be, really, and he reminds me of a young Drogba.

"He's very much like Drogba. But Andy's only 22 and, while we all know what a cracking player Didier is, he wasn't playing at this level at that age. There's still a lot of developing of Andy to do."

Carroll's physical presence has brought a new dimension to Liverpool's attacks and Cole believes that he can succeed in tandem with the pace of fellow new signing Luis Suarez.

"Andy's height means we can now play long and you need to be able to do that in the Premier League these days,'' he said. "He's a good lad and I think you'd have been hard-pressed to have found two better signings in January than Andy and Luis. Luis looks fantastic as well, so they look to be two good buys.

"When you put the pair of them together, there's no reason why their partnership can't click - and I'm sure that it will. They are going to be threatening for any opponent."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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