Castrol data shows that Liverpool’s £35 million striker Andy Carroll deserves his place alongside Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney in Fabio Capello’s England attack, netting an impressive 11 Premier League goals in 1,712 minutes of action this season.
While Rooney’s place in the Three Lions’ first 11 is set in stone under Capello, the second striking berth has yet to be claimed on a permanent basis. However, Carroll’s strike rate of a goal every 156 minutes in the league this season and a total of three assists, are both superior figures to those of his fellow England hopefuls.
Aston Villa’s Darren Bent comes closest to matching Carroll’s figures, and the striker has hit two goals in his last two appearances for England. However, the Liverpool man’s physical presence, along with his goals, makes him an ideal foil for the more creative Rooney.
English Strikers In Premier League 2010/11
Prem Lge 10/11 | Darren Bent | Defoe | Andy Carroll | Carlton Cole | ||
Team | Sunderland/ A Villa | Tottenham | Newcastle/ Liverpool | West Ham | ||
Minutes On Pitch | 2,429 | 1,072 | 1,712 | 1,703 | ||
Goals | 11 | 2 | 11 | 5 | ||
Mins per goal | 221 | 536 | 156 | 341 | ||
Shots | 63 | 37 | 64 | 53 | ||
Shooting Accuracy | 48% | 51% | 45% | 51% | ||
Chance Conversion | 17% | 5% | 17% | 9% | ||
Goal Assists | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | ||
Also See: Wales v England Preview.